The World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community has announced 12 groundbreaking projects as winners of its 2025 Innovation Prize, showcasing youth-led solutions to critical global challenges. The initiative, supported by Accenture and the Global Alliance for YOUth, demonstrates the power of local innovation in addressing worldwide issues.
From Nigeria to India, these projects exemplify how young leaders are creating practical solutions to pressing challenges in their communities. Selected from among 10,000 young leaders across 500 city-based hubs globally, each winning project receives funding, mentorship, and access to the Forum’s global platform.
In Nigeria’s capital, the Abuja Hub transforms plastic waste into educational opportunities through their “Recycle for Education” program. By collecting over 2,000 kg of plastic bottles, they fund scholarships for displaced children in the New Kuchingoro IDP camp.
“In a country like Nigeria, where millions of children are out of school and plastic waste pollutes our streets, this prize is a powerful reminder that homegrown solutions matter,” says Ifeanyi Chukwudi, Curator, Abuja Hub. “Recycle for Education is our way of turning two crises into one opportunity: using the waste choking our communities to fund the education that can transform them.”
Brazil’s Brasilia Hub addresses energy inequality through “Solar Cerrado,” which has generated over 300 MWh of clean electricity and trained nearly 100 people in solar technology. “I believe we need to rethink how we design cities and plan development,” says Stefanie Olives. “Solar Cerrado demonstrates that infrastructure can be built from the ground up to meet local needs, combining energy, water, food and climate resilience in one integrated system.”
In Zimbabwe, the Bulawayo Hub tackles food insecurity through aquaponics technology. “When the land can no longer feed us, we must learn to feed ourselves sustainably, intelligently, and together. Aquaponics is not just a system, it’s a lifeline for Bulawayo’s youth and their future,” explains Sijabule Ndlovu, Curator.
The U.S.-based “Shred the Debt” initiative, spanning Oakland, Sacramento, and Chicago, has already cleared $2 million in medical debt. “Fifty per cent of adults in the United States struggle to afford healthcare – leading to a significant burden of medical debt for the most vulnerable communities,” notes Cristina Navaro, Sacramento Hub Curator.
In South Africa, Johannesburg Hub’s female entrepreneurship program aims to impact over 2,000 women nationwide. “This prize means everything to young women like Zinhle. In South Africa, too many women with brilliant ideas are held back not because they lack potential, but because they lack access. We’re changing that,” says Mahlatse Tolamo.
Pakistan’s Peshawar Hub has developed ClimaSynth, an AI-powered climate education platform. “ClimaSynth is important because it empowers vulnerable communities with the climate knowledge they urgently lack,” says Ubaid Allah. “In a city like Peshawar—facing heatwaves, pollution, and climate-driven migration—our AI-powered platform gives students, educators, and small businesses the tools to adapt, act, and build resilience.”
In Nigeria’s Adamawa State, the Yola Hub’s “Read to Rise” program has improved literacy rates by 57% among displaced children. “Read to Rise proves that innovation isn’t always high-tech. Sometimes, it’s a tent, a chalkboard, and a teacher who believes in a child’s future,” reflects Sarah Edgar. “I remember a boy named Obama who once said, ‘I have no dream.’ Months later, he told me, ‘Now I want to be a teacher like you.’ That’s what this work is about—restoring dreams and helping children rise beyond their hardship.”
The Innovation Prize exemplifies the World Economic Forum’s commitment to fostering youth-led solutions that address global challenges through local action and community engagement.
This article is published under the World Economic Forum’s Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License.
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