Acumen holds celebration ceremony for Pakistan Fellows Class of 2018

Acumen held a celebration ceremony for the Pakistan Fellows Class of 2018. The ceremony commemorated the completion of the 2018 cohort’s first year as Acumen Fellows and their induction into a global community of over 500 Acumen Fellows.

During the celebration, according to a statement issued on Saturday, these 21 social change-makers, the 6th cohort of Acumen Pakistan Fellows, showcased their leadership journeys to an audience of Acumen team and board members, sponsors, investees, social activists, enterpreneurs and exemplary professionals from the fields of healthcare, education, finance and law.

“We are delighted to be a part of the leadership journey for these exceptional individuals who have the courage, grit and resilience to focus on solving some of the most difficult socio-economic challenges in Pakistan,” said Dr Ayesha Khan, CEO of Acumen Pakistan.

From creating menstrual hygiene awareness among females in Okara to eliminating bonded labour in the weaving community of Swat, the 2018 cohort is diverse in terms of who they are and where they come from, while carrying a shared commitment to tackling poverty.

The audience came together in this ceremony to give support to the fellows as they embark on their leadership journeys, and to cheer them on to a future of influence, courage and accountability. The keynote address was delivered by Kimihide Ando, senior vice president and CEO, Mitsubishi Corporation, Pakistan:

“Partnering with Acumen has been an honor for us,” he said. “As an advocate of education, health and related activities, Mitsubishi Corporation strongly believes in the values and core mission of the Fellowship Program. Acumen provides a unique platform for young talent in Pakistan, inculcating leadership and entrepreneurial spirit among its Fellows.”

Representatives from other sponsors of the program -- Midas Safety, JS Bank and Mahvash & Jahangir Siddiqui Foundation -- also joined the ceremony to honour the Class of 2018.

Created in 2013, the Pakistan Fellows Program is a one-year leadership development program that equips emerging social leaders with the competence, networks and moral imagination to drive transformative change in their communities.

Acumen seeks individuals committed to bringing about a positive change in Pakistan, who are either entrepreneurs who have built their own startups or entrepreneurs working in a position of influence within an organisation.

Over the course of the year, Fellows take part in five week-long seminars. The Fellows Program is fully sponsored, allowing participants to remain in their jobs so they can apply what they learn to their work in real time. At the end of the fellowship, each cohort joins an extensive global community of social leaders.

According to the statement, Acumen is changing the way the world tackles poverty by investing in companies, leaders and ideas. It invests patient capital in businesses whose products and services are enabling the poor to transform their lives.

“We are also developing a global community of emerging leaders with the knowledge, skills and determination to create a more inclusive world,” said the statement.

Founded by Jacqueline Novogratz in 2001, Acumen has invested more than $16.3 million in 15 companies in Pakistan, trained 127 leaders and impacted seven million lives through jobs created and households supported.