Brac and Ashoka partner up to inspire future Bangladeshi changemakers

Ashoka, a global organisation supporting the social entrepreneurs, has nominated the first group of "Sir Fazle Hasan Abed Ashoka Young Changemakers" for the global edition of the Young Changemakers programme.

Asif Saleh, the executive director of Brac Bangladesh, made the announcemetn at a press conference on Saturday.

This was part of Ashoka's "Everyone a Changemaker" framework and "Bangladesh is the fifth country out of Ashoka's over 90 country network" to launch the movement.

Ashoka launched the programme during January 24-25, in Dhaka, in partnership with Brac in the memory of late Sir Fazle Hasan Abed "who was instrumental in bringing Ashoka to Bangladesh". 

The Young Changemakers programme focuses on the role of young people as influencers and co-leaders. 

A high-power jury panel hand-picked the dynamic young changemakers, whose social initiatives in the areas including women and children's rights, hygiene, drug abuse, climate change have not only generated awareness but also improved the community and livelihoods of people around them.

The young candidates will be exposed to a global platform where they will get access to co-leadership boot camps, media partnerships, public speaking platforms, exposure visits, strategic allies and more opportunities to groom themselves to be the influencers of youth culture in Bangladesh.

Asif said, "The brilliance of this initiative lies in its commitment to make every person a changemaker. It is a fitting tribute to Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, whose vision was not only to build a world that worked for everyone but also to create changemakers around the world who would make it happen."

Yashveer Singh, global executive director, Ashoka Young Changemakers said, "Ashoka believes to thrive in this new world where every young person needs to grow up as a changemaker. It is critical for Bangladesh's future to have an ecosystem where young people could lead change from early on in life." 

Now there are over 90 Ashoka Fellows in Bangladesh including Shykh Seraj, Sebastian Groh, Runa Khan, Ananya Raihan, Ejaj Ahmed, Monira Rahman and Sajida Rahman Danny.

Bill Drayton, who first coined the term "social entrepreneurship", and popularised it as a "silent yet powerful" revolution for changing the world for the better, founded Ashoka in 1980.