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Advocates for Social Entrepreneurs: Examples
Darin Gunesekera and Lenin Raghuvanshi | Intellectual Property
Varanasi Weavers Trust, India
Traditional silk sari weavers in India’s holy city of Varanasi are experiencing increasing competition from cheaper saris made by machine in China and other Indian cities. Ashoka Fellows Lenin Raghuvanshi (India) and Dr. Darin Gunesekera (Sri Lanka) are working with Weil Gotshal attorneys to obtain “Certification Mark” status for authentic Varanasi silks, protecting Varanasi’s famous design and the livelihoods of thousands of sari weavers at the same time.
Maria Elena Ordoñez | Intellectual Property
Arcandina, Ecuador
In August, 2005, Arcandina – an Ecuadorian environmental organization led by Ashoka Fellow Maria Elena Ordoñez – was alerted that their children’s television series was being broadcast illegally by a Spanish-language network in the United States. Through an introduction facilitated by the Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation, attorneys with Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP investigated the situation and intervened with the television company directly on Arcandina’s behalf, initiating legal action and limiting broadcast of the show.
Suraiya Haque | Labor Law
Phulki, Bangladesh
Suraiya Haque and her organization, Phulki, pioneered the establishment of day care centers in factories, offices, and community centers throughout Bangladesh. To prevent backpedaling, Suraiya is now working with Advocates for International Development (A4ID) to enforce compliance with national labor law as multinational companies open new factories in Bangladesh.
Edith Grynspancholc | Health Policy Research
Natali Dafne Flexer Foundation, Argentina
Following the death of her child from cancer in 1995, Edith Grynspancholc has set out to strengthen pediatric care across Argentina. Poised to extend her work across Latin America and the Caribbean, she realized she lacked a basic understanding of the laws surrounding children’s health and cancer treatment outside of Argentina. With help from Ashoka, Edith is receiving legal counsel from the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice, to help position the foundation’s growth beyond Argentina’s borders.