In a few short sentences, what does your non-profit do?

Design for Change is a global movement focusing on encouraging students to be design thinkers. It has its reach in more 34 countries, where students are participating in the DFC school challenge by following four simple steps of Feel, Imagine, Do and Share. Their entries do through a jury to identify the best stories, which are then awarded for its social impact and ideas.

What need do you fulfill and why is your organization unique?

There is an immense dearth of belief in the ability of children. We provide a way to build and space to share the power of a child saying, “I can.” We have seen that children believing in self has lead to many inspiring stories of change.

What do you think was the happiest moment for your organization?

The happiest moment keeps coming. Every time we get a new story of change from any part of the world; we cherish and celebrate. Our happiest moment in the last month was when we found out that we have about 2000 DFC stories from India this year, and when Rahul Dravid agreed to be a part of the I Can Awards being organized on the 22nd Nov., 2014.

What was/is the largest obstacle your organization faced/faces?

The largest obstacle for DFC is its funding. We have not had a consistent funding mechanism. And though our work us of great value, we have been unable get funding. But in terms of ideation, thinking, brainstorming, team management, and spread of ideas, we have had no issues in our organization.

What are the future plans for your organization?

Future plans for DFC is to mediate and moderate the facilitation of the global teams in other countries. DFC is operating in so many countries, and each country has its own look and way of managing the initiative. The focus for the future is to help the global movement to build and help on each other’s strengths, and in many ways, standardize the kind of work happening in each country.

The second agenda is to push the design thinking textbook for school children into mainstream education boards. We want state and national level education boards to make design thinking as an important subject.

How can our readers help you further your mission?

Readers can encourage children in their locality or families to participate in the DFC School Challenge. They could introduce the DFC School Challenge or the Design Thinking Textbook to schools in their locality. They could get to know our cause better by joining Design for Change (@icandfc) on facebook, twitter, and youtube.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

We’d like to share the message that it is important for the children to feel that they can make a positive impact in the world and that they don’t have to wait to be rich, or strong, or powerful, or even grow up, to make change happen. ‘I can’ is the most powerful phrase in our vocabulary.