Dear Friend,

Happy New Year! Here at Ashoka, our search and selection for new Fellows is in full swing. In the past few months we have held selection panels in Mumbai, Jakarta, São Paulo, Toronto, and Mexico City. We look forward to sharing those new Fellows with you soon. In the mean time, here is another snapshot of recently elected Ashoka Fellows from five continents. We are committed to growing our community in the Middle East and Western Europe over the coming year, as well as expanding to the Philippines and China.

Ashoka Fellows are entrepreneurs who deliver solutions that change lives. They are rooted in local communities but think and act globally. Because they are compelling role models, Fellows are critical to Ashoka's efforts to build a world where everyone is a changemaker.

I hope you enjoy meeting our newest Fellows. Remember, you can browse all 1,800 Ashoka Fellows on our website. Thank you for your continued interest and support!

Warm Regards,

Diana Wells,
Co-President

Abdel Fattah (Abed) Abu Srour, Palestinian Territories
Art as a peaceful alternative
In the midst of daily violence, Abed's groundbreaking arts initiative provides essential space for creative expression for children in Palestinian refugee camps. For over 5,000 children with almost no public facilities for their use, his programs offer an escape from a violent reality. Through his theater, dance, music, and photography programs Abed opens doors for travel, nurtures talents, and creates opportunities for the future.

Krystyna Zytecka, Poland
Care for victims of domestic violence.
After a close friend was a victim of domestic violence, Krystyna responded by creating the first organization to assist survivors of domestic violence in rural areas and small towns. Krystyna is working with Polish police to develop a national network of support centers throughout rural communities. At the same time, Krystyna's advocacy work is focusing the attention of public institutions on the needs of victims, not just the punishment of abusers.

Dune Lankard, U.S.A.
Environmental and cultural preservation in Alaska
A Time Magazine "Hero of the Planet", Dune is setting the standard for indigenous-led conservation efforts globally. Dune, a Native Alaskan Eyak, provides economic incentives and support for conservation of the land central to his tribal culture. Dune puts the power back in Native hands to ensure that decisions are not driven by economic desperation or environmental threats, but rather with an eye for cultural and environmental preservation long into the future.

Maria Baryamujura, Uganda
Community based tourism
Maria saw a pattern that needing breaking: urban elites monopolizing profits from Uganda's tourism. Maria created a new way to empower rural communities along the tourist circuit to also claim benefits, helping them develop attractions such as home stays and cultural events. These locally owned enterprises also spur rural infrastructure development and stem urban migration. Maria has developed 10 of these sites, and will spread her model throughout East Africa.

Ricardo Soto, Peru
Funding for innovative education
To combat low rural education rates, Ricardo has created an innovative revolving fund that offers loans for children's school costs. Children themselves choose loan recipients; parents repay in cash, farm products, or work. This flexibility coupled with child monitoring has resulted in zero delinquency on loans in three years. The revolving fund's small interest rate makes it sustainable, funding an additional child per year in every school.

Mohamaddi Siddiqui, Nepal
Rights for Muslim women
Mohammadi promotes Nepalese Muslim women's rights by highlighting the social justice and equality found in religious teachings. Believing that discrimination stems from ignorance of true Islamic teachings, Mohammadi connects Muslim women to their religious leaders and translates the Koran into local languages. She also campaigns for laws protecting Muslim women against unjust social and legal practices.