Network Insights - Aug 2 2024

Weekly impact, news, and predictive insights from the world's largest social entrepreneur network.

France – The Olympic torch started off in Olympia, Greece, in mid-April, traveled across France and arrived in Paris last Friday to kick off the 2024 Olympic Games. Social entrepreneurs were among the flame-bearers – including Ashoka Fellows Saïd Hammouche, Nolwenn Febvre, Moussa Camara, as well as changemakers connected with the social movements of Matthieu Dardaillon and Pierre Foldès. Check this post for pictures and reactions. Also, we tapped UK-based Ashoka Fellows for an Olympics preview and insights on the power and potential of sports to shape positive social norms (more).

U.S. – Following a consequential U.S. Supreme Court ruling about homelessness in June, Rosanne Haggerty’s Community Solutions mobilized its network of 100+ cities solving homelessness and last week launched a new $135M fund – a first-of-its-kind social impact private equity fund that will provide crucial housing resources to people exiting homelessness. Meanwhile, Sixto Cancel and his community of young people in foster care supported a recent U.S. Senate investigation into abuse in residential treatment centers (where many young people in foster care are placed due to system over-capacity). Watch the PBS NewsHour report on this. According to Sixto's organization (here), 51% of young people in the U.S. without housing (homeless) have experienced foster care; in other words, the two issues are closely linked.

Brazil, Kenya, Zimbabwe – In Brazil, Amazonia2030, co-founded by Beto Verissimo, proposed a significant new tropical forest funding mechanism (more); while in Africa, Peter Awin expanded Cowtribe to Kenya to advance animal health via quick vaccines, and a new documentary features Dixon Chibanda of Zimbabwe, one of a dozen or so psychiatrists serving a country of 15M people. Watch the trailer.