GRIP, Internships Abroad Ashoka: Driven by Passion

Ashoka - Mexico City, Mexico

I always find it interesting to see what motivates a person or a group of people to come together and work towards a common goal. At Impact Hub Mexico, the co-working space where Ashoka is located, there are at least 10 non-profits working on widely different projects all across the globe. The work environment I’ve experienced interning at Ashoka is nothing like most other places I’ve worked at and it took me a while to pinpoint exactly why this was so. 

It all finally made sense when I was looking through a list of the employees and realized that more than 70% of the people working at Ashoka are volunteers or interns. They commit to working for Ashoka anywhere between 2 months to a whole year, not because they see any financial benefit in doing so but for the strong belief they have in Ashoka’s mission. 

I never imagined how rewarding an experience could be working with people who are driven by their passion to serve humanity, who have no qualms about staying in the office for an extra hour or three just so they can play their part in promoting social impact, entrepreneurship, and work for the betterment of communities they may very well never interact with in person. It’s this passion that I value the most about the people I have been working with these past few weeks. 

This passion manifests in a myriad of different ways but the most prominent effect it has is the work culture it develops. The enthusiasm you see in the workplace on a daily basis, the intellectually stimulating conversations you have with people from different offices, and the positive energy that masks and bathes every nook and cranny of Ashoka are truly revitalizing in all senses of the word. And I didn’t know how much I needed this revitalization until I got here. 

A year ago, I never would’ve guessed that I’d be in this city, working with these people. But I’m glad I decided to work at Ashoka because I never would've met all of the amazing people I have met so far, and I would never have truly realized how much I love working in settings like this, for organizations like Ashoka.