New Hope! Advancing Social Entrepreneurship for Peoplewith Disabilities in Malaysia and Indonesia

Social entrepreneurship has emerged as a critical tool for fostering economic and social inclusion ‎for people with disabilities. This study explores how two social enterprises—Rumah Harapan ‎Mulya in Karangpatihan, Indonesia, and Generating Opportunities for Learning Disables GOLD in ‎Malaysia—utilise entrepreneurship and digital empowerment to create sustainable livelihoods for ‎people with disabilities. Using a qualitative approach with case study design, we analyse ‎motivations, challenges, and innovative strategies employed by these enterprises. Findings indicate ‎that social entrepreneurs play a pivotal role in fostering inclusion through local wisdom, co-‎creation, and digital entrepreneurship, despite structural barriers such as stigma and limited market ‎access. This study contributes to the literature on social entrepreneurship by integrating inclusive ‎innovation and digital entrepreneurship perspectives‎.