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SDG Digital GameChangers Award

Category 1: People – Empowering lives and communities

Projects, applications, and policies can utilize the power of digital to empower people and communities, create opportunities, and address social challenges.

Submissions in the People category included:
•    Access to digital tools and information for marginalized communities.
•    Empowering individuals through digital skills training and employment opportunities.
•    Promoting inclusive and equitable access to health care and education through digital technologies.
•    Advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment through digital innovations.
•    Other examples of how digital can improve lives and strengthen livelihoods.

SDG Digital GameChangers Award Category 1: People
Category 1: People

Related SDGs

Goal 1: No Poverty
Goal 2: Zero Hunger
Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being
Goal 4: Quality Education
Goal 5: Gender Equality
Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities
Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Winner
Runner-up
Finalists
Project Name: EquipHer4Growth
Organization: Tech HerFrica, Nigeria
Stakeholder Type: Civil Society

EquipHer4Growth is a holistic programme to break the cycle of poverty for women in rural areas through digital inclusion and e-commerce. The project targets rural women—farmers and traders—and equips them with digital and financial skills to increase productivity, connect with society at large, and improve their income by at least 50% by leveraging an e-commerce solution, herlocalmarket. The aim is to reduce income inequalities, reduce food waste, contribute to poverty eradication, improve food security, and achieve digital equity for all.

Impact: 1300 women farmers and traders in Nigeria trained, 200 farmers and traders equipped with mobile devices, 300 women brough to social commerce
Project Name: Conectadas
Organization: Millicom International Cellular, Luxembourg
Stakeholder Type: Private Sector

The Conectadas digital education and inclusion program aims to train young and adult women, professionals and non-professionals, on the benefits of technology and the internet, its basic, intermediate and advanced uses to help close the digital gender gap. The objective is to support women in acquiring basic internet related and digital skills.

Impact: Since its inception and as of March 31, 2023, more than 808,000 women have been trained throughout the latin American region by the program.
Imagina Si
Chicos.net, Argentina — [Civil Society]
Unified Social Registry
DOST Digital Innovations Center, Azerbaijan — [Government]
Sisters of Code
Sisters of Code, Cambodia — [Academia/ Technical Community]
Biskaabiiyaang: The Indigenous Metaverse
Biskaabiiyaang: The Indigenous Metaverse, Canada — [Private Sector]
SmartTruck Project
Saudi Telecom Company and Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd, China — [Private Sector]
Conectadas (Connected women)
Millicom International Cellular, Luxembourg — [Private Sector]
EquipHer4Growth
Tech Herfrica, Nigeria — [Civil Society]
Next Billion Users
Kistpay Private Limited, Pakistan — [Private Sector]
Internet para Todos in Peru, a mechanism to bridge the connectivity gap
Internet para Todos, Peru — [Private Sector]
Project CloudCT: Leveraging Data Science and Analytics for Inclusive and Citizen-Centric Policymaking
Layertech Software Labs, Inc., Philippines — [Private Sector]
Smart Africa Digital Academy for Youth and Entrepreneurs (SADA for Youth and Entrepreneurs)
Smart Africa, Rwanda — [International Organizations/ UN Agencies]
Elevate – Women Empowerment in AI
Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), Saudi Arabia — [Government]
MOBILE HEROES
Ministry of Digital Transformation, Slovenia — [Government]
ProFuturo Programme
ProFuturo Foundation, Spain — [Private Sector]
The HealthTech Hub Africa (HTHA)
Novartis Foundation, Switzerland — [Private Sector]

Jury members

Photo of Susan Teltscher, candidate

Susan Teltscher

Head of Division, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Photo of Calum Handforth, candidate

Calum Handforth

Digital Programmes Strategic Manager, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Photo of Seema Bansal, candidate

Seema Bansal

Partner & Director, Social Impact, BCG New Delhi
Photo of Maria Prieto, candidate

Maria Prieto

Employment and future of work specialist, International Labour Organization (ILO)