• BC4C Year 14 Awards 750,000 Baht to 3 Social Enterprises, Igniting Creativity for “Ethnic Groups – People with Disabilities – Organic Agriculture”

Banpu Public Company Limited, a leader in diverse energy solutions, in collaboration with ChangeFusion Institute, has announced the winners of the 14th year of the “Champions for Change” (Banpu Champions for Change: BC4C) program under the theme “Ignite and Grow Together.” The winners are: “Seeds Journey”, an NGO turned SE that preserves the culinary identity of ethnic groups; “Mai Muang Loei”, which provides continuous income for people with disabilities by producing ‘rehabilitation equipment from wood’ and expanding the market to the public sector; and “Sanboon Farm”, which strengthens the community by attracting the younger generation back home with its ‘peppermint’ product line.

Mr. Ratthapol Sukhanthi, Senior Director of Corporate Communications at Banpu Public Company Limited stated, “Over the past 14 years, Banpu and ChangeFusion have witnessed the passion of the three winning teams this year: Seeds Journey, Mai Muang Loei, and Sanboon Farm. They have demonstrated business drive, learned from the program, and are committed to overcoming various challenges. Within three months, we have seen clear successes in both business and social aspects, and we hope that all three enterprises will build on their success as models and inspire the growth of SE in Thailand.”

The winning social enterprises of BC4C Year 14 will receive a cash prize of 250,000 Baht each to further develop their businesses, along with the opportunity to participate in the BC4C Networking event, which will be held for the first time this year. This event will provide a space for all BC4C alumni to meet, develop skills, and exchange knowledge and experiences in Chiang Mai. The details of this year’s winning social enterprises are as follows (not ranked by score):

  • Seeds Journey: From NGO to SE Preserving Ethnic Food Identity is an enterprise that has evolved from a non-profit organization (NGO) in Chiang Rai to a clear social enterprise (SE) by addressing income limitations and disparities in the area. By integrating cultural and tribal wisdom, they have enhanced career pathways. After joining the program, they applied management and marketing knowledge to improve their backend systems and develop products, expanding their business model to process local seeds for B2B and B2C markets through workshops and community tourism, resulting in a new customer base and a revenue increase of over 30%, while elevating community wisdom into economic assets.
  • Mai Muang Loei: Generating Income for People with Disabilities by Expanding the Market for ‘Rehabilitation Equipment from Wood’ to Government Agencies for the Rehabilitation of Disabled Individuals in Loei Province is an enterprise focused on generating income for people with disabilities in Loei province, which has developed skills in design and presentation through the program, enabling them to push their products into the government market, becoming a primary income source for the business. This initiative provides an average monthly income of 9,000 Baht for each disabled team member, serving as a model SE that creates jobs, income, and enhances the potential of people with disabilities.

  • Sanboon Farm: Attracting the Younger Generation Back Home and Strengthening the Community in Kalasin Province with Organic Agriculture ‘Peppermint’ is an enterprise that has shifted its production to sustainable organic agriculture, developing local herbs ‘peppermint’ into prototype products such as inhalers, sprays, and peppermint tea. They have achieved a 100% growth in online sales, amounting to 300,000 Baht, while offline sales have also increased by 40-50%, around 500,000 Baht, after receiving market trial funding for three months and guidance on online sales from the BC4C program. The success of this enterprise has attracted the younger generation in the community to return home, join agricultural groups, and achieve a significant milestone in establishing the SandBoonfarm Network, a sustainable scientific organic agriculture model.

Stay updated on news and activities under the “Champions for Change” (BC4C) program via the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/banpuchampions, call 087-075-4815, or email [email protected].