Unleash the Potential of Young Changemakers

On Saturday, March 28, Ashoka Japan hosted the Youth Venturer Midterm & Final Presentation Gathering at EIJI PRESS Lab in Ebisu, Tokyo.

The event brought together four young changemakers at different stages of their journeys: two Youth Venturers presenting their final reports after nearly a year of activity, and two sharing midterm updates on projects still in development.

More than a showcase of achievements, the gathering created a space to reflect on the process of changemaking itself—its uncertainties, shifts, and evolving questions.

At the beginning of the event, two commentators were introduced: Ms. Aonuma, a practitioner in sustainability and responsible supply chains, and Mr. Fukamiya, whose background spans public-sector innovation and inclusive product development. Throughout the session, their role was not to evaluate, but to engage each presenter with questions that helped clarify and deepen their thinking.

M.S. presented Shuwa Café “Shuwashuwa,” a series of sign language events held in Shirakawa, Fukushima and beyond. These gatherings have created accessible entry points for people with little prior exposure to sign language, while also becoming meaningful spaces for Deaf participants.

She also shared a personal decision: rather than immediately scaling the project after graduation, she will return to Shirakawa to work in the welfare field, continuing her engagement from within the community. Looking ahead, she hopes to organize a sign language festival together with local Deaf residents.

In response, the commentators highlighted the importance of those who stand between “those who support” and “those who are supported,” and the significance of continuing to hold such spaces over time. Their reflection helped frame her work not only as a series of events, but as an ongoing practice of building relationships and trust.

K.S. — Toward a sustainable model in Africa

K.S. shared how her work supporting street-connected children in Tanzania has shifted over the past year. Having started with an NGO model, she is now exploring how to build a sustainable social business, including the use of CSR partnerships and advertising-based mechanisms.

Her presentation reflected a transition—from acting on passion to questioning how that work can endure and scale responsibly. She also spoke about her plans to return to Africa in the coming months to further explore opportunities on the ground.

The commentators pointed to the importance of moving beyond “Africa” as a broad concept, encouraging her to clarify which specific communities, regions, and issues she aims to engage. This question offered a direction for deepening the precision and impact of her next steps.

S.N. — Expanding pathways from education to work

S.N. presented FrontierPass, a project addressing the gap between education and employment for young people in Nigeria. His work focuses on enabling youth to build practical skills, gain project experience, and access meaningful job opportunities.

Over the past six months, he has expanded his efforts through international networks, local partnerships, and team-building across countries. His reflections showed that the project is evolving from a focus on education alone toward a broader concern with opportunity, dignity, and life outcomes.

The commentators noted both his strength in thinking at scale and the importance of identifying where to go deeper. Their feedback highlighted the balance between breadth and focus as a key consideration for the project’s next phase.

T.I. — Rethinking tourism systems

T.I. presented a vision for reimagining tourism through a community-based and regenerative model, currently centered in Kyrgyzstan. He highlighted structural challenges, including the outflow of tourism revenue away from local communities and the undervaluation of local guides.

His project explores how technologies such as AI—and potentially blockchain—can be used not for efficiency alone, but for education, knowledge sharing, and more equitable distribution of value within communities.

The commentators responded to the ambition of his vision while posing critical questions: how this model connects to peace, and how it would differ in practice—not only in philosophy—from existing tourism businesses. These questions invited further clarity on how systemic change might be realized.

A Space for Dialogue

In the latter half of the event, participants joined smaller group conversations with each presenter. This created opportunities to explore the projects in more depth and to engage directly with the questions behind them.

Rather than a one-way presentation, the gathering became a space for shared inquiry, where participants and presenters could think together.

Closing

What made this event meaningful was not only the diversity of projects, but the honesty with which each Youth Venturer shared their current position—what has changed, what remains uncertain, and what they are still trying to build.

Across different contexts and themes, all four presentations reflected a common thread: a willingness to engage deeply with complex realities, and to keep moving forward while continuing to question, refine, and learn.

Held October 25 (Sat) at Eiji Press Lab

On October 25, we hosted the Ashoka Youth Venture Mid-Term Gathering — a warm, reflective afternoon where current Youth Venturers shared updates on their journeys and future plans.

Three Youth Venturers took the stage: Karen, Mio, and Shin.
Each of them spoke honestly and thoughtfully about their challenges, learnings, and next steps. A total of 14 participants joined — mostly university students, along with educators, family members of former Youth Venturers, and other supporters of Ashoka’s youth programs.

What They Shared

• Karen reflected on how her values and understanding of herself have shifted through the past six months of action and experimentation.

• Mio, currently a senior in university, shared the uncertainty she feels as she tries to balance her project with graduation and career decisions — sparking heartfelt discussion and advice from commentators and the audience.

• Shin, the newest Youth Venturer selected through our online review process, gave his first public presentation and introduced his changemaking work in Nigeria.

Our two guest commentators — a finance professional and a well-known editor — also served as judges during their original selection process, making their feedback personal, grounded, and deeply encouraging.

Small Conversations, Real Connection

In the second half of the program, each presenter hosted a themed round table. Participants freely chose whichever table resonated with them, asked questions, shared experiences, and tried short reflective activities the Youth Venturers had prepared.

The atmosphere was relaxed, engaged, and full of curiosity — very much in the spirit of “learning together.”

Closing Reflections from Director Watanabe

To close the session, Director Watanabe shared a message with the audience:

“Some of these young people have already started their own ventures. Others are still figuring out whether this work will become their life’s calling — or how to balance it with studies and future careers.

But all of them represent something rare: the mindset and capacity to lead positive change.”

In Japan, we estimate that there is roughly one youth changemaker per 100,000 young people. Still — the network is growing, and fast.

Today, even university entrance exams are beginning to assess changemaking ability alongside academic achievement. Society is slowly but clearly shifting.

But once these young people graduate, the challenges are not over.

The motivations of young people are changing — from prioritizing stability and salary, toward wanting purpose, contribution, and growth. While the shift may be slower in Japan than elsewhere, the momentum is real.

Now, we need more workplaces where changemakers can thrive. To support this future, Ashoka has been advancing the Changemaker Company (CMC) model globally — a framework where companies support employees to drive social innovation from within.

What’s Next

This coming spring, we will host the next public milestone event:

• Final presentations by Karen and Mio

• Mid-term report by Shin

We hope you’ll continue following their journeys — and we’d be grateful if you keep supporting Ashoka Japan’s Youth Venture program as we work together to nurture the next generation of changemakers.

Links:

• Ashoka Japan Youth Venture Program