If you are an emerging professional or entrepreneur working to end poverty in your community with a non-profit, for-profit or government organization, Acumen’s Pakistan Fellows Program is a great opportunity to grow further in your field of work, expand your network and receive world-class training in relevant topics.
About Acumen
Acumen is an impact investment fund that aims to fight poverty by investing in sectors such as agriculture, education, energy, healthcare, housing and water. The source of their funds is charitable donations that are then invested in the form of equity or debt in early-stage companies in the aforementioned sectors. Through its work, Acumen has accumulated a lot of social capital across the world by working with social entrepreneurs and businesses to successfully impact development through their model.
In addition to their investment arm, they also work in training and supporting professionals interested and working in poverty-related areas through their fellowship programs.
Acumen has also worked with the Plan 9 to work with social entrepreneurs who are using technology to solve social problems in Pakistan. Two social enterprises: Pak Caravan and #Moovy were selected for Plan 9’s next incubation cycle via this process.
What is the Pakistan Fellows Program?
In their own words: “The Acumen Pakistan Fellows Program is a one-year, fully-funded leadership development program that gives 20 individuals from across Pakistan the training they need to accelerate their social impact and leadership potential.”
If selected, you will be given the opportunity to participate in 5 multi-day seminars on topics including: Foundations of Leadership, Adaptive Leadership and Moral Imagination, Financial and Operational Skill and Leading into the Future. One of the five seminars will involve travelling to a new area and engaging with the local community, in a practical and hands-on learning experience.
Another great outcome of participation in the program is the access to the global network of Acumen fellows. Looking at the past fellows from Pakistan, these people are the best and brightest in the field of development and leading the change in the country. Having such amazing professionals and leaders as your peers, advisers and future partners can truly transform the way you approach your work or the path that your career takes in the years to come.
How to Apply
The deadline for applying is September 29, 2014. You need your Resume/CV, background information, two references and answers to application questions in order to apply. More detailed application instructions are available here.
Frequently Asked Questions related to the application are answered here.
The application can be downloaded directly from this link.
Explore the website a little, learn about the program, read the profiles of the past fellows and apply if you feel like this program will benefit you. Don’t be intimidated by the profiles of past participants, the program is aimed not only to award past accomplishments but help potential and emerging leaders hone their skills and expand their networks for future success.
Impact of the Program
Whether you see yourself as a future Acumen Fellow or know someone who might be able to benefit from this unique opportunity, don’t hesitate to spread the word or take the next step in applying. Attending all the training programs and getting hands-on experience via the Impact Trip can not only change the way you think about work and the world, it could very well change your life. There is a large community of social entrepreneurs and professionals hard at work to bring about the changes that they desire, and connecting with that community and benefiting from it can go a long way.
Connect With Them
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