Noa Lodeizen

Ashoka Staff
Noa Lodeizen
Director, Ashoka Netherlands

Never before has the impact of humanity on Earth been so decisive for planetary well-being and humanity's future as now.

I believe we must now place our resources in education and specifically in growing children's skills in empathy, positive psychology, self-awareness, collaboration, leadership and creativity. Only then will children be able to recognize problems and find solutions to the increasing challenges that they will face during their lifetimes. We really need to rethink the systems we have created, becoming the new system and collaborating to act together.

I found an organization 18 years ago, focusing on vulnerable young people in prison, 'Young in Prison', where I have seen in reality how all children CAN transform. With my initiative, I was rewarded with an Ashoka fellowship and I have since fallen in love with Ashoka's mission: 'everyone a changemaker'.