E ve r yo n e a C h a n g e m a ke r ™

ASHOKA’S FUND FOR

SOCIAL CHANGE IN
AFRICA
© P H O T O C R E D I T S : E . B . S Y LV E S T E R , L E I L A A K A H L O U N , A N D F E R D I N A N D R E U S
 You can change a continent: be a Changemaker

“Ashoka identifies inspirational individuals whose life and work

demonstrate how much one person can do to make the world better.”
— Graça Machel
Stateswoman, Human Rights Advocate,
Former First Lady of Mozambique, and First Lady of South Africa
© Anne Henricot

WHY INVEST IN AFRICA TODAY:

A note from our Africa Integrator
When some think of Africa, they think first of
its overwhelming problems. Indeed the reality of
widespread conflict, HIV/AIDS, and abject poverty
paint a bleak picture of the continent. However, Growth of Ashoka Fellows in
the work of Ashoka has provided me with the
extraordinary privilege of witnessing solutions Africa
to these seemingly intractable problems. 350
Number of Fellows (Cumulative)

Ashoka and our Fellows shatter the conventional 300

perspective of Africa as a continent bereft
250
of leadership and entrepreneurial know-
how for solving its problems without interventions by aid 200
agencies. Unlike many international NGOs, Ashoka does not 150
apply externally-generated ideas to local problems. For almost
twenty years, Ashoka has searched for and invested in Africa’s 100
leading social entrepreneurs, named Ashoka Fellows. Fellows are 50
local innovators with new ideas to solve the world’s most urgent
and deeply-rooted social problems. Our dynamic innovators bring 0
home-grown solutions to their communities’ problems, building
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
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2007
2008

the foundation of lasting social change in Africa.

We extend the opportunity for you to partner with us in selecting
and supporting the leaders who are changing Africa.
--Leila Akahloun
1 THE AFRICA FUND
© Janet Jarmen
The FY09 Challenge: $3 million to continue
Africa’s social transformation
For all the current media attention on Africa—its health, environment, governance, and human rights—there is still woefully
inadequate focus on the huge role Africans can play in creating groundbreaking solutions to the continent’s problems. Ashoka
is at the forefront of the African Renaissance promoting African social entrepreneurs as a unique and effective mechanism to
transform the African continent.

Our goal for FY09 is to elect 30 leading social entrepreneurs and increase the networking activities of our 350 Fellows. This
year we intend to bring our youth programming, Youth Venture, to Sahel West Africa and empower young people to create
change in their communities. This $3 million fund will enable Ashoka in Africa to grow our fellowship, enhance the resources
and services we provide our Fellows, and lay the groundwork for our expansion into Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Liberia.

You can help us reach our goal by investing in the Africa Fund
for Social Change
Your money will cover new Fellow stipend expenses and
Fellow support for the most talented social entrepreneurs in Africa.
“Social entrepreneurs are not
content just to give a fish, or
You will empower brilliant innovators seeking a social rather teach how to fish. They will
than a financial profit. not rest until they have
revolutionized the fishing
Receive benefits based on your level of investment industry.”
„„ Get news of trends regarding the cutting edge of social change
„„ Visit Ashoka Fellows and their projects -- Bill Drayton,
„„ Attend Ashoka Events Founder of Ashoka
„„ And more.... see page 11 for further details

In what sectors do African

Are you the right investor for this fund?
Fellows work?
„„ Do you want to be part of social transformation in Africa? Civic
Education
Engagement
„„ Do you believe in the power of entrepreneurs and innovative 16%
19%
ideas?
„„ Do you want to see potential turn into impact across sectors?
„„ Do you want to invest in effective and ethical leaders through Human Rights
a proven selection strategy? 20% Economic
Development
„„ Do you want to share the impact of your investment with
23%
family and friends, engaging them in Africa’s transformation
as well?
Health Environment
15% 7%

Source: all active Ashoka Fellows in Africa

E V E RYO N E A C H A N G E M A K E R 2
Ashoka at a glance: who we are
Ashoka envisions a world where Everyone is a Changemaker™: a world that responds quickly and effectively
to social challenges, and where each individual has the freedom, confidence, and societal support to address any social
problem and drive change. Ashoka strives to shape a global, entrepreneurial, competitive citizen sector: one
that allows social entrepreneurs to thrive and enables the world’s citizens to think and act as changemakers.

Ashoka launched in Africa in 1990, and today there are over 350 Ashoka Fellows in 17 African countries with regional
offices based in Abuja, Nigeria; Dakar, Senegal; Nairobi, Kenya; and Johannesburg, South Africa. African Ashoka Fellows are
addressing wide-ranging problems, including:  economic issues, corruption, the pandemic of HIV/AIDS, education systems,
the environment, and conflict. Ashoka believes that launching a critical mass of social entrepreneurs is a crucial step toward
creating a vibrant, prosperous African continent.

WHAT MAKES ASHOKA UNIQUE?

„„ We are the first in the field, with over three decades of experience in identifying and investing in the world’s
leading social entrepreneurs.

„„ Our global reach is the broadest and deepest in the field.

„„ To elect our Fellows, we use a rigourous five-step search and selection process that includes hours of personal
interviews and draws on networks of local and international experts.

„„ We are supported by a diverse group of partners that includes foundations, corporations, and business leaders.

Ashoka Fellows in Africa

167 192
638

350

571

Africa
North America
South America
Asia
Europe

3 THE AFRICA FUND

Ashoka’s Approach: how we select Ashoka Fellows
Ashoka invests in people. We search the world for leading
social entrepreneurs and through an intensive, human-
centered process, select them into our global Fellowship
where they receive financial and professional support.
We call this process “Venture.” Since 1980, Ashoka has
elected over 2,000 social entrepreneurs in more than 60
countries.

Nomination
• INTERNATIONAL
• INDIVIDUAL
› First Opinion
• LOCAL
• INDIVIDUAL
› Second Opinion
• INTERNATIONAL
• INDIVIDUAL
› Panel
• LOCAL
• GROUP
› Board Review
••INTERNATIONAL
INTERNATIONAL
••GROUP
GROUP

Ashoka representatives Ashoka representatives, Second

Local Ashoka staff research A senior Ashoka representative Ashoka representatives
receive nominations from Opinion interviewers, and Venture
nominees and the fields from outside the region convene 3-4 leading social
staff, volunteers, partners, staff collaborate to write a candidate
they work in, conduct site interviews each candidate for and business entrepreneurs
and any other nominators “profile” that presents the main
visits and reference checks, 3-4 hours in person, applying from the country to advise
familiar with Ashoka’s elements of the candidacy and
interview them extensively Ashoka’s criteria, probing Ashoka on how to frame the
work. All candidates must demonstrates how each of the criteria
to identify their central a candidate’s life history, candidate’s idea and potential
pass Ashoka’s five core has been satisfied. Ashoka’s Board of
innovation, and evaluate and relying on their deep impact in the country context.
criteria listed below Directors receives profiles and panel
them across Ashoka’s understanding of the field of Each panelist meets with each
recommendations from throughout
criteria. social entrepreneurship. candidate individually and
the world. The Board considers
then the panel convenes as a
each candidacy based on Ashoka’s
group, facilitated by the Second
worldwide mission and policies, and
Opinion interviewer, to decide
either ratifies the election or requests
by consensus whether to
ASHOKA’S SELECTION CRITERIA clarification from staff.
recommend candidates to be
elected as Ashoka Fellows.
A NEW IDEA (THE KNOCK-OUT TEST)
Ashoka will only elect individuals to the Fellowship
if they are possessed by a new idea—a new solution
or approach to a social problem—that will change
the pattern in a given field, be it human rights, the
environment, or any other.

CREATIVITY Who supports Ashoka?

AVERAGE FUNDING 2007
Do they define the root problem, interpret the
challenges, and take advantage of their setbacks in FUNDING SOURCES 2007
a creative and resourceful way? The best candidates
have shown a history of creativity throughout their
lives.
Foundations
ENTREPRENEURIAL QUALITY 25%
Perhaps our most important criterion, Business
entrepreneurial quality is the defining characteristic
Entrepreneurs
of first class entrepreneurs. It defines leaders who
and their
see opportunities for change and innovation and
who are willing to commit themselves entirely over Organizations
decades to make their visions a reality. 45%
Individuals
SOCIAL IMPACT 21%
Ashoka is only interested in ideas that it believes
will change the field significantly and that will trigger
national or continental impact. Corporations &
Organizations*
ETHICAL FIBER 9%
Social entrepreneurs introducing major structural
changes to society must be deeply trusted to
succeed. Evaluating candidates on their ethics * Annual funding sources are estimates and do not include in-kind contributions
and motivations often requires resorting to *Does not include in-kind contributions
instinct rather than rational analysis. If there is
any doubt, a candidate will not pass.

E V E RYO N E A C H A N G E M A K E R 4
 Leading Ashoka Fellows in Africa

Bart Weetjens
Bart Weetjens is founder of Apopo, a
Tanzania-based organization that trains
Giant Pouched Rats to save human lives.
While primarily used for landmine and
unexploded ordinance clearance, the
superior sniffing capability of rats is also
being used to detect tuberculosis
bacteria in human sputum samples and may
eventually lead to the early diagnosis of HIV
infection.

AFRICA

Hamadou Tidiane Sy
Hamadou Tidiane Sy is helping redefine African
journalism and has started an initiative in Senegal
that is improving the dissemination of news both
in Senegal and throughout West Africa. Hamadou
founded a new, region-wide online news outlet – Veronica Khosa
Ouestafnews – in which a corps of independent, Veronica Khosa has designed a
investigative journalists report the stories they prototype home-based nursing
care about without being subject to outside service that has influenced health care
pressure. policies nationally and internationally.
Her work has changed the lives of
many chronically and terminally ill
patients in South Africa’s Gauteng
province.

Zackie Achmat
Zackie Achmat of the Treatment Action Campaign spearheads a
grassroots social initiative in South Africa to provide affordable
AIDS medicines to the public in a way that will not only stop
the epidemic’s growth, but also transform the public health
system and enable communities to address the host of other
social challenges they are facing.
COUNTRY SPOTLIGHT: KENYA

Following Kenya’s contentious election in December 2007, deadly ethnic

violence broke out between the Kalenjin and Kikuyu communities.
Kennedy Wafula, an Ashoka Fellow in Kenya, quickly circulated an appeal
to other Ashoka Fellows in Africa, asking for help in building peace and
promoting reconciliation. Pastor James Wuye and Imam Mohammad
Ashafa of Nigeria’s Interfaith Mediation Centre and Rita Sembuya of
Uganda’s Joyce Fertility Support Centre offered their support. With a
$10,000 collaboration grant from Ashoka, the group designed a two-year
intervention that will work to reinforce reconciliation.
To begin, they organized two peace conferences, bringing together
community, business, and government leaders in the Rift Valley, an area
particularly affected by the violence. Wuye and Ashafa contributed their
unique perspective on reconciliation by presenting about their own
work around forgiveness and co-existence in Nigeria. Sembuya led the
second conference, composed of 100 women leaders from diverse
ethnic groups, to stress the importance of women in peace building.
They have also elected a committee of elders who meet weekly and are
Nigerian Fellows Pastor James Wuye and Imam Mohammad Ashafa responsible for helping their communities cleanse and rebuild following
meet with Ashoka Regional Representative Coumba Touré. the bloodshed. Together, these African Fellows are spreading their
message of reconciliation to Kenya.

THE ASHOKA SUPPORT NETWORK

ASHOKA SUPPORT NETWORK (ASN) is a global community of successful business people who
engage with Ashoka, committing time and resources to support the work of social entrepreneurs.

„„ In FY2007 alone, the membership of ASN grew by over 100 percent to a total of over 150 members.

„„ ASN expanded from six to eighteen countries and in doing so, extended its reach from one to four
continents.

„„ ASN’s first member in Africa is Maneesh Garg, a member of the Nigerian Chapter of the Young
Presidents’ Organization.

ASHOKA’S CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION PARTNERS IN AFRICA

„„ Gates Foundation „„ Mott Foundation

„„ Nike „„ Hewlett Foundation
„„ Hilti „„ Elysium Foundation
„„ ABSA Capital „„ La Fondation Marie et Alain Philippson
„„ Henry E. Niles Foundation „„ Silverman Charitable Group
„„ Patrick and Anna M. Cudahy Fund „„ Harry Roels
„„ Vallavbhai & Savitaben Patel Foundation „„ Amy Stein
„„ Project People Foundation „„ Maneesh Garg
„„ Fundacion Roviralta „„ Old Mutual
„„ Patel Foundation „„ Laura Foote

E V E RYO N E A C H A N G E M A K E R 6
Ashoka’s programs: offerings to Fellows beyond
the stipend
Ashoka’s Law For All: security and legal support for Fellows
BETTY MAKONI
Impact: Betty’s Girl Child Network
Working with a global network of lawyers, policy- interrupts the cycle of discrimination
makers, business entrepreneurs, and human rights and violence against girls in Zimbabwe.
organizations, Law for All is building a world in GCN offers school-based support
which everyone may enjoy equity, justice, and groups, legal aid for victims of abuse,
social inclusion as full citizens. We reach across trauma counseling, and advocacy
campaigns reaching 30,000 girls across
countries and across sectors to strengthen human 45 rural districts.
rights, democratic spaces, and good governance.
Threat: Betty faced repeated threats
of rape, murder, and imprisonment and
was twice detained by police prior to
Zimbabwe’s March 2008 presidential
elections. Ashoka has helped Betty
sustain her work from outside
Zimbabwe until the political situation
stabalizes.

Ashoka’s Changemakers: open Ashoka’s Youth Venture™: building

sourcing solutions through a movement of young changemakers
online compeitions
Ashoka’s Youth Venture inspires and invests in teams of
young people aged 12-24 to create and launch their own
sustainable “Ventures” – youth-led projects, groups, and
organizations that strive to solve social problems. To date,
YV has launched 2200 Venture teams 11 countries, engaging
more than 35,000+ youth.

Ashoka Fellow Dr. Adrian Mukhebi

Winner of Banking on Social Change
Changemakers Competition

By facilitating the flow of information between

small-scale farmers and commodity markets,
Adrian Mukhebi is increasing farmers’ negotiating
power and improving rural food distribution and
household food security.
Zaks, the leader of Township Glory, uses the arts to inspire,
encourage and empower the youth of Orange Park, a Johannesburg
township. From slam poetry to dance and theater, every young
person in attendance at Township Glory workshops has a role
to play.

7 THE AFRICA FUND

Ashoka’s impact in Africa: how we measure our
effectiveness
Ashoka Fellows operate in diverse fields and with a broad spectrum of goals, making it difficult to describe their
impact with one common set of measurements. Nonetheless, Ashoka’s Measuring Effectiveness program has developed a
system of proxy indicators that reflect Fellows’ roles in transforming their societies.

Ashoka conducts a study focusing on the classes of Fellows elected five and ten years prior. The study includes
a comprehensive self-response survey sent to all Ashoka Fellows elected in a given year, complemented by a series of
in‑person interviews with a cross-section of survey respondents.

IMPACT INDICATORS IN AFRICA

„„ Dedication to Original Vision

Two men are building an innovative roof structure
structure in South Africa.
87% remain engaged in consolidating and spreading their
innovations.
„„ Independent Replication
81% have proven their ideas to be so effective that their work
has been replicated by independent groups or government
organizations.
„„ Policy Influence
100% report influencing policy on some level (local, state, or
national) and 69% report influencing national policy change.

An example of policy influence in Africa

PRINCESS OLUFEMI-KAYODE
Princess works to prevent and respond
to child sexual abuse in Nigeria. To “Google is a company that believes deeply in
supplement the weak response from entrepreneurship. And this is a company that
the medical and law enforcement believes deeply in the power of information. We
systems, Princess has built a national don’t think there’s another organization that
combines these two things in a more compelling
hotline and network of crisis centers.
way than Ashoka. ”
Princess has sought out strategic partnerships with --Sheryl Sandberg,
government agencies, both to gain their support and to former Google Executive
and current Facebook COO
influence their policies. Now, government hospitals refer
cases to her and the Ministry of Justice is offering pro
bono legal services to victims. As her influence grows,
Princess is opening crisis centers in new areas, developing
new educational materials on preventing and responding
to sexual violence, and designing a new intervention to
support families who prosecute sexual offenders.

E V E RYO N E A C H A N G E M A K E R 8
What we are working on: Africa by Region
Africa currently offers a strategic and historic opportunity for Ashoka and our partners to bring our collective innovations and resources
together to accelerate the pace of the African Renaissance. Ashoka strives to create sophisticated programming in Africa which takes into
consideration major trends and elements needed to advance change in countries with varying levels of citizen sector development with
unique socio-historical, economic and political landscapes.

East Africa is expanding its networks in Tanzania and forging relationships with new partners in an effort to grown our Tanzanian Fellowship.
Our Nairobi office is hosting a number of site visits with Young President’s Organization members and international investors this year. Search
and selection of Fellows working on human rights and conflict resolution in Uganda and Kenya remain a priority as we help to mitigate ethnic
and political conflict in the region. Expansion plans for Rwanda and Ethiopia are on the horizon to extend our reach in East Africa.

Ashoka in Nigeria is enhancing sustainability and capacity building offerings to its Fellows. We are also reinvigorating search and selection
efforts for new Fellows and strategic relationships in Ghana and Cameroon. In FY09, Nigeria will play host to a Pan African New Fellow
Orientation and Induction where we will convene over 100 Fellows, strategic partners and staff to introduce our newly elected Fellows to
the world of Ashoka.

SahelWest Africa is bringingYouthVenture to the region and empowering youth people to start community projects. Regional fellowship chapters
in Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso and the Gambia are actively growing and creating communities of changemakers throughout French speaking
West Africa.

Southern Africa is focusing on expanding strategic partnerships and building on the successes of the launch of Youth Venture. We continue
to elect Fellows who are tackling HIV/AIDS in the region and fostering regional collaborations around innovations in education and health.

Where we’re going: our 5 year plan

#1: Building a Critical Mass of Social
Entrepreneurs
„„ Identify emerging areas of innovation
„„ Elect advanced-stage entrepreneurs (Senior Fellows) who
can contribute their experience and strategic thinking
„„ Grow selection capacity to fully cover current countries
and expand to new countries
#2: Supporting and Spreading New
Ideas
„„ Connect African Fellows to each other
„„ Connect African Fellows to their peers around the world
„„ Launch Health Initiative that spreads globally the most
effective ideas in healthcare delivery

#3: Designing New Ways to Sustain #4: Changing the Discourse

Innovation
„„ Build strategic partnerships with other sectors
„„ Roll out Citizen Base Initiative to East and West Africa
„„ Help Fellows broaden their local stakeholder base
„„ Disseminate Pan-Africa Ashoka Newsletter
„„ Conduct strategic events to introduce social
entrepreneurship to various stakeholders
„„ Build and implement a media/marketing strategy

9 THE AFRICA FUND

 “[Social entrepreneurship is] one of the
most hopeful and helpful trends around.
These folks aren’t famous, but they are
showing that what it really takes to
change the world isn’t so much wealth
or power as creativity, determination,
and passion.”

- Nicholas Kristof, New York Times

Columnist

E V E RYO N E A C H A N G E M A K E R THE AFRICA F U N10

D
Let’s reach our goal together
In FY09, Ashoka seeks to elect 30 new Fellows and support the work of the more than 350 Fellows we have
elected in Africa. We seek $3 million to finance new innovations and collaborations in Africa’s citizen sector.
We believe that your contributions to the Fund, combined with Ashoka’s nearly 30 years of experience and
hard-earned management capacity, offers the most highly leveraged opportunity for change in Africa.

What’s the value of your investment?

You will receive What we’ll accomplish together in Africa

$3 Million Elects 30 new Fellows

Invest $100,000 - $3 million OUR GOAL!
The below benefits plus:
„„ A personal engagement strategy for you or your
organization with Ashoka Africa staff, partners, and $350,000
Fellows Elects 10 new Fellows

Ashoka Collaboration*

Invest $50,000 - $99,000

The below benefits plus: $150,000 Elects 3 new Fellows
„„ Opportunity to engage with and mentor Fellows Induction and Orientation*
„„ Invitation to participate in annual Africa Fund
investors meeting
„„ Opportunity to consult with Ashoka Africa Staff
and Director as requested $100,000 Elects 2 new Fellows
Graduation Ceremony*

Invest $5,000 - $49,000

„„ Annual report on social entrepreneurship in Africa
„„ Invitations to Ashoka Fellow gatherings in Africa $50,000 Funds 1 year stipend cost for 1 Fellow
„„ Invitations to participate in Ashoka’s trips to see
Fellow projects in the field Induction and Orientation*
„„ Opportunity to nominate social entrepreneurs for
Ashoka Fellowship $30,000 Funds 1 year stipend cost for 1 Fellow

$5,000 Funds Ashoka Fellow Collaboration*

Provides emergency funds for Fellows
$3,500 working in dangerous countries

*What’s an Ashoka Collaboration?
Ashoka Collaborations provide
opportunities for Fellows to convene to
share knowledge and best practices to
flatten their learning curve and improve
their ideas.
*What’s an Induction and Orientation?
Induction ceremonies introduce Ashoka Fellows
to the community, to business entrepreneurs,
and to local mentors ready to assist them as they
embark in their new venture. During orientations
Fellows are brought together for the first time to
meet as well as learn about Ashoka’s programs
and services.
*What’s a Graduation Ceremony?
Graduation ceremonies celebrate the work of
Fellows over their 3 years on stipend. Training
sessions complement the ceremony to give
Fellows the tools and resources to ensure their
ideas and organizations remain sustainable and
effective for long-term scaled impact.

11 THE AFRICA FUND

Ashoka’s leadership team & the Africa team
Leadership team
WILLIAM DRAYTON
Founder and CEO
Bill Drayton is the founder and CEO of
Ashoka. Before founding Ashoka, Bill Drayton
was the Assistant Administrator of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency from 1977
to 1981. Elected a MacArthur Fellow in 1984,
he has also founded Get America Working, Community Greens,
and Youth Venture. Mr. Drayton worked with McKinsey & Co.
and taught at Stanford Law School and the Kennedy School of
Government.
DIANA WELLS
President
Dr. Diana Wells, President of Ashoka, joined
the organization in the 1980s and created
one of Ashoka’s core programs, Fellowship
Support Services, (now Fellowship) which not
only supplied Ashoka’s social entrepreneurs
with a wide array of information, resources,
and services, but at the same time connected them to one another
and their ideas globally. Diana returned to Ashoka after her PhD
to provide leadership for the worldwide process of sourcing and
selecting leading social entrepreneurs as Ashoka Fellows. Her
Ph.D. is from New York University (2000), her undergraduate
degree in South Asian Studies is from Brown University (1988)
and she was named both a Fulbright and Woodrow Wilson
scholar.
SUSHMITA GHOSH
President Emeritus
Sushmita Ghosh directs the highest levels
of Ashoka programs for top business
entrepreneurs and leads both the Global
Academy for Social Entrepreneurs and
Changemakers. Sushmita graduated at the
top of her class at the University of Dehli. She served as Sub-
editor, Research Director and Executive Director of Maneka
Gandhi’s national Indian news magazine Surya from 1979 to 1982.
She then started her family and moved on to a successful career
as a freelance journalist. Sushmita served as Ashoka’s country
representative for India from 1989 to 1997. Sushmita also founded
Changemakers, a magazine for social entrepreneurship in 1992,
now Changemakers.net website. Subsequently, Sushmita became
International Vice President of Ashoka and Executive Director of
Changemakers and then Ashoka President.
E V E RYO N E A C H A N G E M A K E R 12
The Africa team
LEILA AKAHLOUN
Integrator, Africa Programs
Leila joined Ashoka in 2003 as a Development
Associate and later transferred to the Venture
team to work with selection of Fellows in Africa
and to help launch Ashoka’s program in the Middle
East. Leila is currently based in South Africa with
the Global Venture team and is responsible for
the integration of programming in Africa.
ABU MUSUUZA
Program Associate, East Africa
Since joining Ashoka, Abu has developed a keen
interest in the role of business in development.
Tapping from his extensive knowledge in Social
Work and Social Administration, he works on
initiatives that help businesses in East Africa to
see corporate responsibility as a partnership,
rather than a donation.
LESLEY AGAMS
Regional Representative, West Africa
Lesley has worked with legal and justice issues
in Nigeria for several years. She founded the
LIFT Foundation that provided skills training
to street children and coordinated Democracy
Watch, an election monitoring group. Lesley
also set up a company to provide socially
responsible public/private sector collaborations
and has contributed to the work of the Nigerian
Presidency, Nigeria National Park Service, and Nigerian Association
of Women Entrepreneurs.
COUMBA TOURÉ
Regional Rep., Sahel West Africa
Coumba is an educator, change-maker, and
artist. She writes and publishes children’s
books, using them to build a community that
supports young people in creating their own
learning tools and social change projects.
Coumba focuses on popular education
as a means to spread social justice and has been instrumental in
facilitating hundreds of educational workshops worldwide on gender,
race, economic justice, AIDS, and advocacy.
VERNIE CHETTY
Regional Rep., Southern Africa
For 20 years Vernie has worked in the citizen
sector for social upliftment and the advancement
of human rights.A dedicated advocate for women’s
empowerment, she set up spousal abuse centers
in black, disadvantaged communities in Kwa-Zulu
Natal, South Africa. She brings to Ashoka a strong
fundraising and social justice background, as well as numerous regional
networks to help advance our programming in Southern Africa and the
African continent.
What will your investment support?
Contributions made towards this fund will be used only for such purposes substantially in accordance with the
proposed description and budget. Ashoka will, when feasible, deposit the funds in an interest-bearing account
which is a member of the FDIC or investment firm which is a member of the SIPC. Disbursement of funds relies
on the input of Ashoka’s Leadership Team and senior staff member during the finalization of Fellow elections.
Ashoka plans to disburse funds raised annually. Should Ashoka reach its annual target, we will book any additional
funds against future annual targets. Furthermore, depending on global needs and subject to senior leadership’s
judgment, Ashoka reserves the right to reallocate up to 10% of the funds raised to the election and support of
Ashoka Fellows in other country programs. This is vital to the success and sustainability of Ashoka’s operations
due to the volatility and uncertainty of fundraising; it ensures that Ashoka Fellows have a strong base of resources
and funding around the world. Regarding Fellow stipends, the largest financial commitment of this fund, Ashoka
books the entire three-year commitment in year one as to ensure we never default on our commitments to
Fellows. Cash disbursement of stipends will be conducted on an annual basis. Any funds, and any earned income
thereon, remaining after current fiscal year expenditures are met will be maintained in the fund to continue the
expansion of the purposes of this proposal in the following fiscal year. Ashoka will maintain accurate records of
all revenue and expenses incurred as part of this fund and keep records on site for at least four years after the
completion of any given fiscal year.

Funds will not be used:

(1)To conduct lobbying or otherwise attempt to influence legislation (within the meaning of Internal Revenue
Code Section 4945 (d)(1))
(2)To influence the outcome of specific public election or to carry on, directly or indirectly, any voter
registration drive (within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code Section 4945(d)(2))
(3)For purposes other than charitable, scientific, or educational (within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code
Section 170©(2)(B).

Annual Report
At the end of each fiscal year of disbursements Ashoka Africa will disseminate a report to all investors in this fund.
This will include financial and narrative reports to celebrate the impact of this investment. It will include a synopsis
of Ashoka’s work in Africa as well as summaries of the work of the Fellows supported by this Fund. Summaries of
the Ashoka’s global operations will also be included.

Ashoka’s search and selection process is designed to source and screen new entrepreneurs with paradigm shifting
ideas. It also comprehensively mitigates uncertainties through program efficiency, due diligence and considers long-
term viability, and replication potential. Our process identifies Ashoka Fellows who represent the apex of the field
of social entrepreneurship.

Ashoka’s fiscal year closed August 31, 2008. Audited financials for FY2008
have recently been completed.
Ashoka uses the accrual method of accounting.We are audited annually by
Cleveland & Gotliffe, a Virginia CPA firm. The annual budget is approved by
the leadership team, and then by the Board of Directors.
Ashoka is registered as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization in the US. Our
tax ID number is 0255908.
Ashoka’s most recent audit and 990 are available upon request.

13 THE AFRICA FUND

Contact Information and Gift Processing
For more information on Ashoka’s Fund for Social Change in Africa please contact
Leila Akahloun at lakahloun@ashoka.org

In the United States your donation is tax-deductible because Ashoka is recognized by the IRS as a non-profit organization
under Sec. 501(c)(3) (Tax ID # 51-0255908).Your payment and personal contact information will be kept strictly
CONFIDENTIAL and will NOT be shared with any other party or mailing list. We have arranged multiple options for
payment for your convenience:

Checks
Make Checks payable to Ashoka and send to:

Attn: Ashoka Fund for Africa
1700 North Moore Street, Suite 2000
Arlington,VA 22209-1929 USA

Online Stock
Pay online by debit or credit
For stock donations please visit:
card at www.ashoka.org and
www.ashoka.org/stockdonations
then communicate your intent of
supporting this particular fund to
David Stoker at invest@ashoka.
org with your name and date of
contribution.

Wire Transfer
If you would prefer to make a wire transfer to Ashoka please use the following information
and contact Ashoka to notify them of the wire:

Receiving Bank:

ID Type: US ABA Number

ID: 021000089
Name: Citibank, NA
Address: 3900 Paradise Rd, Ste, 127
City: Las Vegas
State: Nevada
Country: United States

If you have any difficulty with your donation,

please contact invest@ashoka.org or call 703-527-8300 x339

E V E RYO N E A C H A N G E M A K E R 14
“Ashoka is a great global organization, built on a brilliant
idea. It picks up social innovator when they themselves
don’t know what great changes they can bring. That’s the
stage when budding innovators need the support most.
Ashoka helps pool local innovations into global solutions.”

Muhammad Yunus, Founder Grameen Bank,

2006 Nobel Peace Prize Winner

1700 North Moore Street | Suite 2000 | Arlington,VA 22209-1939 USA

Tel: (703) 527-8300 | Fax (703) 527-8383 | www.ashoka.org
Abuja | Ahmadabad | Asunción | Bamako | Bandung | Bangkok | Bogotá | Bongaigaon| Budapest | Buenos Aires | Cairo | Calcutta
Caracas | Colombo | Dakar | Delhi | Dhaka | Frankfurt | Harare | Istanbul | Johannesburg | Kampala | Karachi | Kathmandu | La Paz
Lima | London | Madrid | Mataram | México City | Montevideo | Ouagadougou | Paris | Prague | Quito
San José | San Salvador | Santiago| São Paulo | Toronto | Vilnius | Warsaw | Washington, D.C.

ashoka.org/africa