Can-do people

"In that case, (there are) many NGO leaders in China I would consider social entrepreneurs."

The Chinese version largely elaborates on the five charity leaders' views and experiences in trying to apply business-like operations to nonprofit organizations. Given that NGOs in China don't have a long history, the lack of public trust is a problem, the author says, adding that nonprofits, therefore, need to act more transparently in terms of good bookkeeping and outreach programs to explain what they do and why, among other initiatives.

According to Shapiro, the biggest difference between Chinese social entrepreneurs and their Western counterparts is that many think it helpful to work in partnership with the government in China, and the government is also becoming more open to cooperating with NGOs to deliver social good.

She says that efforts such as the Free Lunch for Children program, which was set up by some 500 journalists on Chinese social media and resulted in government subsidizing school meals for children, are good examples of such partnerships.

Wu Yuelin, an employee of CheersPublishing, says that the company decided to publish the Chinese version of the book, because the book would help Chinese better understand social entrepreneurs and would inspire business startups.