Case study No.4  Established in 2010 as association, afterwards registered as Ltd at 2012. MAMMU is a fashion company that closely cooperates with young Latvian mothers in need. Many of them are less mobile in the job market due to their inability to work fixed working hours. Rather often these women cannot enroll their children into a kindergarten, as the number of places available is limited. If they cannot afford to hire a nanny, a full time job is not an option for them. The state social benefit is so small that these women virtually have to survive on an income way below a minimum subsistence level.

Involvement of these mothers in the business of MAMMU providing them with flexible working hours is both ends and means of the business activity of this social business company. MAMMU organizes their training, teaches them skills required for production of MAMMU fashion wares and provides them with information needed for setting up their own micro-enterprises for production. After completion of the training stage MAMMU provides these women with materials needed for production. Once the work is done, MAMMU buys these wares from mothers.

Being a social business, MAMMU is rather a cause than a profit driven enterprise, and the aim of the MAMMU team is the provision of social benefits for mothers, meanwhile producing creative and  high-quality fashion products.

Production: exclusive accessories – mainly scarfs.

Read more at: www.mammu.lv

Case study No.1 Otrā Elpa – charity shop, café as well as promoter of funds for charitable and social projects. Founders of the Otra Elpa are active in both financial and non-financial support towards social entrepreneurship development in Latvia. Business is based on three fundamental values; charity, environmental friendliness and social responsibility. They are one of those, who started to develop „term“social entrepreneurship in Latvia.

Otra Elpa serves as a role model and example of successful social entrepreneurship in Latvia.

Read more at: http://otraelpa.lv/

Case study No.3  <em>The social organization „Wings of hope”. </em>„Wings of hope” is a non-governmental organization established with the goal to meet the interests of disabled children and promote their integration into the society, as well as to support children in need and their parents and encourage a positive attitude involving disabled children in social life. Since 2004 the organisation „Wings of hope” has being providing social rehabilitation services to children and youth with various disabilities and their families ensuring equal opportunities in receiving needs-responsive social services at home or close to it.

„Wings of hope” runs several project activities under its social support and health care concept. It is important to mention one of its projects, that is „Hope Ranch”, which is a community centre for people with mental disabilities. Another organisation’s initiative is called „Charity centre Pogotova”. It provides several activities including various handicraft workshops, sewing, clothing repair, interior decoration also it produces jewellery, toys, tailor based knitted things. All these social projects are managed by „Wings of hope” and the local municipality provides premises and sub-contracts rehabilitation services for children and adults.

More about organisation you can find at : www.ceribusparni.lv

Read article in Latvian at: http://www.db.lv/mazais-bizness/sakam-biznesu/sakam-biznesu-pavadit-laiku-jegpilni-445221?

Case study No.2 –  Samaritan Association of Latvia. The Samaritan Association of Latvia (LSA) is a voluntary action oriented public benefit organization that has a slogan „Help to live”. The Samaritan Association of Latvia is well-known due to its numerous unique projects and services. The Samaritan Association is a certified social service provider, medical and educational institution. LSA is supported by the government cooperating with it and municipalities.  One of the best cooperation examples is a service called „Samaritan support at home”, where a specifically equipped car is used as a portable health and social care center. The car is equipped with everything that has to be available at a modern care center –  shower, WC, washing machine, built-in gas stove and sink, as well as a personal care centre, including  hairdressing and podiatry services, which is an issue in most of the Latvian local governments. Another cooperation service with municipalities is called „Safety button”, where a person can report any health or socially related problem immediately to the central care unit. The main form of cooperation between the local governments and LSA can be characterised as provided outsource social and health services, while signed outsource agreements ensure efficient work of these social services. As far as many local governments do not have the capacity to ensure such kind of services, thus, not only social groups at risk but also local community benefits from the cooperation with this social enterprise.

The organisation has been nominated with  finalist for 2015 European Social Innovation Competition. See service below: