JAKARTA – Twenty-one winners have been announced in the Young Southeast Asian Leadership Initiative (YSEALI) Seeds for the Future small grants competition. The grantees, young leaders who represent all 10 ASEAN member states, will use YSEALI seed grant funding to conduct projects in the region across the themes of civic engagement, sustainable development, education, and economic growth.
Selected from a competitive pool of over 450 applications, the 2018 YSEALI Seeds for the Future winners will receive grants ranging from $4,500 to $15,000. Tackling everything from making biofuel from coffee peels to after-school arts programs, they will seek to build upon the accomplishments of last year’s grantees, who successfully implemented 20 projects across ASEAN.
Learn more about the accomplishments of 2017’s YSEALI Seeds for the Future grantees
Along with funding, the YSEALI Seeds grantees will receive coaching throughout the year to ensure the success and sustainability of their projects. This mentorship will kick off with a two-day workshop in Jakarta on January 18-19. Two representatives from each winning group will convene to learn best practices in project management, budgeting, and cultivating awareness and messaging strategies.
The YSEALI Seeds for the Future program is sponsored by U.S. Department of State and is funded through a grant from the U.S. Mission to ASEAN. For the second consecutive year, one outstanding project that supports entrepreneurship across multiple countries is receiving funding support from the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council. This is the second year Cultural Vistas will administer the program.
The U.S. government launched YSEALI in 2013 to strengthen partnerships with emerging leaders in Southeast Asia; to expand their skills as effective civic, economic and non-governmental leaders in the region; and to nurture an ASEAN community of leaders who work together to solve common issues. Since that time, the YSEALI network has grown to more than 111,000 members.
Learn more about the YSEALI Seeds for the Future Program at ysealiseeds.org
YSEALI Seeds for the Future 2018 Grant Recipients
After Mining Project (Indonesia)
Equipping youth with skills to compete in modern economy
CC Educare (Myanmar)
Developing internet skills and etiquette among youth in Myanmar
Wasted Coffee Coals (Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines)
Turning wasted coffee peels into alternative energy source
Environmental Film Camp (Laos)
Creating a film industry in Laos by training local filmmakers
FIBERS (Philippines, Thailand)
Bootcamps designed to create a more sustainable, just fashion industry
Financial Literacy of Micro and Small Business (Cambodia)
Training small businesses on best practices in financial management
Fine Arts Major Organization (Philippines)
Arts and storytelling program for female inmates
Interactive E-Learning (Laos)
Online educational platform for high school students in Laos
Kid + (Vietnam)
Educational program for disabled children to learn about sexual abuse prevention
Participatory Environmental Education for Indigenous Youth (Thailand, Laos, Myanmar)
Teaching indigenous youth natural resource management and sustainable practices
Reef Stakes (Malaysia)
Card game that teaches about the coral reef ecosystem
Rubic Collaborative (Vietnam)
Outdoor activities for children with autism and their families
Schoove (Indonesia)
Marine and fisheries educational program in Kupang, Indonesia
SHE Community Business Incubator (Cambodia)
Accelerator program for women-owned micro businesses
She Talks (Philippines)
Mentorship program for disadvantaged young women
SHero (Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines)
Creating networks of female leaders to affect community changes
Teach for ASEAN (Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar)
Educational program for underprivileged youth in Myanmar
Viet Children’s Picture (Vietnam)
Afterschool arts, music, and crafts program for suburban children
Youth-Setter Community (Brunei)
Workshop to create and implement solutions for special education in Brunei
AMPLIFY (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand)
A kid-friendly household disaster preparedness toolkit
Coffee Warriors Empowerment (Indonesia, Vietnam)
Exchange program among Vietnamese and Indonesian coffee farmers