Pijar Foundation Launches Program to Build Careers in Social Impact for Young Talent
- Hilda Halida
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Jakarta, 12 February 2026 – Pijar Foundation officially held the Kick-off Launching of the Impact Leaders Fellowship 2026 at Garuda Sparks Innovation Hub, FX Sudirman, Jakarta. This launch marks the formal start of an intensive three-month fellowship program designed to equip fresh graduates and young professionals with hands-on experience, strategic insights, and cross-sector networks to strengthen leadership capacity in the fields of social impact, philanthropy, and sustainable entrepreneurship.
Impact Leaders Fellowship 2026 adopts a learning format that combines case-based learning, mentorship, and industry immersion experiences. The Kick-Off Launch was attended by more than 100 participants from diverse backgrounds, including community leaders, social organization practitioners, representatives from NGOs and philanthropic organizations, impact entrepreneurs, influencers, and ecosystem enablers committed to driving positive change.
The event opened with an opening speech by Pijar Foundation’s Executive Director, Cazadira Fediva Tamzil, who emphasized the importance of a learning space that is relevant to real challenges in the field. “Impact Leaders Fellowship was born from the belief that entering the workforce does not have to mean leaving behind the values one believes in. A moral compass does not need to be compromised. It needs to be sharpened, tested, and brought into contact with reality,” said Cazadira.
The program also featured a keynote speech by Ferro Ferizka, Special Staff for Innovation and Cooperation at the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs (Kemenko PMK), as well as introductions from several mentors in attendance: Rifki Weno (Executive Director, ASEAN Business Advisory Council), Irfan Prabowo(CEO, Infipop), Devina Mahendriyani (Head of Girls Beyond), and William Sudhana (Builder, Kumpul Leaders).
Impact Leaders Fellowship is a three-month intensive program by Pijar Foundation aimed at preparing young talent to build careers in the social impact sector through applied learning experiences oriented toward real challenges in Indonesia. The program opens with a selection process in February (CV screening, short questions, social impact portfolio, video submission, and interviews), followed by a Problem Framing phase using Harvard-style case studies that explore real crises in Indonesia through a series of live interactive sessions with national figures, industry leaders, and relevant practitioners.
Once a foundation in problem analysis is established, participants take part in offline Industry Immersion—an embedded learning experience in small groups to learn directly from high-level professionals, including company visits, CEO meeting shadowing, capacity-building sessions, and debriefings. The program then concludes with a Board Crisis Simulation, a multi-stakeholder humanitarian crisis simulation in which fellows assume decision-making roles, engage in boardroom-style dynamics, and draft resolution proposals. At the end of the series, participants enter a post-program phase involving graduation and strengthened alumni networking to encourage collaboration and sustainable impact.
The program also includes a one-day crisis simulation in the final phase to train participants in collaboration, negotiation, and decision-making under complex and high-pressure conditions.
Khansa Khalisha, the program initiator and an alumna of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, stated that Impact Leaders Fellowship is specifically designed for fresh graduates seeking direct access to career opportunities in the social impact sector, while also learning from young professionals and experienced leaders in their fields. “We want to create a learning space that is relevant, practical, and able to accelerate the emergence of impactful young leaders,” she said.
Pijar Foundation also invites organizations, industry leaders, and ecosystem-supporting institutions in the social impact space to collaborate as program partners, case study providers, or mentors. This collaboration is expected to enrich fellows’ learning, provide more relevant on-the-ground context, and expand access to professional networks for young leaders pursuing impact-driven careers.