By Amresh Gunasingham

EVERY Sunday, a small office in Nassim Road is packed with more than 100 migrant women workers, mostly maids, who gather there for computer workshops, seminars on managing their finances and courses on business skills.
These classes are run by a non-profit school founded by an American, Dr Sarah Mavrinac, 47, a former finance lecturer at business school Insead here.

A Singapore permanent resident (PR), the Harvard graduate moved here with her family seven years ago to teach finance at the Singapore campus.

The mother of two gave up her five-figure salary and founded Aidha - Sanskrit for 'that to which we aspire' - where she runs courses with the help of volunteers, including university lecturers.

While teaching had been satisfying, she said 'this project has given me the opportunity to give back to the community and to women'.

Yesterday, she was named Singapore's Social Entrepreneur Of The Year 2008 at an awards ceremony at the Fusionopolis research centre in Buona Vista.

The award, now in its third year, was given out by Singapore-based non-profit organisation Social Innovation Park (SIP) and Geneva-based Schwab Foundation, which recognises the work of individuals who set up businesses tackling social issues. Over 1,200 women have taken courses at Aidha since its inception in October 2006. Some have gone on to successfully set up their own businesses back home.

The ceremony is the highlight of a three-day Global Social Innovators Forum organised by SIP, ending tomorrow.

As the winner, Dr Mavrinac will be inducted into the Schwab Foundation's network of 150 entrepreneurs and attend next year's Regional World Economic Forum. The other two finalists were Singaporeans Lawrence Khong, founder of Project Smile, and Ms Hazel Menon, founder of Immanuel Beauty School.

This article was first published in The Straits Times on November 29, 2008.