The path of a successful social entrepreneur, or any kind of achiever who stands out from the crowd, can

be a long and lonely journey. One man who could tell you all about this is Ulrik DeBo, the founder of the Prospero Foundation. Ulrik Debo was born into a working class family in a small village in Denmark. Undeterred by difficulties and lack of money he started working and saving to fulfill his dream of an education in the United States at an early age. Against all the odds, but spurred on by wise individuals who saw and nurtured the spark of determination and aspiration that burned inside him, Ulrik Debos great dream came to fruition. At the age of nineteen he moved to the US. Because of lack of funds he studied hard and completed his degree two years earlier than was normal. However, after graduating he found himself in crippling debt. He felt intuitively that he would never resolve his situation and progress while working for other people, that he must carve his own path, no matter how terrifying the prospect. So he cast aside his fears and made the momentous decision to take on even greater liabilities in order to start his own business. Once again Ulrik Debo turned things around, selling his successful business and expanding into the world of finance. DeBondo Capital, which was started in 2003, has to date been involved in taking more than sixty companies public on the stock market. It was followed by DeBondo Energy in 2008, which has raised funds for energy projects around the world. DeBondo Energy has facilitated job creation by building power plants and providing electricity, for millions of people in such far flung countries as Iraq, Ghana, Brazil and many more. The spark that drove Ulrik Debo to succeed is now a spark that is channeled through the Prospero Foundation and goes all out to pay it forward to others who have the desire to move mountains, no matter how difficult or deprived their lives or how disadvantageous or broken their backgrounds. Even within those families that are considered unavoidably programmed for failure by sociological statisticians, there can be children that shine through and can succeed with the right opportunities and mentoring. To this end, the Prospero Foundation has produced its Scholarship Program, which gives grants of 50,000 to 100,000 USD, to cover one to two years of study. These go to four or five exceptional students each year, who choose whether to receive this education at home or abroad. These are brilliant scholars who have managed to get good Bachelor or university qualifications despite the odds being stacked against them, but just dont have the money to fund their MBAs, Master of Finance degrees, or the next stage in their development. Ulrik Debo knows what its like to feel fear and yet still strive for ones goals. He believes that without the support he received from those who believed in him, he would not be where he is today. So besides the healthy financial package, the Prospero Foundation provides support, mentoring and hands-on business experience for their chosen students as they complete their studies. Successful mentoring means not only the teaching of skills and knowledge by the mentor, but also provides perspective and valuable insights to contribute to problem solving and the achievement of long-term goals. Working seamlessly alongside the other Prospero Foundation initiatives, the intention is that these star students from difficult backgrounds will spread their light - sharing their success with their family and peers. As these men and women realize their goals and thrive as

business people and social entrepreneurs, they too will pay it forward, mentoring and supporting others to break out of their socio-economic constraints. As the ripples they create multiply, waves of entrepreneurial communities with right livelihood and altruism at their heart are generated. This growing surge of positive action and dynamic energy will spread organically, neighborhood by neighborhood, region by region. It will link to other positive and charitable enterprises, raising vibrations and building a global network of co-operation, prosperity and transformation. This is a major objective of the Prospero Foundation. This Scholarship Program is a new initiative. Prior to this the Prospero Foundation has already given financial help to many deserving students. http://www.prosperofoundation.org/scholarship/ http://www.prosperofoundation.org/portfolio-scholarship/