Reconociendo a los jóvenes líderes más inspiradores del mundo

El Premio Global Citizen: Cisco Youth Leadership Award fue creado por Cisco y Global Citizen para reconocer e impulsar a jóvenes que están generando un impacto positivo en el mundo, demostrar cómo las y los jóvenes contribuyen al logro de los Objetivos Globales de las Naciones Unidas y acelerar la resolución de problemas a nivel global.

CONOCE A LA GANADORA 2025

Cisco Youth Leadership

Esther Kimani

CEO & Fundadora | Farmer Lifeline Technologies

Esther Kimani, CEO y fundadora de Farmer Lifeline Technologies, está revolucionando la agricultura en Kenia con soluciones innovadoras de IA. Esther está totalmente comprometida con erradicar el hambre y la pobreza, empoderando a pequeños agricultores con herramientas para proteger sus cosechas y aumentar sus ingresos. Su visión pone un fuerte enfoque en las agricultoras, asegurando que puedan salir adelante incluso frente a un clima impredecible. Ha recibido reconocimientos a nivel mundial, incluyendo el UN FAO Achievement Scroll y el Waislitz Global Citizen Disruptor Award. Esther sigue liderando el camino hacia un futuro sostenible y próspero para las comunidades rurales.

CONOCE MÁS

SELECTION COMMITTEE

Hugh Evans

Hugh Evans, Global Citizen’s CEO and Co-Founder, grew up in Melbourne, Australia, and over the
course of his life has become one of the most recognized leaders in international development.
Over the past decade, Hugh has built a movement of millions of people around the world who
are working to end extreme poverty by 2030, in support of the United Nations Global Goals.
For his efforts, Hugh has been named Young Australian of the Year (2004), featured on Forbes
30 Under 30 (2012), was named as one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in
Business (2014), received the GQ Man of the Year Award for Chivalry (2014), recognized with
the Diamond Ball Award for Humanitarian Work (2018), and was also honored in Town &
Country’s Philanthropy Summit (2021). Hugh has also been honored as Billboard magazine’s
Humanitarian of the Year (2015), his life story was profiled in 2017 in a CNBC special titled, The
Brave Ones, and Global Citizen, currently owns two Guinness Book of World Records, has won
multiple Webby awards, and was named to Fast Company’s Most Innovative Businesses in
2021. He has spoken at major international forums including the World Economic Forum, Cannes
Lions, SXSW, CES and more.

Fran Katsoudas

As Executive Vice President and Chief People, Policy & Purpose Officer at Cisco, Francine Katsoudas brings together people and technology to drive positive impact for the company and global communities. Her work advances Cisco's Purpose to Power an Inclusive Future for All, and her leadership on critical policy and social issues has forged strategic public-private partnerships addressing some of the world's most pressing concerns.

In her role at Cisco, Fran leads a global team spanning People & Communities, Sustainability, Social Impact & Inclusion, Government Affairs & Policy, Workplace Resources, and Cisco's Digital Impact Office - all on a mission to put Cisco's Purpose into practice while driving growth for Cisco's business, people, and communities. During her 29 years at the company, Fran has led large-scale organizational transformations, cultivated new generations of leaders, and stewarded Cisco's renowned employee-first conscious culture.

Fran has supported underrepresented groups since her youth, and today focuses her advocacy on women's leadership, homeless youth, and narrowing the digital divide. Fran is also Cisco's executive country sponsor for Mexico, Poland, South Africa, and India. She has been recognized on the Forbes and Know Your Value 50 Over 50 list, honoring female leaders and entrepreneurs who are breaking new ground. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for ADP and for Global Citizen as Co-Chair. A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, Fran lives in the Bay Area with her husband and two children.

Ricardo Alba

Ricardo is an environmental engineer from Bogotá, Colombia, and the Co-Founder and CEO of the social enterprise Eko Group H2O+. Through this company, he provides environmentally sustainable technologies to address global water access issues. His expertise has sensitized over 150 communities, with 15000 active users benefiting from the 350 Ekomuros H2O+ tanks installed across Colombia and LATAM, ultimately reaching over 85,000 indirect beneficiaries. In 2023, Eko Group H2O+ was honored for the second time  as the national winner of the prestigious Energy Globe Sustainability Award, receiving support from renowned institutions such as the Royal Academy of Engineering in London and the organization One Young World. Ricardo's commitment to environmental sustainability and social impact underscores his powerful leadership in tackling one of the world's most pressing challenges. Ricardo’s parents are his biggest inspiration. “Since we were young our parents taught us to love and care for the planet Earth. Our mother, being a Natural Science teacher, gave us a love for this knowledge. Our father, an architect, inspired us to work on sustainable eco-efficient projects.”

Phumzile Mlambo- Ngcuka

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is former United Nations Under- Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women. She was awarded a doctorate in Technology andEducation from Warwick University. She has authored several scholarly and other opinion pieces. A Hauser Leader at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Center for Public Leadership.She became a Member of Parliament, Deputy Minister of Department of Trade and Industry, Minister of Minerals and Energy, and finally as Deputy President of South Africa in 2005 to 2008, Dr. Mlambo-Ngcuka worked tirelessly on programmes and policies to reduce inequality. As the head of the UNwomen, she has been a global advocate for women and girls. She established initiatives such as the HeForShe for men and boys to address gender Equality.She also successfully mobilized an historic $40 billion USD   for women and girls around the world. She is a founder and leader of Umlambo Foundation which is dedicated to improvement of education and digital literacy training for educators.

Gargee Ghosh

Gargee Ghosh leads the foundation’s work in international political and economic affairs, overseeing relationships with governments, intergovernmental organizations, advocates, and philanthropic partners worldwide. Her role includes overseeing the foundation’s offices in Washington, D.C., Europe, and China.
Gargee holds graduate degrees in economics and international relations from Oxford University and Georgetown University, respectively, and an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Victoria. Her career has spanned the public and private sectors, from the United Nations to McKinsey &Co., the Center for Global Development, and Google. She traces her interest in international development to her family’s roots in West Bengal, India.

Gargee lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband, two active children, and one lazy rescue dog.

Sobre la asociación

Cisco y Global Citizen comparten la creencia de que la juventud en todo el mundo está liderando el camino en la creación y aplicación de soluciones para alcanzar los Objetivos Globales y acelerar la resolución de problemas globales. Por eso creamos el Cisco Youth Leadership Award.

GANADORES ANTERIORES

GANADOR 2024

Ricardo Enrique Alba Torres

Ricardo es ingeniero ambiental de Bogotá, Colombia, y cofundador y CEO de la empresa social Eko Group H2O+. A través de esta compañía, brinda tecnologías sustentables para abordar los problemas de acceso al agua a nivel global. Su experiencia ha sensibilizado a más de 150 comunidades, con 15,000 usuarios activos que se benefician de los 350 tanques Ekomuros H2O+ instalados en Colombia y Latinoamérica, impactando a más de 85,000 beneficiarios indirectos. En 2023, Eko Group H2O+ fue reconocido por segunda vez como ganador nacional del prestigioso Energy Globe Sustainability Award, y cuenta con el apoyo de instituciones conocidas como la Royal Academy of Engineering de Londres y One Young World. El compromiso de Ricardo con la sostenibilidad ambiental y el impacto social demuestra su liderazgo para enfrentar uno de los desafíos más importantes del mundo.

Conoce más

GANADOR 2023

Nkosana Butholenkosi Masuku

Nkosana es profesor de Ciencia, Tecnología, Ingeniería y Matemáticas (STEM) con tres años de experiencia en una escuela rural. Creó Sciency learning como respuesta a la falta de recursos para enseñar STEM en zonas rurales. El objetivo de Sciency es brindar educación STEM práctica y accesible para chicas y chicos en Zimbabue, ayudando a disminuir la deserción escolar y fomentar el desarrollo STEM en comunidades vulnerables. Además, Nkosana es exalumno de la Beca Mandela Washington y un emprendedor galardonado.

Conoce más

GANADORA 2022

Nidhi Pant

Nidhi Pant, ganadora del Cisco Youth Leadership Award 2022, es una ingeniera química que se transformó en agricultora y emprendedora, y es cofundadora de S4S Technologies. Este proyecto es una plataforma de procesamiento de alimentos cercana al campo, que convierte las pérdidas agrícolas en productos de valor añadido gracias a tecnología solar sustentable. S4S colabora con más de 6,500 agricultores/as y 505 mujeres emprendedoras. Además, Nidhi aparece en Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia y ganó el Unilever Young Entrepreneur Award en 2019. 

Conoce más

GANADORA 2020

Christelle Kwizera

Christelle es una ingeniera mecánica y emprendedora social de Ruanda. A los 20 años fundó Water Access Rwanda, para resolver la crisis del agua y a la vez crear empleo para jóvenes. Su empresa social ofrece soluciones sencillas y económicas dirigidas especialmente a quienes más lo necesitan, ayudando a cubrir la urgente necesidad de agua segura para 456 millones de africanos/as.

Gracias al premio, Water Access Rwanda podrá crecer y llegar a 30 millones de personas y crear 15,000 empleos dignos para 2030.

Conoce más

GANADORA 2019

Priya Prakash

Priya Prakash es una emprendedora social de 29 años dedicada a lograr que todas las niñas y niños de la India puedan crecer sanos.

Es fundadora y CEO de HealthSetGo, una organización que integra tecnología y salud para empoderar a madres/padres, médicos, escuelas y gobiernos a tomar decisiones basadas en datos y así mejorar la salud y calidad de vida de las y los niños. 

Conoce más

GANADORA 2018

Wawira Njiru

Wawira Njiru es la fundadora y directora ejecutiva de Food for Education, una organización que apoya a niños y niñas vulnerables en escuelas públicas de Kenia, mejorando su vida al brindarles almuerzos escolares nutritivos y a bajo costo. Food for Education ha entregado más de 400,000 comidas escolares, contribuyendo a la mejora de la nutrición, asistencia y desempeño escolar.

Su ambición, claridad en la misión y el impacto logrado le valieron a Njiru el primer Global Citizen Prize: Cisco Youth Leadership Award, entregado en el Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, presentado por la Motsepe Foundation en diciembre de 2018.

Conoce más

Aprende más

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Global Citizen Prize?

Global Citizen Prize is an awards program that shines a light on activists around the world who keep these world’s poor at the forefront of their life’s work. We bring together the winners from around the world to kick off a year of celebrating their incredible work at an awards reception and dinner in NYC.

Successful candidates will benefit from the Prize program of support, including a year-long schedule of activities to champion and progress their campaigns; Prize winners will also receive a USD $10,000 unrestricted grant in support of their work.

Unlike other awards, we do not garner nominations via the public. Instead open up the nomination process to Global Citizen partners across the sector to help us identify individuals.

What is the Cisco Youth Leadership Award?

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 United Nations’ 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.

What is Global Citizen?

Global Citizen is the world's largest movement of action takers and impact makers dedicated to ending extreme poverty NOW. The voices of millions of Global Citizens around the world are driving lasting change towards sustainability, equality, and humanity by taking action every day. 

We post, tweet, message, vote, sign, and call to inspire those who can make things happen to act — government leaders, businesses, philanthropists, artists, and citizens — together improving lives. 

By downloading our app, Global Citizens learn about the systemic causes of extreme poverty, take action on those issues, and earn rewards with tickets to events, products, subscriptions, and more. 

Global Citizens have taken over 30.4 million actions since 2009. Today, these actions, in combination with high-level advocacy work, have led to over $41.4 billion being distributed to our partners around the world, impacting 1.15 billion lives in the fight to end extreme poverty.

You can learn more about our impact here: https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/impact/