Global Education Challenge
An estimated 244 million children across the world are deprived of education due to social, economic and cultural factors. (Source: UNESCO)
The Fitch Group x Social Shifters Global Education Challenge is designed to enable young people (18-30 years) to explore, start and grow ideas that support better access to free and high-quality education for all.
Grant funding awards + FREE support to move your idea forward + feature alongside some of the worlds biggest brands!
Our Shared Education Challenge
Access to education is a basic human right enabling upward socio-economic mobility and an escape route from poverty. Yet 244 million children and young people are not in school and an estimated 70% of 10-year-olds are unable to understand simple written text. Education is in crisis. High rates of poverty, exclusion and gender inequality continue to hold millions back from learning.
Moreover, the pandemic further exposed the inequities in education access and quality, whilst violence, armed conflict, disasters and reversal of women’s rights have increased insecurity. It is now time to reimagine education in order to better meet the needs of children and young people everywhere.
Access to education is a basic human right enabling upward socio-economic mobility and an escape route from poverty.
Providing Universal Access to
QUALITY EDUCATION
The Global Education Challenge is looking for innovative ideas, projects and business solutions that support better access to free and high-quality education for all. We are particularly interested in innovative solutions that:
1. Widen access to basic mathematics and literacy skills2. Promote financial inclusion through education3. Deliver education to remote and rural communities4. Eliminate gender disparities in education.
We are looking for lasting solutions that can be delivered on an ever-increasing scale, and which can be replicated in different geographies.
YOUR JOURNEY STARTS HERE!
WHY TAKE PART?
1) LEAD THE CHANGE
Learn from other young leaders and entrepreneurs. Emerge from our program with NEW ideas, confidence and connections.
2) MOVE FORWARD
We support you in developing your submission PLUS offer exclusive follow-on support opportunities to up to x100 eligible project teams.
3) GET FUNDED
Compete for multiple grant awards of up to $10,000 USD to fund work that improves lives, helps communities, and protects the planet!
The Sustainable
Development Goals
To enter the Social Shifters Global Innovation Challenge your idea must contribute to at least one of the United Nations’s Sustainable Development Goals.
The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or Global Goals are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a “shared blueprint” for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.
The Global Education Challenge relates in particular to SDG 4 – Quality Education. You can find more information on SDG 4 (and the global work contributing to it) on the UN’s SDG website.
EDUCATION CHALLENGE
MEET OUR
PREVIOUS WINNERS.
"My friend was denied healthcare due to her marital status and resorted to consuming a dozen emergency contraceptive pills to terminate her pregnancy. Witnessing her pain and suffering shook me to the core. I knew that I had to act and challenge the deep-rooted shame and stigma surrounding sexual and reproductive health."
Priyal Agrawal | 28 | India
Priyal is empowering young people in India to make informed decisions about their bodies, relationships and lives through AI driven sexual health education.
LEARN MORE
"Out of 2,144 Sub-Saharan African languages, 97% are communicated orally and only 13 languages are digitally accessible. Even with the recent growth of artificial intelligence, African languages are still largely excluded online."
Oluwatosin SHONA Olalere | 24 | nigeria
Shona works to bridge the digital divide across native African languages, empowering millions of Africans by enabling speech-to-text narration in many indigenous languages.
LEARN MORE
"After the first term, I was shocked to learn that a staggering 70% of high school science students had dropped out. Investigating further, I discovered a pattern - the teaching methods were formal, dry, and inaccessible to many students."
John Onuigbo | 23 | NIGERIA
John is driving innovation in science education through the development of a 3D virtual science laboratory application for use in Nigerian schools
LEARN MORE
Your Challenge Journey
From 1st May
Register early for GIC24 to access our program EXTRAS!
MAY 27TH
Submissions Open
JUNE 4TH
Submission Support Programme Starts
WED JULY 31ST
Submissions Close (11pm UTC)
AUG 13TH
Exclusive Follow-on Project Support Starts (x100 spots available)
SEPT 16TH
Submission Scoring Begins
SEPT 29TH
Submission Scoring Ends
OCT 21ST
Finalists 1-2-1 Pitch Coaching Begins
NOVEMBER 18TH
FINALS! Pitching Begins
DECEMBER 8TH
Winning Projects Announced
IS SOCIAL SHIFTERS FOR ME?
Social Shifters Global Innovation Challenge is designed to support young people (18-30 years), from anywhere in the world, who want to take action on the social and environmental issues that impact them and their community.
Our programme and support is specially designed for young people with an idea or project at a very early stage in it’s development. However we welcome social entrepreneurs and businesses at a more advanced stage of their start up journey i.e. already delivering services, products or activity with social or environmental impact.
Thanks to our incredible sponsors, the Global Innovation Challenge program is 100% FREE to participants!
You and your project team will be supported during the submission process, access to live networking sessions, 1-2-1 coaching offered to all finalist projects PLUS (once you’ve applied) we open up more exclusive opportunities to move you and your idea forward.
The highest scoring projects will pitch for one of multiple grant funding awards of up to $10,000 US!
Thanks to the continued support of Fitch Group and their incredible employee volunteers, Social Shifters work to find and fund the best youth-led innovation from around the world that supports better access to a high quality of education for all.
ABOUT SOCIAL SHIFTERS
We exist to help the next generation of leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs to make a difference in the world.
We operate on a non-profit basis, providing engaging learning experiences, practical mentoring, and a global community of support to move you, and your ideas, forward.
We’re here to help you to get your idea, project or venture off the ground, and to connect you with Shifters in every corner of the planet!
