Farmer Lifeline Tech Ltd.
Esther KimaniKenya | FarmerLifeline is an agri-tech company assisting smallholder farmers across Africa with AI-driven, solar-powered devices that monitor crop health in real-time. The initiative empowers…
YGC Project
Each year, the Global Solutions Initiative recognizes exceptional projects and initiatives led by young individuals (ages 18-35) from around the globe. These initiatives focus on fostering a better alignment—or “recoupling”—of economic prosperity with environmental sustainability and the needs of societies and communities. We seek innovative and original approaches that address overlooked or neglected issues. Projects must adopt a people-centered approach and can include both social enterprises and nonprofit activities.
Below, we present 53 outstanding individuals selected as our 2025 Young Global Changers for their initiatives.
From this group, 15 Finalists have been chosen to showcase their work at the upcoming Global Solutions Summit in Berlin (they are listed first).
2025 YGC Projects
Reimagine Business
Business and commercial activities can drive economic growth, provide employment opportunities, and spark innovation. At the same time, many current business practices lead to excessive waste production, contribute to the depletion of natural resources, exacerbate climate degradation, and perpetuate poor working conditions. These businesses actively and uniquely align their business activities with social and environmental prosperity.
myStash
Christiana OkereNigeria | Over 90% of all employment in Nigeria is informal. These informal workers are not enrolled in the National Pension scheme, hence, they have no pension benefits and are unable to…
YGC Project
EcoCiclo
Patricia ZanellaBrazil | EcoCiclo was founded by three Black women from Brazilian favelas, brought together by an entrepreneurship program to address the urgent lack of access to menstrual products in underserved…
YGC Project
SOS Biotech
Elena Martínez MartínezSpain/Dominican Republic | SOS Biotech, based in the Dominican Republic, aims to repurpose invasive seaweed into sustainable products. Through circular economy principles, they convert harvested seaweed…
YGC Project
Lalakbayin Ecoventures
Mark Joseph LacesteThe Philippines | Lalakbayin Ecoventures, founded in Palawan, the Philippines, is an ecotourism and environmental consultancy initiative dedicated to empowering coastal communities through marine…
YGC Project
Reimagine Social & Climate Action
Many individuals, and disadvantaged groups around the world face significant challenges in accessing basic services like healthcare, food, housing, or education. At the same time environmental crises like climate change, environmental pollution and biodiversity loss are accelerating - threatening our natural environment and exacerbating social imbalances. These projects directly support societies impacted by systemic inequities or climate degradation.
Planet Indonesia
Adam MillerIndonesia | Planet Indonesia empowers communities to lead locally-driven solutions to the climate and biodiversity crises by establishing local governance bodies, securing tenurial rights, and…
YGC Project
Safiya Speaks Up
Allison ChoongMalaysia | Safiya Speaks Up is an impactful children’s book, mentor’s guide, and educational initiative aimed at addressing sexual violence and raising trauma awareness for young girls.…
YGC Project
Bees and Trees Uganda
Stephen Bright SakwaUganda | Bees and Trees envisions communities living in harmony with nature. Recognizing that agriculture is one of the biggest drivers of deforestation, landslides, soil degradation and…
YGC Project
We Are Special Foundation
Shamsiyyah UmarNigeria | According to the World Bank, 15% of the global population experiences some form of disability, with higher prevalence in developing countries. In Nigeria, nearly 25 million…
YGC Project
Careleavers Inner Circle (CLiC) Forum
Anisha SharmaIndia | Careleavers Inner Circle Forum (CLiC) is a social initiative working to support care leavers – individuals transitioning from institutional care to society at large. Girish and Anisha…
YGC Project
Reimagine Civic Engagment
Around the world, citizens’ trust in government, administration, and public institutions is declining - populism and nationalism are on the rise. At the same time, we are witnessing a lack of transparency and accountability for decision makers and a lack of opportunities for citizens and civil society to engage and participate actively in important decisions that affect their lives. These projects are directly supporting the powershifting towards citizens to engage in the civic space.
Run For It
Edward KrutschAustralia | Run For It is a movement of young people working to rebuild their democracy and create a better kind of politics for future generations. They do this by resourcing, training and…
YGC Project
Delibera Brasil
Thaís ZschieschangBrazil | Delibera Brasil has conducted 17 Citizens‘ Assemblies across nine states and ten municipalities in four regions of Brazil. They have partnered with public authorities to co-organize…
YGC Project
Promise Tracker NG
Abiola DurodolaNigeria | Promise Tracker NG aims to enhance civic space by providing citizens with the tools and information they need to hold elected officials accountable and make informed decisions when…
YGC Project
The Footpath School
Mohammed Sohail ZulfiqarIndia | The Footpath School provides holistic education to children from disadvantaged backgrounds, aiming to break cycles of poverty, ignorance, and marginalization. Starting with lessons on…
YGC Project
Mi Voz, Mi Región
Maria Fernanda De la HozColombia | Mi Voz, Mi Región was created to address the underrepresentation of marginalized communities in Colombia, such as Indigenous peoples, Afro-Colombians, LGBTQ+ individuals, victims of…
YGC Project
Meet the Semi-finalists of the 2025 Cohort
Reimagine Business
Business and commercial activities can drive economic growth, provide employment opportunities, and spark innovation. At the same time, many current business practices lead to excessive waste production, contribute to the depletion of natural resources, exacerbate climate degradation, and perpetuate poor working conditions. These businesses actively and uniquely align their business activities with social and environmental prosperity.
WiseCool
Jean Blaise SekaCameroon | WiseCool is addressing the challenge of limited healthcare access in the Etoug-Ebe community by providing sustainable, solar-powered cold storage units that extend the shelf life of…
YGC Project
Mawejje Creations
Dimma Muhammed MawejjeMawejje Creations is an eco-social enterprise aiming to revolutionize the fashion industry. Driven by a commitment to addressing the challenges of fast fashion and climate change their approach involves…
YGC Project
SafeSip
Faith KuyaSafeSip provides affordable and portable water-filters to combat waterborne diseases and improve access to safe drinking water in rural Tanzania. Each straw features a three-stage filter that removes…
YGC Project
3D-Vision
Akhona MtoganaDriven by the founders own expereince of requiring prescription glasses and the financial challenges they pose, 3D-Vision began with the goal of making quality eye care affordable and accessible for everyone,…
YGC Project
VIOLA
Laura De DilectisVIOLA offers support via a phone-application to make our communities safer – especially for women. The project is not solely about individual safety, but focuses on community-building to make the streets…
YGC Project
Happy Cheeks
Mahoro DianeHappy cheeks was born from the founder’s personal experience as a refugee mother who was once unable to afford a diaper for their child. Today, Happy cheeks is providing affordable, eco-friendly diapers…
YGC Project
Chuliv
Anup PaikarayChuliv is the world’s first heat-powered air blower designed to optimize the efficiency of traditional mud stoves used by over two billion people worldwide. With approximately three million deaths each…
YGC Project
Ukuzola - Solidairty Coliving for Impact Entrepreneurs
Vivianne BondomaUkuzola is a coliving and coworking initiative dedicated to empowering young social and environmental entrepreneurs in the Global South. To combat the high failure rate of startups due to financial constraints,…
YGC Project
Live Love Recycle
Mathias CharlesIn 2015 Lebanon experienced a serious waste crisis. Due to a failing state and inactive public authorities, the waste piled up in the streets for months. The mission of Live Love Recycle is to make…
YGC Project
Telemedan
Abakar MahamatTelemedan is an innovative health project launched in 2021 to improve healthcare access in remote and underserved regions of Chad. With only 2,000 doctors for 17 million people,…
YGC Project
Banoo
Fajar Sidik Abdullah KelanaBanoo developed Mycrofish, a low-energy oxygen generator designed to increase oxygen in aquaculture ponds. Mycrofish has been adopted by over 1,000 fish and shrimp farmers, improving yields by an…
YGC Project
Reimagine Social & Climate Action
Many individuals, and disadvantaged groups around the world face significant challenges in accessing basic services like healthcare, food, housing, or education. At the same time environmental crises like climate change, environmental pollution and biodiversity loss are accelerating - threatening our natural environment and exacerbating social imbalances. These projects directly support societies impacted by systemic inequities or climate degradation.
DRIP
Saater AondofaHydro Innovative Solutions delivers safe and accessible drinking water to underserved communities through “Drip”, a solar-powered UF and UV filtration system. This eco-friendly solution improves health,…
YGC Project
A Sustainable Future
Carolyn HeA Sustainable Future (ASF) is a global initiative led by 18-year-old Carolyn that empowers students to reduce academic printing while fostering eco-activism. Through its Paper Consumption Model and hands-on…
YGC Project
Code Green Afg
Muzhda AkbariCodeGreenAfg is a youth-led initiative founded by 19-year old Muzhda Akbari to advocate for girls’ rights to education in Afghanistan. Inspired by Muzhda’s own experiences as an Afghan refugee, it…
YGC Project
TeamUpcyclers
Jennifer ObiorahTeamUpcyclers is a social enterprise dedicated to ending period poverty and tackling textile waste. They provide eco-friendly reusable sanitary pads to marginalized communities, particularly women in…
YGC Project
Madat Community
Maryam JamaliMadat Community is a female- and indigenous-led collective addressing climate resilience and social equity in Pakistan’s marginalized communities. Born from the 2022 megafloods, it delivers…
YGC Project
Haciendo Eco
Carol Thaís CarnicelliHaciendo Eco is an initiative educating Guatemalans on waste management, composting, and reducing non-recyclable materials to create an informed, responsible population. It empowers communities, the education…
YGC Project
Rôbalôtô
Aymane Adiho GdamabassiRôbalôtô is a pioneering initiative with the mission to transform plastic waste management in Africa through innovative digital and educational solutions. The project began in response to the widespread…
YGC Project
Street to School Initiative
Oluwademilade AdelajeProviding education through technology in underserved communities remains a challenge. Barriers include: unreliable power supply, limited internet access, widespread illiteracy, and limited devices. Street…
YGC Project
The Climate Stories Initiative
Lina PfeifferThe Climate Stories Initiative is a platform for climate education, awareness, and civic empowerment. It started as a map-based crowdsourcing project for documenting climate impacts in Berlin-Brandenburg.…
YGC Project
AILEM
Abobakar Sediq MiakhelAILEM is a registered NGO based in Brussels, providing language education made by and for refugees and asylum seekers. AILEM has cretaed an award-winning learning-app that aims to provide language education…
YGC Project
Reimagine Civic Engagement
Around the world, citizens’ trust in government, administration, and public institutions is declining - populism and nationalism are on the rise. At the same time, we are witnessing a lack of transparency and accountability for decision makers and a lack of opportunities for citizens and civil society to engage and participate actively in important decisions that affect their lives. These projects are directly supporting the powershifting towards citizens to engage in the civic space.
Movidade
Baptiste GomesMovidade was founded in 2016. The initiative empowers vulnerable Brazilian youth to achieve financial independence and social inclusion through workforce integration, financial literacy, and…
YGC Project
Carbonitor
Yik Wai CheeCarbonitor is an open-source citizen monitoring system aimed at preventing corruption in carbon offset projects across Indonesia and ASEAN countries. By empowering citizens—students, researchers, journalists,…
YGC Project
Fund4Participation
Jorge ValderrabanoFund4Participation (F4P) empowers youth, women, and civil society groups to actively engage in international policymaking processes. By providing guidance on securing funding and building advocacy skills, F4P fosters…
YGC Project
Humans for Good
Georgia MarshallHumans For Good (HFG) is a community for purpose-driven people who want to turn their good intentions into impact. The platform helps changemakers to make a difference by connecting them with conversations,…
YGC Project
Instituto Decodifica
Thiago NascimentoInstituto Decodifica is a social innovation lab dedicated to amplifying the voices of Brazil’s favelas through citizen-generated data. By equipping marginalized communities with tools to collect and…
YGC Project
Centre for Voters Initiative & Action
Samad QuraishiThe Centre for Voters Initiative & Action is a student-led global nonprofit dedicated to educating, engaging, and empowering youth for inclusive civic participation. By advocating for and…
YGC Project
On My Way!
Victoire MandonnaudOn My Way is an SDG-based real-time grantmaking and immediate action tool designed to facilitate civic engagement by empowering individuals to take impactful actions. Launched to address gaps in funding…
YGC Project
Youth Lead
Damilola BabatundeYouth Lead, launched in 2019, empowers marginalized Nigerian youth to address civic repression, disengagement, and lack of accountability. As the first youth-driven incubator for social enterprises,…
YGC Project
Artvocacy
James OkewuARTvocacy’s “Civic Canvas Project” aims to create murals (large wall paintings) in Nigerian communities to address civic education gaps and promote democratic engagement. ARTvocacy was born from…
YGC Project
Civic Voices
Allan OkothCivic Voices redefines civic engagement through a digital platform that empowers citizens to shape policies and advocate for their communities. By enabling users to review, comment on, and vote on proposed…
YGC Project
Honorable Mentions of the 2025 Cohort
Second Chances for Convicts and Former Prisoners
Johana BahomónFundacion Accion Interna creates opportunities for former prison inmates by connecting them to life-sustaining employment or strengthening their existing enterprises. The initiative trains beneficiaries…
YGC Project
Sun’s Girls Organization
Frohar HamidiSun’s Girls Organization founded to empower women in Afghanistan through non-formal online and underground education. Established in response to the severe restrictions imposed on female education in…
YGC Project
Lighten Dementia
Ka Chun YauLighten Dementia is a social venture that creates cognitive gaming experience for the elderly with dementia. They offer fun, interactive, and localized cognitive training games for individual dementia…
YGC Project
Handstree
Lia IvolhinaThe full-scale invasion in Ukraine led to an increase in mistrust and to hesitation to fund by major sponsors of charities and nonprofits bringing relief to Ukrainians. Handstree aims to address this…
YGC Project
Democracy in Action: Empowering a Generation with Politize!
Gabriel MarmentiniPolitize! was founded in 2015 to tackle one of the Brazil’s greatest challenges: the lack of civic readiness and interest in democracy. The aim is to keep the public informed about politics…
YGC Project
The Trespass Project
Cayden BrownThe Trespass Project, founded by 17 yr old Cayden Brown, is a US-based nonprofit justice network that is leveraging technology to help young people understand their nations’ legal systems. The…
YGC Project
Food for Life
Pavlo DobrovolskyiThe Food for Life project, in partnership with the World Food Programme and CO “100% LIFE” aims to provide food kits to vulnerable population groups in Ukraine and specialized institutions that provide…
YGC Project
Interested in attending the YGC Recoupling Awards? Contact [email protected] to learn more on how to attend.