Arlington, VA (October 20th, 2009) On October 30, 2009 Latin Trade, Latin America’s leading international business magazine, will be presenting two of its prestigious Bravo Awards to distinguished members of the Ashoka Social Entrepreneur community: Rebecca Villalobos, an Ashoka Fellow from Costa Rica who promotes quality eye care for all, and Ashoka Support Network member, Lorenzo Mendoza, Executive President of Empresas Polar.

Rebecca Villalobos, Ashoka Fellow since 2002, will receive the Bravo Humanitarian Award.  With just $500 of start-up capital and a few borrowed chairs, she launched her first clinic and began providing medical treatment for just $2 a visit.  Through her organization Asembis, Rebecca has reached over 3 million Costa Ricans, providing quality, affordable care to people of all economic backgrounds and in the most remote areas of the country.

Lorenzo Mendoza, who has been involved with Ashoka to support social entrepreneurship in Latin America since 2007, will receive the Bravo Social Responsibility CEO Award.  His Empresas Polar is not only one of the largest group of companies in Venezuela, which Mendoza has managed to hold together in tough economic and political times, but he has also become a champion of social entrepreneurship through the Polar Foundation and his own personal involvement.

“We are very proud of both our Ashoka community members: Rebecca, for showing how social causes can be sustainable and generate huge impact, applying a mixture of business concepts with deep concern and commitment to those who have the least and Lorenzo, for his continued commitment to promoting social entrepreneurs through his investment and his advocacy among Latin American business leaders,” says Nadine Freeman, Ashoka’s Director of Engagement for Latin America.  “We are pleased to see both the business and social sector generating such important impact, demonstrating that everyone can be a changemaker.”

In addition to receiving their important Bravo awards, both Villalobos and Mendoza will participate in a special event with a select group of Latin American business leaders, including Grupo Bimbo CEO, Daniel Servitje, prior to the Bravo Awards in Miami on October 30.  The objective of this gathering of leaders will be to build a strong network of support for social entrepreneurship in Latin America.

About Ashoka
Ashoka is the global association of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs – individuals with system-changing solutions for the world’s most urgent social problems.  Ashoka is strengthening the global citizen sector by connecting the work of individual social entrepreneurs to their business counterparts, creating a system of collaborative entrepreneurship.  The network effect of these partnerships drives the sector forward by creating new solutions in new markets.

To date Ashoka has elected and supported over 2,000 social entrepreneurs across 70 countries in five continents. Ashoka has offices in Bogota, Buenos Aires, Lima, Mexico City and Sao Paolo. Throughout Latin America, Ashoka has elected and invested in over 600 leading social entrepreneurs and has a growing network of business leaders who dedicate their time and resources to support Ashoka and to strengthen the work and impact of these social entrepreneurs.

For more information please visit www.ashoka.org.

About the Latin Trade Bravo Business Awards

The Latin Trade Bravo Business Awards are one of the most prestigious and longest-running annual ceremonies in the Americas, honoring business and political leaders for their contributions to progress in Latin America and the Caribbean. The 15th edition of the awards will be presented at a black-tie gala on October 30th at the Four Seasons Hotel in Miami, bringing together 300 leaders, including presidents, business executives and government ministers from across Latin America and the United States, to celebrate and recognize excellence in the region.
For more information, please visit www.ltbravo.com.

For more information contact:
Nadine Freeman
Ashoka Latin American Engagement
011 (51.1) 252.9981