Global Citizen Prize

Cisco Youth
Leadership Award

Recognizing the World's Most
Inspiring Youth Leaders

About

The Global Citizen Prize: Cisco Youth Leadership Award was established by Cisco and Global Citizen to recognize and lift up a young person positively impacting the world, demonstrate the impact that young people are having on achieving the Global Goals, and accelerate global problem solving.

The Global Citizen Prize: Cisco Youth Leadership Award honors an individual aged 18-30 who has contributed meaningfully towards the goal of ending extreme poverty. The award includes a US$250,000 prize paid to the organization to which the individual contributes.

Thank you for your entries. Finalists will be announced soon.

Criteria

IMPACT

Demonstrated track-record of measurable impact at scale over the last 3-5 years advancing one or more of the Global Goals. 

VISION

Compelling vision and concrete plans for how to extend this work in the next 3-5 years, including how the prize will advance efforts. 

CATALYST

Inspires other young people to have an impact on achieving one or more of the Global Goals.

GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP

Demonstrates the values and embodies the spirit of a Global Citizen and a Global Problem Solver.

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION

Innovates with technology or Internet-based communications to improve efficiency, reach, and magnify impact. 

Join the Movement Changing the World

Cisco Youth Leadership Award Winners

Priya Prakash | 2019 Winner

Priya Prakash is a 28-year-old health care entrepreneur working to ensure every child across India can grow up healthy. 

She is the Founder and CEO of HealthSetGo, an organization integrating technology and health care to empower parents, doctors, schools, and governments to make data-driven decisions to improve the health and lives of children. 

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Wawira Njiru | 2018 Winner

Wawira Njiru is the Founder and Executive Director of Food for Education, an organization working with vulnerable children in Kenyan public schools to improve their lives by providing subsidized, nutritious school lunches. Food for Education has provided over 400,000 school meals, contributing to improved nutrition status, school attendance, and performance.

Her ambition, simplicity of mission, and proof of impact earned Njiru the first-ever Global Citizen Prize: Cisco Youth Leadership Award, awarded at the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, presented and hosted by the Motsepe Foundation, in December 2018.

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About the Partnership

Cisco and Global Citizen are united in the belief that young people around the world are leading the way to create and implement solutions to achieve the Global Goals, and to accelerate global problem solving. That is why we created the Cisco Youth Leadership Award.

Learn More

Everything You Need to Know About the Cisco Youth Leadership Award and How to Apply

READ MORE >

4 Things the Winner of the First Cisco Youth Leadership Award Has Learned

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Cisco Youth Prize Winner Priya Prakash Shares How The Award Has Allowed Her to Dream Bigger

READ MORE >

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the judging process?

Candidates will be judged against criteria by a group of Global Citizen, Cisco, and independent experts.

Up to 10 semi-finalists will be selected and notified on or around October 15, 2020 to submit 3 letters of recommendation. (Once you apply for the Prize, you should have your letters of recommendation ready for submission.) Supplemental information might also be requested of semi-finalists.

If selected as one of the 10 semi-finalists, you will be judged by a panel of representatives from Global Citizen, Cisco, and esteemed activists and leaders in the international development field.

From the 5-10 semi-finalists, 3 finalists will be selected and notified on or around October 30, 2020. The 3 finalists will move forward to a public vote and final round of judging.

The Prize Winner will remain confidential and announced either at the time of filming, live on stage at the 2020 Global Citizen Prize Ceremony or via broadcast in December 2020. 

When will I find out if I have been selected?

Up to 10 semi-finalists will be notified on or around  October 15, 2020.

The 3 finalists will be notified on or around October 30, 2020.

What documents are required if I am a semi-finalist? Should I prepare them now?

If you are selected as one of the 5-10 semi-finalists you will be contacted on or around  October 15, 2020 to submit 3 letters of recommendation:

3 Letters of endorsement / recommendation

  • A Colleague
  • A Funder or Operational Partner
  • Person you’ve impacted

Once you apply for the Prize, you should have your letters of recommendation ready for submission. Supplemental information might also be requested of semi-finalists. Semi-finalists who are contacted and cannot provide letters of recommendation and supplemental information by the deadline may be removed from further consideration.

If selected as a semi-finalist, you will be provided with instructions on how to submit your letters of recommendation and supplemental information.

 I’m selected as a semi-finalist, who should provide the letter/video of endorsement?

You should provide a letter (or video) of endorsement from each one of the following:

  • A Colleague
  • A Funder or Operational Partner
  • A person you’ve impacted

Letters should have an official letterhead and original signature. Videos should be no more than 3 minutes long.

Endorsements don’t need to be new / given specifically for this prize, but we do ask that they are less than six months old.

If I am selected as the winner, do I have to spend the Prize money in a certain way?

No. Award money is unconditional. However, we do ask applicants for an idea of how they plan to use the money and require the winner to provide quarterly written updates on their organization’s progress for a period of 3 years.

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Terms and Conditions