The Stube-HEMAT community in Bengkulu held a discussion and sharing on building entrepreneurship from social problems, producing and meeting needs, and overcoming economic gaps in the community in Bengkulu (Wednesday,31/05/2023). With resource person Iman Kristina Halawa, M, Th, the discussion was attended by participants from students from the Arastamar Bengkulu Theological College (STTAB). The activity aimed for students to know about SDGs related to entrepreneurship that can be done to meet needs and overcome economic disparities in Bengkulu society.

Understanding social problems is very important for those who work in the social entrepreneurship field because by understanding the breadth and depth of the problem, one will find opportunities for action to deal with it, such as prevention, resolution, or development. The causes of social problems are very complex, including dimensions related to patterns of behavior, patterns of interaction, changes and conflicts of values, to those resulting from situations of injustice, neglect of human rights, and ecological damage.

The social problems that occur are increasingly complex, both in causes and consequences. Social entrepreneurs are expected to contribute ideas and actions that touch the problems that have been considered unsolvable and should be seen as opportunities to solve problems. Currently, many social problems in Indonesia need attention, whether due to social dysfunction of individuals, and families, or institutional and organizational dysfunction, including social and public service institutions.

In Bengkulu City, a problem that continues to be a polemic is that street children that are unsupervised, pressured, and exploited by several individuals who take advantage of their helplessness. Answering this social problem by seeing it as an opportunity for social entrepreneurs by training and equipping street children through activities that develop their creativity so that they can reduce social problems. Creativity is used to generate income that can be used to achieve the goals.

Business opportunities by answering social problems are a challenge for everyone involved in social entrepreneurship. It turns out that many opportunities can be found by studying existing social problems. (IKH) ***