A Strategic Partnership to Adress Social Fragmentation
In 2025, the AXA Foundation for Human Progress and Ashoka launched “Unlock Education”, a three-year global partnership that views education as a strategic tool to reduce social fragmentation and polarization. Together, we position education as a powerful space where children and young people build the skills to thrive, and communities strengthen their social fabric.
Ashoka, a leading NGO in social innovation, will collaborate with us to support 30 leading social entrepreneurs who are reimagining education to meet children’s fundamental needs. These innovators design scalable solutions that help young people build core capabilities, such as empathy, resilience, collaboration, agency, and leadership, to navigate a complex, polarized world.
A Lifecycle Approach with Global Reach
Over three years, we will identify, connect, and support 30 high-impact education initiatives across seven countries: France, Belgium, and Türkiye in 2025, with plans to expand to Germany, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and Brazil.
Unlock Education supports children and youth from birth to 18, starting with:
Early Childhood (0–6): Laying the foundations for curiosity, confidence, empathy, and school readiness.
Middle Childhood (7–13): Building norms of inclusion, respect, and effective collaboration in and around classrooms.
Adolescence (14–18): Turning these skills into civic engagement, leadership, and economic opportunities.
By combining Ashoka’s global expertise in social innovation with our ability to mobilize resources and people worldwide, we aim to develop evidence-based, adaptable models that deliver high impact while respecting local contexts.
Engaging our People and Scaling Systemic Impact
Our ambition extends beyond supporting individual projects. We seek to influence classroom practice, teacher leadership, family engagement, and local education ecosystems to generate lasting, systemic change.
To achieve these goals, we will:
Build a global community of changemakers to scale inclusive and systemic education models.
Foster cross-sector collaboration with NGOs, governments, and private stakeholders.
Engage our employees as Social Impact Champions through immersive experiences, skills-based volunteering, and co-action with leading social entrepreneurs.
By 2027, we anticipate measurable improvements in social-emotional skills, reduced early school disengagement, and stronger trust between schools, families, and communities. Ultimately, we aim to redefine success in education, where young people emerge as confident, empathetic leaders contributing to more resilient, cohesive societies.