Soldiering on

Soldiering on


Start Up!’s Session on Social Enterprises in Conflict Zones |

Ravaged by continuous war and violence, conflict areas such as Kashmir, and the North East are looked upon by the outside world as ‘no-go’ areas; areas where development isn’t possible until political stability is restored. As a result, these areas are plagued with poor economic opportunities and low levels of development. However, new breeds of social entrepreneurs are emerging who are questioning this stereotype, and venturing into these war torn areas.

This session will focus on the work done by these social enterprises towards creating value chains that provide substantial linkages and economic opportunities to those residing in these areas. The session will explore the contextual realities of these social enterprises, as well as the challenges they face as they scale from one conflict zone to another. Finally, the session will approach the issue of collaborating with the government in these areas, and gaining the trust of the people.