To date, Ashoka has selected more than 3,700 social entrepreneurs in more than 90 countries, whose systems-changing innovations solve deep-rooted social problems. We surveyed all of our Fellows on the impact that Ashoka has had on them.
Distribution of Ashoka Fellows in 2018
Survey Findings
First Significant Funding
92% of Fellows report the Ashoka stipend helped them focus full time on their idea. Identifying and supporting these individuals often gives them their first significant source of funding.
Partnerships Between Fellows
Fellows report collaborating or partnering with 4 other Ashoka Fellows after being elected. Ashoka gives Fellows access to a powerful global network, and helps them think in system-change terms that leads to changes in their strategy.
Systems Change
86% of Fellows report that Ashoka helped them see their work at a systems change level. Of those Fellows, 92% made changes to their strategy
Riccarda Zezza
Riccarda, Ashoka Fellow since 2016, redefines work-life balance through motherhood
"When you have such a dream, as I think we social entrepreneurs have, it becomes extremely active in your life. It gives you a lot of energy. But every day it makes you ask, “Am I crazy? What do I do? ”You always have to keep your perspective very high. You have to look very far, because if you look closely, you will have a tendency to stop: you will feel that you cannot make the dream come true. "
"And if someone like Ashoka selects you and decides that you are an Ashoka Fellow, you feel extremely much energy. On a personal level it makes a huge difference, it gives you a lot of strength. Those around you always doubt what you do. All the time you they'll tell you why your plan won't work. When someone like Ashoka comes in and says, "What you're doing is very important and can really change the world - it gives you confidence that you can really do it."
Creating the Everyone A Changemaker World
Through our network of students, schools, universities, corporations, and citizen sector organizations, we’re building a movement towards an Everyone a Changemaker World where every person is powerful and can take creative action for social change in their communities.
2,000 parents
reached through our workshop on parenting changemakers, Your Kids
30 online Changemaker Challenges
to encourage youth social innovation
150+ young changemakers
selected for their social innovations through Youth Venture
70 senior leaders
engaged across 23 countries in our Executive in Residence program
230 participants
representing 33 countries participated in Changemaker Bootcamps
500+ higher education institutions
engaged in 50+ countries, with approximately 5,000 individuals engaged directly in AshokaU
Anju
Selected by the Youth Venture program, this young changemaker is making her village child labor free
"Ashoka helped me immensely. It is not only the way that I talk that has changed, it is also the way I think. Earlier, I thought that it was only me who was preoccupied with social problems. It was when I joined Youth Venture that I realized that there are other people who are also working towards solving such problems. There was a time when my plans were confined to my village. After Youth Venture, it is my dream to make the entire state of Haryana child labor free.”
