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The Maternal Health Task Force at EngenderHealth and Ashoka are offering a brand new type of opportunity to the global Changemakers community and invite you to enter your solution for maternal health.
The Young Champions of Maternal Health Program will use the Changemakers online platform to identify 16 young leaders – called Young Champions – from around the world who will win a trip to the Maternal Health Change Summit and then spend nine months working abroad on a maternal health project while being mentored by a seasoned Ashoka Fellow in the field of maternal health.
Three additional Changemakers Prize Winners chosen by our global community will win an in-kind prize to attend the Maternal Health Change Summit.
Ashoka and the Maternal Health Task Force will select 16 individual Young Champions of Maternal Health. Based on their winning submissions, these Young Champions will receive the unique opportunity to work abroad for nine-months on a maternal health project, mentored by an Ashoka Fellow innovating in the field of maternal health. In addition to this mentorship opportunity, Young Champions will have access to maternal health experts through the Maternal Health Task Force and resources to further develop their ideas and projects. All Young Champions will receive a monthly stipend and 100% financial support for travel, accommodation, insurance, and visa costs. Ideas and projects emerging from the Young Champions Program will be publicized widely.
Criteria for the selection of Young Champions includes:
- Successful completion of at least a B.A. (or equivalent degree) and clearly articulated plans for continued studies or professional development.
- Each candidate will have a track record of involvement in public health, as indicated by professional and/or academic experiences. They will also have demonstrated commitment to dedicating their careers to the improvement of maternal health, especially in developing countries.
- Candidates should have demonstrated leadership qualities and potential as evidenced by community and organizational activities reflected within the application.
- Candidates should be willing, able and enthusiastic to participate in a 9-month mentorship experience with an Ashoka Fellow (who may live in a country that is of a different cultural context).
- If the applicant is currently in school or is not self-employed, in view of the time that will be spent away from school or work required by participation in the program, the applicant must have the approval of his/her university or employer in writing. Self-employed applicants should make a serious effort to assess the impact of absence from his/her enterprise for the necessary amount of time.
- All Young Champions will be required to deliver a product of the mentorship carried out during their tenure with the Young Champions program (e.g., a research project, data analyses, program designs and evaluations, advocacy strategies, policy analyses, etc.) and consent that their mentorship may be showcased by the Maternal Health Task Force and Ashoka in grant reporting and promotional materials.
- Candidates must pass Ashoka's criteria for social entrepreneurs, namely:
The Knockout Test: A New Idea - Ashoka cannot elect someone to the mentorship unless he or she is possessed by a new idea-a new solution or approach to a social problem-that will change the pattern in the maternal health field. We evaluate the idea historically and against its contemporaries in the field, looking for innovation and real change potential.
Creativity - Successful Young Champions must be creative both as goal-setting visionaries and as problem solvers capable of engineering their visions into reality. Creativity is not a quality that suddenly appears-it is almost always apparent from youth onward. Among the questions we might ask: Does this individual have a vision of how he or she can meet some human need better than it has been met before? Does the candidate have a history of creating other new visions?
Entrepreneurial Quality - Perhaps our most important criterion, entrepreneurial quality is the defining characteristic of first class entrepreneurs. It defines leaders who see opportunities for change and innovation and devote themselves entirely to making that change happen. These leaders often have little interest in anything beyond their mission, and they are willing to spend the next ten to fifteen years making a historical development take place. In addition to showing a deep commitment to their idea, Young Champion candidates must be able to show how their idea will be financially sustainable. These two components of entrepreneurship are critical to transforming a new idea into a reality.
Social Impact of the Idea - This criterion focuses on the candidate's idea, not the candidate. Ashoka and the Maternal Health Task Force are only interested in ideas that we believe will change the field significantly and that will trigger nationwide impact or, for smaller countries, broader regional change. For example, we will not support the launch of a new school or clinic unless it is part of a broader strategy to reform the education or health system at the national level and beyond.
Ethical Fiber - Young Champions introducing major structural changes to society have to ask a lot of people to change how they do things. If the Young Champion is not trusted, the likelihood of success is significantly reduced. Ashoka and the Maternal Health Task Force ask every participant in the selection process to evaluate candidates for these qualities rigorously. To do so often requires one to resort to instinct and gut feelings, not just rational analysis. The essential question is: "Do you trust this person absolutely?" If there is any doubt, a candidate will not pass.
- All Young Champions must complete their mentorship by May 2011.
- Ashoka and the Maternal Health Task Force reserve the right to remove participants from the program if they do not adhere to program guidelines and standards.
- Candidates for the Young Champion program must be between 18-35, be proficient in English (fluency in written and spoken English), and must agree to:
- Be interviewed by Ashoka's staff between March and April 2010. Interviews will be conducted by phone and in-person where possible.
- Be matched with an Ashoka Fellow for at least 9 months
- Participate in all program activities
- State any special personal needs (i.e. dietary, disability, etc) to Ashoka by the start of the program.
Program Timeline
Competition Launch: December 16, 2009
Winners Announced: June 2010
Change Summit: August 30 - September 1, 2010
Young Champions Program Begins: September 2010
Young Champions Program Ends: May 2011
Early Entry Prize
Early entries, received by January 27th, will be eligible to win a digital camera. Being an Early Entry Prize winner does not preclude you from winning the competition in any way, or guarantee finalist status—all entries will be equally evaluated per the Changemakers criteria at the completion of the entry period.
Participation in the competition provides the opportunity to receive feedback on your solution from fellow entrants, Changemakers staff, judges, and the Changemakers community. Showcasing your solution and the challenges involved in creating social impact advises potential investors about how best to improve funding/investing patterns for the sector and to maximize the strategic impact and effectiveness of their future investments. |
