THE GRATITUDE NETWORK IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE OUR
African Network for the Prevention and Protection against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN) Nigeria Chapter
Better Life Vietnam
Devatop Centre for Africa Development
Educate a Child in Africa, Inc. (ECA)
Families and Friends of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children (FFLIC)
Five Health Enterprises
Generations For Peace
Generations For Peace
Global Changemakers
I PROTECT ME
Involve Learning Solutions Foundation
Jara
Kantaya
Lagos Food Bank
Learn Fresh
Milaan Foundation
Music Life Skills And Destitution Alleviation (M-LISADA)
Project Commotion
Red Dot Foundation
ROYBI
San Francisco Achievers
Saturday Art Class
Shule Direct
SOciety for CHildren (SOCH)
Soul Shoppe
The Commonwealth Education Trust
The Panacea Project
TQINTELLIGENCE, Inc
Tripura Foundation
U&I
AFRICA
Chimezie Elekwachi, National Program Director
Elekwachi Chimezie Lekwas is 34 years old. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) and Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). He has 14 years’ cognate experience in child protection at the African Network for the Prevention and Protection against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN) Nigeria Chapter. He also work part-time at the International Federation for Psychotherapy (IFP) center where he provide psychotherapy for abused children and their families. He is actively working to create a child protection system for Nigeria.
Nigeria
ANPPCAN works to prevent various kinds of Child abuse and neglect in general terms known as Violence Against Children (VAC).
100
New Cases Received
Nigeria
Majority of young people including children are vulnerable to human trafficking, exploitation, abuse and there is urgent need to increase measures to address these. We equip and empower young people to be at the forefront of combating human trafficking, violence against children, and other related human rights abuses in Nigeria
400
Young people trained as anti-human trafficking advocates
Joseph Osuigwe, Executive Director
Joseph Chidiebere Osuigwe is an international human trafficking advocate, research, and author with the vision of raising young people as advocates and empowering them to be at the forefront of combating human trafficking, child abuse and other related human rights abuses. He has presented papers in conferences, contributed to the discourse around anti-human trafficking in Nigeria and United States. Joseph is a member of the Global Association of Human Trafficking Experts (GAHTS). He is the host of TALKAM human rights week radio programme. He is the initiator of the first Nigerian human rights app (www.talkam.org) He has been a regular research presenter at International Human Trafficking and Social Justice Conference at University of Toledo, USA.
Asaah Gideon, Chief Operating Officer
Gideon A. Asaah is an Ashoka Fellow and Social Entrepreneur with over ten years of experience working with young people in Africa. After obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography and Environmental Management from the University of Dschang, Cameroon, he volunteered for Heifer Project International (HPI) before working as a manager and finance controller. He played an instrumental role in laying the foundation for the organization of Gender, Civic Engagement and Youth Development (OGCEYOD), an NGO based in Limbe Cameroon. There, he developed programs and coordinated diverse projects including one with UNICEF geared at supporting orphans and vulnerable children in the South West Region of Cameroon. As co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Educate a Child in Africa, Gideon is responsible for executing ECA’s projects in Africa.
Cameroon
The Cameroonian education system—just like most across Africa—focuses on general knowledge instead of prioritizing the acquisition of skills; as a result, the majority of university graduates are unemployed. We support student achievement and school improvement in Africa through Play and Learn games and activities, Family Engagement and Community Engagement
50
Educators and School Administrators Collaboratively Designed Program Intervention
Nigeria
Underserved girls in Nigeria experience a high level of poverty, gender based barriers and low self esteem driven by stereotypes, cultural and religious beliefs which affect their education and personal growth negatively. GCAF’s mission is to provide a supportive environment that educate and inspire underserved girls in Africa using Arts.
346
Girls Trained Directly in 2018
Blessing Onyejike-Ananaba, Executive Director
As an artist, a social advocate, a transformational leader and social entrepreneur, Ada applies her wealth of experience in social advocacy, the art advocacy, education, youth friendly health initiatives and livelihood pathway options for young people- whilst preparing young leaders for tomorrow’s global stages. She is the Executive Director of Girl Child Art Foundation an organization that educates underserved girls using arts and art therapy. She is also the co-founder of Banye Youth Development Foundation an organization that connects young people to job opportunities through volunteer services. Ada has over 18 years experience working directly with over 80 communities in Nigeria focusing on education and empowerment for the girl child and youths. Through her Girl’s Leadership and Entrepreneurship Network, she develops the I CAN’ spirit in young women and girls from an early age using design thinking and well structured youth friendly approaches.
Monica Clarke-Bennett, Chair
Monica is committed to keeping children safe by empowering young people to resist abuse, thereby helping them to reach their full potential. In 2013 she founded a non-profit organisation in South Africa called I Protect Me, teaching women, children and vulnerable adults Resilience and Self-Defence without the use of weapons. Training is concentrated in schools (all ages, all grades, all sexes). There are three non-negotiable pillars to all training: (1) It must be delivered free of charge to those living under the poverty line (2) It must empower young people to stand up FOR THEMSELVES against abuse and violence and (3) It must be given to all ages, and all sexes.
South Africa
I Protect Me does sexual violence interventions in schools and in the community in South Africa, teaching women, children and vulnerable adults Resilience and Self-Defence without the use of weapons, teaching them how to be resilient, to set their own boundaries and to respect the boundaries of others.
2000
Students + Teachers Trained in 10 Schools
Lagos, Nigeria
Our mission is to end hunger and malnutrition by providing for the immediate (nutritious meals) and long term needs (sustainable employment) of indigent families to improve their socio-economic status. At The Lagos Food Bank Initiative, we strongly believe Food and good nutrition is essential to human existence. We are committed to alleviating hunger and poverty by delivering nutritious food, basic healthcare services and self-sustenance programs to the most vulnerable in the society.
200,000
Meals Served
Michael A. Sunbola, Founder/President/CEO
Michael A. Sunbola, 35 Lagos, Nigeria has over ten years experience in the non-profit sector; a Legal Practitioner by training and holds a Master’s degree in Law and Arbitration. In 2015 he founded the first indigenous Food Bank (Lagos Food Bank) with the mission to end hunger and malnutrition by enrolling pregnant women and children on a comprehensive nutrition enhancement program especially women who are not able to get the required nutrient during pregnancy and the breastfeeding of their babies. He serves on the organization’s board since inception till date. His initiative has reached 86 rural communities with the assistance of over 7,000 volunteer-base in Lagos. By 2024, the Lagos food bank targets the reduction of the level of malnutrition, starvation, poverty and chronic hunger by 7% through increased food intake.
Emily Donia, Executive Director
Donia Emily is the Executive Director of M-LISADA Organization. I have worked with this Organization since 2013 from being a volunteer then got appointment as an administrator, then promoted as Education and Sponsorship officer for the children and to coordinate with all the sponsors of the children and later was promoted as the executive Director of M-LISADA Organization in 2017 was when I assumed office for operation. I am an Environmentalist with 9 years experience in various fields. Following my graduation with B.A Environmental Management from Makerere University in 2011, I have worked with World Vision Uganda as a Volunteer, Geo-Mik Consultants Africa as an Intern Student, and Arise Development Consultants Ltd as Operations Manager and currently I working with M-LISADA Organization.
Uganda
The overwhelming number of Orphans and vulnerable children and youth in the slums around Kampala city is heart breaking. We use Education, Music, life skills and child protection to empower and transform vulnerable children and youth from the slums so that they become self-reliant.
456
Pupils Made Academic Progress
Tanzania, Kenya
In and out of school youth in Tanzania and Africa at large, have limited access to quality education and learning materials to fill the educational gaps due to absent teachers or lack of libraries, so that they can do well in their national exams and beyond. We are improving educational outcomes of students and teachers in Africa through access to qualified content on available ICT.
2,000,000
Youth accessed Shule Direct digital learning platforms
Fatma Said Kauga, Director of Finance and Administration
Fatma was born and raised in Tanzania; very passionate about education as a tool to eradicate poverty in Africa and a strong believer in youth potential to bring positive change in the world. She has dedicated both her professional career and personal life since was a child to engage and empower children, youth and women. She is a driven advocate of education for all, as it gave her a platform to test herself, to assert her potential, and to help her realize herself. Fatma is currently working on improving learning outcome among learners in Africa through the provision of comprehensive web and mobile educational platforms, to in and out of school youth; at Shule Direct, thriving organization She joined and co-leaded as Director of Finance and Administration since 2015. Fatma holds a Masters of Science in Finance and Investment and a Bachelor Degree of Science in Taxation both from the Institute of Finance Management of Tanzania.
Oluwaferanmi Omitoyin, Director
Oluwaferanmi Omitoyin is a co-founder/ member of the Board of Directors at the Panacea Project, a social enterprise which works on proffering workable solutions to societal problems focusing on SDGs 2(Zero Hunger), 4(Quality Education)and 13 (Climate Action) via our outreach programs. He is also the co-founder of Iseowo, a start-up which is focused on creating decent jobs and economic growth( SDG 8) via the creation of an online business directory for artisans and small scale entrepreneurs. Oluwaferanmi is a Christian and is currently in his 5th year of medical school in the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
Nigeria
Quality education and adequate nutrition are huge problems that constantly stare children especially in the face in Nigeria spiraling into a cascade of various challenges faced by this vulnerable group. We proffer workable solutions to societal problems
1000
Children Fed
ASIA
Thinh Nguyen, Founder
Thinh Nguyen was born and raised in Hanoi, Vietnam and is passionate about human rights. Thinh founded Better Life Vietnam (BLV) with the belief that access to education, food, clean water, healthcare and a decent quality of life are basic human rights. “I know of no greater cause than the improvement of the lives of the poor people in my country. I decided to focus the activities of BLV on helping poor people to access better education, better living conditions, better healthcare and better working conditions.” Thinh has also launched, Coeurs De Papier, a social enterprise aiming at creating better job opportunities for disadvantaged youth while also creating a revenue generating model to sustain Better Life Vietnam.
Vietnam
Better Life Vietnam is a non-profit organization that works to improve education conditions for underprivileged children and youth in Vietnam.
5000
Books to Rural Children
Pakistan
A lot of diseases in children can be managed through early detection and prevention, but there is little awareness about them in society and health education does not exist in schools right now. Our mission is to innovate and implement primary healthcare solutions for our ecosystem
+600
Health Education Sessions Annually
Selina Hasan, Program Specialist
Having completed my medical degree in 2008 from Dow Medical College, Karachi, I went on to pursue clinical training in internal medicine at a government hospital in Karachi, with some training at NHS England and finally at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. At the same time I was also building a family. After working in a developed healthcare system (UK) the problems and possibilities that existed in healthcare in an under-resourced country like Pakistan became more clear. I wanted to do more high impact solution-oriented work in healthcare using health education, and hence joined Five Health Enterprises. Here I developed and set up the School Health Services through which we can have a positive and lasting health impact on multiple generations. The change from clinical medicine to Public Health and Health Education also allows me to meet the demands of otherhood more comfortably on a personal front. Simultaneously I am pursuing a Masters in Health Professionals Education from Maastricht University to broaden my skillset in this area.
Samyak Jain, Chief Program Officer
Samyak heads the Program Design at Involve Learning Solutions. Although he has done his majors in Chemical Engineer from India’s best engineering institute IIT Madras, he was always passionate about solving real-life problems of the nation. The journey started with him being selected as an Avanti Fellow and mentoring 2 students from 11th grade to get them into India’s best engineering institute like IITs and NITs. He was successfully able to help one of them to get into IIT Madras. His journey with Involve started in 1st year of college when Divanshu Kumar, also from IIT Madras, proposed the idea of Peer Teaching to him. He started developing content for school students and within 3 months he was leading a team of 8 people. While in college, he lead the Social Entrepreneurship Club of IIT Madras helping other changemakers solve various issues they were passionate about. He is a YES Foundation Fellow and has interned with Saksham and Treebo Hotels. He did not sit for his college placements to pursue Involve full time.
Chennai, India
Lack of personalized attention, effect number of teachers and lack of future-ready curriculum in low-income schools leads to low performance and reduced ability in students. Our mission is to implement Peer Teaching classrooms across to develop leadership skills and improve learning outcomes in students
400
Student Leaders Developed
Nepal
744 Million children globally do not have access to a quality education in areas such as post-disaster zones and refugee camps due to lack of access to a classroom or under-resourced schools. Jara provides emergency education to impoverished and disaster-affected communities around the world through the Jara Unit.
Soroya Fouladi, Founder & CEO
Soraya Fouladi is the Founder & CEO of Jara – an organization that is building personal IoT education devices, the Jara Unit, so that children in vulnerable communities with low-access to education such as post-disaster zones and refugee camps can get a personalized quality education anytime, anywhere. She has ensured Jara is constantly designing and building their solution alongside the communities they are looking to empower.
ElsaMarie DSilva, Founder & CEO
ElsaMarie D’Silva is the Founder & CEO of Red Dot Foundation (India) and President of Red Dot Foundation Global (USA). Its platform Safecity, crowdsources personal experiences of sexual violence and abuse in public spaces. Since Safecity started in Dec 2012, it has become the largest crowd map on the issue in India, Kenya, Cameroon and Nepal.
ElsaMarie is a 2019 Reagan Fascell Fellow, a 2018 Yale World Fellow and an alumni of the Stanford Draper Hills Summer School, the US State Department’s Fortune Mentoring Program, Oxford Chevening Gurukul and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Commonwealth Leadership Program. She is also a fellow with Rotary Peace, Aspen New Voices, Vital Voices and a BMW Foundation Responsible Leader. She is listed as one of BBC Hindi’s 100 Women and has won Female Entrepreneur of the Year Award by Dusan Stojanovic (European Angel Investor of the Year 2013), Government of India Niti Aayog’s #WomenTransformingIndia award and The Digital Woman Award in Social Impact by SheThePeople. In 2017, she was awarded the Global Leadership Award by Vital Voices in the presence of Secretary Hillary Clinton. She is also the recipient of Gold Stevie Award for Female Executive of the Year – Government or Non-Profit -10 or Less Employees in 2016. Her work has been recognised by the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations through the Intercultural Innovation Award and the UN Foundation at the Solutions Summit 2016.
Mumbai, India
Sexual violence is under-reported due to socio-cultural factors leading to a data gap which further leads to lack of accountability and governance. Red Dot Foundation aims to make cities safer by encouraging equal access to public spaces for everyone especially women, through the use of crowdsourced data, community engagement and institutional accountability.
India
Lack of knowledge, skills and social environment impede the growth of adolescent girls in low-income communities to explore their full potential and making them further vulnerable to gender based discrimination and violence. By 2030, Milaan will empower 10 million girls across India and build a movement of Girl Leaders with a thriving ecosystem of change-makers and networks.
400
Student Leaders Developed
Dhirendra Pratap Singh, Chief Executive Officer
Dhirendra Pratap Singh is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Milaan, a non-profit organisation which envisions an inclusive and equal world, where every girl has the knowledge, skills and social environment to pursue her dreams and explore her full potential. Over the last 10 years, Milaan has worked with over 35,000 beneficiaries and advocated for safer and more inclusive spaces for them at various state and national forums. Under his leadership, Milaan launched the Girl Icon Fellowship to build a movement of Girl Leaders with a Girl Icon in every block of India through a leadership development initiative for adolescent girls (12-18 years) who have demonstrated the willingness and ability to challenge social barriers that restrict girls’ potential and voices. With a Masters degree in Development Studies and BSc (Honours) in Mathematics, he has also been a recipient of the Karamveer Puruskar and Youth Ambassador for Peace Award by Universal Peace Federation on 24th Jan 2007. In 2017, Dhirendra was a part of the Indian delegation to South Asian Youth Summit in Afghanistan. He is a graduate of Artira – Leadership Accelerator Program by Phicus Social Solutions at IIM Bangalore and a Action for India Fellow, 2019. In the past, Dhirendra has worked with many international and national development organisations like Vidya Grants India, United Way of Delhi, ASER, etc. He is a board member of Community – The Youth Collective. He is also the Co-Founder of Azadi, a US-based impact venture, with a commitment to making menstruation a non-issue in India.
Manasi Mehan, Co-Founder
Manasi Mehan, Co-founder and CEO, looks into programme management (overseeing programme delivery), managing operations functions (finance, human resource management) and key stakeholder management. As a former Teach For India fellow, Manasi has a ground level insight into the grass-root level education in India. She has a masters degree in Sociology, and a background in psychology. With 4 years of experience in the social sector, she has the required skill-set and insights to lead a transformative education program.
India
Children from low-income communities in India, are deprived of opportunities and tools to develop Social Emotional Learning. This prevents the child from breaking out of their socio economic limitations and harnessing their full potential. We are developing Social Emotional Learning in children from low income communities, through art, by complementing the formal education system.
1000
Volunteers from diverse professional and education backgrounds
India
Children run away from their homes for reasons which are very trivial in nature and the railway platforms are the prominent places where they land, from there our work starts to protect them from going in to dangerous situations, and further on efforts to make some of them de-addicted by our residential rehabilitation camps. Our mission is to realise The rights of deprived children and their rehabilitation.
3700
Children Reunited With Family
Manoj Kumar, Founder Secretary
Manoj Kumar was born and brought up in a small village in Ganjam District of Odisha, India. He graduated in Science but his interest for Social Work and Entrepreneurship has landed him in TISS, Mumbai, where he studied Social Entrepreneurship and Child Rights. Since student life, he has been involved in helping children and later founded a child centric NGO named SOCH. The organization has already helped more than 5 thousands children from various difficult situations. One of his projects has already helped more than 40 hard behaviour and addicted children in month long rehabilitation programme. He has set up a permanent rehabilitation centre for them to help large number of such difficult children. SOCH has been recognised in many national and international platforms.
India
Poor quality of education for students in underprivileged communities in India leading them to drop out from school. We are Building Communities of Change.
9%
Average Improvement in School Marks
Satish Manchikanti, Co-Founder
Satish & Ajit – Co-Founders of U&I: one of India’s fastest growing volunteer driven charities. With over 2500 changemakers, impacting 2000 children across 20 cities in India, Satish & Ajit lead a new generation of change-makers passionate about providing quality education to students from underprivileged backgrounds and shelter homes. Satish is a Social Entrepreneur with 15+ years of experience in the verticals of Corporate Training and Media. With a passion for social change, Satish leads one of India’s fastest growing social movements. Satish is a visionary with a creative streak and is known for his unconventional leadership style and motivational training. A certified leadership trainer & coach, Satish has spoken at various TEDx and leadership forums across India. He is a seasoned storyteller who inspires people from his rich experience. He has trained & taught thousands of people across two countries – India and the UK, having started his career in the UK. Satish is married to Jennifer for 15 years & is father to mischievous lil Avyan, who has a voracious appetite for books which is only matched by Satish’s appetite for desserts!
Ajit Sivaram, Co-Founder
An alum of St. Stephens, New Delhi & Hillsong Leadership College, Sydney, Ajit is passionate about leadership, social change & helping people achieve their fullest potential. His heart for people is as contagious as his love for life and with him around, you’re guaranteed a great time! Having led volunteer movements for the last 15 years, Ajit understands how to influence without authority and motivate people to go above and beyond for a cause. As the co-founder of one of India’s fastest growing volunteer-driven charities, Ajit leads a new generation of over 2500 changemakers impacting 2000 children across 20 cities in India by providing quality education to students from underprivileged backgrounds and shelter homes. Ajit is the ‘single man’ in his house – married to Tanya, they both have the joy of parenting Anya & Taya, who were obviously named after their mother.
EUROPE
Katherine Hermans, Co-Founder & Director
After receiving her MA, Katherine started out as a journalist working in the Netherlands, Japan and the USA. She mainly reported on social and environmental issues. Writing about these issues led her to be more actively involved and since 2007 she has been working on development projects in the field of youth. Katherine set up projects ranging from an educative theatre on refugees in the Rotterdam to a youth center for dialogue in Bethlehem. In 2014, she co-founded Global Changemakers, a Swiss based NGO that encourages youth to come up with solutions and consequently supports them to make their projects and initiatives become reality. Most recently, she wrote her research dissertation on youth-led development at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.
Switzerland
We wish to harness the creative ideas and energy of young people to solve issues that beset us all. However, there are not many opportunities for young people to design and implement their own solutions. Global Changemakers supports youth to create positive change towards a more fair, just and sustainable world. We do this through skills development, capacity building, mentoring and grants.
345
Youth-Led Projects Funded In
133
Countries
SOUTH AMERICA
Yessica Flores, Founder
YESSICA FLORES Cofounded Kantaya in 2004. Driven by innovation and entrepreneurship, she leads the areas of fundraising, marketing, finance, strategic planning and the social business. In addition to her leadership in social initiatives, she has more than 15 years of experience in Marketing and Strategic Planning at leading corporations in Peru. She is an Industrial Engineer from the University of Lima with a Marketing degree in UCLA.
Peru
In high poverty communities like Ventanilla, where Kantaya is based, only 2% has access to higher education. And that is why Peru is 129 out of 137 countries in quality of primary education. And part of this is for the lack of quality teachers in our education system. Our mission is to promote quality education and holistic development for children living in extremely impoverished communities in Peru.
+1000
Children Received High Quality Education
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Gina Womack, Executive Director
Gina Womack a mother of 3 adult children, was born and raised in Louisiana and is the executive director and co-founder of Families and Friends of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children (FFLIC). FFLIC is a statewide membership-based organization dedicated to creating a better life for all of Louisiana’s youth, especially those who are involved, or at risk of becoming involved in the juvenile justice system. Since its inception, FFLIC has worked with allies to: pass the Juvenile Justice Reform ACT of 2003 that forced Louisiana to close the notorious Tallulah Youth Prison; reduce the number of children locked in cages in Louisiana from over 2000 to less than 350 today; and continue to push for the implementation of a system based on treatment that keeps families at the center of their children’s treatment. FFLIC is working on a statewide campaign to interrupt the school-to-prison pipeline in Louisiana and have educated many lawmakers on the ills of school push outs.
Ms. Womack has worked on children issues for over 20 years, have trained hundreds of parents to be advocates for their children and develop leadership skills. Her efforts have been featured in both national and local print media, radio, and reports. She has appeared on many panels speaking on issues around juvenile justice, school to prison pipeline, and the need for real family and community involvement. In addition, Ms. Womack has seats on several committees and boards including the: Louisiana Juvenile Justice Reform Act Implementation Commission, Louisiana Children’s Cabinet Advisory Board, Louisiana Advisory Commission for the United States Commission on Civil Rights, Louisiana Advisory Council on Student Behavior and Discipline, and the New Orleans Children’s Youth and Planning Board (CYPB). She is a delegate for the Incarceration Nations Network, and has seats on a host of other statewide taskforces that focus on juvenile justice. She is also a former board member of the Louisiana State Public Defender Board, former Executive Committee Member of the National Juvenile Justice Network and the Coordinating Committee for the National Dignity in Schools Campaign.
Louisiana
We are tackling the problem of school pushout and the school-to-prison pipeline in Louisiana. Families and Friends of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children (FFLIC) mission is to create a better life for all of Louisiana’s youth, especially those involved in or targeted by the juvenile justice system.
11
Youth in Leadership Training
USA
Youth are the missing piece in peace. Generations For Peace empowers youth to lead and cascade sustainable change in communities experiencing conflict, through world-class free education in conflict transformation and the use of sport, art, advocacy, dialogue, and empowerment for peacebuilding.
647,402
Total Beneficiaries Reached
Lindsay Mclain Opiyo, GFP US Representative
Lindsay McClain Opiyo is the Development and Partnerships Specialist and US Representative for Generations For Peace. She holds a Master’s Degree from the Kroc Institute at the University of Notre Dame, and has more than 12 years experience supporting community-led peacebuilding around the world.
Nick Monzi, CEO & Founder
Nick Monzi currently serves as CEO and Co-Founder of Learn Fresh, a national education nonprofit dedicated to enhancing student’s STEM and social-emotional achievement through sports and entertainment. Since the organization’s founding, he has worked with global corporations, leading urban school districts, and national and regional after-school program providers to develop the Learn Fresh community program model. Since its launch in Cleveland during the fall of 2013, the experience has expanded to include initiatives with 25 professional sports teams and over 200,000 students. He has also driven the invention of three new sports-based academic programs, which have been funded and supported by team and league partners across the United States.
Nick earned a bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Marketing Management from Syracuse University, and completed his master’s degree at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he took an active role in growing the presence of education innovation on Harvard’s campus. In addition to his entrepreneurial pursuits, he has been an active arts and music educator for the past decade.
DENVER, CO
A disproportionate number of low-income students and students of color are not proficient in math by the eighth grade, a key indicator of success in high school and high school completion.
We make learning fun for all students. We improve engagement and achievement through innovative learning experiences, leveraging students’ passion points to inspire their STEM and social-emotional learning. Through our work, we explicitly strive to reach students who have historically been underrepresented in STEM fields, specifically girls, students of color, and students from low-income communities. We see brilliance and limitless possibility in every student, and aim to provide resources and support to these students and their educators so that they may be inspired to learn and grow.
100,000
Students Engaged Annually
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Children aren’t moving their bodies enough; this is contributing to learning and behavior challenges, poor mental and physical health, and faltering social skills. Project Commotion’s Mission is to foster healthy development in children of all abilities through purposeful movement, play, and family and community relationships.
$70,355
in Tuition Assistance
Susan Osterhoff, Director & Co-Founder
Susan Osterhoff is Director and Co-Founder of Project Commotion, a San Francisco-based community organization whose mission is to foster healthy development in children of all abilities through purposeful movement, play, and family and community relationships. Susan has 19 years of experience working with children in movement programs throughout the Bay Area. In 1998, she was introduced to the Brazilian martial art of Capoeira, which nourished her love of movement – primarily being upside-down! – and inspired her to combine this passion with her joy of working with children. Through her 20+ years of study in the artform of Capoeira, where she is known as “Contramestra Formiguinha”, Susan has been invited to teach workshops nationally and internationally with a focus on leading programs for children and youth.
In April 2011, Susan graduated as a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner TM from the Institute for the Study of Somatic Education in San Francisco. Susan is also a faculty member in the Child Development and Family Studies Department at City College of San Francisco, where she teaches classes for parents and caretakers of children ages 0 – 5 years. Susan has guided Project Commotion’s growth trajectory from the early days as a two-person operation offering sensory-based movement classes, to an organization serving 1,445 individuals annually through 5 program branches, including extensive partnerships throughout San Francisco. She has lead over 50 interactive workshops introducing PC’s unique blend of movement, play, child development best practices, and brain/body science for early childhood centers, community centers, and conferences across the Bay Area and Western US. Susan envisions Project Commotion growing into a training center for current and future educators here and abroad. In that vein, she has nurtured an ongoing partnership with IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board), hosting international professionals at Project Commotion for 4-month fellowships, and has developed cohort-style learning communities for both educators and parents.
Elnaz Sarraf, Founder & CEO
Elnaz Sarraf is a serial entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in technology, business, sales, and marketing. Currently, Elnaz is the CEO and Founder of ROYBI; an investor-backed EdTech company focusing on early childhood education, that recently raised $4.2 million in its seed round. ROYBI is the creator of Roybi Robot, an interactive language learning tutor for children ages 3+. With over 500 lessons, including primary STEM, stories, games, and songs, Roybi Robot creates a fun, interactive, and personalized learning experience for children.
USA
Our education system is outdated teaching each child in the same way. With Roybi Robot, we create personalized learning experience that focuses on every child’s ability and interest. Our mission is to provide a personalized learning experience for every child, highlighting their unique abilities and interests. We create a strong educational foundation for children during early childhood, putting them on track for a successful future.
10%
Children Saw Score Increases After Robot Interaction
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
African American high school male students in San Francisco are not only small and continually decreasing population, but often do not have access to the support needed to qualify for college scholarships. The mission of San Francisco Achievers is to support African-American young men in San Francisco to lead and thrive in higher education and beyond by closing the opportunity gap.
244
Scholarships Awarded Since 2008
Duane Wilson, Executive Director
Duane C. Wilson calls San Francisco and Chicagoland area home, and after starting his first business while in high school, he realized he found great joy in advising youth on starting their own enterprises, and in empowering them to believe that they could achieve anything. During his college years despite being busy as a founder of another startup company and internships in Europe and at Disney, he was fortunate to create his own degree program in Social Entrepreneurship, while receiving a Certificate in Nonprofit Management, and a Certificate in Entrepreneurial Management from The University of Iowa.
Upon returning to the Chicago area, he also earned a Certificate in Values-centered Leadership from DePaul University. From these experiences, he authored a children’s book titled, Jackie and The Dreamstalk which is used around the world as an inspirational step-by- step guide on starting a business for readers ages nine to fourteen years old. His other writings include articles and academic resources. As a 2016 Chicago Defender Man of Excellence honoree and 2017 Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame inductee for Willowbrook High School, service is ingrained in his life. This is prevalent in his role as Executive Director of San Francisco Achievers, his foundation The Spirit of Philanthropy, past Adjunct Faculty for Entrepreneurship and Management at Columbia College Chicago, Manager of a business accelerator for Goodcity, past Executive Director The Peace Corner Youth Center, various academic and community development board post, his church, and his fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Vicki Abadesco, Co-Founder & Executive Director
I was born in San Francisco as a first generation Filipino American, and many difficult early experiences gave me an uncanny ability to see into people’s hearts, and help them see each other with dignity and inherent value. As a kid who was often “missed” or “overlooked”, I felt lonely and isolated. The adults around me didn’t seem to notice, and if they did, they didn’t take the time to “check-in” with me. I want our young people to feel safe; to feel and experience that they belong, and to have the skills to talk about their needs.
After a decade of Gang and Violence Prevention work in San Francisco high schools, I realized that the communication skills and tools I was teaching would be so much more effective if students received them at a younger age. I saw a need for elementary students to have problem-solving tools and strategies in their back pocket so that when a conflict showed up, they would have the skills to work it through in a way that didn’t hurt themselves or someone else. I started Soul Shoppe in 2000 because I realized that young people have the desire and ability to be heard, understood, and mutually supportive if only they were given communication tools and teachings to thrive. In the past 5 years, all of these concepts have been more popularized by the term Social and Emotional Learning (SEL).
Oakland, CA
When kids feel alone in their struggles, they often bully their classmates and perpetuate a cycle of fear and trauma at school.
Our mission is to create safe learning environments that bring forth a culture of compassion, connection and curiosity—eliminating bullying at the roots. Our innovative and interactive programs give the entire school community an EXPERIENCE of empathy, transforming not only our behaviors, but the very ways we see each other.
55,140
Students Served With SEL Tool
USA
80% of children who experience traumatic exposure, visa-a-vis poverty, show signs of attention span dysregulation, distractibility, and disorganized attachment. The objective and accurate measurement of these symptoms are essential to improve mental health treatment outcomes, to improve overall functioning.
TQIntelligence leverages Innovation in digital health, automation, and Machine Learning Analytics to transform the quality of mental health treatments and eliminate the long-standing outcomes disparities for at-risk youth from low-resourced communities.
Dr. Yared Alemu, Founder & Clinical Director
Disparities in treatment outcomes for patients from low-resource communities are related to the discrepancy between the severity of the mental health disorder and the lack of highly trained clinicians to meet this demand. More specifically, Individuals presenting for mental health services in the publicly funded practice ecosystem exhibit multiple and diagnostically unrelated symptoms, partly due to the interaction between developmental disruption, trauma, and social determinants of health that adversely affects this population. Mental health is a low-technology practice ecosystem, including a lack of necessary automation to track patients’ progress in treatment, which further contributed to the stubborn poor treatment outcomes.
TQIntelligence brings expertise in the design of cost-effective solutions to low-resource communities. Addressing the outcomes disparities require the use of emerging digital health technologies and analytics to support mental health providers at the point of care. We use voice recognition technology and AI/Machine Learning analytics to quickly and objectively screen patients for the presence and severity of mental health issues, and track treatment outcomes, to provide point-of-care support to behavioral healthcare and other healthcare providers. Innovation in mental health needs to create tools that can transcend traditional models to reduce the burden of emotional disorders for low-resourced communities.
GLOBAL
Kat Thorne, Executive Director
It was as a teacher in a very challenging environment where Kat discovered her real passion; the use of meaningful educational technology. The potential to significantly increase engagement and learning outcomes inspired her to work in this fast paced industry for seven years, across many countries gaining extensive experience in the management of international educational projects, ranging from single schools to large districts. She believes in the power of teachers and the untapped potential of that resource that is in every classroom across the globe. Kat is now leading The Commonwealth Education Trust as Executive Director with its’ recently launched flagship professional development programme for teachers, Teach2030. She has a passion for improving educational outcomes through combining high quality digital learning and simple, yet effective models of in person support. Kat is a natural born problem solver and a lover of new challenges. She has just signed up to complete her first sea triathlon in 2020.
Zambia, Jamaica
The global teaching crisis where 500 million school-age children are not receiving a quality education and the most influential factor on learning; teachers, have access to a severe lack of high quality learning opportunities.
Our mission is to transform teacher development by providing ongoing professional learning opportunities and mobilizing a global teacher community to create real change in their classrooms.
1,000
Teachers Engaged Online
USA, India, Mexico
Children living in poverty have very limited opportunities for achieving their highest potential due to a general lack of quality education, compromised home environments that present a multitude of challenges, and no access to teachings on character development and personal transformation
Tripura Foundation seeks to deliver hope to children around the world living in poverty, hunger, violence, disease, inequality and exploitation. We believe that all children, regardless of socio-economic background, should be enabled to reach their highest potential and contribute to their community and the world at large.
65,000
Children Received Phonemic Intelligence Training in
970
Selected Public Schools in the US, Mexico and India
Elaine Kueper, Global Director
Elaine is Global Director of the Tripura Foundation, a non-profit US 501(c)(3) focusing on transformative education for children in India, Mexico, and the US, overseeing the overall strategy and global program operation of the non-profit for the last seventeen years.
