A banker, an ambassador, a journey to Armenia

When people (here as well as in the West) hear "social enterprise" they think immediately of certain sectors (like green energy, sustainable farming, organic anything, educational something) and ask me "what sector would you like to focus on?". I propose to Lado to view social enterprise from a different angle. Lado was head of finance of a leading Georgian bank until very recently when he set up his own corporate finance firm. I propose to him that almost ANY sector can make a direct 'social' impact by HOW they operate So I would prefer to select enterprises based on their 'impact niche' rather than their sector niche. After I say this, Lado looks around (we are having breakfast, again meat soup for breakfast!) and says "we need a breakfast place where families can go and eat quality food, the only places open are fastfood... quality family experience is a social impact!" (says he, not I ...). Then he adds: "if we managed to set up a joint Georgian-Armenian venture of any kind that would be unprecedented for recent times and a significant step against the grain of under-investment in conflict areas with ethnical minorities." ...again his example not mine - I take it as a confirmation of my proposal.
Lunch is with another one of Malchaz' amazing connections, a Georgian ambassador. According to him and the government the key next economic priority for Georgia is tourism. Other than that he deplores the lack of a long term strategy for the economy, but they both agree that "one great thing" this government has achieved is "no corruption and no bribes".
This apparently distinguishes Georgia from its neighbours as I can later witness through many stories of my Armenian friend Stepan who picks me up at the Armenian border. Our drive to the capital Yerevan takes us through fertile land, wilderness (the pharmacy-owner friend who kindly helps with a flat tire hunts bears in his spare time), neglected vinyards, amazing scenery (but unusable because of occasional bullets, being territory contested with Azerbaijan), past a once flourishing now delapidated factory (because its raw material is on the other side of the bullet line), lots of simple and brave traders along the road, plenty of donkeys and carts...until we reach the maximum contrast - buzzing Yerevan.