Facebook names 13 APAC communities graduating from its 2020 accelerator

Facebook announced that 13 communities in Asia Pacific have graduated from its 2020 Community Accelerator, a six-month program aimed at arming participants with training, mentorship, and funding.

Photo credit: Facebook

The Facebook Community Accelerator is part of the company’s Community Leadership Program, a global initiative that invests in leaders who are building communities worldwide.

During the program, participants are trained in creating growth plans for their communities through Facebook’s family of apps. They also get connected to mentors, experts, and local funders and partners. Those with approved growth plans are then awarded funding from Facebook and global non-profit organization GlobalGiving.

The 13 communities from Asia Pacific marked their graduation with presentations during a virtual demo day, where community leaders pitched their requests for additional funding to external partners.

Here are the participants in the 2020 Facebook Community Accelerator:

• Advancement for Rural Kids (Philippines) creates a path for rural communities to solve hunger, get kids back to school, and be self-sustaining starting with 5-cent school lunches.
• BeAGiver (Philippines) champions education for impoverished children by providing them with school bags, supplies, and scholarships, and by supporting other education-related projects.
• Filipina Homebased Moms (Philippines) helps mothers obtain financial security and develop personal growth by offering them e-learning, ecommerce, job-matching, and advertising opportunities.
• Local Alike/Local Aroi (Thailand) empowers and connects Thai tourism communities to the world. Local Alike’s Local Aroi program was launched to bring local dishes to communities across the country during the pandemic.
• Ripple (Australia) encourages young people to take the first steps of their impact journey by providing them with engaging content, practical training, community leadership development, and purpose-driven job opportunities.
• LearnNaiDee (Thailand) started a program to improve the education of people with disabilities to help them unleash their full potential in life.
• Young Pride Club (Thailand) provides on-the-ground and online activism activities to help the youth develop leadership, participation, and cooperation skills as they advocate for gender equality and diversity.
• YoungHappy (Thailand) helps seniors maintain an active lifestyle that promotes their self-esteem, keeps them engaged with their peers, and supports their well-being.
• Indonesian Babywearers (Indonesia) teaches parents about babywearing and empowers them by promoting positive learning habits and parenting ethics in everyday life.
• MotherHope Indonesia (Indonesia) offers a safe place for mothers and promotes perinatal mental health literacy to support them and their families as they experience perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.
• Ooca (Thailand) helps people overcome the stigma of having mental health issues and the inaccessibility of support by connecting them with mental health professionals.
• MentalHealthPH (Philippines) focuses on creating a safer digital space for every Filipino, with the vision of achieving a mentally healthier online community for all.
• Social Connect (Indonesia) offers a platform for people who struggle with mental health issues where they can share their stories, sign up for classes, get consultations, and receive help.

Emerging as the top four communities in the latest cohort are Local Alike/Local Aroi, Ooca, BeAGiver, and Advancement for Rural Kids. Each of the four winners is set to receive an additional funding of US$25,000 each to execute their growth plans and will receive continued support from their network and the team from the Facebook program.