Jolkona Catalyst, an accelerator for international social ventures with a focus on empowering young social entrepreneurs, is coming to Seattle later this month. The three-week intensive social business accelerator brings social entrepreneurs from emerging countries to Seattle, where they can hone their business plans, gain valuable insights, and work one on one with experts in their field.

Part of the program involves a homestay with a local member of the Seattle community. These social leaders are dedicated and engaged students and professionals between the ages of 22 and 35, and are all eager to stay with local hosts and experience Seattle culture. They are all self-sufficient. During their stay, they will be busy Monday through Friday from 8:30am – 5pm. There are a select number of evenings with an activity but, for the most part, evenings and weekends they are on their own.

Jolkona needs your help to place 9 social leaders

One-week stay – October 24 – October 31: 1 woman

Three-week stay: October 24 – November 13: 8 guys

What are the requirements?

• Hosts need to have room with a bed, and be within walking distance to public transportation (entrepreneurs will have an ORCA card for their commuting needs)
• Provide food for breakfast and dinner (you’ll receive a stipend to the host family to cover expenses incurred while hosting)
• A willingness to open your home to an amazing social leader working to change the world

What’s unique about the opportunity?

• Participants are self-sufficient adults who have started companies at an early age. Participants typically come from mega-cities in the developing world. This gives homestay hosts the rare opportunity to make meaningful friendships with their Catalyst!
• Jolkona Catalyst participants have been vetted by the U.S. Embassy in their home country, and have frequently received awards and grants from the Embassies and represented their countries abroad! Most recently, Jolkona Catalysts from Bangladesh represented their country at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Nairobi, Kenya!
• Jolkona Catalyst participants have frequently completed their Master’s and Bachelor’s at home or abroad. Highly motivated individuals, they have made a commitment to use their skills and talents to improve their home country for the better!

Interested? Please join the Jolkona group on Horizon using the following unlock code:

jolkona-2015

Once you’re in the group, Katie Rendon or Monica Mendoza will reach out to answer any questions you may have before you commit. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about other cultures and share a little of our own Pacific Northwest culture and hospitality.