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{{Short description|Indian social entrepreneur (1957–2019)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}}

{{peacock|reason=marketese: "innovative programs that shaped the global youth employment agenda", "dual approach of providing training and capacity building programs coupled with creating networks that enable youth to create sustainable job opportunities. To bring together the many different cultures represented at the summits, Ahluwalia employs three basic tenets for growth" etc.|date=March 2016}}

'''Poonam Ahluwalia''' (February 14, 1957 - October 21, 2019) was a [[social entrepreneur]], Founder, and Director of Youth Entrepreneurship and Sustainability (YES), an international Nonprofit Organization and Youth Trade, an organization promoting youth entrepreneurship, based at [[Babson College]] in [[Wellesley, MA]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-mariotti/an-interview-with-a-leadi_b_3715743.html|title=An Interview with a Leading Social Entrepreneur and My Friend, Poonam Ahuwalia|website=[[HuffPost]] |date=6 August 2013}}</ref><ref>Eberhardy, Jeanette. "Dreams Are Where Things Begin" Web. 10 May 2014. <https://creatingmeaningfulwork.wordpress.com/2014/05/10/storyforth-dreams-are-where-things-begin/>.</ref><ref>Eberhardy, Jeanette. "Meaningful Work: Persistence Takes Many Forms" Web. 9 June 2014 <https://creatingmeaningfulwork.wordpress.com/2014/06/09/meaningful-work-persistence-takes-many-forms/>.</ref>

==Early years==
Poonam Ahluwalia was born on February 14, 1957 ,to an affluent family in [[Jaipur]], [[India]]<ref name="boston.com">Aucoin, Don. "A Hire Purpose." Boston.com. Globe Newspaper Co., 13 Sept. 2006. Web. 9 June 2011. <http://www.boston.com/yourlife/articles/2006/09/13/ a_hire_purpose/>.</ref> After she graduated from her high school, she started teaching basic hygiene in small schools and neighborhoods.

==Early career==
After receiving her M.A. in [[political science]] from [[Rajasthan University]] in Jaipur, India, Ahluwalia worked as the marketing manager of a chain of pizzerias called "Pizza King".<ref name="boston.com"/> She moved to the [[United States]] in 1985 and began providing household help for a family in [[Brookline, Massachusetts|Brookline]] to pay for her education at [[Boston University]]. She attended [[Boston University]] in pursuit of a master’s in mass communications, which she received in 1989.<ref>Graves, Helen. "Poonam Ahluwalia Globally Employs Affirmative Thinking." Women's Business Boston. N.p., Mar. 2006. Web. 9 June 2011.<http://www.yesweb.org/fund/NewsMedia/documents/BostonWomensBusinessJournalMar07.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929055227/http://www.yesweb.org/fund/NewsMedia/documents/BostonWomensBusinessJournalMar07.pdf |date=2011-09-29 }}>.</ref>

Ahluwalia began working for [[The Hunger Project]] in 1984. She became involved when she was introduced to [[Werner Erhard]], the Founder of The Hunger Project when he came to India to launch the organization. During her work with The Hunger Project, Ahluwalia raised funds and awareness of the issue, as well as helped launch Ending the Subjugation of Women as a Critical Step to Ending Hunger. For about three to four years she helped raise over $100,000 a year through an annual event that they held – many times at Ahluwalia’s own home. Ahluwalia also organized a dance with Jothi Raghavan and two walkathons in Lexington to raise funds.

By the late 1980s, Ahluwalia also began to work for Welfare-to-Work programs under the administration of [[Governor of Massachusetts|Massachusetts Governor]] [[Michael S. Dukakis]].<ref name="boston.com"/>

In 1997 Ahluwalia began to work with the Education Development Center (EDC) based in [[Newton, MA]]. With funding from [[USAID]], she was able to create workforce development workshops to promote global learning, health, and education. In association with EDC Ahluwalia ran workshops in [[Peru]], [[India]], and [[Namibia]]. While the workshops were hugely successful, Poonam became aware of the issue of youth unemployment based on the feedback she received directly from participants. With this feedback in mind, Ahluwalia founded YES in 1998.<ref>Graves, Helen. "Poonam Ahluwalia Globally Employs Affirmative Thinking." Women's Business Boston. N.p., Mar. 2006. Web. 9 June 2011. <http://www.yesweb.org/fund/NewsMedia/documents/BostonWomensBusinessJournalMar07.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929055227/http://www.yesweb.org/fund/NewsMedia/documents/BostonWomensBusinessJournalMar07.pdf |date=2011-09-29 }}>.</ref>

During her work with EDC Ahluwalia also had some contact with [[Self Employed Women's Association|SEWA]] (All Indian Federation of Self-Employed Women’s Association)<ref>Taneja, Shweta. "Yes! I Can Do It!" Femina 25 Apr. 2007: 178 A 30- 178 A 32. Print.</ref>

== Work with YES ==
As the founder and director of YES, Ahluwalia launched a 10-year campaign in 2002 to create accessible education and opportunities for youth around the world.<ref name="yesweb.org">"Poonam Ahluwalia." Yesweb. Yes Inc., n.d. Web. 9 June 2011. <http://www.yesweb.org/people.htm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929055254/http://www.yesweb.org/people.htm |date=2011-09-29 }}></ref> The initiative was launched in [[Alexandria, Egypt]] at an international summit on youth employment sponsored by the [[United Nations Industrial Development Organization]] (UNIDO).<ref>"An International Programme to Empower the Youth." City Guide News 13 Jan. 2006: 4. Print.</ref> The summit was co-chaired by former president [[Bill Clinton]], and the first lady of the [[Arab Republic of Egypt]], [[Suzanne Mubarak]].<ref name="yesweb.org"/>

Ahluwalia helped start YES country networks in 55 countries to build the national capacity to ensure that 2 million youth become entrepreneurs by 2012. The way that YES manifests itself is different in each country network based on the conditions for growth. The organization's vision is specifically focused on the "triple bottom line" of people, planet, and profits.

In total Ahluwalia organized five YES international summits, in [[Alexandria, Egypt]] (2002), [[Veracruz, Veracruz|Veracruz]], Mexico (2004), [[Nairobi, Kenya]] (2006), [[Baku, Azerbaijan]] (2008), and [[Leksand, Sweden|Leksand]], Sweden (2010) and three YES Regional Summits in [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]], India (2003), [[Asunción, Paraguay]] (2005), [[Dominican Republic]] (2006) and [[Panama City, Panama]] (2008).<ref>"Poonam Ahluwalia." Bently University. Bently U, n.d. Web. 9 June 2011. <http://alliance.bentley.edu/symposium/poonam-ahluwalia {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310223459/http://alliance.bentley.edu/symposium/poonam-ahluwalia |date=2012-03-10 }}>.</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">"Interview with Poonam Ahluwalia." The Corporate Today Nov. 2006: 74. Print.</ref> YES’ empowering approach has proven successful, as after the summits there have been more than 400 youth employment projects worldwide.<ref>"Poonam Ahluwalia." Yesweb. Yes Inc., n.d. Web. 9 June 2011. <http://www.yesweb.org/people.htm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929055254/http://www.yesweb.org/people.htm |date=2011-09-29 }}>.</ref>

Ahluwalia has been recognized by the [[California Legislature]] and the Indian-American Trade and Commerce Council for her work as "an outstanding youth community leader". In 2003 she was nominated for the South Asian Woman of the Year Award by the India New England News.<ref>"Ms. Poonam Ahluwalia, Executive Director, YES (Youth Employment Summit) Campaign." SAGE. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 June 2011. <http://www.csuchico.edu/ sage/global_advisory_board.html#Ahluwalia>.</ref>

YES currently focuses on encouraging the use of [[renewable energy]], the implementation of information and [[communication technology]], campaigns against [[HIV]] and [[AIDS]], the growth of [[rural development]], and the development of water sanitation.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

==Youth Trade and later years==
In 2012, Ahluwalia launched Youth Trade, an organization aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and combating unemployment by aligning conscious premium retailers with young, mission-driven entrepreneurs. Youth Trade has certified over 50 entrepreneurs.<ref name=YouthTrade.com>{{cite web|url=http://www.youthtrade.com/index.php/en/what-is-youthtrade|accessdate=2013-11-24|title=YouthTrade USA - What is YouthTrade?|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202232237/http://www.youthtrade.com/index.php/en/what-is-youthtrade|archive-date=2013-12-02|url-status=dead}}</ref> These entrepreneurs have gained access to shelf space in stores across the United States by participating in Youth Trade show, where entrepreneurs meet one on one with buying teams from [[Whole Foods Markets]] to present their products. As of November 2013, the trade shows have led to Youth Trade entrepreneur's products being placed in the Mid-Atlantic, North Atlantic, Northeast, South, Southwest, Pacific Northwest, Northern California, and Southern Pacific regions of Whole Foods Markets.<ref>{{cite web|last=Vincent|first=Ben|title=YouthTrade Product Map|url=http://goo.gl/maps/jcWSx|accessdate=2013-11-25}}</ref>

Youth Trade is partnered with Whole Foods Markets and [[Babson College]] and operates out of [[Lexington, MA]], and [[Wellesley, MA]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.youthtrade.com/index.php/en/what-is-youthtrade|accessdate=2013-11-23|title=YouthTrade USA - What is YouthTrade?|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202232237/http://www.youthtrade.com/index.php/en/what-is-youthtrade|archive-date=2013-12-02|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In June 2013, Ahluwalia was given the 2013 India New England Woman of The Year Award, in recognition of her wor towards ending youth unemployment.<ref>{{cite web|last=Desmarais|first=Martin|title=Ahluwalia named 2013 India New England Woman of the Year|url=http://www.indianewengland.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&AudID=38220388F99349CA8276DDF04AF71FC8&tier=4&id=B70F20BB4ED14654AFDBCA9EB6F68B2C|accessdate=26 November 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202221920/http://www.indianewengland.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&AudID=38220388F99349CA8276DDF04AF71FC8&tier=4&id=B70F20BB4ED14654AFDBCA9EB6F68B2C|archivedate=2 December 2013}}</ref> On October 19, 2013, Ahluwalia delivered the keynote address at the 7th Annual Forum for Social Entrepreneurship.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://boston.tie.org/page/9/forse|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926085332/http://boston.tie.org/page/9/forse|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-09-26|title=ForSE 2011 | TiE Boston }}</ref> In November 2013, she participated in the [[World Economic Forum|World Economic Forum's]] 2013 Summit on the Global Agenda in [[Abu Dhabi]], serving on the Global [[Youth Unemployment]] Council.<ref>{{cite web|title=Facebook Post| website=[[Facebook]] |url=https://www.facebook.com/poonam.mathur.ahluwalia?fref=ts|accessdate=2013-11-18}}</ref>

Ahluwalia lived in [[Lexington, MA]] with her husband and two children. She died on October 21, 2019 after suffering from cancer.<ref>{{cite web |title=Obituary: Poonam Ahluwalia: A Vibrant and Inspiring Journey of Caring, Youth Empowerment and Feminist Role Model |url=https://indianewengland.com/2019/10/obituary-poonam-ahluwalia-a-vibrant-and-inspiring-journey-of-caring-youth-empowerment-and-feminist-role-model/ |website=INDIA New England News |accessdate=18 October 2020 |language=en |date=26 October 2019}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110929055254/http://www.yesweb.org/people.htm Yesweb]
* [http://www.edc.org/ Education Development Center]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110727213842/http://www.reworktheworld.org/ Rework the World]
* [http://www.youthtrade.com]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahluwalia, Poonam}}
[[Category:2019 deaths]]
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:Indian humanitarians]]
[[Category:Social entrepreneurs]]
[[Category:Ahluwalia]]

Poonam Ahluwalia - Revision history

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