Abstract
This study examines the impact of social entrepreneurship on poverty reduction, specifically analyzing the Women of Vision NGO in Abuja, Nigeria. Unemployment, a significant contributor to poverty, remains a pressing issue in developing nations, prompting global dialogue aimed at finding effective solutions. The research investigates how social entrepreneurship can effectively address these challenges, with primary objectives centered on understanding the relationship between social innovation and income generation, the role of social capital in individual empowerment, and the influence of social change initiatives on beneficiaries' living standards. The population for the study consisted of 129 respondents, including beneficiaries, staff, volunteers, community leaders, and board members. A sample size of 98 was determined using the Taro Yamane formula, ensuring a 95% confidence level and a 5% error tolerance for reliability. Findings shows that social innovation has significant impact on income generation (R-value of 75.3%; p-value < 0.05). Additionally, the study found that social capital accounted for (60%; p-value < 0.05) of the variance in empowerment. The study concludes that social innovation is vital for income generation and emphasizes the role of social capital. Based on the findings, it recommends that the Women of Vision NGO enhance their efforts by leveraging social innovation strategies and strengthening social support networks to improve poverty reduction outcomes.
Keywords: Social entrepreneurship, Social innovation, Social capital, Poverty, Empowerment