UNICEF has partnered with Cartedo to empower youth across Africa through the UNICEF COVID-19 challenge 2020 to solve a series of worldwide grand challenges and impact communities positively while developing skills in the youths across Africa that will help them get employed. This challenge gives youth a way to explore how UNICEF might empower communities and people to become more resilient to the pandemic.
COVID-19 is a challenge which is faced by us all as we deal with the new normal of lockdowns and social distancing. Misinformation and fake news increase the panic of people. However, the hard realities like loss of income, stalled education, food shortages, job insecurity and lack of clean water, forces us to explore alternative ways to cope. Although we cannot always prevent such impacts, the solutions provided from the UNICEF COVID-19 Challenge 2020 can help us deal with this pandemic better.
About the UNICEF/Cartedo COVID-19 Challenge 2020
UNICEF believes that youths have unique perspectives on these COVID-19 challenges we face as a people and as such should be given the chance to become providers of knowledge. With the UNICEF COVID-19 Challenge 2020, this is an opportunity for youths all across Africa to make their voices and opinions heard on how we can be more pandemic-resilient. This challenge opened on the 13th of May, 2020 and entries are now been taken in until the deadline day which is set for 30th of June, 2020. Hence, African youths are encouraged to apply for this challenge in winning the battle against COVID-19.
Applicants are to use a human-centred approach to highlight how COVID-19 challenges impact people in various ways by defining these challenges from a human-centred perspective and develop innovative solutions to these challenges. Tools and techniques provided by UNICEF will help the multiple ideas generated by the entries to solve these challenges and prototype solutions to share with people all across the globe.
Rewards and Benefits of the Program
In participating in the UNICEF/Cartedo COVID-19 Challenge 2020, you get certified in design innovation as you develop products, services and solutions to the challenges faced by people like income insecurity, misinformation and trust, depression and stalled learning. Every applicant who completes this challenge will receive a certificate of participation from UNICEF as it acknowledges your positive contribution in the fight against COVID-19. The other rewards and benefits of the UNICEF COVID-19 Challenge are;
- Participants stand the chance of getting 250 USD om a weekly basis awarded by the GoodWall online community for the most impactful ideas.
- Access to mentorship programs including NITDA which will provide 2 slots of mentorship for the COVID-19 challenge winners in Nigeria. The mentorship will consist of 8 different direct interactions with NITDA, consisting of 30 minutes.
Basically, besides providing solutions to help win this battle against the pandemic, COVID-19, youths also have the opportunity to claim the rewards mentioned above. Visit the online platform for more details on the Rewards and benefits.
Application Process and Eligibility Requirements for the Challenge
To apply for the UNICEF COVID-19 Challenge 2020, open this link to register an account.
- Proceed to fill in the appropriate information in the necessary fields
- Click on “Create Account”
Edit and Submit your idea and solution on tackling the pandemic in order for your application to be visible on the online platform. Before proceed to apply, there are certain eligibility requirements that must be met. These requirements are as follows;
- Applicants must be at least 14 years of age.
- Applicants should be a citizen of an African country.
Generally, if you identify as African youth, you are above the minimum age required and you have innovative ideas to solve real challenges posed by the pandemic, COVID-19, which is faced by people all around the world, this is your opportunity to be heard and get rewarded for your positive contribution to the fight against this pandemic