News & Media / Ashoka Fellow China Visiting Program
OWN's Founder and ED is off to China
Ashoka is happy to announce the return this fall of our "Ashoka Fellow China Visiting Program". This program aims to bring Ashoka fellows with interesting models to visit China, in the process facilitating the exchange of ideas between the Chinese and international social innovation sectors.
This year, we are honored two fellows have agreed to join us in China. Kristin Hayden, who will be visiting in September, is working in the filed of cultural interaction. Via her organization, OneWorld Now!' s after-school cross-cultural and leadership programs, cultural immersion camps and travel abroad opportunities, under-privileged young people are given an opportunity to gain foreign language skills and experience other cultures. The students, who otherwise would be unable to afford such experiences, in turn build confidence, broaden their worldview, and gain unique, marketable competencies.
In his innovative solution to the global problem of landmines, Bart Weetjens and his organization, HeroRats , have reinvented the role of what most would regard as a pest. By training the Giant African pouched rats to sniff out landmines, Weetjens has created a cheaper and more sustainable solution, as rats are cheaper, lighter and easier to replace than the traditional solutions of dogs. In true entrepreneurial spirit, Weetjens is also constantly exploring other problems the rats can help solve, such as disease detection. We look forward to welcoming Bart in October.
For more information on these fellows, please visit the Ashoka China website , where details of these two visits, as well as announcements of future Ashoka Fellow visits will be posted.
