Aspire Institute facilitates the Community Action Awards (CAA) to support young change makers in making a positive impact in their communities. Alumni who complete all five stages of the Aspire Leaders Program have the opportunity to pitch their social impact project for a chance to win up to $10,000 in seed funding.
After 117 expressed interest and 32 alumni from 2022 were invited to submit a proposal, 18 gave a three minute pitch to a panel of entrepreneurs over two days this January.
Ten projects from nine different countries have won the award and will start their project with the support of these funds. Stay tuned for more information on these alumni and their social impact journey in the “Alumni Stories” section on our website and in future newsletters.
Akbar Kurniawan | Indonesia – The Mula Sasmita Project, a social initiative that seeks to improve accommodations for deaf people and access to public services through developing sign language capacity among health care service providers and raising awareness among the general public.
Samuel Niyokwiringirwa | Rwanda – Post-Harvest Handling for Crops in Batima Village, a project to assist local farmers address post-harvest losses with the introduction of a tool called the Zero Energy Cooling Chamber (ZECC) and training on other techniques to increase crop yield at low costs.
Andrew Marvin Kanyike | Uganda – Community Health Workers’ Based Awareness, Screening, and Early Detection of Hypertension in Uganda, a project to increase early detection and diagnosis of hypertension by increasing awareness and screening as well as providing health education in Jinja district, Mafubira sub country, Bugembe parish in Eastern Uganda.
Kasim Ibrahim | Ghana – Solarriga, a solar irrigation systems project for medium scale farmers in northern Ghana. The team will partner with Hopelux Engineering Solutions to provide a system that provides solar energy to supply water to farmlands in order to increase food supply and provide decent work and economic growth.
Niza Zulu | Zambia – The Market Biogas Empowerment, a project that will educate communities in Lusaka about the utilization of Biogas, a form of renewable energy that is typically created by the breakdown of organic materials such as food waste. This project aims to raise awareness about the benefits of Biogas and fighting climate change.
Rohit Kushwaha | India – A program enabling youth with disabilities to live financially independent lives through vocational skill building and placement support creation through the development of a skill development center in Ghaziabad City, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Alejandro Ortiz | Colombia – Aurora App, a mobile application and digital ecosystem that creates safe spaces for women to reduce violence against women in Bogotá, Colombia and raise awareness about women’s rights.
Diana Citlali Avila Padilla | Mexico – SisterSTEAM, a sorority for women, or those who identify as women, currently studying in STEAM bachelor’s programs or in their final years of High School. The aim is to boost STEAM careers and support among this population.
Seyma Kara | Turkey – EaseTogether, a digital platform of modules and tools providing an academic and scientific approach to community initiatives. It will connect NGOs and their leadership so that their projects are more evidence-based, sustainable, qualified, and scientific.
Michelle Nagawa | Uganda – Increasing Youth Involvement in Urban Participatory Planning and Development in Katanga Slum Community, a project to identify and mobilize local youth ambassadors with necessary professional skills to educate local communities on the role and purpose of collective planning in creating sustainable and inclusive communities.
