Professor Wu Qing – Socially Responsible Entrepreneurship
Women & Gender in Global Perspectives, the Academy and the Worldwide Universites Network were proud to welcome honorary speaker, Professor Wu Qing to campus. Professor Wu Qing’s dedication to social activism has won her world acclaim and in 2001 the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service, considered the “Asian Nobel Prize.” She is the first woman to receive this honor, and said of herself “I am a verb…and not just any verb, an action verb. I think talking is one thing, but getting out there and doing is really living. It is important to have a vision bigger than yourself, then one can expand on it to act globally.”
Professor Wu Qing discussed her current social entrepreneurship project, which includes giving private land and education back to the peasant people of China who live in rural areas. Many developers do not provide proper educational training, and often people are left without jobs or transferable skills. Professor Wu Qing saw hope through new educational classes for women in these villages. “We train them to read and write, to manage money, protect themselves from violence, and manage family health. I was told once after my first class that I not only changed the six women…but that I impacted 6000 villagers.” She explained the communal impact that these classes have, as women teach other women and villages are gradually educated and empowered.
Another program Professor Wu Qing manages, gathers drop out female students from rural areas, and brings them to Beijing. Here the girls have the opportunity to study computers, haircutting, teaching, cooking, and other trade skills. They may choose after training to be placed into stable jobs in Beijing, where these women flourish and are offered a second chance in life.
Social entrepreneurship causes are slowly setting the groundwork for change and lifestyle improvement in rural China. Professor Wu Qing commented, “slow change is good for China. It reminds me of rain…when it pours, all the water rushes off the land and nothing is absorbed, but when it drizzles, the rain slowly seeps into the ground and makes nature blossom. I see many new opportunities blossoming in China in the future.” Professor Wu Qing’s dedication to these causes shows us the far reaching impact that socially responsible entrepreneurship can have on societies and economies around the world.
Women & Gender in Global Perspectives, the Academy and the Worldwide Universites Network were proud to welcome honorary speaker, Professor Wu Qing to campus. Professor Wu Qing’s dedication to social activism has won her world acclaim and in 2001 the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service, considered the “Asian Nobel Prize.” She is the first woman to receive this honor, and said of herself “I am a verb…and not just any verb, an action verb. I think talking is one thing, but getting out there and doing is really living. It is important to have a vision bigger than yourself, then one can expand on it to act globally.”
Professor Wu Qing discussed her current social entrepreneurship project, which includes giving private land and education back to the peasant people of China who live in rural areas. Many developers do not provide proper educational training, and often people are left without jobs or transferable skills. Professor Wu Qing saw hope through new educational classes for women in these villages. “We train them to read and write, to manage money, protect themselves from violence, and manage family health. I was told once after my first class that I not only changed the six women…but that I impacted 6000 villagers.” She explained the communal impact that these classes have, as women teach other women and villages are gradually educated and empowered.
Another program Professor Wu Qing manages, gathers drop out female students from rural areas, and brings them to Beijing. Here the girls have the opportunity to study computers, haircutting, teaching, cooking, and other trade skills. They may choose after training to be placed into stable jobs in Beijing, where these women flourish and are offered a second chance in life.
Social entrepreneurship causes are slowly setting the groundwork for change and lifestyle improvement in rural China. Professor Wu Qing commented, “slow change is good for China. It reminds me of rain…when it pours, all the water rushes off the land and nothing is absorbed, but when it drizzles, the rain slowly seeps into the ground and makes nature blossom. I see many new opportunities blossoming in China in the future.” Professor Wu Qing’s dedication to these causes shows us the far reaching impact that socially responsible entrepreneurship can have on societies and economies around the world.
