Ashoka's Venture Fund for Leading Social Entrepreneurs
Ashoka's Venture Fund for Leading Social Entrepreneurs
Ashoka's Venture Fund for Leading Social Entrepreneurs
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Megh Ale, Nepal River Conservation Trust, NEPAL<br />
By igniting passion <strong>for</strong> the river and creating new economic incentives, Megh is building a broad base of<br />
support <strong>for</strong> the long-term health of waterways in Nepal. Through tourism opportunities, river guides become<br />
enthusiastic advocates <strong>for</strong> conservation. Megh also engages local residents through river festivals<br />
and in-school educational projects.<br />
Nejat Unlu, Positive Life Support Center, TURKEY<br />
Nejat has organized the first citizen organization in Turkey to empower those with the HIV virus to sup-<br />
port one another, raise awareness, press <strong>for</strong> ending discrimination, and lobby <strong>for</strong> re<strong>for</strong>ms in state health<br />
policy. Recently the Ministry of Health asked Nejat to incorporate some of his strategies in their AIDS<br />
policy plan.<br />
Angkhana Neelapaichit, Working Group on Justice <strong>for</strong> Peace, THAILAND<br />
Angkhana is using her own life experience to bring an end to <strong>for</strong>ced disappearances and arbitrary deten-<br />
tions. She combines a grassroots approach to individual cases with a systematic re<strong>for</strong>ms at the legislative<br />
and judicial levels, adding appropriate use of media to gain public support. Angkhana makes particular<br />
use of families and friends of victims to build systems of peace <strong>for</strong> all who are oppressed.<br />
Selma Demirelli, The Water Lily Project, TURKEY<br />
Selma is spearheading the first housing cooperative in Turkey run by women. Beyond providing shelter<br />
and financial independence, housing cooperatives give women finance, business development, and urban<br />
planning skills <strong>for</strong> the future. Further, property ownership is a key step to advancing women’s rights and<br />
equal legal standing in Turkey.<br />
Teerawat Sripathomsawad, Independent Living, THAILAND<br />
Rejecting a medical model that keeps disabled Thais dependent on public assistance, Terrawat, himself a<br />
quadriplegic, introduced the practice of Independent Living, through which all disabled persons can learn<br />
to judge their own capacities and avoid institutionalization. From this empowered position, the disabled<br />
become a social, economic, and political <strong>for</strong>ce to demand their rights and take an active role in society.