Getting to Know: Ameen Binwalee
Home renovations can be a nightmare, especially when you’re not sure which company to trust, how much it’ll cost or even whether the workers will be passionate about their jobs — but for Ameen Binwalee, all of the above will be solved with his organization Out Of The Box. The non-profit organization offers Renovations and Construction training for youth from racialized and socially marginalized neighbourhoods. “We found out along the way that having jobs for our participants to do was very beneficial and that grants were not always guaranteed. This led us into the business/entrepreneurial side of things,” Ameen says of the organization.
With a passion for social justice and advocacy, Ameen’s experience with social entrepreneurship is deeply rooted in his childhood upbringing. “I think I was made for social entrepreneurship. I think this is because of my background, having a father who is involved in politics, civic advocacy and justice, a mother who is very spiritual and compassionate and my grandfather who was heavily involved in construction. I also have all those traits and the desire to innovate and build to make the world a better place,” he states.
However, the nuts and bolts of owning your own business sometimes come loose, resulting in unforeseen hardship, but finding the right partners is one of these bumps in the road. “Having partners make it much easier and enjoyable. However, it can be difficult finding the right partners. Sometimes when the resources aren’t directly on the table, they tend to not stick it out,” he says. But in the long run, the right partners will stick through your vision. “I realize I need to be much more grounded and able to handle anything that comes on my plate. Have no fear, just tackle it head on. Operate out of love, and to add value for whoever/whatever you do it for.”
Ameen’s passion for Out Of The Box drives its success, but with more resources, he proves that the opportunities are endless. “I would purchase a large ‘fixer upper’ house in Toronto. I would train youth apprentices from our program to fix it up and rent it out or sell it and invest the funds in marketing campaign to get more contracts and purchase more property and hire more youth and train them.”
Whether you’re looking to get involved with Out Of The Box or needing renovations, you can reach out to Ameen personally (a.binwalee123@gmail.com) or in person at their office (1527 Victoria Park Avenue, Scarborough).
Story written by Erin Ashley
Ameen is a participant in the Hook It Up program delivered by Socent7. Hook It Up is a support program for young social entrepreneurs in Ontario. Learn more at www.hookitup.ca.
**END OF PROGRAM UPDATE** Ameen was able to run training days to engage new youth and further enhance their model of employment support. His message to other young entrepreneurs “I would have been more clear about our needs as an organization (with external stakeholders) and the service we can bring to the table.
