SDG Innovation Challenge in Africa

Designed as a virtual, pan-African collaboration space, the SDG Innovation Challenge is a powerhouse for young Africans (18-35 years) to develop cross-boundary, sustainable solutions to grassroots challenges in order to further the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from the grassroots level up. Since 2020, this challenge has called upon participants to employ creativity, collaboration, and complex thinking to tackle problems measurably and systematically.

Innovation is a force that sets the engine of sustainable development running, uncovering initiatives that build resilience, contribute to more equitable resource distribution, further inclusion, alleviate environmental stress, and so on! Moreover, they emphasize collaboration and partnerships, in alignment with SDG 17 (Partnerships For The Goals), as a central axis around which the efforts are oriented!

With this background, they present the SDG Innovation Challenge 2023, which builds upon its precedents to create a bigger space for expanded outreach and broader horizons! Coinciding with the Global Goals Week (15 -23 September) the SDG Innovation Challenge 2023 supports the annual week of action, awareness, and accountability for the Sustainable Development Goals, promising to join hands with over 150 global partners to mobilize, demanding urgency to turn it around for the global goals and supercharge solutions for people and the planet.

Theme: Mobilizing African Youth for Sustainable Impact.

Goals

Under the theme Mobilizing the African Youth for Sustainable Impact, the SDG Innovation Challenge 2023 converges young talent with three primary goals:

• To trigger fresh thinking by connecting innovators from diverse backgrounds and sectors.
• To develop practical, impact-oriented solution ideas through cross-boundary collaboration.
• To ignite transformative action towards sustainable development and improved livelihoods of communities across Africa.

Key Themes/Focus Areas

• Energy & Carbon Reduction
• Health & Wellbeing
• Food & Nutrition (Agriculture)
• Education
• Water & Sanitation

What they seek?

• The SDG Innovation Challenge is open to participation from young people across Africa. Do you want to work across domains and gain insights into the brightest minds tackling sustainable development from the grassroots level up? Here is an opportunity for young, pan-African social innovators and entrepreneurs to change the world, one idea at a time!
• All project ideas should:
  • Have a connection to the overarching theme: Mobilizing African Youth for Sustainable Impact
  • Be able to connect to one or more key themes
  • Contribute to change of mindset and behavior in their community
  • Contribute to a more inclusive society
  • Must demonstrate Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), Changing Mindsets & Behaviour, Employment, Digital Transformation, Partnerships and Collaborations.

Why Participate?

• The SDG Innovation Challenge is where motivated young people from across the African continent come together to co-develop practical innovations that further sustainable development of their local communities.
• There are numerous reasons to participate; here are a few of them:
  • Access to an unorthodox, dynamic, and diverse platform of youth activists, organizations, and legislators – Tap into a conducive online space to converge around practical SDG solutions!
  • A much-needed opportunity to visualize and implement the SDGs at the grassroots level – Participate in the making of the future and jumpstart your involvement in the sustainable development agenda as an active, passionate global citizen.
  • Immense networking potential – Build connections, and be part of a community of practice around eco-systemic, collaborative solutions.
  • A space to exercise your global citizenship muscle – Sharpen and hone skills in leadership, innovation, cross-sector collaboration, analytic thinking, interpersonal communication, intercultural communication, and allied areas.
  • Sourcing diversity of thought, background, and sector – Collaborate with people from many different domains, including engineering, design, civic policy, social justice reform, project management, finance, education, and many others.

Criteria

• Share a passion, drive, and commitment to improving livelihoods in your community and beyond
• Have a genuine interest in sustainable development and a desire to contribute to advancing the SDGs in your community and beyond
• Possess the motivation to engage pro-actively throughout the event
• Be able to work in an interdisciplinary team from different domains and geographies
• Have the motivation to extensively ideate throughout the SDG Innovation Challenge and work in an agile hackathon-like environment
• Be committed to taking the idea to completion and remain engaged with the cause after the SDG Innovation Challenge.

For more information, visit SDG Innovation Challenge.