Wedu (also known as Wedu Global) is a

social enterprise A social enterprise is an organization that applies commercial strategies to maximize improvements in financial, social and environmental well-being. This may include maximizing social impact alongside profits for co-owners. Social enterprises ca ...

based in

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

. The organisation's mission is to provide "high potential young women" ("Rising Stars") from Asian communities with access to long-term

mentorship Mentorship is the influence, guidance, or direction given by a mentor. A mentor is someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person. In an organizational setting, a mentor influences the personal and p ...

and financing options to complete

higher education Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completi ...

and develop leadership skills. Wedu works with NGOs, educational institutions, and individuals based in communities across Asia ("Talent Spotters") to identify young women demonstrating "strong leadership potential" with a focus on those from underserved communities. Wedu's Talent Spotters include the

Asian University for Women Asian University for Women (AUW) is an independent, international university in Chittagong, Bangladesh seeking to educate a new generation of leaders in Asia. AUW admits students solely on the basis of merit, regardless of their family's incom ...

Women LEAD Women LEAD is a non-governmental organization that provides women's leadership development training and advocacy in Nepal. It is based in Kathmandu, Nepal and Arlington, Virginia in the United States. The group originated as a leadership developm ...

, Khmer Youth Association, Thabyay Education Foundation, and Hands in Outreach. Wedu also works with

Kiva A kiva is a space used by Puebloans for rites and political meetings, many of them associated with the kachina belief system. Among the modern Hopi and most other Pueblo peoples, "kiva" means a large room that is circular and underground, ...

and is currently a member of the Clinton Global Initiative (part of the

Clinton Foundation The Clinton Foundation (founded in 2001 as the William J. Clinton Presidential Foundation, and renamed in 2013 as the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation) is a nonprofit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code. It was e ...

History

Mario Ferro and Mari Sawai, 2009 graduates of the

London School of Economics , mottoeng = To understand the causes of things , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £240.8 million (2021) , budget = £391.1 millio ...

Masters in Development Program, founded Wedu (an acronym for women's education) in 2012 as their response to the lack of female leaders in Asia. They began by identifying potential community leaders in

Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...

with support of the Khmer Youth Association. The organisation has since grown from 5 Rising Stars in its first cohort to 140 as of September 2015. Wedu plans to serve 1,000 Rising Stars by 2018.

Business Model

Wedu seeks to identify young women with strong leadership potential in underserved communities. Once selected, the organisation assigns the "Rising Stars" with a mentor who serves as a guide in the development of their leadership skills. Mentors come from various sectors and levels of work experience. According to Wedu, mentors supplement their leadership skills through the Learning Objectives in the Mentorship Program. Wedu provides scholarships to Rising Stars who are pursuing or applying for a university education in Asia. All applicants are required to take part in the Wedu Mentorship Program for a minimum of 6 months before they are eligible to apply for financial support. Wedu utilizes Future Income Sharing Agreements (FISAs): financial instruments more flexible and affordable than university loans, as reported by the organisation. Rising Stars who are granted FISAs can contribute a small percentage of their future income for a fixed amount of time, leveraging income-based contributions to finance the education of future Rising Stars. According to Wedu, this contributes to a sustainable force for the advancement of women across Asia.

Achievements

* 1st Prize D2D Business Plan Competition 2012. * 1st Prize

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

CUE 1K Competition 2012. * Social Enterprise Start-up of the year 2012 at

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

. * 1st Prize Global Social Venture Competition 2013,

South East Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland ...

round and finalist in the global round. * 3rd Prize Global Solution Award 2013, by

Women Deliver Women Deliver is a global advocacy organization that works to generate political commitment and financial investment for fulfilling Millennium Development Goal 5, which is improving maternal health. This is a multifactorial approach, involving acce ...

Legal and funding

Wedu was incorporated in London in May 2012 and is a registered

charity Charity may refer to: Giving * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing * Ch ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

and a foundation in

References

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External links

* http://www.weduglobal.org/ Social enterprises Charities based in Thailand