Context and Objectives
The Change Makers Summit 2025 will be held from February 11 to 13, 2025, in Dakar, Senegal. Organized by Ashoka West Africa, this major event aims to bring together change leaders, experts, international organizations, and innovators to address the critical challenges of education, training, and employability in West Africa. Under the theme “Co-create innovative, systemic, and sustainable solutions”, this summit provides a unique platform to imagine and build solutions tailored to the region’s contemporary challenges.
Program and Activities
The summit will feature a rich and interactive program designed to encourage the sharing of innovations and best practices. Participants will have the opportunity to:
- Engage in discussions and practical workshops: These sessions will allow actors from different backgrounds to share their experiences, learn from each other, and co-create practical solutions to educational and training challenges.
- Explore the ecosystem through thematic caravans: These thematic tracks will offer dedicated spaces to delve into specific topics and explore concrete strategies aimed at transforming the education and training sectors in the region.
- Share innovations: Innovative initiatives and best practices will be highlighted, stimulating dialogue and fostering the development of collaborative initiatives.
Collaboration Opportunities and Networking
The summit will also serve as a springboard for establishing strategic partnerships and building networks of change-makers. It will provide a unique platform for exchanging ideas, forming collaborations, and building strong networks for the public good. This event is a valuable opportunity for participants to actively contribute to the positive transformation of education and training in West Africa.
Registration and Practical Information
Don’t miss this key opportunity for co-creation and innovation. Registration is free and open to all.
Organizer
Ashoka is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1980, dedicated to fostering social innovation and civic engagement worldwide. Its vision is based on the idea of a world where everyone, regardless of age or background, can become a changemaker, capable of identifying and effectively solving societal challenges.
With more than 4,000 Fellows across 95 countries, Ashoka is a global network of innovative social entrepreneurs. The organization identifies and supports individuals and initiatives that provide sustainable solutions to social and environmental challenges in various fields, including education, health, the environment, and the economy.
Core Missions
- Identifying and supporting social entrepreneurs: Ashoka empowers impactful social innovations by offering strategic support, resources, and collaboration opportunities.
- Fostering cross-sector alliances: By facilitating partnerships among the public, private, and civil society sectors, Ashoka promotes co-creation of sustainable solutions for the common good.
- Cultivating the next generation of changemakers: Through its educational programs, Ashoka seeks to transform the learning experience, enabling young people to develop skills like empathy, collaboration, and initiative.
Areas of Focus
Ashoka’s activities are centered around four key areas:
- Social entrepreneurship: Building a network of social innovators capable of driving systemic changes.
- Developing empathy in children: Making empathy a core societal value to better prepare future generations.
- Promoting youth in action: Mobilizing young people to lead impactful social projects.
- Collective innovation: Encouraging organizations to collaborate in addressing social and environmental challenges together.
Ashoka in the Sahel
In the Sahel region, Ashoka focuses on adapting its initiatives to local and cultural contexts to catalyze solutions to regional challenges.
