Grandmother Project — Change through Culture Three generations of women who participated in an All Women’s Forum, Saré Konco village. Photo courtesy of Judi Aubel. by Leora Lihach Around the world, human history has seen our female elders at the forefront of change, leveraging their cultural capital and tapping into their experience and social-emotional strengths. We examine this phenomenon in the introduction to this series. Over the coming weeks, Ashoka will be featuring four Ashoka Fellows who showcase how everyone can create larger-scale impact at any point in life. Ash ..read more

How cross-sector collaborations are providing new approaches to solving problems and different lenses to see the world Courtesy of Lisa Fotios on Pexels. by Caroline Blight with contributing editors Daniela Kreimer & Romina Carrillo Sometimes we need to view a situation or problem from a different angle to come up with new and innovative solutions. But this can be difficult when we are entrenched in habitual ways of working. Stepping out of our normal day-to-day roles can totally change the way we approach workplace challenges — and how we interact with others in our private ..read more

Steve Fleming of Kick4Life on Transforming Lives and Communities Courtesy of Steve Fleming by Hector Moyeton The sport industry first and foremost focuses on performance and competition. But there’s a strong business-oriented mindset as well. Although this industry’s mindset has been successful in attracting more people to sport, it tends to overlook great opportunities to channel the energy towards societal good. Sporting bodies, corporations, and athletes can all positively contribute to social change by drawing on their unique connection to the sporting industry, whether it i ..read more

Learn from corporations who are advancing ESG efforts through fostering a changemaker mindset Courtesy of Artem Podrez on Pexels by Caroline Blight with contributing editor Romina Carrillo For the past few years Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) has been a hot topic, with companies adding new dedicated departments to decide strategies and training. But many are finding that this is not providing the impact it should - and in worst case scenarios, it’s become just another burden for employees. This is often because ESG policies are seen as an add-on to an existing organization ..read more

Andres Vergara on IOC’s Legacy Approach Peace Gate, 2018 © Aurélie Lemouzy IOC The modern Olympic Games are overseen by the non-governmental sports organization known as the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It was founded in 1894 in France and currently its headquarters are in Switzerland. The IOC selects the host city for both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games and strives to use sport to progress and preserve the Olympic ideals of friendship, excellence, and respect on a global scale. It aims to advance international collaboration, equal opportunity, and sportsmanship. We in ..read more

Learn from 2022 Ambition Accelerator finalist Emily, founder of nonprofit Build for Bees Teammates Emily and Gowri brought home $11,500 in seed funding for Habikit. Courtesy of Ciera. When Emily found out about the Taco Bell Foundation Ambition Accelerator in 2022, the year Ashoka and the Taco Bell Foundation launched the social impact program to fuel young changemakers’ ideas, she almost didn’t apply. “I had so much on my plate, and I doubted my hard work would pay off,” Emily says. Emily is the CEO and founder of Build for Bees, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to protect all ..read more

by Hanae Baruchel & Smita Gupta Artificial intelligence apps like ChatGPT, Midjourney, and now Sora have taken the world by storm in the last year. Moving at breakneck speed and known as generative AI, the technology powering these apps raises new business opportunities as well as key ethical questions. Suddenly, the potential good and harms of AI have become everyone’s business: the topic is no longer relegated only to technologists and policymakers. Whether real or exaggerated, a spreading narrative of doom and gloom about the existential threats of AI is causing too many to feel p ..read more

Courtesy of Mica Asato on Pexels by Vinicius Ayres The 9th edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup was held in 2023, and it marks a big milestone on the road to ending gender stereotypes and promoting equal opportunities in the sports world. The Women’s World Cup has always been an important event since its creation in 1991, but its 2023 edition was marked with record-breaking numbers in terms of spectators and revenue. According to data provided by FIFA, the event generated 570 million dollars, the second-highest income in any sports event. While we revel in these successes, there rem ..read more

Mel Young on a Powerful International Football Tournament Courtesy of Mel Young by Bemente Abegaz Sport has historically focused on winning medals and competitions, however, it has the power to generate societal benefits, such as health and wellbeing. It’s important to explore the myriad of impacts that sport can have on the most significant social issues humanity is facing worldwide. The World Economic Forum reported that over 150 million individuals have faced homelessness globally. We interviewed Ashoka Fellow Mel Young, President and Co-Founder of the Homeless World Cup Foundatio ..read more

The next chapter by Leora Lihach Throughout human history, our female elders have been quick to act for change, picking up the pieces where our governments and other institutions have failed us. In times of social turmoil, these women have often taken to the streets and the squares or even taken up the pen to drive positive change or catalyze revolutions. We remember the Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, founded in 1977 Argentina. In 1920, a changed vote in the United States at the insistence of one legislator’s elderly mother secured the 19th Amendment’s ratification. And in ancient storie ..read more