Opportunites for social investment presented by Avantage Ventures include: Organic Cotton Conversion Enterprise: Shanxi Pohan Farmers Association, Shanxi province, China Scope: Founded by Zheng Bing in 1998, with a membership of 3,800 farmers from 35 villages Business: microfinance, agriculture retail chain stores, organic farming, farmers' school, women's handicraft co-operative, green family group Proposed transaction: 3.5 million yuan (HK$4.07 million) is sought to fund organic certified cotton and the building of a ginning factory and an oil-seed-pressing factory. Investors are offered up to a 49 per cent stake in the new joint venture Employment for the disabled Enterprise: Canyou Software, Shenzhen, China Scope: The mainland's largest IT company wholly owned and managed by disabled adults, Founded by Zheng Weining, who suffers a heriditary blood disease that left him handicapped, operating since 1999 Business: Providing software products and services such as system development and maintenance for industry and business. Clients include Bank of China and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation Circle Proposed transaction: 6 million yuan is sought to launch offices in Shanghai and Guangzhou, which are expected to generate operating revenue of 25 million yuan and 450 high-end employment opportunities for the disabled Schools for dyslexic children Enterprise: Beijing Langlang Learning Potential Development Centre Scope: Founded by Lan Zi in 2007, the centre offers training to more than 20,000 parents on how to teach and care for dyslexic children Business: 20 professional trainers provide service for the affected and the parents through the centre's five branches in Beijing, and through community visits. While each student is charged an annual fee of 10,000 yuan, revenue grew fourfold in 2009 over the previous year Proposed transaction: 8 million yuan is sought to set up extra training centres in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing and Shenzhen over the next four years to address the needs of an estimated 50 million dyslexic children in China Solar finance fund Enterprise: Barefoot Power, New South Wales, Australia Scope: Founded in 2005, with operations in China, India, Kenya and Uganda to supply micro-energy products such as low-cost rechargeable solar-powered LED lamps for the poor Business: 20 full-time staff and 40 micro-entrepreneur field staff are developing markets in primary target countries such as Uganda, India and Indonesia, and secondary targets such as Cambodia, Bangladesh and Papua New Guinea. It hopes to reach 1 million customers this year. Proposed transaction: US$1 million-US$2 million is sought to release supplier credit to meet a large backlog of orders
