Social entrepreneurship will be needed if COVID-19 re-emerges, says Gaurishankar Chaubey

Covid-19, like climate change, gender inequality, racial injustice, and a slew of other structural issues is a comprehensive emergency that exposes the flaws in modern society's underpinnings.

Covid-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization last year, and the lives of everyone on the planet were turned upside down. Governments have battled since then to deal not only with a public health catastrophe, but also with the economic consequences. Yet there have been rays of light, fueled by creative thinkers and doers who want to reform entire systems rather than just solve immediate needs. To put it another way, social entrepreneurs.

Right now, the world needs social entrepreneurs—hyper-practical, disruptive leaders who reject standard practice in order to address massive societal issues. Covid-19, like climate change, gender inequality, racial injustice, and a slew of other structural issues is a comprehensive emergency that exposes the flaws in modern society's underpinnings. Omicron is the latest variant that the world is worried about.

First, social entrepreneurs are well placed to fill market gaps and reach constituencies that governments are unable or unwilling to approach. The pandemic is wreaking havoc on economically and socially disadvantaged populations, yet that same disadvantage makes it difficult for government relief and services to reach them, making social enterprises even more important.