The business of supporting social innovators

MANILA, Philippines - "Social innovation is about trying to change systems," begins Terri Jayme-Mora, country manager of Ashoka Philippines. "By empowering people to collaborate and solve problems in different levels, we are breaking down the barriers to economic and social development in very practical ways."

Jayme-Mora, who obtained her undergraduate degree in Political Science at Wesleyan University in Connecticut and completed her Master’s in Business Administration at London Business School in 2012, began her journey with Ashoka as an intern at the head office in Washington, DC. Having worked with Ashoka Fellows and their teams, she learned firsthand the transformative power of social entrepreneurship and how individuals could come together to share ideas and resources to address the world's most pressing issues.

Ashoka is the world leader in finding, selecting, and supporting social innovators who are successfully implementing long-term innovative solutions to human and environmental problems.

Through social entrepreneurship, passionate individuals combine their talents in building businesses that empower communities and launching initiatives that are meaningful, creative, and inspire systemic change toward a better future.

As country manager, Jayme-Mora is tasked to find and support social innovators in the Philippines. "Social innovators are people who are building new and more effective ways of solving problems in the country. Through Ashoka, we find these exceptional individuals and create a global network of support for them. We help to build an ecosystem where any member of society can be proactive and solve problems creatively. This entails building partnerships with businesses, civil society, the youth, media, and academic institutions. Together, we are able to make sure that positive social impact can continue to grow."

Empowering social innovators

After building a career for herself in Singapore and United Kingdom, Jayme-Mora returned to the country in 2012. In 2013, Ashoka was officially launched in the Philippines and has already worked with institutions such as the Ateneo School of Government in developing social entrepreneurship programs.

Jayme-Mora observes, "the Philippines is rife with problems that are interconnected and can only worsen each other. There is a web of problems in several issue areas. What we need is a web of solutions. Ashoka offers that web of solutions. By finding social innovators – the problem-solvers – we are not only recognizing them, we are connecting them and finding ways to support them. Ashoka creates a space for social innovators to find community and sustainability."

She notes the company's major challenge in the country is that most social innovators operate separately – some almost in isolation. Hence, the impact of positive change is also isolated within that specific community or organization.

To address this, Ashoka is creating a bigger community where innovative thinkers from different sectors can work together to increase the scale of the innovations so as to reach more people.

Jayme-Mora is happy to report that since Ashoka's official presence in the Philippines, they have been able to build partnerships with companies like Boehringer Ingelheim, Netsuite, and Globe Telecom, as well as elect six Filipino Ashoka Fellows into global fellowship.

Ashoka fellows

A Filipino social innovator can become an Ashoka fellow after a rigorous selection process. Once part of the fellowship, he or she is immediately connected to and supported by Ashoka's global network so the Fellow can grow and deepen his or her impact.

"There is no single profile for the Ashoka fellow. They can be anyone from anywhere. They can be the most unassuming of individuals from far-flung communities. They may not even be aware that they’re already changing the world. This is why the process of finding them is something we take very seriously," explains Jayme-Mora.

This year, Ashoka is looking for social innovators working on key issues such as health, peace, agriculture, the environment, and education. Nominations may be submitted through the company's website.

"Ashoka’s vision of 'everyone a changemaker’ is something that is most resonant with me now that I am a mother. We are working towards transforming the youth years so that our children can grow up to be problem-solvers and social innovators," she quips.

For this passionate Filipino changemaker, the most fulfilling part of her position is working with people –learning from and supporting them. "They are smart and strategic leaders, but most of all, they are sincere. It has truly been a privilege to support them both personally and professionally."