Objective
We will improve (by testing and analyze the lessons learned) and scale the E-motive method in new networks and look for untapped resources and partnerships.
Main motivation for setting up a Thinktank
E-motive wants to be an approach with a valuable product in model, approach, impact, and price to improve social innovations in difficult grassroot contexts. We would like to improve the sustainability and quality of the learning trajectories, we would like to experiment with divers tools in E-motive and last but not least we would to improve the sustainability and impact of the social innovations in local contexts. E-Motive’s unique selling point is the good practice-based peer-to-peer setting where everybody is learning. We would like to connect grassroot people who are struggling a lot with urgent tough daily challenges to the right knowledge and resources.
The Thinktank is set up for at least 1 year. It is an informal setting in an agile environment to be able to make quick decisions and action under the flag of E-motive/ Oxfam to scale, broaden or develop E-motive further. We’ll have quarterly meetings.
Composition of thinktank
These 8 members have all been involved in distinct roles in E-motive trajectories in the last 3 years. With this diverse group from all continents, connected to networks in and out Oxfam, the Thinktank aims to reflect on how and where we could scale and broaden the E-motive method. We would like to have an experimental first year to see how it goes and then evaluate if we want to continue in the same way or improve or stop or change members.
The selected members have all great experiences in grassroot social innovations with young people and their communities in ways of activism, income generating activities, technical solutions or influencing social norms. They all are connected to national an international network with academic and civil society organizations and stakeholders.
Activities/ results
- Critical Reviewing existing key documents and add innovative ideas for website or use of social media to have a collective understanding and commitment. Develop improvements to make the 6 steps stronger to ensure more sustainability and scalability in social innovations f.i.
“How could E-motive contribute to social movements?”
- Working on new partnerships with a shared vision on grassroot innovation on learning trajectory and peer-to-peer learning f.i. Barefoot college
- Develop ideas for using digital tools in E-motive learning exchanges to strengthen or replace the f2f visits
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Bio
Shahzad Shakeel is an avid traveller and explorer who loves to connect with young people and helps them to bring their ideas into reality using digital solutions. Currently, he is Data and Insights Analyst at Oxfam International Secretariat specialized in Big Data, knowledge management, designing and co-creating systems that work for people. He presents analysis that helps decision makers to make sense of global data and publish it for external audiences. He has studied Management Sciences and did his thesis in Social Marketing and Community building that gave him the lens to look at the social problem as an opportunity to improve and contribute to the society. He has been working with young people to train them on business functions, social innovation, community and network building. In addition, he has been part of EYW E-Motive program where he had the opportunity to organize a group of learners and work on their learning questions followed by building local solutions.
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Bio
Maartje Willemijn Smits is a gender and diversity expert with a specific interest in learning and education. She is based in Sweden where she is currently studying educational theory to expand her knowledge. Maartje has been involved in the E-Motive programme since 2015, mainly as a researcher from Utrecht University, The Netherlands. Together with her colleagues she evaluated the possibilities of bringing E-Motive to an online learning environment. Independently she evaluated the peer-to-peer learning of the E-Motive methodology in two projects (Bangladesh and Pakistan respectively) within the Empower Youth for Work project. Maartje sees great potential in E-Motive as a methodology to solve pressing issues by sharing existing knowledge and resources among peers.
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Bio
Bushra Ahmad a young activist and enthusiast for innovation & Youth’s socioeconomic empowerment currently works as Programme and Information System Advisor with proficient knowledge of compliance and operation management skills in Oxfam Great Britain. She comes with an extensive dexterity of cocreation, innovative design thinking, Human centred design approach and Social Innovation knowledge from University of Cape Town. With more than 6 years of experience in social & entrepreneurial development of rural and urban youth of Pakistan and Small Medium Enterprise (SME) she was able to lay the foundation of Rural Innovations Hubs in Pakistan to support young social entrepreneurs. She also formed the National Youth Advisory Board for social injustice.
As an activist from the platform of Oxfam Novib in the Netherlands she was able to carry forward the debate internationally around creating more spaces for Youth as key for Social Change. She has completed her Master’s degree with distinction in Media & Mass Communication from reputed International Islamic University, Islamabad Pakistan along with other academic knowledge and skills in French language from National University of Modern Languages (NUML) in Pakistan. Currently she is based in Pakistan. Her motivation to join E-motive stems from creating and supporting grass root solutions for Youth of Pakistan by connecting them with well-established global enterprises and social movements thus furthering her goal and mission to support knowledge without borders.
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Alejandra Flecha Corvetto
Bio
Position: trainee at Gender Justice TU of Oxfam Novib Prior to her current role in Oxfam Novib I worked as a lawyer for almost six years in Peru. She decided to have a career shift to contribute to make the world a more just place. On that search she did a Masters on International Development at Utrecht University and started working in the Gender Justice team of Oxfam Novib. As part of the Empower@Scale project she participates in two E-Motive processes: one in Uganda and one in Nigeria. She is interested on learning about peer to peer learning dynamics that change and challenge the way in which development is traditionally understood and practiced.
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Bio
Busara Clemence is a youth gender expert based in Tanzania. He has spent most of his time in East Africa, mainly in Tanzania leading implementation of youth development programs on economic empowerment, Gender and Skills Development. He enjoys Reading, Travelling, Hiking and occasionally works as tour guide in Tanzania during his spare time. Busara graduated with B.A. in Cultural Anthropology (Tumaini University), Bachelor of Laws (Mzumbe University) and MBA Candidate (Mzumbe University).
He has worked closely to Government of Tanzania with three International Organization (ILO, Action Aid-Global Platform and Technoserve). Busara ha reliable experience at field implementation and Management roles.
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Bio
Position: Jr. program officer Empower Youth for Work, Oxfam Novib
As Jr program officer for Empower Youth for Work, I am interested to learn about successful models on youth participation and youth advocacy models in the rural context in India. I will ensure learning from the peer visit will be transferred to other Empower Youth for Work countries and to Oxfam in general, especially in my role as webmaster for the E-motive website.
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Bio
Nimesh Ghimire is currently a Senior Fellow at the Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility, housed within Swarthmore College -- one of America's most prestigious liberal arts colleges. Prior to his current role, Nimesh served as Renewal Manager (Changemaker Campus) for Ashoka, a global organization that identifies and invests in social entrepreneurs globally. Nimesh has over 8 years experience in being deeply involved in experimenting with – and learning from – grassroots engagement and innovation models, having been a part of Nepal's National Innovation Center and co-led the design and implementation of two Innovation Labs in rural Nepal – a collaboration and resource space for community members to come together to design their own solutions to pressing local challenges.
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Bio
works at the intersection of participatory design, technology innovation, and Global South-South collaboration. She spent 5 years building ecosystems for inclusive innovation at Twende - a Tanzanian grassroots social innovation center where Tanzanians are empowered to design and make their own technologies to solve community challenges. She sits on the Steering Committee of the International Development Innovation Network, a network supporting 1000+ innovators, mostly based in the Global South, and is a CoFounder of IDIN-SADC, a regional consortium of grassroots innovation centers in southern Africa. She holds a Masters of Management Science (Public Policy) from Tsinghua University, China, where she studied as a Schwarzman Scholar, and a BA from Wellesley College, USA, where she majored in astrophysics. Currently she is based in Australia. She is motivated to join the E-Motive Think Tank because she believes well-curated Global South peer-to-peer exchange is one of the best ways to solve problems.
Shahzad Shakeel
Maartje Willemijn Smits
Bushra Ahmad
Alejandra Flecha Corvetto
Busara Clemence
Zhiren Ye
Nimesh Ghimire
Deborah Tien