Changemakers Activating Empathy Competition

Empathy is a critical skill in a world defined by rapid change—one that is foundational to the social, teamwork and leadership skills required to contribute successfully to society. As the pace of change accelerates, the level of empathy required to collaborate in the workplace, or on other types of teams that bring change to the world, is higher than ever before.

If you aren’t proficient in empathy, you’re severely limiting your opportunities to contribute to society, and are at risk of being left behind. If we are to create a world where everyone can be a player, provide input, and create value, we must grasp, practice, and develop empathy. 

Empathy is more than just awareness and concern. It is about cultural sensitivity and conflict resolution. It’s about the ability to communicate effectively and understand the motivations of others. Empathy is about standing up, not standing by, uncovering what’s below the surface through active listening and putting words into action.

This is why Ashoka is launching a global initiative to ensure that children master empathy, enabling them to be effective citizens, leaders and trailblazers. By launching an online collaborative competition, Activating Empathy: Transforming Schools to Teach What Matters, Ashoka are challenging teachers, principals, parents, students, and other innovators to share ideas—whether by a project, a program, or a new learning experience—for advancing empathy in education. Enter the competition today to share your passion for creating a world guided by empathy and collaboration, one led by empowered young people who succeed in the classroom and in every walk of life.

Who Should Enter

If you are a teacher, principal, parent, student, or other innovator with a project, a program, or a new learning experience that can advance empathy in education, we are looking for you.

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Canada World Youth 2012 Leadership Awards

Canada World Youth (CWY) is currently seeking nominations for the 2012 Leadership Awards aimed at recognizing the excellent achievements of young Canadians and youth from around the world that are engaged in innovative initiatives promoting peace, intercultural understanding, and community and international Development. The candidates must be nominated by a third party.

CWY is a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of young people that have a desire to become informed and active global citizens. CWY programs are designed to help youth experience the world for themselves, learn about other cultures and diverse Canadian communities while developing leadership and communication skills.

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Africa Social Entrepreneurs awarded during the 20th World Economic Forum on Africa

Five social entrepreneurs have been recognized as Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2010 in Africa during the Opening Plenary session of the 20th World Economic Forum on Africa, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on 5 May. 

Shona Mc Donald, founder of Shonaquip had previously been recognized as the Social Entrepreneur for South Africa. The other four winners are Godwin Ehigiamusoe of LAPO in Nigeria, Brien Holden and Kovin Naidoo of ICEE, and Victoria Kisyombe of SELFINA in Tanzania. They received their awards in the presence of President Jakaya M. Kikwete of Tanzania and the Co-Chairs of the 2010 World Economic Forum on Africa.

Social entrepreneurs emphasize long-term sustainability instead of short-term gains. Their primary focus is to maximize benefits for society and the environment by implementing innovative approaches to key challenges. They operate social businesses or organizations that are a mixture of non-profits and for-profits in areas such as energy efficiency, education, waste management, health, education, youth and rural development.

The winners will join a group of leading social entrepreneurs from across the African continent as well as others from Europe, India and the USA, and will be active participants providing insights on sustainability and social innovation in the discussions under the meeting’s theme Rethinking Africa’s Growth Strategy.

The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, an affiliate organization of the World Economic Forum, conducts the search and selection of social entrepreneurs in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, India and South-East Asia. It selects three to five social entrepreneurs per year from each region. Selected social entrepreneurs are connected to the world’s business, political and media leaders through the events and initiatives of the World Economic Forum.

The following winners were awarded Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2010 in Africa:

Godwin Ehigiamusoe, Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO), Nigeria

LAPO is the leading microfinance institution in Nigeria with over 240,000 clients. It is recognized for delivering sound financial and social services to alleviate poverty and empowering the disadvantaged. Alongside its financial services offering, LAPO supports enterprise development in diverse areas such as food processing, craftworks, merchandising, fabrication and farming, while the LAPO Development Foundation provides social and health empowerment programmes addressing issues of empowerment, nutrition, health, discrimination, injustice and gender equality.

Brien Holden and Kovin Naidoo, International Centre for Eyecare Education, South Africa and Australia

At least 670 million people, mostly in the developing world, are blind or vision impaired simply because they do not have access to a basic eye examination and a pair of glasses. ICEE works in ten African countries in addition to operations in Asia and Latin America to provide screening services and glasses prescriptions through its “Vision Centres”. It focuses on capacity building in the public sector to deliver eye care services, stimulating the professional role of optometrists and eye care providers, thereby expanding and sustaining its impact to 290,000 beneficiaries. It has also developed its own global supply chain and resource centre to reduce the cost of spectacles dramatically for its own services, and also for NGOs and public providers.

Victoria Kisyombe, Sero Lease and Finance Association (SELFINA) and Sero Businesswomen’s Association (SEBA), Tanzania

In Tanzania, where 75% of the population live in rural areas, and 33% live below the poverty line, most enterprising individuals do not have scarce working capital to buy equipment upfront. Victoria Kisyombe recognized that the capital outlay to buy assets and equipment for small businesses is difficult even on a microfinance loan and thus pioneered the leasing of fixed assets to women, which has led to the development of more than 18,000 value-added businesses and wealth creation. SELFINA’s clients, 60% of whom are in rural areas, become eventual owners of leased equipment and can use it as collateral for further borrowing.

Shona Mc Donald, Shonaquip, South Africa

Shonaquip is a social business that provides high-impact support services that promote inclusion and equal opportunity employment for persons with disabilities. It promotes and supports the safe provision of appropriate wheelchairs, offering professional support services and clinical training for professionals and families. It also designs and builds Africa-appropriate wheelchairs and postural support devices suitable for use in rural, rough terrain and remote areas. Shonaquip have 40,000 clients (80% children) who have been provided with mobility devices and receive ongoing holistic postural support.

 

Source:The World Economic Forum