There are stories of people who thrive even in trying economic times, usually because they showcase creativity – or chutzpah – that pays off in dividends. Now, new stories are emerging, because these same people are putting their creativity toward philanthropic causes. These people are known as social entrepreneurs.

Vinod Kapur, an engineer by training and founder of KeggFarms in India, is one such entrepreneur. Instead of giving money to poultry farmers (which was already being done to varied results), Kapur used his company to breed a chicken that would increase the income of small farmers.

The result was the Kuroiler breed, which gives five times more eggs, and grows faster and bigger than regular chickens. These birds are sold through local entrepreneurs to rural households, and those households stand to earn more because of the special characteristics of this chicken breed.

A school project led to Illac Diaz establishing Pier One, a Manila-based dorm for Filipino seafarers looking for work. Diaz was studying at the Asian Institute of Management and was tasked to seek a new opportunity and create a business plan for it. Diaz found himself in Luneta, a large park in Manila, and saw the plight of seafarers who came to the capital from the provinces, looking for new contracts. They did not have a place to stay in the city, and ended up in shelters where they were “stacked… like sardines.”

The project started as a 40-person dorm, charging about 1 US dollar a night. To help dormers who couldn’t pay, a water purifying station that they could work for was set up in the area. This was also to help alleviate “donor fatigue” and maintain an alternative income stream for the dorm. By 2008, Pier One had expanded to accommodate 2,000 persons and has begun to offer small business assistance as well.

Both Diaz and Kapur have been honored by various organizations for merging their business plans with philanthropy, likely in the hopes of inspiring others to take up the cause.