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Ashoka Social Financial Services | Ashoka
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no-vertical-padding section-spacing"> <div class="box fixed-container"> <div class="content-top"> <div class="region region-content-top"> <div data-drupal-messages-fallback class="hidden"></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <section id="main"> <article id="content"> <section id="content-area"> <div class="region region-content"> <div id="block-blanco-ashoka-org-content" class="block block-system block-system-main-block"> <article role="article" class="entity--type-node node node--type-program node--view-mode-full"> <div class="content"> <section class="parent-header-banner paragraph paragraph--type--video-banner paragraph--view-mode--default banner-wrap video-banner bg-image video-banner-16872-default lazy-background" id="ashoka-social-financial-services"> <div class="trans-layer section-spacing"> <div class="banner-content-wrap box-component-wrapper"> <div class="box fixed-container"> <div class="content-wrap col-wrap two-col"> <div class="col left-col"> <div class="text-content"> <h1 class="title-caption"> Ashoka Social Financial Services </h1> <div class="desc"> <div class="text-formatted"> <p>Ashoka Social Financial Services is inspired by the idea that the market has the potential to profoundly improve the quality and character of people鈥檚 lives. Unfortunately, the market is not working as well as it could. We are incubating a new strategic focus that seeks to create Well Functioning Markets, where creating value by fostering a broad range of structural innovations generates profits.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col right-col"> <picture> <source srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/4_10_width_desktop_2x/public/2017-06-14_10.11.38.jpg.webp?itok=xxTLV4tg 1x, /sites/default/files/styles/4_10_width_desktop_2x/public/2017-06-14_10.11.38.jpg.webp?itok=xxTLV4tg 2x" media="(min-width: 1024px)" type="image/webp"/> <source srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/4_10_width_tablet/public/2017-06-14_10.11.38.jpg.webp?itok=arNLmMfs 1x, /sites/default/files/styles/4_10_width_tablet_2x/public/2017-06-14_10.11.38.jpg.webp?itok=EULncy7q 2x" media="(min-width: 768px)" type="image/webp"/> <source srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/4_10_width_mobile/public/2017-06-14_10.11.38.jpg.webp?itok=6OFdUAV- 1x, /sites/default/files/styles/4_10_width_mobile_2x/public/2017-06-14_10.11.38.jpg.webp?itok=MLz3Xllq 2x" type="image/webp"/> <source srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/4_10_width_desktop_2x/public/2017-06-14_10.11.38.jpg?itok=xxTLV4tg 1x, /sites/default/files/styles/4_10_width_desktop_2x/public/2017-06-14_10.11.38.jpg?itok=xxTLV4tg 2x" media="(min-width: 1024px)" type="image/jpeg"/> <source srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/4_10_width_tablet/public/2017-06-14_10.11.38.jpg?itok=arNLmMfs 1x, /sites/default/files/styles/4_10_width_tablet_2x/public/2017-06-14_10.11.38.jpg?itok=EULncy7q 2x" media="(min-width: 768px)" type="image/jpeg"/> <source srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/4_10_width_mobile/public/2017-06-14_10.11.38.jpg?itok=6OFdUAV- 1x, /sites/default/files/styles/4_10_width_mobile_2x/public/2017-06-14_10.11.38.jpg?itok=MLz3Xllq 2x" type="image/jpeg"/> <img src="/sites/default/files/styles/4_10_width_desktop_2x/public/2017-06-14_10.11.38.jpg?itok=xxTLV4tg" alt="Deep-Dive Masters Program SFS Photo" loading="lazy" /> </picture> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> <style> @media only screen { .video-banner.video-banner-16872-default.visible { background-image: url(/sites/default/files/styles/full_width_image_mobile/public/2024-08/Our%20Community.jpg?itok=O09Vth0R); } } @media only screen and (-o-min-device-pixel-ratio: 5/4), only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), only screen and (min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), only screen and (min-resolution: 1.25dppx) { .video-banner.video-banner-16872-default.visible { background-image: url(/sites/default/files/styles/full_width_image_mobile_2x/public/2024-08/Our%20Community.jpg?itok=9blcY9F7); } } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .video-banner.video-banner-16872-default.visible { background-image: url(/sites/default/files/styles/full_width_image_tablet/public/2024-08/Our%20Community.jpg?itok=e9DM2qUG); } } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) and (-o-min-device-pixel-ratio: 5/4), only screen and (min-width: 768px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), only screen and (min-width: 768px) and (min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), only screen and (min-width: 768px) and (min-resolution: 1.25dppx) { .video-banner.video-banner-16872-default.visible { background-image: url(/sites/default/files/styles/full_width_image_tablet_2x/public/2024-08/Our%20Community.jpg?itok=bomhjubt); } } @media only screen and (min-width: 1024px) { .video-banner.video-banner-16872-default.visible { background-image: url(/sites/default/files/styles/full_width_image_desktop/public/2024-08/Our%20Community.jpg?itok=kBtNUz_F); } } @media only screen and (min-width: 1024px) and (-o-min-device-pixel-ratio: 5/4), only screen and (min-width: 1024px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), only screen and (min-width: 1024px) and (min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), only screen and (min-width: 1024px) and (min-resolution: 1.25dppx) { .video-banner.video-banner-16872-default.visible { background-image: url(/sites/default/files/styles/full_width_image_desktop_2x/public/2024-08/Our%20Community.jpg?itok=QRcj-Som); } } @media only screen and (min-width: 1440px) { .video-banner.video-banner-16872-default.visible { background-image: url(/sites/default/files/styles/full_width_image_large/public/2024-08/Our%20Community.jpg?itok=v2GUmzl0); } } </style> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--paragraph-text-with-sidebar-tile paragraph--view-mode--default section-spacing box-component-wrapper" id="section-16876"> <div class="box fixed-container"> <div class="box-content"> <div class="paragraph-text-w-right-sidebar"> <div class="left-text-wrapper"> <div class="summary"> <div class="text-formatted"> <h3>Inspiration</h3> <p>Ashoka Social Financial Services is inspired by the idea that the market has the potential to profoundly improve the quality and character of people鈥檚 lives. This belief is motivated by three simple observations: the market affects everyone, it profoundly shapes the fabric of our lives, and it has the potential to be transformative.</p> <p>Unfortunately, the market is not working as well as it could. Inequality is increasing at a staggering rate. Several billion people are excluded from the formal financial sector. More than 800 million people do not have secure rights to the land under their homes. Too many young people do not see themselves as having a pathway toward a viable livelihood. The opportunity gap between men and women is not going away.</p> <h3>Strategy</h3> <p>To address this, social entrepreneurs around the world are developing promising innovations that create greater alignment between profit seeking and generating impact. When they succeed, these innovations change what it takes to succeed in the market, and as a result, they change where people focus their efforts and deploy their resources. In so doing, these innovations have the potential to shape patterns of market activity on a large scale.<br /> <br /> Recognizing the potential of these innovations, we are incubating a new strategic focus that seeks to create <em>Well Functioning Markets</em>, where creating value by fostering a broad range of structural innovations <span style="line-height: 20.8px;">generates profits</span>.</p> </div> </div> </div> <aside class="right-sidebar-wrapper"> </aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial-slider paragraph--view-mode--default box-wrap testimonials-slide-section-wrap section-spacing no-bottom-padding light-blue-bottom box-component-wrapper" id="section-16882"> <div class="box fixed-container"> <div class="box-content testimonials-slide testimonial-single"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--testimonial paragraph--view-mode--default slide-item"> <blockquote> <div class="quote-wrap"> <div class="text-content"> <div class="quote"> </div> <div class="title"> </div> <div class="affiliation"> </div> </div> <div class="user-pic"> <div class="custom-paging-no-image">No Image</div> </div> </div> </blockquote> </div> </div> </div> <div class="single-slide-cta"> </div> </section> <section class="paragraph paragraph--type--staff-list paragraph--view-mode--default box-component-wrapper person-tiles-list section-spacing lightblue-bg" id="section-16878"> <div class="box fixed-container"> <div class="box-content col-wrap four-col"> <div role="article" class="entity--type-node person-tile col popup-trigger" data-target-id="popup-8464-1933"> <div class="content-wrap "> <div class="img-wrap"> <a href=/people/stuart-yasgur> <a href="/people/stuart-yasgur"> <picture> <source srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/large_round_icon/public/people/stuart_f_yasgur_photo_1.jpg.webp?itok=afpYZbRg 1x, /sites/default/files/styles/large_round_icon_2x/public/people/stuart_f_yasgur_photo_1.jpg.webp?itok=cgRcxBki 2x" type="image/webp"/> <source srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/large_round_icon/public/people/stuart_f_yasgur_photo_1.jpg?itok=afpYZbRg 1x, /sites/default/files/styles/large_round_icon_2x/public/people/stuart_f_yasgur_photo_1.jpg?itok=cgRcxBki 2x" type="image/jpeg"/> <img srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/large_round_icon/public/people/stuart_f_yasgur_photo_1.jpg?itok=afpYZbRg 1x, /sites/default/files/styles/large_round_icon_2x/public/people/stuart_f_yasgur_photo_1.jpg?itok=cgRcxBki 2x" src="/sites/default/files/styles/large_round_icon/public/people/stuart_f_yasgur_photo_1.jpg?itok=afpYZbRg" alt="Stuart Yasgur" loading="lazy" /> </picture> </a> </a> </div> <div class="info-wrap"> <h3 class="title small-h3"> <a href=/people/stuart-yasgur>Stuart Yasgur</a> </h3> <p class="subtitle"> VP & Global Leadership Group Member of Ashoka </p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="popup popup-8464-1933 popup-target"> <div class="popup-dialog"> <div class="popup-content"> <div class="popup-header"> <a 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