The 2024 prizewinners | Leadership for Change Prize | The Economist Educational Foundation

The Leadership for Change Prize offered students the chance to submit their "Projects for Change" as part of a global competition between September 20th and November 20th 2024. Three winning entries were selected by a panel of judges and there were a total of three prizes to be won, included funding and mentorship to turn students' projects into a reality.

The quality of the competition entries was outstanding and we were thrilled to see students apply the skills they'd developed through the Leadership for Change curriculum to address challenges in their own communities. In total, we received:

356

entries
23

countries
6

continents

Meet the winners

Alimosho Senior Grammar School, Nigeria

Students at Alimosho Senior Grammar School identified problems with period poverty and misconceptions about female health that affect their school community. They plan to make period products available in school and hire a health counsellor to help tackle misconceptions around female health.

Our judges admired the "energy and passion" of the pitch and acknowledged the immediate impact the project would have on their fellow students.

"An impressive video submission that clearly identifies a real problem, its consequences, and the potential benefits of solving it in a school of 900 girls."
– Tom Standage, Deputy Editor, The Economist

Michaelhouse, South Africa

Students from Michaelhouse designed a project to help households grow food without using soil. Through the Michaelhouse Community Partnership Trust, the boys aim to test and trial their customised hydroponic water system which uses recycled, nutrient-rich water as a substitute for soil.

Our judges selected the students’ work for their creative solution which "was entrepreneurial in spirit and design."

"If successful, the solution would be self-sustaining and could be deployed widely, and so have a lasting impact on food provision."
– Luke Bradley-Jones, President, The Economist Group.

United Public School and College, Bangladesh

Sababa and Jim are concerned about the safety of women and girls in their community, particularly when they may have to travel alone in rural areas.

Their "Project for Change" equips students with self-defence skills to give girls agency and confidence, and to improve their wellbeing.

"The focus on empowerment of girls is compelling [...] given the injustice addressed by the project and the laudable acknowledgment of the need for program evaluation and stage-gating, this is an effort worth supporting."
– Vijay Vaitheeswaran, Global Energy & Climate Innovation Editor, The Economist.

Download pitch (PDF)

The judges

Luke Bradley-Jones

Managing Director of The Economist Group
Tom Standage

Deputy Editor, The Economist and editor of The World Ahead
Georgia Banjo

UK health correspondent at The Economist
Vijay Vaitheeswaran

Global Energy & Climate Innovation Editor of The Economist