Fifty-three percent of the alliances, cooperation and exchange of information among Ashoka’s global network of social entrepreneurs occur in Latin America. The region is the world leader in collaboration among Ashoka Fellows, due to the joint efforts of Ashoka’s local offices and AVINA in promoting institutional strengthening and supporting innovative initiatives such as the creation of the Latin American School for Social Action among Youth.

AVINA institutional ally Centro Magis and its educational network Fe y Alegría provide quality education in Latin America for millions of low-income students. In doing so, they have trained 24,000 teachers throughout the continent. The Fe y Alegría international federation has operations in Argentina, Uruguay, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Chile, Paraguay and Panama. In 2008, the Centro Magis also contributed to improving the quality of life of thousands of migrants, refugees and small farmers from Paraguay, Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and the Dominican Republic through alliances with organizations associated with the Jesuit society in Latin America.

As a result of AVINA’s intermediation, the Clinton Global Initiative invited FUNDES partners to present a Commitment to Action. FUNDES requested financing of USD 30 million, in exchange for which it made a commitment to preserve and strengthen 20,000 small stores in Latin America by transforming them into modern, competitive retail outlets through tried and tested training programs in 10 countries throughout the region.