After an eight-month-long journey of mentorship, insights and overseas study trips to India and Malaysia, Yogesh Kumar of WE Cabs, a Delhi-based start-up, focussing on safe commute and women empowerment, emerged as one of the six winning Asian teams under the Singapore International Foundation’s (SIF) Young Social Entrepreneurs (YSE) programme to clinch S$20,000 in award funding.
Representing various countries, 15 teams from China, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Vietnam and Singapore – pitched their ideas to a panel of judges from leading social enterprises and corporations. These teams had been shortlisted from a pool of 90 participants at the 2015 YSE Workshop held in March this year. The winning teams are (in alphabetical order): Ecodoe, Gap Year Guide, Osiris, STARTIC, WateROAM and We Cabs.
Keen on breaking the deep rooted gender stereotype of cab driving being a male dominated profession and providing employment to women from destitute families, WE Cabs hopes to offer a service of a different kind. This is for the third time consecutive time that an Indian team, from Delhi, has been recognised as YSE by SIF. Jugnuu and SocialCops, previous winners of this title are also based out of Delhi.
“One of the key things that we take pride in is how SIF’s YSE programme offers young changemakers from all over the world the invaluable opportunity to come together to collaborate and share ideas. Over the past six years, it has been heartwarming to see youths of all nationalities establish firm friendships founded on the common desire for social change,” said SIF Executive Director Jean Tan.
One of the judges, Keith Chua, Chairman of Asia Philanthropic Ventures, commented, “Today’s youth are very different from previous generations. More exposed and well-educated, they have a different worldview. They see themselves as trailblazers and champions, desiring to make a difference. Through SIF’s YSE programme, we are tapping into this energy and passion to drive social impact in different communities in Singapore and around the region.”
