Changemakers Reflection Report, 2024 by Ashoka

ASHOKA CHANGEMAKERS Reflection Report 2024

Acknowledgements

Authored by: Dani Matielo, Confidence Udo-Affah, Ana Popovich, with special thanks to Arnold Otieno, Hector Moyeton, Shavari Chauhan, and Diana Wells. Strategic and Co-Creator Teams: Sports for Changemaking Team: Alex Richmond, Hector Moyetón, Kelly Davies, Iveren Ityoikaa. Hello World Team: María Mérola, Kenny Clewett, Marianny Pacheco, Ella Gončarová. Spiritual Changemakers Initiative: Anne Evans, Jason Bernhardt-Lanier, Giselle Kuri, Simon Menendez, Melina Bravo, Nani Zulminarni, Rezza Dwi Brammadita, Gisella Laureano. Gaharu Bumi Challenge Team: Nani Zulminarni, Amelia Hapsari, Ayendha Kukuh, Radina Safira, Saraswati Nur Diwangkara, Adam Abdullah Adiwijaya, Teresa Seabra Pereira. Peer to Peer Initiative: Bunmi Otegbade, Charline Prazen Chikomo, Jonathan Godwin, Alisha Gupta, Paula Ugwu, Nick Boedicker, Midria Pereira, Ara Kusuma. Youth Venture: Tia Johnston Brown, Rachel Centariczki, Katie Kim, Reilly Brooks. Changemaker Companies: Arnaud Mourot, Claire de Lafarge, Jeanine Buzalli, Yeleka Barret, Sarah Jefferson. In Memoriam In loving memory of Milena Cayres, whose dedication and passion continue to inspire the Ashoka community. Reviewed by: Sumaya Akter Designed by: Oasis Dezine Changemakers.com is grateful for the generosity of the interviewees, focus groups and survey participants, for their contribution to this report. Use of AI: Sections of this report were drafted and reviewed by Claude.ai. The analysis of the trends of youth changemaking was partially conducted using Julius.ai. Published date: December 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword

Page 03

Report Overview

Page 04

1. At a Glance Impact

Page 06

1.1 Social Innovation Challenges

Page 06

1.2 Changemaking Iniside Companies

Page 07

2. Deep Dives

3. Strategic Projects

Page 16

3.1 Supporting the launch of the Sports for Changemaking Team

Page 16

3.2 Hello World: Building on Changemankers.com’s Methodology to Advance Migration Narratives

Page 19

3.3 The Story Mosaic: How Changemakers.com Enabled a Global Spiritual Dialogue

Page 22

3.4 Launching the Gaharu Bumi Innovatoin Challenge

Page 24

3.5 Changemakers.com Ashoka Peer to Peer Initiative

Page 26

Page 08

2.1 Young People as Drivers of Change in the United Stated

Page 08

2.2 The Future of Business: An Intercompany Course for Changemakers

Page 014

Our Partners

Page 28

Our Team

Page 29

FOREWORD Having started as a printed magazine in 1997, Changemakers launched its first online collaborative competition exactly 20 years ago in 2004. As one of the first of its kind, Changemakers.com attracted innovators from all over the world, eager to share their ideas, learn about what others were doing and energized to join a global community of like-minded pacesetters. And of course, excited to be connected to large corporations, opportunities and prizes. Our challenges have attracted more than 36,000 ideas since the beginning. Built on the strong foundation of Ashoka’s knowledge about the best solutions needed to create the most impactful change, our competitions have sourced and supported magnificent solutions such as Project Echo (Disruptive Innovations in Health Challenge, 2007), Soil (Nutrients for All Challenge, 2012) and InVento Lab (Green Skills Innovation Challenge, 2020), enabling us to activate fields all around the world and to continue innovating towards the good of all. Changemakers has expanded its offerings to a series of new products designed to engage stakeholders at scale. As Ashoka broadened its work beyond social entrepreneurs, starting to engage young people and a community of corporate leaders as part of its strategy, we have diversified to serve these new constituencies. As a contribution to ecosystem initiatives, we have leveraged our expertise in identifying the main elements of system change in specific topics to advance our understanding of pressing issues, like migration, and strategic communities, like those working at the intersection of spirituality and changemaking. This report is a reflection about our work and activities between 2020 and 2023: both our successes and our learnings. As a pioneer in the development of products that openly serve those thoroughly involved building an “everyone a changemaker” world, we have remained committed to our core principle: anyone, anywhere in the world, can join our community and share their ideas, stories, and vision. They are, in all senses, changemakers. By engaging in our offerings, they are recognized, celebrated, and equipped to continue their journey. The next years will bring rapid innovation, and we feel ready and hopeful that by leveraging technologies like AI and remaining true to our core values of transparency and collaboration, we’ll be able to continue expanding our reach and capacity to connect and support changemakers of all ages and walks of life, from all around the world. Please join us on this journey and discover how we engaged over 9,200 changemakers from 56 countries through 31 partnerships between 2020 and 2023. With gratitude, Dani Matielo, Executive Director, Ashoka Changemakers

DANI MATIELO Executive Director

REPORT OVERVIEW

The Ashoka Changemakers Reflections Report 2024 offers a review of Changemakers’ dynamic growth, innovation, and global impact. This report showcases how Changemakers.com, in alignment with Ashoka’s broader mission, has expanded its scope to engage diverse constituencies, including young people, corporate leaders, and community changemakers. Between 2020 and 2023, we’ve launched a variety of initiatives aimed at empowering changemakers of all ages and geographies. Through our collaborative competitions, online courses, and support for Ashoka strategic projects — such as migration and spiritual changemakers programs — we have generated insightful data that highlights both our successes and our learning moments. This report also outlines key trends and emerging themes that will shape our future efforts as we continue to foster a world where everyone is a changemaker. The report is organized into three sections: 1.

First, we present our global impact in numbers in At a Glance Impact.

Next, we invite readers into two Deep Dives: The ﬁrst to discover what we have learned from youth innovation alongside Ashoka’s Youth Venture program, after running 10 youth challenges in the U.S. The second examines our Future of Business Course, launched in collaboration with Ashoka’s Changemaker Companies initiative.

The ﬁnal section, Strategic Projects, provides insights from the various initiatives that Changemakers.com has supported and enabled over the past three years. This section builds on our extensive experience with online platforms and strategies to engage changemakers from all around the world.

These three sections provide a broad overview of all activities in which Changemakers has been involved between 2020-2023. Our goal is not only to celebrate our achievements but also identify new directions for leveraging emerging technologies, such as AI, to expand our reach and deepen our support for changemakers worldwide. Through this journey, we invite you to explore how we’ve engaged changemakers globally and laid the groundwork for the future. Thank you for joining us on this journey!

AT A GLANCE IMPACT

From 2020 to 2023,, Changemakers has run 18 online challenges and 13 online courses, engaging more than 9,200 changemakers from around the world. In partnership with Ashoka’s Youth Venture, Changemakers introduced a new type of challenge, focused specifically on celebrating young changemakers. Through collaborations with partners such as T-Mobile, Prudential, and Taco Bell, these youth challenges successfully identified young changemakers from across the United States and India. At the same time, we continued to run our classic online competitions, mapping social innovations globally. During this period, Changemakers distributed more than $2.7 million in prizes, a significant portion of which was awarded as smaller grants to young people, nurturing changemaking from an early age. In our Deep Dives section, we’ll share insights into what we’ve learned from these young changemakers, the topics that most concern them, and the principles guiding their solutions.

Online Challenges

13 Online Courses

countries

9200 changemakers

Social Innovation Challenges

Changemakers Challenges are online collaborative competitions designed to identify innovative solutions and ideas that are catalyzing action towards an Everyone a Changemaker (EACH) world. Since its beginnings as a printed magazine in 1997, Changemakers has evolved signiﬁcantly, by partnering with leading organizations and utilizing knowledge about how Ashoka Fellows are solving the world's hardest challenges to frame and evaluate innovation, while also disseminating key design principles and identifying the most important barriers towards systemic change. By participating in our challenges, innovators are able to showcase their solutions, get recognized, and connect with like-minded changemakers. Leading ideas receive funding and are celebrated via storytelling and at special events. From 2020 to 2023, Changemakers ran 18 challenges, reaching 4,916 participants. We distributed $1.228M among young participants and $1.512M among our adult audience.

Challenge Participants by Year 2500 2000 1500

1915

1000 500 0

1443 930

628

2020

2021

2022

Number Of Challenges Run Year

Numbers

2020 2021 2022 2023

07 02 05 04 18

Grand Total

Money Distributed (USD) Year

Numbers

2020 2021 2022 2023

$819,380 $332,000 $1,083,480 $508,450 $2,743,310

Grand Total

Prize Recipients

2023

Ashoka's network of social entrepreneurs and industry experts has been instrumental in my journey. The connections I have made through Ashoka have opened doors to collaboration, mentorship, and learning opportunities. Engaging with this diverse and supportive community has expanded my knowledge, broadened my perspectives, and allowed me to learn from the experiences of others. These connections continue to provide ongoing inspiration and guidance as I navigate the complexities of social and environmental impact work. — Vittel: Act for Biodiversity Challenge Participant, Pakistan

Year

Numbers

Adult Youth

61 424

Grand Total

485

Changemaking Inside Companies

Recognizing that innovation also occurs within large corporations, Changemakers has successfully engaged over 4,300 corporate employees through its long-term partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim and the pioneering Future of Business Course. This course has brought together intrapreneurs from more than 40 companies worldwide. Co-created with Ashoka’s Changemaker Companies initiative, the Future of Business Course exempliﬁes our commitment to fostering scalable solutions and recognizing changemaking in every context. Further details about this initiative are available in our Deep Dive section.

“The content of the program provided a structure and validation for actions I was already taking naturally. The course oﬀered new perspectives and a clearer drive to take action with tangible steps.” — Future of Business Course Participant

DEEP DIVES

Young People as Drivers of Change in the United States In an era marked by unprecedented global challenges, young changemakers are a powerful force for social transformation. Through Changemakers.com's platforms and programs between 2020 and 2023, we have gained unique insights into how the young generation is reshaping their communities and tackling society's most pressing issues. This analysis, drawn from data collected through 9 youth challenges, highlights the key issues that concern today's youth and the sophisticated approaches they are employing to address them.

The Emerging Landscape of Youth-Led Innovation Our analysis reveals a generation that is deeply aware of complex societal issues and is actively developing nuanced, interconnected solutions. Young innovators consistently demonstrate an understanding that today's problems cannot be solved in isolation. Their strategies often tackle multiple issues simultaneously, creating ripple eﬀects of positive change across their communities. Many of the young changemakers we’ve engaged also show a strong connection between their lived experiences and the issues they are addressing. Our experience had us think about change beyond our local community. From the start, we said that our project would expand to be nationwide, but we didn't know what that would look like. The challenges showed us what is possible and that we were the only ones holding ourselves back from making the change. To me, the programs pushed us to act fast and learn quickly. — Ambition Accelerator Challenge Participant, U.S.

Young People as Drivers of Change

Mental Health and Well-being: A Primary Focus Mental health has emerged as a central concern among young changemakers, with particular attention to the unique challenges facing their generation. Oliver, who applied to the 2023 T-Mobile Changemaker Challenge, developed HealthyMind, an app designed to support individuals seeking mental healthcare. The app will create social networks so people can share their stories with one another and foster an environment where users can ask psychiatrists for expert help. Additionally, Oliver intended for the app to be a space to organize offline activities, like hiking and running, to help individuals manage stress and meet peers. HealthyMind exemplifies young innovators' sophisticated approach to integrating technology into mental health and well-being solutions. Young people’s mental health projects reflect a broader trend of changemakers recognizing the need for comprehensive mental health solutions that address both immediate needs and systemic barriers. These initiatives stand out for reducing stigma through peer-to-peer approaches and increasing accessibility to resources.

Environmental Action: Local Solutions, Global Impact Young changemakers are distinctively positioning environmental challenges within broader social contexts. Jay applied to the Ambition Accelerator 2022 with the Sustainability Scanner app, a tool designed to empower consumers through sustainable grocery choices. By providing an easily interpretable sustainability score based on an evaluation of over 400 factors, the app positions consumers to consider the broader social and environmental impacts of their purchases, ultimately promoting a sustainable lifestyle. Operating in Raleigh, North Carolina, with trials elsewhere, Jay's initiative connects technology, environmental awareness, and community engagement. By working with businesses to integrate sustainability scores into packaging, Jay highlights the interconnectedness of individual actions within broader industry practices. The app's impact is recognized by prestigious awards and a provisional patent, illustrating how young changemakers like Jay position environmental challenges within broader social contexts, inspiring collective responsibility and action.

Young People as Drivers of Change

Education Access: Breaking Down Barriers Young changemakers are reimagining educational access through innovative approaches that address multiple forms of inequality simultaneously. Saiya, who applied to the 2023 Prudential Emerging Visionaries Challenge, founded Science for Kidz, a nonproﬁt inspired by her passion for science. This organization aimed to engage elementary school students in hands-on science projects during the pandemic. Science for Kidz provided aﬀordable science kits costing only $1.50 and included QR codes for video presentations. Initiatives like Science for Kidz demonstrate young innovators' awareness of how educational barriers intersect with other social inequalities. Their solutions address multiple challenges simultaneously, paving the way for more inclusive and empowered communities.

Technology as a Bridge to Impact While technology integration appears across all focus areas, young changemakers demonstrate a nuanced understanding of technology's role in social change. Rather than viewing technology as a standalone solution, they consistently employ it as a tool to expand access, build connections, and amplify impact. Two team members from My SafeSpace applied to separate Changemakers challenges but shared their common inspiration: a sexual assault in their community that occurred at school. Shocked by the lack of support from their school administration, the My SafeSpace team created an app for survivors of teen dating violence and domestic violence. The app provides resources on relationship violence, recognizing warning signs, and more, all while ensuring complete conﬁdentiality for users.

Young People as Drivers of Change

Emerging Design Principles Through our analysis of 3600 projects across youth challenges from 2020-2023, we've identiﬁed several key design principles driving youth-led social innovation. These principles reﬂect how young changemakers approach problems and envision lasting social change.

Inclusive Design at the Core Young innovators prioritize inclusivity not just as an outcome but as a foundational design principle. Their solutions are accessible by design, considering barriers—economic, cultural, linguistic, and physical—from the outset. Krish’s project, Rubikidz, exempliﬁes this approach by using unconventional methods like teaching how to solve a Rubik’s Cube to foster meaningful change. Rubikidz engages students with learning disabilities, providing spaces where they can build conﬁdence, acquire skills, and challenge traditional notions of ability and achievement.

Community-Driven Development Young changemakers excel in community engagement, moving beyond consultation to true co-creation. Their projects involve community members at every stage, from problem deﬁnition to solution implementation. This ensures solutions are eﬀective and sustainable, deeply rooted in community needs and capabilities. Pandion, for instance, organizes land-based educational trips led by Native educators. These programs build connections within indigenous communities and beyond. Native youth and elders play a central role in creating these powerful experiences for both indigenous and non-indigenous participants on Native lands.

Young People as Drivers of Change

Scalable Impact Through Technology While focusing on local communities, young innovators design solutions with scalability in mind. Technology plays a crucial role but remains in service of human connection. The STEM Education Empowerment Network exempliﬁes this balance, using digital tools to expand its reach while maintaining personal connections crucial for education and mentorship. Based in Guymon, Oklahoma, the project cultivates STEM skills among community members. Iz, the founder, highlights local struggles, where many young people are forced into jobs like meatpacking under harsh conditions. The project aims to inspire hope and prepare youth for more diverse career opportunities, creating lasting impact within and beyond the community.

The Ashoka challenges showed us that we were not alone in this work. After the challenges, we connected with other teams, collaborated on projects, and even delivered joint keynote presentations. It was through these events that we saw our project as part of a movement. The funding was helpful, but the feedback on our project was invaluable. — Ambition Accelerator Challenge Participant

Young People as Drivers of Change

Young People as Drivers of Change: Looking Forward The landscape of youth-led social innovation over the past three years, as showcased through Changemakers.com’s platforms and programs, points to a future where social change is increasingly interconnected, technology-enabled, and community-driven. Through 9 challenges, Changemakers.com has distributed over $1.2 million in funding to young changemakers and supported 424 youth projects across the United States. More importantly, these programs have fostered a new generation of changemakers who understand that lasting social change requires addressing both immediate needs and systemic barriers. These young innovators are not merely future leaders—they are creating change today. Their work demonstrates that youth-led solutions can be sophisticated, sustainable, and scalable. As they redeﬁne how we approach social change, the future promises to be more collaborative, technology-driven, and deeply rooted in community needs.

The Future of Business Course

The Future of Business: An Intercompany Course for Changemakers In an era where businesses are increasingly expected not only to support but also to drive social good, Ashoka's Future of Business: An Intercompany Course for Changemakers has been providing a much-needed learning experience and community for individuals striving to enact change within their organizations. The course equips business professionals with tools and insights essential for driving social change within and through their companies. Emphasizing collaboration and the importance of cultivating a culture of social innovation, it fosters the development of next-generation business leaders committed to sustainable impact beyond profit-making. The Changemakers.com and Changemaker Companies teams sought to combine Ashoka's decades of expertise with practical applications to create an innovative course that reshapes the entrepreneurial thinking of emerging corporate leaders. Participants engage with an accessible curriculum covering social entrepreneurship, systemic change practices, and cross-sector collaboration. The program features case studies, readings by Ashoka experts and Fellows, interactive webinars, and discussions with industry leaders, offering a holistic understanding of how businesses can act as a force for good. Unlike traditional business programs that prioritize individual or company-specific outcomes, the Future of Business course promotes cross-company thinking. Leaders from diverse industries and backgrounds come together to exchange experiences, address challenges, and develop strategies. This collaborative environment broadens perspectives and fosters a community of like-minded changemakers. To date, the course has attracted over 500 professionals from 20+ countries and 40 companies.

The Future of Business Course

The real-world impact of the course is evident. Alumni report transformative experiences, with 80% stating the program enhanced their ability to innovate within their companies, and 90% emphasizing the importance of collaboration across teams to address social challenges. Moreover, 80% of participants identified as empowered changemakers after completing the course, demonstrating its capacity to foster a "Team of Teams" mindset. Looking ahead, we aim to expand the course's reach through our extended community, including corporate partners, Ashoka Support Network members, Africa Builders, and others engaging with corporations. As social responsibility becomes a cornerstone of modern business, there is a growing demand for leaders equipped to navigate this evolving landscape. By adapting to the needs of the business community, the Future of Business: An Intercompany Course for Changemakers will remain at the forefront of driving positive corporate change. It exemplifies Ashoka’s role as a thought leader, helping companies thrive amid challenges by adopting shared-value approaches that balance profit generation with contributions to societal goals.

“That commitment to the community has always been there since I was very young, but the course definitely added more oxygen to the fire, it's beating the fire in a good way because it just opened my mind to the possibilities and not the limitations”. — Future of Business Course Participant, U.S.A., Beginning of 2022

80%

says the program enhanced their ability to innovate within their companies

90%

emphasize the importance of collaboration across teams to address social challenges

STRATEGIC PROJECTS

COLLABORATION WITH ASHOKA STRATEGIC PROJECTS The period between 2020 and 2023 marked an incredible era of learning and experimentation. Changemakers collaborated with other Ashoka teams to launch powerful new initiatives and pilot innovative approaches to driving change. We invited teams to share how Changemakers’ knowledge and expertise have advanced their goals. We are honored by these experiences and look forward to continuing our contributions and collaborations within Ashoka and beyond.

SUPPORTING THE LAUNCH OF THE SPORTS FOR CHANGEMAKING TEAM by Hector Moyeton and Alex Richmond

Ashoka’s Sport for Changemaking initiative envisions a world where everyone contributes by playing the "Long Game" — a game where players make choices that beneﬁt their communities over the long term. This approach is rooted in values such as contribution, collaboration, and integrity. In 2023, our primary goal was to design a new architecture for a sporting ecosystem that prioritizes societal and environmental well-being. To achieve this, we partnered closely with Changemakers, leveraging their methodologies, insights, and expertise. The resulting framework for the “Long Game” emerged from extensive mapping of over 100 social innovators within the Ashoka ecosystem and consultations with key experts. This work culminated in the publication of a groundbreaking report: "Changemaking Takes a Team: Unleashing the Potential of

Sports for Changemaking

Through over 30 interviews and discussions with global stakeholders, we identiﬁed four critical shifts required to transform the sport ecosystem into one that fosters positive contributions from everyone: 1. Invest in the whole person to activate their agency. 2. Create opportunities for all to thrive. 3. Give purpose to communities with shared goals and assets. 4. Measure success through value creation for the good of all. By aligning the sporting ecosystem with these values, Ashoka’s Sport for Changemaking initiative demonstrates the transformative potential of sports as a tool for societal change.

Accomplishments and Lessons Learned Throughout our journey, we have reached significant milestones and gained invaluable insights. To deepen the impact of the long-game framework within the sporting ecosystem, we pursued strategic partnerships that promote this mindset within the sporting community and the broader ecosystem. Key examples include: Ashoka’s Sport for Changemaking team identified a critical opportunity to develop a promising partnership with BBC Storyworks, the renowned global content studio celebrated for its solutions-focused storytelling. This collaboration aims to shift mindsets around critical global themes, including sport. By activating this partnership, we have cultivated key champions for both our work and Ashoka as a whole. This relationship invites BBC Storyworks to explore the potential of the Ashoka Fellow network and the impact of social entrepreneurship and systems change in creating a more positive world. Our team has focused on harnessing the role of sport in metro areas, using major sporting events as catalysts for change. Open innovation challenges are a central tool in this strategy, offering a platform to identify, support, and celebrate changemakers and social innovators within these communities. These challenges enable us to showcase how sport can enhance the density of changemakers in critical metro areas. Notably, our progress in London and North America—hosts of several major sporting events between 2024 and 2028—demonstrates the potential of this approach. We are advancing partnerships with the Greater London Authority and Homeless World Cup, reflecting the promise of activating the long-game framework through these open innovation methodologies. Our collaboration with Ashoka’s Gender Purpose team has been instrumental in transforming the long-game framework into a compelling gender equity narrative for women’s sports. Together, we aim to

Sports for Changemaking

reshape the narrative, establish new global incentive structures for gender equity, and pilot these frameworks with key stakeholders in the sporting community. By adopting a feminine lens and leveraging insights from Ashoka's Fellowship of system-changing gender experts, we aim to establish shared power structures across sport, celebrate the values of femininity in leadership, and drive investment in gender equity. We are cultivating unique partnerships with the Adidas Breaking Barriers Academy, the International Women in Sport Group, and others. Our team continues to strive to foster a more inclusive and equitable sporting ecosystem, creating critical opportunities for Ashoka to provide outlets for industry investment in gender equity through the Venture Fellowship and a Women in Sport Globalizer. As we reﬂect on our journey with Ashoka’s Sport for Changemaking initiative , we are excited about the progress we have made in advancing the long-game framework. Our collaboration with Changemakers has been crucial in developing a new architecture for a more inclusive and impactful sporting ecosystem. By leveraging their methodologies and insights, we have successfully implemented key strategies, formed valuable partnerships, and initiated transformative projects. We are eager to continue this journey, deepening our collaboration with Changemakers and exploring further opportunities for incubation and investment. Our goal remains to spread the framework’s principles across the sporting community, fostering a more equitable and dynamic environment that beneﬁts all. We look forward to building on our accomplishments and achieving even greater impact together.

Hello World: Changemakers for Migration

BUILDING ON CHANGEMAKERS.COM'S METHODOLOGY TO ADVANCE MIGRATION NARRATIVES In 2022 and 2023, Ashoka Changemakers collaborated with teams from Hello Europe and Hello LatAm to design and launch the Hello World initiative, utilizing its extensive experience in framing social issues to address one of today's most pressing global challenges: migration. Building on Ashoka's 40-year history of supporting social entrepreneurs, Hello World represents a new approach to understanding and acting on global migration.

Reimagining Migration Through a Changemaker Lens Hello World leveraged one of Changemakers.com's core capabilities: how to learn from leading social entrepreneurs to create a framework that outlines a pathway for the future. This perspective has been transformative in the ﬁeld of migration, where traditional approaches often view migrants as passive subjects, rather than active changemakers eager to contribute to the good of all in their communities. Drawing from Changemakers.com's methodology, Hello World has developed a unique framework that emphasizes four key paradigm shifts in how we view migration:

Hello World: Changemakers for Migration

1. People on the Move as Active Contributors: Moving beyond viewing migrants as passive recipients of aid, Hello World recognizes them as powerful changemakers eager to contribute to their new communities. 2. Movement as a Shared Experience: The initiative frames migration not as an exception but as a fundamental human experience that connects us all. 3. Recognizing Migrant Contributions: Hello World emphasizes the valuable knowledge, insights, and resources that people on the move create and bring to their new communities. 4. Fluid Communities as Engines of Change: The program acknowledges how migrant communities form dynamic networks that can drive positive social transformation. Changemakers.com's experience in framing social issues has directly contributed to Hello World's approach in several key ways: • Systematic Pattern Recognition: The initiative employs Changemakers.com's proven approach to identifying and analyzing patterns across successful solutions, leading to more effective program design. • Collaborative Framework Development: Following Changemakers.com's model, Hello World engaged over 40 key stakeholders, including social entrepreneurs, policymakers, and field experts, to develop its framework. This included deep interviews that were later analyzed in depth to find key patterns and insights. • Focus on Systemic Change: Like Changemakers.com, Hello World emphasizes solutions that address root causes rather than symptoms, working to transform the entire ecosystem surrounding migration. Since its inception, Hello World has already demonstrated key achievements: • Development of a comprehensive system of solutions and change makers for migration • Creation of collaborative networks across Europe and Latin America • Implementation of innovative programs that activate changemaking in migration-related fields

Hello World: Changemakers Migration :DLRfor OW OLLEH

Additionally, Hello World used this framework to develop a new program called Ecosystem Accelerators. This program adapts the Changemakers.com methodology to gather key experts and practitioners around a particular topic, distilling insights and patterns, and building new collaborative initiatives to drive change in the ecosystem. Currently, two parallel accelerators are running in Latin America and Europe (see helloaccelerator.ashoka.org). Looking Forward As Hello World continues to evolve, it is not just addressing migration issues; it is fundamentally reshaping how society views and engages with people on the move. This transformation, which beneﬁted from Changemakers.com's proven methodologies, points the way toward more eﬀective and humane responses to global migration challenges in the years ahead.

The Story Mosaic HELLO WORLD:

THE STORY MOSAIC: HOW CHANGEMAKERS.COM ENABLED A GLOBAL SPIRITUAL DIALOGUE by Giselle Kuri

Stories allow us to connect personally. We partnered with Changemakers to develop the Story Mosaic because the Spiritual Changemakers Initiative was eager to discover the inﬁnite ways in which changemakers describe their personal relationship to sacredness, divinity, a higher power, faith, and spirituality. The Spiritual Changemakers Initiative connects people and eﬀorts that acknowledge the role of spirituality and faith in their leadership and in transforming the systems they most care about, such as climate, democracy, religion, education, equity, and migration. Partnering with Changemakers was key to the development of this initiative because we invited people to step into the "spiritual changemaker identity” by telling their story. Storytelling became the entry point to connect with other social entrepreneurs and worldwide leaders. Through this, we were able to launch a concept such as "spiritual changemaking” with nuance.

The StoryHELLO Mosaic WORLD:

This challenge invited people to share how they described themselves as spiritual changemakers, asking them to reveal parts of their journey that are not always welcome or explicit in other entrepreneurship environments. Each story submitted became part of an interactive, digital mosaic where participants could learn about other people's journeys. Participants could submit a written story (3,500 characters or less), upload a video, or both. Over a two-month period, the Changemakers team advised on the development of the challenge and provided technical support to leverage their online platform (Wazoku). Together, we set up the storytelling journey and designed the process for awarding participants. The three tiers of awards for this challenge included: • Having their story posted on Ashoka's website. • Being invited into the Spiritual Changemakers Community. • Attending Soularize, a special event hosted in California. Our partnership inspired participants to imagine themselves as part of a larger story—one about spiritual changemakers contributing globally. We received 84 stories from individuals in 23 countries, ranging from 18 to 78 years old. The outreach campaign engaged 11 Ashoka Fellows and Ashoka Young Changemakers, while 10+ participants funded their travels to attend Soularize in May 2023. The outreach campaign generated signiﬁcant traction, helping position the spiritual changemaker concept and identity. Over 2 million people engaged with reels and social media publications, while the landing page received 11,200 visits. The Story Mosaic became the launch mechanism for the Spiritual Changemakers Community, fostering collaboration to advance an ecosystem of aliveness and growth. The Community still meets regularly, motivating diverse social entrepreneurs to explore how their changemaking and faith intertwine. Participants from the Story Mosaic remain the most engaged members. Explore some of the best stories submitted in the Story Mosaic, HERE. We learned that people enjoy sharing the spiritual journey of their changemaking. These stories continue to attract attention on our website and remain a part of the application process for the Spiritual Changemakers Community. -Spirtitual Changemakers Team Member

Gaharu Innovation Challenge HELLOBumi WORLD:

LAUNCHING THE GAHARU BUMI INNOVATION CHALLENGE In 2023, the Gaharu Bumi Innovation Challenge invited young people, families, and entire communities in Indonesia to join forces in combating the climate crisis through this unique online opportunity. The Ashoka Indonesia team initially approached the Changemakers team with the goal of hosting a challenge. Having already secured a funder and strategic partner, the team sought Changemakers’ expertise in running impactful challenges. Ashoka Indonesia believed a challenge would help diversify their network, discover changemakers beyond their usual reach, and celebrate everyday heroes. The challenge’s focus on climate change resonated with both Ashoka Indonesia and their strategic partner, Kok Bisa, a YouTube channel about science targeted at young people with over 5 million subscribers. The local team noted the significant work required to address climate issues in Indonesia, where the field is still developing. To align with their existing initiatives, they established eligibility categories: young people, families, and communities. The family category, in particular, was designed in collaboration with other partners who specialize in family-focused initiatives. Throughout the challenge, the Changemakers team provided consistent support. Changemakers played a crucial role, offering guidance during the challenge setup, and providing resources to empower the local team. Additionally, the Changemakers team conducted the first deliberation session, ensuring the process started on a strong footing.

Gaharu Bumi Innovation Challenge HELLO WORLD:

The Gaharu Bumi Innovation Challenge culminated in a multi-day in-person event in Jakarta. This celebration, driven by Ashoka Indonesia’s commitment to honoring changemakers, brought together partners, funders, and network members to formally recognize the 29 finalists from 21 cities/regencies across 8 provinces. The geographic reach of the challenge delighted the Ashoka Indonesia team. Key learnings emerged from hosting the first changemaker challenge in Indonesia, particularly around technological accessibility. Ensuring that applicants in target locations could effectively use Changemakers.com to submit their ideas was a critical consideration. Despite these challenges, the program exceeded expectations, showcasing the potential of Changemakers’ programming to adapt and thrive in diverse contexts. The Gaharu Bumi Innovation Challenge received 148 applications and engaged 27 out of 38 provinces in Indonesia. It also strengthened the collaboration with the funding partner, who renewed the partnership. For Changemakers, the challenge kickstarted the development of new technology features that enable a much simpler and user-friendly application process. Furthermore, because of these learnings, Changemakers is building leaner ways to collaborate with other teams in Ashoka to increase their local impact.

Peer to Peer Initiative

CHANGEMAKERS.COM AND ASHOKA PEER TO PEER INITIATIVE Ashoka's Peer to Peer Network initiative envisions a world where every young person is connected to a supportive community of changemakers. This initiative builds on a network methodology that enables individuals to learn, grow, and drive positive social change through meaningful relationships and collaborative learning. The primary goal is to create a robust peer support ecosystem that empowers young changemakers to thrive and scale the Everyone a Changemaker movement. To achieve this vision, the Peer to Peer Team experimented several approaches, leveraging over two decades of Changemakers.com’s expertise in connecting changemakers globally and providing innovative platforms for collaboration. Through a series of testing and iteration, several essential components were identified to foster an environment where every young changemaker can flourish: • Trust Circles: Small, expert-supported groups of change leaders. • Growth Ladders: Personalized learning pathways for skill and leadership development. • Verification Systems: Peer-based validation mechanisms to authenticate changemaker status. • Hybrid Engagement Models: Blended online and offline interactions for maximum impact. The collaboration has yielded significant learnings and valuable insights. To bring the Peer-to-Peer framework to life, several pilots were conducted across different regions, showcasing diverse approaches to building changemaker ecosystems:

Peer to Peer Initiative

Brazil: Multi-Technology Networks

In partnership with Ashoka Brazil, we piloted Transformar em Rede, an online network platform powered by Changemakers.com technology in collaboration with WeChangers. This platform connected actors from Brazil’s changemaking ecosystem, but it oﬀered just one place to connect and collaborate. The pilot highlighted the importance of multi-technology approaches in reaching users and fostering collaboration. A second pilot was launched focused on immersive workshops paired with simpler online platforms to create learning environments for young changemakers to connect, share experiences, and grow.

Indonesia: Digital Peer Directories

In Indonesia, we tested an innovative online directory to enable peer-to-peer connections. This digital platform broke geographical barriers by bringing together changemakers from diverse backgrounds. The pilot demonstrated the potential for digital tools to strengthen connections and amplify support networks within the region.

United States: Well-Being Integration

In the U.S., the Peer-to-Peer framework was integrated into the Ambition Accelerator program, emphasizing well-being-focused circles. By embedding peer support into the program structure, we explored how enhancing personal well-being can lead to greater social impact. This approach reﬂected Ashoka’s Youth Years holistic commitment to nurturing changemakers as whole individuals and leaders.

Looking Forward

Reﬂecting on the journey of Ashoka’s Peer-to-Peer Initiative, we are inspired by the insights gained and the learnings collected through these pilots. The technical capacity and community-building experience of Changemakers.com contributed to the development of the framework for a more connected and supportive changemaker ecosystem. Moving forward, we aim to reﬁne and adapt these principles to further support the global changemaker community. By leveraging partnerships, exploring innovative methodologies, and continuing learning experiments, we remain committed to creating dynamic environments where young changemakers can thrive. The journey ahead holds immense potential to foster deeper connections and empower changemakers worldwide.

OUR PARTNERS

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our partners for their invaluable support and collaboration. Their commitment and contributions have been instrumental in driving our mission forward and creating lasting impact within our community.

EAU MAINERALE NATURELLE

OUR TEAM

ANA POPOVICH

ANDREA NIJSSEN

ARIANNA DE MARIO

CAMILLE MOURA

CAROLINE GARRETT

CONFIDENCE UDO-AFFAH

DANI MATIELO

ERICK O'CONNOR MIRANDA

FAUZIYA MOHAMMED

HECTOR MOYETON

ISABELA CARVALHO

JEAN-PIERRE GREENLUND

JEDIDAH MUTHUI

JENNIFER HARTZELL

JUNE WARDE

LOUISA KONCHELLAH

PRIYANKA JAISINGHANI

RACHEL CENTARICZKI

RARA REINES

STEPHANIE AMBAR H

TEMITOPE ISEDOWO

TERESA SEABRA PEREIRA

TSEHAY ASEFA

Alumni and collaborators that contributed to our journey during this period: Ankita Kochhar, Anne Evans, Aravind Kannan, Arnold Otieno, Betul Ozyilmaz, Claire Davenport, Debora Komukai, Eduardo Delphino, Fernando Balbino, Indrani Sharma, Jason Bernhardt-Lainier, Lena Borsoi, Livia Oliveira, Marc Carr, Rachel Fauber, Richard Johnson, Romina Carillo, Sara Pudimat, Sarah Holcomb, Sharon Wekwete, Supriya Mukherjee, Vishnu Swaminathan and many others. Thank you for making Changemakers.com part of your journey