Aus Entrepreneurs Merge on Poverty Plan
12 May 2015 at 9:23 am
Two social change Not for Profits, YGAP and Spark International have merged in a move the organisations say will “empower impact entrepreneurs around the world’.
Melbourne-based incubator for social change, YGAP, set up by Elliot Costello to inspire social entrepreneurs to end poverty, described the merger as a union of strong and focused organisations with a clear vision to improve and create solutions to address poverty.
“After extensive consultation, both YGAP and Spark recognised that together we can better engage everyone in the fight to end poverty,” Costello said.
“We continue to see ourselves as entrepreneurs that change lives. We believe that local people are best placed to solve local problems.”
Costello said YGAP started in 2008 with a group of friends, who raised funds in order to build classrooms in Malawi, to become an organisation that supports social entrepreneurs through innovative campaigns and fundraising to help create a world without poverty.
“Spark International was founded in 2009 and, to date, has significantly and positively changed the lives of 52,125 people living in poverty via the Spark* Accelerator program, which identifies and enables social entrepreneurs,” Aaron Tait, Spark International Director and YGAP’s new Chief Impact Officer said.
“Together, YGAP and Spark* have a three year vision to measurably impact the lives of one million people across the world.
“Our shared vision is ambitious but we are confident that by working together, we can succeed.
“We believe that a world without poverty is possible – a world where all people have access to quality education, live in a good home, can earn a fair wage and are free from preventable disease and violence. We hope to make a really powerful contribution to making this massive dream a reality.”
The Spark Accelerator program has been established as a division within YGAP. The merger was formalised on 27 April 2015.
YGAP was recently featured in Pro Bono Australia’s Spotlight on Social Enterprise column.
