Turning Failures into Purpose
In a world that often punishes failure, especially among youth, this powerful session seeks to flip the narrative showing how missteps, setbacks, and heartbreaks can become catalysts for purpose-driven leadership. Hosted in partnership with the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation and moderated by Hari Natarajan of UNDP India, the conversation features four exceptional RMAF Emergent Leadership awardees whose stories transcend conventional definitions of success.
Speakers Farwiza Farhan, Chung To, Gary Bencheghib, and Ravi Kannan R. share deeply personal accounts of resilience. From Gary’s plastic-filled beaches in Bali to Chung’s relentless support of HIV-affected orphans in rural China, the stories reveal how persistence, inner healing, and community support can transform individual failures into collective hope. Each speaker opens up not just about their work, but the emotional toll and invisible wounds that often go unseen behind “hero” narratives.
The session isn’t just a storytelling platform – it’s a safe space to reframe failure as fuel for transformation. With reflections from both young changemakers and veteran mentors, the conversation emphasizes the need to celebrate effort, authenticity, and the long road to meaningful impact. Attendees walk away with not only inspiration but also an urgent call to rewire how we think about setbacks and the people brave enough to rise from them.
