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52 nominations from readers

• They wholeheartedly deserve recognition for the work they have done.

  Nominated by Emma Warren, 13 March 2008

• Lily is a wonderful, caring person who has made a difference to thousands of people's lives by setting up Mybnk, a charity/social enterprise which is helping people to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to become the entrepreneurs of the future and to avoid the ignorance that can lead to the blight of spiralling debt. Her work has therefore not just been about helping people to make money for themselves, but about managing their lives and learning to make enterprising choices in all sectors of their lives.

  Nominated by Andrew Tose, 13 March 2008

• Lily is an exceptional person who brings energy, commitment, flair and passion to the idea of children's banking. Her project is well thought through and continues to develop (in 2008, a range of Enterprise-in-a Box products will be launched). She has found alternatives to charging and paying interest whilst at the same time imposing obligations and providing incentives for the young borrowers and lenders. Even her HotSeats interviews streamed from the MyBnk website are being used as a first-rate enterprise education tool. Lily understands the role of young people's participation, and this is built into design and delivery. The young MyBnkers are also inspiring, demonstrating clearly the value of this project to young people's personal development.

  13 March 2008

• Because she's superb. She's bright, articulate and media savvy. She'll be a great spokesperson and advocate. But most importantly because she's got the substance to back it all up. She's actually made it work.

  Nominated by henry, 13 March 2008

• I personally think that Lily Lapenna deserves this important award for the very reason that she is an incredible person. She is really trying to change this world and in particular our society in better. The project that she has started in 2006, MyBnk, is involving more and more people and the benefits on young students are incredible. It is a very successful initiative that shows to us how it is possible to balance business and money with social needs. I think she is one of those rare person who has the true capacity to improve our world not just for what she does but for her ability to involve a lot people in her projects. This could be easily explained because she is tryly convinced and passionate on what she does and she is able to transmit her ideas to others. Furthermore MyBnk is achieving great success and it involving more and more schools in all England.

  Nominated by Fabio Stevanato, 13 March 2008

• 9 months ago she set up a charity/social enterprise called MyBnk that works with young people to increase their enterprise and financial capability through youth led practical services. It's been an increadible journey and they have started to have great impact working with over 2000 young people in schools/colleges/homeless associations in the UK. Making them better at managing their money, avoiding spiraling debt and making enterprising choices in all sector of their lives.

  Nominated by Raffaella Dirat, 14 March 2008

• I think that Lily is passionate about her job. She had a lot of experiences in the field of development studies and she demonstrated to be a hard working and a result oriented entrepreneur.

  She also have almost three years experience in developing countries for development and micro-finance project coordination and management.

  Last but not least she speaks perfectly three European languages, has a huge network of persons ready to help her and her organization.

  She is definitely the right person to win this award!!!

  Nominated by Lea Marcozzi, 14 March 2008

• Elisabetta Lapenna has strong leadership skills. She is not only creative but able to persevere in difficult situations. She never gives up in what she believes and is a true inspiration for all people working with her. Her project MyBnk has all the ingredients of social entrepreneurship and has in very short time shown results. I also firmly believe that MyBnk is sustainable and will continue to develop and expand.

  Nominated by Beatrice Engstrom Bondy, 14 March 2008

• Lily's drive, ambition and desire to change the world for the better has created the fantastic MyBnk project. Her creative, 'can-do' approach has fuelled the creation and development of MyBnk which is doing such great work in helping young people develop their financial & enterprise skills. The innovation and approach of MyBnk's youth friendly, youth led projects is adding new dimensions to teaching and the development of young peoples life skills. She would be a fantastic person to win this award so that she can develop MyBnk's work to reach more & more young people across the UK.

  Nominated by Stephen Korris, 14 March 2008

• Lapenna confirm a continuity of vocation, sincere ispiration, very good professionl skills as educator of young people and as organiser of advanced and very usefull experiences in developping their capability in front of the economic problems ( enterprise and financial capability), providing the yourg people of the wright conciousness of their responsability and trust in their strengt to face the modern challenges

  Nominated by MARCO RICCERI, 14 March 2008

• I feel very proud to be friends with a truly and entrepreneurial woman. She works very hard and is incredibly passionate about her cause. And will stop at nothing to achieve the best for Mybnk. Lily is truly inspirational and deserves recognition for the hard and selfless work she has done to date.

  Nominated by katie aust, 14 March 2008

• Worked as a peer educator in a rural school within a cross-cultural partnership

  - Used non-formal education and extra curricular activities to raise important issues like Aids awareness/environmental awareness and to encourage child participation/ empowerment.

  - With the participation of the community, the teachers and the 300 children, we founded a small library. All books were locally brought, most written by autochthonous authors telling stories the children could relate to.

  Nominated by patson ncube, 14 March 2008

• I don't know if Lily should win this award as I don't know the others nominee. I can say on the other hand that I know many entrepreneurs and quite a few people involved in social work but I have never met anyone who could combine the qualities of determination, ambition, focus and entrepreneurial and commercial sense that make a successful entrepreneur with the unselfish, humble, caring and generous character that is required to be a good social worker: I actually thought that these were things almost incompatible in one single person: Lily proved me wrong and offered me an inspiring example. That is why I believe Lily should win this award.

  Nominated by Claudio de Sanctis, 15 March 2008

• Big heart

  Ability to see things through!

  Big Innovator

  Nominated by Jane Clitheroe, 15 March 2008

• Ever since 1999, when she was a peer educator in Zimbabwe, Lily has continuously involved herself in social issues and social solutions. She has a keen sense of social worth and social justice. She is that rare combination of an ideas person, continuously incubating creative thoughts, and an implementer, able to sift ideas from herself and others to put them into practice.

  During the MyBnk implementation, she has shown herself to have the ability to network effectively and to manage to take an idea from theory to practice, scaling it up against her vision of how it can result in social change, in this case directly affecting the lives of young people. MyBnk enables and empowers young people to run their own social enterprise in miniature, so providing them with the means to directly affect their own destiny.

  Nominated by C. Tom Davis, 15 March 2008

• She is a compassionate woman, who combines great initiative with kindness and positivity. Her MYbank project is a great one. It is dedicated to helping London youth from disadvantaged backgrounds become independent and self-sufficient. This is a project about self-empowerment that is changing thousands of lives.

  Nominated by Deborah McCracken, 16 March 2008

• She has shown a persistent, courageous and innovative approach to tackling social problems at their root. Her work with mybnk will give youngsters a chance in life that they would not have had before.

  Nominated by Alex Whittaker, 16 March 2008

• Lily has been engaged in development and charity work for several years, including working in Bangladesh and working with tsunami survivors from Thailand. She is very devoted to helping people improve their circumstances and very skilled at turning ideas into projects and projects into results.

  Nominated by Julie Williams-Krishnan, 16 March 2008

• best entrepeneur of the year!

  Nominated by maria luisa de stefano, 17 March 2008

• She has taken the challenge of providing financial services and building entrepreneur capacity of young people who are traditionally considered not worthy for financial services. Going out of the conventional thoughts about the capacity of young people she is proving that young people have the potentially to participate in the social development given that they are given the opportunity to build their entrepreneur skills.

  Nominated by Sadid Ahmed n, 18 March 2008

• Lily has outstanding entrepreneurship skills, always bringing new innovative ideas and deliver them into real and succesful projects.

  She's definetly one of the most promising entrepreneur I've ever met, and not only in the social entrepreneurship area!

  Nominated by Thibaut Jacquet, 18 March 2008

• For some time we were supporting a Zimbabwean student through school and nursing college, mainly responding to his urgent appeals at times of crisis. Lily showed us how to support him more efficiently and effectively, with outcomes being monitored and better communications. Moreover, through using her organization we could give in a way that enabled the student to have more responsibility for planning and using the resources we made available. He was encouraged to find money-earning schemes and to budget effectively. She was always very firm with him and ensuring that he saw the need to be accountable in his use of resources and for his wider commitment to his community. Feedback from him demonstrates how he has been able to make his money work, use initiative and use mechanisms such as the exchange rate and blogging to his own advantage. He has sent us photos and evidence of his progress which gives us confidence that our money is working. Lily has also helped him focus his energies and resources in ways that will ultimately benefit the wider community rather than purely himself. Lily has actually saved us money in transfer costs and regularized our giving so we can budget as well. In consequence we feel more comfortable in our giving because before we were never confident about whether our student was being exploited by others or even exploiting us! Now we feel assured that our student is developing self sustaining tools, a range of applicable skills, business acumen and will ultimately benefit the health of his community.

  Nominated by Martyn Offord, 19 March 2008

• Lily's creativity, determination and foresight are evident to all,and they leap out at you as soon as you log on to mybnk's great website. In schools,she has taken the model of a school bank and made it ethical,user friendly and ,remarkably, a radical tool for encouraging social change.The entire project is suffused with ethical business practice and social responsibility,as shown by her work with Islamic banking as a model for young people. Mybnk has proven hugely popular with a wide range of schools and teachers as a model that can be embedded into daily school life while encouraging creative thinking and exchange of ideas between young people,as well as giving them a strong sense of personal responsibility.

  In short,Lily fits all the criteria - and she has created a strong,sustainable ,replicable model.

  Nominated by Alastair Falk, 19 March 2008

• She is always concerned, involved, concentrated, bright and fast in her decisions.

  She knows in an excellent atmosphere to involve people to her social and human causes

  She has a great sense of the reality, of the limits.

  She is always creating and applying new ways "to think social" with no average sense of pity.

  She is able to manage mybnk in a very professionnal way, too

  Nominated by dugue nicole, 19 March 2008

• Since I know Liy from several years I know how deep is her involvment is social work and trough the years she never changed mind and started her own work with no help from others but her will to dedicate her life to it.

  Nominated by manuela brofferio, 19 March 2008

• Despite being really young, she is focused and passionate about her job.

  She has achieved solid knowledge of the field and experience on the ground due to her many social trips to Africa and Bangladesh.

  Lily deserves it.

  Nominated by Luca Catalano, 20 March 2008

• With her education and secure background Lily could have chosen from a raft of commercial opportunities which could have generated substantial personal reward. Instead and driven by keen social conscience she has mapped out a path that has embraced various charitable projects on three separate continents. Not bad for someone who has yet to reach her thitieth birthday.

  Nominated by David Fraser, 20 March 2008

• Come Direttore Generale di una Banca, mi sono sentito particolarmente coinvolto nel progetto di Lily Lapenna; ritengo ammirevole la sua iniziativa volta ad educare i giovani al micro-credito offrendo loro, concretamente, strumenti pratici x conoscere la realtà del denaro, dell’impresa e della banca.

  L’obiettivo di Mybnk è infatti quello di sviluppare nei giovani, di tutte le estrazioni sociali, una maggiore conoscenza di come il denaro può essere investito in attività/imprese redditizie non perdendone mai di vista anche l’aspetto etico-sociale. Il futuro della nostra società è nelle mani dei giovani che vanno istruiti con iniziative come questa di Lily Lapenna alla quale va la mia piena stima e considerazione.

  Nominated by Massimo Bianconi, 21 March 2008

• Lily and her organization Mybnk has an immense amount to offer particularly in motivating young people to become involved in a very meaningful way in helping others.

  Nominated by patrick vincent, 21 March 2008

• Because she is extremely responsible and determinated in helping people in needs.

  Nominated by Paolo Castellini, 22 March 2008

• To teach young people the way to handle and look after their available (if any)

  cash, is an extrimely useful work. If the yung child realizes the (relative but unavoidable) importance of money and

  how to administer it, it is something that will help him/her all lifelong.

  It will teach him/her that if he/she

  knows how to deal with money, he/she will always master it, and will never be

  slave of it. And this is basic in life.

  Nominated by Alberto Bragho', 22 March 2008

• lily sta facendo un lavoro eccezionale per i ragazzi che non hanno possibilita' economiche e da' loro, con questa iniziativa, l'opportunita' di emergere e realizzare i loro sogni e i loro obiettivi.

  Nominated by patrizia capanna, 25 March 2008

• Lily deserves the award for being able to bring about such strong and motivated ideas of equality and huuman potential even in an advanced environment where one mistakingly is led to think that all people can realize their potential. She has perceived that this is not true and is taking action to make the qualities of certain people emerge to the surface

  Nominated by angelo cioffi, 25 March 2008

• Lily Lapenna have been extremely successful establishing a charity/social enterprise called MyBnk (www.mybnk.org)that works with young people to increase their enterprise and financial capabilities through youth led practical services.

  MyBnk started 19 months ago with a great impact over 2000 young people in schools/colleges/homeless associations in the UK, making them better at managing their money, avoiding spiraling debt and making enterprising choices in all sector of their lives.

  Because of her success in this venture, her personal skills, paste experiences and determination in pursuing her goals, I am convinced that she deserve to win te award.

  Nominated by EMANUELE MONTANI-FARGNA, 25 March 2008

• Mine is mostly the perspective of an 'outsider' who normally carries on commercial work. Nevertheless I have been working with many NGOs and met talented individuals investing their energies in very interesting projects. When I met Lily and discovered MyBnk I immediately noticed there was something different about this woman and her activity compared to those I came across till then. Lily has a very mature attitude towards her targets which in my opinion is what is often lacking, sometimes almost among older social entrepreneurs I have met. Her business acumen, her natural inclination towards effective problem solving and her clear, decisive yet open-minded communication deliver a very successful management with 'vision'. Her project itself is tackling a concrete problem with concrete means. At all stages of its development the highly positive feedback MyBnk has been gathering represents real evidence of her efforts and of the enormous benefit MyBnk could represent for many more children and schools if made available to a larger audience. Despite a significantly successful proactive approach to fund raising the only thing which has been delaying further positive achievements has been the financial backing necessary to support Lily's 'bigger thinking'. Lily has had a clear vision of MyBnk’s future since the start and she has gained the right experience to handle its development and realization successfully. It would be the natural next step for a company, a team of talented young people and a social entrepreneur that have repeatedly shown they have the potential to make a difference improving the lives of children in and outside UK.

  Nominated by Tommaso de Sanctis, 28 March 2008

• Lily has always looked at the world around her with great curiosity and interest. Instead of becoming cynical, hardened or apathetic in front of all the injustice, poverty and despair around her, she has decided to dedicate herself to understanding and helping without ever being judgmental or condescending of other realities and values. She has shown vision, persistence and business sense in her enterprises but also great open mindedness, respect and kindness for those around her. She really is the social conscience of all of us (friends and family) and has been able to involve us in her various ideas, thanks to her enthusiasm, knowledge and ability to motivate. She really has shown me and those around her that every little effort helps and that step by step anything can happen.

  Nominated by Luisa de Sanctis, 28 March 2008

• Because all the amazing activities carried out by MyBnk could not be achievable without Lily's great determination, passion and deep sensibility. She deserves it.

  Nominated by maria teresa sette, 28 March 2008

• Lily is the most driven and passionate person I know, particularly when it comes to doing work that will truly make a positive difference in the lives of people around the world who are not in privileged positions. She has spent much of her young life working in different parts of the world raising awareness and physically assisting others, e.g. after the tsunami. Her relationships with the recipients of her service do not end when she leaves – she is still in touch with them and continues to support their cause in whatever ways she can.

  She readily shares her knowledge and skills with others, not only with the end beneficiaries, but also with friends and volunteers with previous little knowledge about practical ways to be socially responsible and effective. Her energy, dedication and focus even through hard times, e.g. when she does not have funding, is contagious and awe-inspiring in someone so young. She has always been a source of inspiration for me and has very much contributed to the way I currently live my life. I know for a fact that I am not the only person she has had this influence on.

  She is constantly finding new and innovative ways to raise funds and to raise awareness for the work she is involved in. The website she has created for MyBnk is an example of such innovation. She has so far attracted the attention of some very impressive people, experienced social entrepreneurs and business people alike. After a humble start less than two years ago, the very success of MyBnk over such a short space of time is testament to the fact that the work Lily does is needed and is making a long term difference in the communities in which she works.

  Lily Lapenna absolutely more than deserves to get this award.

  Nominated by Nana-Efua Otoo, 28 March 2008

• She is a fun, clever, caring person, she deserves this award more than any young professional I know. She started with nothing and look what she has acheived in such a short period of time. Maybe this award might help her to further help the youth of today to help our would be a better place to live in.

  Nominated by deborah long, 28 March 2008

• Lily Lapenna should win this award because all her work and efforts are for the youth of London and Britain and she deserves all the acclaim that she can get because the main purpose of this award isto help support her projects with schools and the pupils in these schools who enjoy working with her and Mybank tremendously.

  Nominated by sophie Engstrom, 28 March 2008

• Quite simply, Lily Lapenna is one of the most inspiring people you will ever meet. She is self-less, dedicated and an extremely hard worker. She advances herself through lifting others from their financial and educational problems. One of the best things is that she could talk to and impress the UN Secretary-General and the very next minute could relate to a child from the developing world. In someone else's words, "(She) can walk with kings, nor lose the common touch". Lily is so easy to talk to that you are immediately lifted when in her company and you want to be friends with her. Very motivated, she will spend the rest of her life working towards her goals of helping others, no matter whether she wins this award or not. She knows that while the UK is a developed country, there are some who do not have access to all its benefits. Her organization aims to help young people help themselves and reach their potential and get the opportunities the UK offers. If she doesn't win this year, she will become colleagues with whoever does, garner their support, and get back to work.

  Nominated by Axel Tracy, 29 March 2008

• the MyBnk program that Lily has launched provides a promising way for students to learn about financial literacy in a fun and empowering way. I really like her ideas as it gives students hope in their future careers, to not just be followers, but to be leaders, and leaders that can make a difference in the world.

  Nominated by kelvin cheung, 29 March 2008

• Very determinated and focused, her activities are differentiated but all aimed towards one very important goal, Lily is a great achiever in her area and at the same time does not lose touch with her surrounding environment

  Nominated by Stefania Davi, 31 March 2008

• Founder and Promoter, of the Italian version of the book: "The Children of Phi Phi Island"(May 2005- On - going)

  A book written by the children of Phi Phi island about their experience of the Tsunami.

  Campaigned and gained support and funds from political institutions including Mr. Veltroni, Mayor of Rome

  Negotiated a place for the book within the UNESCO event, 'Turin and Rome World Book Capitals 2006'

  Sales of the book are expected to raise €100 000 that will go towards post tsunami reconstruction

  Researche and Development Officer, Eurispes (Institute for Socio-Political and economic research), Rome (March-August 2004)

  Researcher, BRAC (Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee), Bangladesh (August –February 2004)

  Peer Educator, ADESPE Children's organization, Naples (September-June 2002)

  Teaching disengaged children at high risk of being recruited by organised crime.

  Peer Educator, Student Partnership World-wide' NGO, Zimbabwe (January-September 1999)

  Worked as a peer educator in a rural school within a cross-cultural partnership

  Used non-formal education and extra curricular activities to raise important issues like Aids awareness/environmental awareness and to encourage child participation/ empowerment.

  With the participation of the community, the teachers and the 300 children, we founded a small library. All books were locally brought, most written by autochthonous authors telling stories the children could relate to.

  Nominated by Anastasia Valecce, 02 April 2008

• Lily deserves this reward because since the age of 18 Lily has entirely given herself to the causes for disadvantaged people in the UK and abroad. At the age of 18 Lily started with working in Africa and has since then given her talents, energy and inspiration fulltime to hundreds of young people in Africa, Bangldesh and London.

  Nominated by Lukas Gimpel, 04 April 2008

• Lily deserves this reward because since the age of 18 Lily has devoted herself to the causes for disadvantaged people in the UK and abroad. She volunteered in Africa and in Bangladesh to inspire young people on how to become aware of their financial skills and possibilities to make their lives better. As a young person, she fully understands the needs of the young people. Her tireless energy, dedication and enthusiasm deserve a big recognition.

  Nominated by silvia nascimbene collins, 04 April 2008

• Lily has been putting an incredible amount of energy, intelligence, hardwork, intrapreneurial skills, courage, hope, joy, creativity, love, passion in her charity projects. I do admire her. Thanks Lily for being my daughter.

  Nominated by Emmalisa Marcozzi, 04 April 2008

• Non e' facile trovare nella stessa persona tanta passione, altruismo, capacita' imprenditoriali e vision.

  Nominated by Emmalisa Marcozzi, 04 April 2008

• Lily deserves this reward because since the age of 18 Lily has entirely given herself to the causes for disadvantaged people in the UK and abroad. At the age of 18 Lily started with working in Africa and has since then given her talents, energy and inspiration fulltime to hundreds of young people in Africa, Bangldesh and London.

  Nominated by Ludovica Anti, 05 April 2008

• I believe that Lily deserves to win this award because she is a rare example of someone who has dedicated her life, energies and enthusiasm to disadvantaged people. Such talents should be encouraged and winning the award would be a recognition of what she has done for the others.

  We live in a competitive world but not all our children are prepared to the fight, so someone who comes and help them is precious and rare and we should not forget it. Many youngsters become slaves of money, but what Lily is doing with a project like mybnk that helps them to deal with it is a great and concrete example of how someone can be helped in practical life.

  Nominated by Giorgio De Giorgi, 06 April 2008

• I have always appreciated Lily's numerous skills. She speaks several languages better than any speaker of BBC 1, France 2 or Rai 3. She has sophisticated manners but a warm and sunny smile. She enjoys life and non-sense but can't remain indifferent to other people's pain and suffering. She has a strong willing character and yet had to struggle to find her way. Now the fact that Lily has decided to dedicate all these skills to the achievement of a project aiming to help other less fortunate young people to succeed in life, with dignity, is the first reason why I think she deserves this award. The second being a useful recognition of an intelligent and sustainable realization.

  Nominated by Irène Boehlen, 06 April 2008

• Lily deserves this reward as a tribute to her inspirational character, selfless nature and entrepreneurial spirit. Since leaving school, Lily has had a positive impact on the lives of hundreds of disadvantaged young people around the world. In Zimbabwe she helped bring about a library, in Bangladesh she researched poverty, for the children of Phi Phi island she translated a book into Italian in order to raise funds for post-tsunami construction work there, across Africa and the Philippines she has facilitated children's rights workshops in dozens of schools, and here in London, she now runs her own NGO empowering disadvantaged youths to take charge of their futures by developing their financial knowledge and entrepreneurial skills.

  Nominated by Pippa Nairn, 06 April 2008

12 comments from readers

• Lily has outstanding entrepreneurship skills, always bringing new innovative ideas and deliver them into real and succesful projects.

  She's definetly one of the most promising entrepreneur I've ever met, and not only in the social entrepreneurship area!

  Submitted by Thibaut Jacquet, 18 March 2008

• Lily Lapenna and Elisabetta Lapenna are one in the same person.....please note this, organizers of this award.....she is a champion of the human spirit, no matter which name we know her by :)

  Submitted by Axel Tracy, 29 March 2008

• With vast experience in coordinating & managing projects in developing countries and speaking fluently three languages, Lily Lapenna has set up MyBnk, a social enterprise whose aim is to increase young people's financial litteracy and to develop their enterprise skills. MyBnk works in schools and colleges, where students can save and take out small loans, interest free, to be used for the growth of enterprises. MyBnk involves young people in all phases of organising, running and using the bank.

  MyBnk is a great project, and Lily's vision is to bring a MyBnk in every school in the UK and internationally.

  I believe Lily will be successful in every project she undertakes, because she has the ability to inspire and involve many people, she has good ideas & vision, combined with the organisational and management skills to put concepts into practice.

  Submitted by francesca.mosca@gmail.com, 13 April 2008

• Lily has a big heart, She deserves this award because she loves her job. She has been doing this thing ever since she left school, and she has capacity even to reach out for more. She doesnt force it, she is just gifted.

  Submitted by WASHINGTON MUSIIWA, 14 April 2008

• What Lily is doing is wonderful. She has discovered a role for herself that benefits young members of our society who would otherwise not have had the opportunity to learn of an essential aspect of life. She has achieved her success through her special talent for making things happen, building a team, hard work and enjoying what she does. Indeed, if there were more Lily Lapennas in the world our society would be a better place in which to live. We are sorry to be late in nominating Lily but hope these comments will add our support to her nomination.

  Submitted by Jeremy & Birgitta Pilch, 14 April 2008

• Lily Lapenna should get this award because

  of the quality of the MyBnk design (not just the basic workings but additional project aspects like alternatives to interest rates, collateral and encouraging all round personal initiative)

  the speed at which she's made it happen and the harmonius and people loving way she's done it.

  If Lily wins, alot of others will win too, because she encourages and credits lots of people.

  I hope she doesn't mind my saying that we need another Anita Roddick - and Lily's commitment, brave ideas, similarly wild hair and Italian blood put her on call!

  Submitted by Elena Klaudis, 16 April 2008

• Lily uses a business model to address a social crisis. She worked on education projects in Africa, Asia and in the UK. She has innovated and created fun ways of involving young people in peer education.

  Submitted by ELENA BALIVA, 18 April 2008

• Lily is a true social entrepreneur. Every day for many years Lily has inspired people to contribute to social causes by making them aware of simple ways to improve the way we live. The way Lily leads her life is an example for anyone that wants a better world. The different initiatives that she supports promote human partnerships to devise ways in which to realize that we are all part of the solution and that we all benefit from working together. Whether is working with children, teenagers or adults from all over the world, Lily instigates socially changes for the benefit of all.

  Lily treats people from all the continents, races and social groups with dignity; her co-workers, the targets of her work, her friends and relatives all grow as individuals by being around her. We all have been encouraged by her to do something for others, for all of us, at some point.

  Lily's philanthropy arises from the belief that only by working together we can solve social problems and that for that, we must first realise that we are in this together. Lily firmly believes that we all gain by working with each other and that there are many worthwhile ways in which to do this.

  Lily’s has worked in many different education initiatives that promoted community development, personal growth, skills development and social cohesion. Lily’s work has often involved working with youth groups that needed to enhance their skills, awareness and confidence to feel part of the societies in which they live and to contribute to their development; Lily has enabled many young people in London, Naples, Phi Phi Island and Dhaka to achieve this.

  Lily’s greatest asset is that she makes others realize that they can be assets for others through the initiatives that she supports or by making them aware of initiatives that will interest them. ‘My Bnk’ is Lily’s latest initiative in which she has invested her soul. ‘My Bnk’ which aims to develop financial skills among the young population in deprived areas of London. The success of ‘My Bnk’ is an example of Lily’s creativity, commitment and determination to enable others to visualize a future in which they too will have an important role to play by understanding how the society around them works and what they can do to improve it. It’s for all these reasons that I strongly believe that Lily deserves this award.

  Submitted by Susana Edjang, 24 April 2008

• Lily lives her job and life with the same passion and perseverance! There are many years she goes around the world to acquire skills and abilities like Social Entrepreneur.

  Submitted by Marco Esposito, 06 May 2008

• If you've ever had the great joy of meeting Lily you'll know that you can't forget her. The impact she makes in the lives of all those who encounter her is magical, vast, lasting. Long may she continue, and long may we walk in her generous footsteps.

  Submitted by Abi Quine, 10 May 2008

• hi.keep up the good work in the future

  Submitted by keith short, 02 June 2008

• Lily Lapenna is the definition of a Social Entrepreneur. She continually impresses and garners support and respect from leading entrepeneurs with her age-worth of experience, and has inspired many to add "social" to what being an entrepeneur means to them and their activities. Every thought and whim of hers carries social entrepreneurial spin. For example, her mother once passed on to me a virtually new double-bed for free when I moved into my new flat, well almost free: £20 gets debited from my account every month towards the education of a Zimbabwean nurse in training, as set up by Lily Lapenna in return for the bed. Whether she is transforming the youth of today through My Bnk, or helping one individual make something of themselves in Zimbabwe, Lily puts her entire energy and spirit into it. Please honour her and help her grow.

  Submitted by Marie-Gabrielle Stewart, 02 June 2008