Changemakers Impact Report, 2019-2020

IMPACT REPORT 2019 – 2020

Digitally enabling changemakers to connect, collaborate and grow their impact

INTRODUCTION We believe that anyone, anywhere can be a changemaker— and with the right opportunities, take action for the common good.

Now more than ever, we’re aware that our world is rapidly changing. The global pandemic has rendered the deep-rooted problems in our societies more visible. Around the world, people are searching for solutions. They’re seeking to rebuild systems to be more resilient, sustainable, and just. They’re using technology to spread ideas far and wide.

ASHOKA

CHANGEMAKERS

As the world’s first and largest network of

Founded in 1994, Changemakers connects anyone,

social entrepreneurs, Ashoka understands how

anywhere with ideas, tools, and opportunities to

leading changemakers are tackling problems

make social and environmental impact. We learn

and reimagining systems for the common good.

from—and bring together— diverse communities to

Our strategy builds off of our network of 3,800+

build the global changemaker movement through

Ashoka Fellows who are forming powerful

online challenges, courses, and more. We’re on a

coalitions to tackle the world’s most complex

mission to activate the changemaker in all of us.

problems in climate, healthcare, education, unemployment, and more.

We’re committed to making changemaking accessible to all, using the power of technology to connect the global movement of changemakers already leading the way.

Changemaker journeys are often very lonely. Ashoka is the “unlonely planet” where I can connect with people who have equally lonely journeys.

Ashoka has reconfirmed my self-belief in moments of self-doubt. It’s a huge strength and support.

Ashoka has also connected me with an interesting network where I can constantly learn from other changemakers on similar journeys, and people from other walks of life.

For an organization to spread its approach to different corners of the world, it needs to be known. Ashoka has helped me amplify my voice.

PARAMITA BANERJEE, ASHOKA FELLOW, INDIA FOUNDER, DIKSHA

Paula Bronstein/Getty Images/Images of Empowerment

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR In 1994, Ashoka launched Changemakers as a

team—and still isn’t. Ashoka understood that the

magazine with an ambitious vision: to accelerate

changemaker movement must be inclusive and

our vision of an Everyone a Changemaker world

accessible, reaching all people, even those who

by reaching new communities of social innovators

are isolated or haven’t yet realized their potential

with game-changing ideas. A year later in 1995,

as agents of change.

the term “Internet” was coined, and society was forever transformed.

So how do we scale our reach? We start with a recommitment to technology, the power of

Early on, our team saw the opportunity to leverage

storytelling and learning journeys, and the insights

technology to connect with social innovators

and trends from our visionary Ashoka Fellows

everywhere, including the most remote parts of

and Young Changemakers. By bringing Ashoka’s

the planet. We introduced Changemakers.com

global offerings to Changemakers.com, we can

soon after, bringing inspiring stories, knowledge,

collaborate with innovators working outside the

and online innovation challenges to anyone with

world of prestigious conferences and accelerators.

an internet connection and the desire to grow their impact.

This year our world has rapidly transformed. The global COVID-19 pandemic has made clear how

In the decades to come, the social innovation

important it is for us to quickly adapt in the face of

ecosystem grew quickly in big cities, which

crisis and change. And while the world is changing

became a core part of the social impact

quickly, it is also becoming more polarized, pulling

landscape. But this wasn’t enough for our

people apart.

Because of this, Changemakers has invested in

divide. Through our 25 challenges, bootcamps, and

building communities and trust among those who

courses in the past two years, we reached more

are creating solutions aimed at a better future for

than 5,500 changemakers — social innovators,

all. Our online challenges have become a space

young leaders, intrapreneurs within businesses —

for support and collaboration among participants.

who have all found their power and are working

Our work with companies has activated a base of

to change their community, their company, their

employees working to integrate social impact into

country.

their core business. We’re gearing up to launch a platform that enables ongoing peer-support for

In these pages you’ll have a chance to learn more

changemakers from all walks of life.

about our work and impact. We invite you to join us in building the changemaking movement and

When I started working in digital inclusion 20

making it accessible to all.

years ago, we all thought that lack of access to information would lead to the “digital divide.”

Ashoka uniquely understands that the risk runs even deeper. We are looking at a “changemaker divide”— a world where some people will be able to adapt to change and thrive, and others will be left behind, unable to navigate these complexities.

Our team continues to believe in the power of using technology to bridge the changemaker

Dani Matielo Executive Director

THE CHANGEMAK NETWORK IMPACT AT A GLANCE

1000

S I N C E 2 0 19

5,512 120 25

changemakers engaged

countries experiences

437

KER

1215 611 159

455 5

1630 changemakers without geographical data

FOUNDATIONS

DISCOVERY

knowledge and insights Our work draws on three foundational pillars: knowledge, storytelling, and technology.

DISTRIBUTION

At the core of any Ashoka Changemakers partnership, project, or program is our global ecosystem of social entrepreneurs. Our work is driven by their unique vision, their systemschanging models, and their connection to local communities. Learning from these leading social entrepreneurs, we share trends and data emerging from their collective impact in order to advance the changemaking movement and invite us all to re-envision what is possible through the eyes of social innovators.

DIGITAL

storytelling

access though technology

At Ashoka Changemakers, we embrace storytelling

We leverage technology to bridge the

to shift mindsets and inspire action. Changemaker stories from our networks and partnerships show people as active agents of change who create solutions to the problems they face and inspire others to do the same. By elevating these narratives on digital platforms and social media, we showcase changemaking at different stages of impact and in diverse communities across the world.

changemaker divide, ensuring no one is left behind. By hosting our challenges, courses and changemaker communities on digital platforms, we open access to the opportunities and resources people need to find their power and change the world. Technology enables innovators to scale their solutions and deepen their impact — in their community, their workplace, their country— and is critical to building an interconnected, global network of changemakers.

SPOTLIGHT

TS

Explore case studies from 2019-2020 to see our progress in digitally enabling changemakers to connect, collaborate and grow their impact at scale

T- MOBILE CHANGEMAKER CHALLENGE

ONLINE INNOVATION CHALLENGE Seeking out and supporting diverse young changemakers building movements across the USA Who are the youth shaping the future of the

the chance to connect and learn together at the

U.S.? Through the 2019 T-Mobile Changemaker

Changemaker Lab, hosted at T-Mobile’s Seattle

Challenge, we heard directly from hundreds of

headquarters in February 2020, where a powerful

young leaders ages 13-23 who are blazing new

and unique community began to form. The

trails in tech, education and the environment.

collective impact keeps growing as these young visionaries build movements across their schools,

In California, Kevin and Jack started Youth Climate

communities, and social media, inspiring others to

Action Coalition, a youth-led environmental

follow their lead and together build a better future.

organization working with over a dozen schools to mitigate effects of climate change.

In Georgia, siblings Hannah and Charlie created notOK, a mental health app that works like a “digital panic button” to provide immediate support from trusted contacts.

In Puerto Rico, Gia and the Girl Innovation team are taking on the gender gap in tech through educational workshops for young girls.

Our winning 32 teams not only received seed funding and mentoring for their ventures, but Oline Inovation Challenge T-Mobile

41

states and Puerto Rico represented in the pool of entries

77 %

of entrants identified as part of an underrepresented community

2/3 Nearly

rds

of the applications received were from young women There is so much bad news in the world, and every young person here is an inspiration. This restored my faith in humanity. We can get things back together in this country.

T- MOBILE EMPLOYEE AT THE CHANGEMAKER LAB

SOCIAL INTRAPRENEURSHIP FOR INNOVATION IN HEALTH

ONLINE COURSE Transforming institutions by equipping the workforce with social impact skills Learning is often the first step on a changemaker journey. The “Social Intrapreneurship for Innovation in Health” online course—a collaboration between Ashoka and Boehringer Ingelheim (BI)—has catalyzed over 2,500 learning journeys for social intrapreneurs over the past six years. In Spring 2020, over 500 participants enrolled in this free six-week course to connect with a global community of health professionals from across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors.

Guided by social entrepreneurs and facilitators, participants studied strategies for creating social and business impact from within the health and wellness space—and were inspired and empowered to be changemakers in their companies. The course provided space for participants to share ideas and start building initiatives for positive social change through their daily work.

Jonathan Torgovnik/Getty Images/Images of Empowerment

100

%

of end-of-course survey respondents confirm that they now understand the business case for partnering with social entrepreneurs

95

%

agreed that the course made them more eager to collaborate across sectors to solve social problems

24

%

have already taken action or launched an intrapreneurial project since the course ended

This course vividly explained how each and every one of us can start making a change.

Being embedded in a company’s network is enabling, rather than preventing, us from creating social impact—as long as we keep in mind what we want to achieve for humanity, find allies, verbalize our ideas according to our audience and never stop adapting to the ever-changing needs of society.

TERESA BRENNER, BI EMPLOYEE, AUSTRALIA

CHANGEMAKHERS COMMUNITY

DIGITAL COMMUNITIES Cultivating an online community of collaboration among women social entrepreneurs across the world Well before the global pandemic, Ashoka Changemakers recognized that convenings do not need to happen in person to be powerful.

Launched in 2019, ChangemakHERS is an online community that brings together women Ashoka Fellows from around the world— nearly 300 users from 48 countries. The goal: provide a virtual space for women social entrepreneurs to collaborate and exchange ideas while elevating women innovators and their impact.

Each month, one Fellow leads a virtual ChangemakHERs huddle, sharing her journey and a challenge in her work for discussion. The huddles cover topics from technology for social impact in Ghana, to civic engagement in Mexico, to policy change in Bolivia. Each time, group leaders walk away with new seeds for future ideas. The ChangemakeHERS online community is transcending physical barriers to catalyze connections across Ashoka’s 1,200+ female Fellows.

Photo courtesy of Ashoka Fellow Morgan Dixon

284

48

countries represented on ChangemakHERS

members

70%

of women featured work with low-middle income populations

This is not about helping women.

This is about helping the world through women. This is about showing women that they are needed the way they are.

RICCARDA ZEZZA, CEO, MATERNITY AS A MASTER

Ber

EMERGING INNOVATORS

BOOTCAMPS Embracing collective leadership and purpose with a global community of change leaders Unlike start-up accelerators, the 2019 American Express Emerging Innovators Bootcamps did not focus on business acumen. Instead, the Bootcamps sparked deeper connection among social entrepreneurs, inviting them to reflect on their personal purpose, wellbeing, and vision for systemic change. At the end, participants overwhelmingly said they felt part of a meaningful community.

Originally launched in three North American cities in 2012, the Bootcamps expanded to take place in five cities—Dakar, Madrid, Mexico City, Nairobi and New York City—in 2019, welcoming 127 participants from 39 countries around the world. While participants come from many backgrounds and work across different issues, each gathering revealed how even diverse groups of innovators experience similar challenges. The Bootcamps provide space for social entrepreneurs to encourage and propel one another, ultimately deepening their impact.

Berlin Emerging Innovator Bootcamp

9.1

score (out of 10) when participants asked if they felt that they were part of a meaningful community

39

countries represented by the 127 participants in the 2019 American Express Emerging Innovator Bootcamp

2,880

members of the global American Express Leadership Academy, an alumni community that Bootcamp participants join after the program

The things we do at these gatherings are reaffirming, re-stimulating and very empowering to continue doing what we do.

MAURICIO CANSECO, ASHOKA FELLOW AND MEXICO CITY BOOTCAMP PARTICIPANT

WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED

Historically, Changemakers offered cohorts of participants the opportunity to take a course, join a bootcamp, or enter their venture into an online innovation challenge. Our reporting shows these programs are transformative for participants, resulting in personal growth, deeper impact, and exciting collaborations.

Still, we concluded that opportunities for small groups are not enough. Through reflecting and inviting feedback, we realized the social impact sector must go further than providing changemakers a series of on-off engagements. Participating in a challenge or joining an online course is a start, but changemakers need long-term support and access to community to keep moving forward on their journey towards greater impact.

We also realize that Ashoka cannot go at it alone. Transforming systems on a global scale requires collaboration and communication across organizations, sectors, issues, and groups. To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, counter climate change, and solve the urgent challenges facing us, we need everyone. Young people, emerging innovators, teachers, parents, employees, corporations, journalists, policy makers, and countless others all have a role to play.

WHERE WE GO FROM HER

RE

Changemakers continues to build on our decades of work supporting innovators and social entrepreneurs. We envision a new way of engaging the social impact ecosystem around the world through an ongoing, trust-based online space to connect, learn, and collaborate with peers.

Our vision for the next two years is to transform Changemakers.com in to such a platform.

This interconnected system of different communities—coming from Ashoka’s network and beyond—is critical to building an Everyone a Changemaker world. Anyone, anywhere who feels compelled to make change can join in the movement and support more people in finding their power. Together we can activate more changemakers.

OUR PARTNERS Systemic change calls us to join forces across sectors. At Changemakers, we build unique partnerships with Ashoka teams globally that focus on shared vision and collective impact.

Together with our partners, we co-create a vision for the broad change we aim to make while designing specific ways for companies to support, collaborate, and learn from changemakers. The result: a stronger, more sustainable ecosystem for social change.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

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HSBC

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OUR TEAM Our team is based in seven countries and works closely with more than 30 Ashoka offices across the world.

Ankita (Kochhar) Terrell

Arianna De Mario

Betul Ozyilmaz

Volunteer

Director of Strategic Partnerships

Operations Manager

Daniela Matielo

Fernando Balbino

Hector Moyeton

Isabela Carvalho

Executive Director

Digital Projects Manager

Director of Impact

Course Senior Product Lead

Marc Carr

Rachel Centariczki

Rachel Fauber

Richard Johnson

Romina Carrillo

CM Connect Product Lead

Youth Challenges Lead

Director of Communications

Partnerships and Challenge

Data Privacy Manager

Sara Pudimat

Sarah Holcomb

Stephanie H. Ambar

Tsehaynesh Asefa

Vishnu Swaminathan

Reasearch Analyst

Writing Associate

Challenge Product Lead

Senior Finance Manager

Leadership Group Member

changemakers.com