Everyone A Change Maker
Managing Director, Youth Venture, Southeast Asia
The Opportunity
Over the last 35 years, Ashoka Innovators for the Public not only coined the term social entrepreneur- but
also pioneered the field of social entrepreneurship globally. On one hand, we searched and launched 3000
men and women, with system changing ideas to solve problems. These include leaders like Jimmy Wales,
SEE
Harish Hande, Shaheen Mistri and Kailash Sathyarthi. On the other, we helped the world
entrepreneurship was a more powerful way to drive change. Seeing differently, helped
why social
DO
people
differently. Investors invested in them, journalists wrote about them, universities taught courses
and incubators / accelerators supported them. In some countries Governments even created policies to
support social entrepreneurs.
However, we recognize this is not enough. The rate of change is accelerating and our problems are
growing faster than our solutions. In such an environment it is not enough for a few to lead and others to
Everyone must be a changemaker
. Changemaking skills, i.e. empathy, teamwork, creative problem-
follow.
solving and leadership become essential to equip each of us to respond to changes around us.
And this can happen only if we start young! Like math and science, changemaking skills need to be
practiced early on. More than skills to memorize and repeat it is the skills to empathize, collaborate and
constructively act that will equip children to survive and lead in the current reality. Changemaking skills are
as important as literacy was in the industrial era.
To prepare our children to face challenges we cannot yet conceive, the most powerful thing we can do is to
help society prioritize changemaking skills for children and youth. Ashoka is committed to driving this
mindset shift in society- one in which aspirations for children is not benchmarked on grades, but on
whether or not they have acquired changemaking skills.
How? Our Theory of Change
Ashoka is not setting out to teach every child changemaking skills. Instead Ashoka is committed to act as
a catalyst focused on creating urgency and demand for changemaking skills in society.
Much like what we did with the field of social entrepreneurship, we are seeking to drive this mindset shift in
society by helping people see differently. We intend to work with co-creators (Ashoka Fellows and other
leaders) to influence key actors including, parents, schools, governments, media, companies to see why
changemaking skills are key for their children to succeed and contribute effectively in society. It will open
