From Pilot to Policy Community Power in Public Systems #SkollWF 2026
The Skoll World Forum 2026 session examined how pilot projects can become lasting public‑sector policies, spotlighting the professionalization of community health workers (CHWs) and cross‑sector health‑education initiatives. Presenters introduced the DRIVE framework—Define the gap, Rally the coalition, Identify windows, Voice demand, Engineer adoption—showing how it has helped move CHWs from unpaid volunteers to salaried, supervised staff in more than 50 nations. Brazil’s success, paying half‑million CHWs double the minimum wage, and Kenya’s national association demanding inclusion in policy discussions illustrate concrete outcomes. Mapping policy windows and tracking adoption across a hundred countries enable timely advocacy and measurable impact. Maureen Wauda’s testimony amplified the voices of 47 Kenyan counties, while Liberia’s shift to salaried CHWs cut malaria prevalence in half within five years. Healthy Learners’ “deep and wide” strategy in Zambia linked ministries, civil‑society coalitions, media, and parliament to embed school‑based health services, underscoring the power of broad, multi‑level engagement. The discussion signals that coordinated, data‑driven coalitions can transform fragmented pilots into systemic reforms, offering a replicable blueprint for other health, education, and democracy movements seeking sustainable public‑sector adoption.
State of the Pivot- Adapting Organizational Models for a New Era 2026 #SkollWF
The Skoll World Forum panel titled “State of the Pivot” convened five nonprofit leaders to discuss how their organizations are re‑designing structures amid geopolitical, technological, and funding pressures. Each speaker offered a concise description of their mission before detailing a...
Wisdom of Happiness Post Screening Discussion with Richard Gere & Tencho Gyatso
The video captures a post‑screening conversation after the documentary “Wisdom of Happiness,” featuring actor‑activist Richard Gere and Tenzin Gyatso, president of the International Campaign for Tibet. The dialogue centers on how the film translates the Dalai Lama’s teachings on happiness,...
Sustaining Impact: What’s Next for Big Bet Funding
The session hosted by Bridgespan examined the evolution of “big‑bet” philanthropy over the past decade, asking what has worked, what hasn’t, and how funders can better channel multi‑million, unrestricted gifts to achieve systemic change. Early analysis showed 80 % of bets over...
From the Classroom to the Workforce: Building Women’s Economic Power
The panel, hosted by Shabana Basij‑Rasikh, examined how education can translate into women’s economic power. Leaders from CAMFED, The Citizens Foundation, and Laboratoria shared experiences from Afghanistan, Africa, Pakistan, and Latin America, highlighting the urgency of moving girls from classrooms...
Philanthropy in a Time of Disruption
The panel titled “Philanthropy in Times of Disruption” brought together leaders from the Yidan Prize Foundation, VelezReyes+, and Lever for Change to examine how charitable giving must evolve amid authoritarianism, wars, economic precarity, and climate urgency. Moderator Cecilia Conrad framed...
Trevor Noah in Conversation with Wawira Njiru
At an Oxford forum co‑hosted by the Skull Foundation, comedian‑philanthropist Trevor Noah sat down with Kenyan social entrepreneur Wawira Njiru to discuss the rapid expansion of her nonprofit, Food for Education. The conversation highlighted how a modest school‑lunch program launched...
Can $7 Save a Child’s Life? | ChildLife Foundation, 2026 #SkollAwardee
The video spotlights the ChildLife Foundation’s ambitious effort to slash Pakistan’s staggering child mortality rate through a nationwide telemedicine network. With roughly a thousand children under five dying each day, the organization argues that half of these deaths are preventable...
Could a Franchise for Early Learning Close the School Readiness Gap? | SmartStart 2026 #SkollAwardee
The video spotlights a franchise model aimed at narrowing South Africa’s early‑learning gap, a problem that leaves millions of children under five entering school without foundational skills. SmartStart, a Skoll‑Awarded initiative, leverages existing community assets—particularly women who are unemployed...
Can $7 Save a Child’s Life? | ChildLife Foundation, 2026 #SkollAwardee
The video spotlights the ChildLife Foundation’s effort to slash child mortality in Pakistan by overhauling emergency departments and deploying tele‑medicine. In a country where pneumonia claims roughly 1,000 children under five each day, families often face nine‑hour trips and...
Could a Franchise for Early Learning Close the School Readiness Gap? | SmartStart 2026 #SkollAwardee
SmartStart, a South‑African franchise for early learning, aims to close the school‑readiness gap that leaves millions of children under five without quality pre‑school education, a shortfall driven primarily by poverty. The model recruits unemployed or part‑time women, trains them to deliver...
Could a Franchise for Early Learning Close the School Readiness Gap? | SmartStart 2026 #SkollAwardee
SmartStart, a South‑African franchise for early childhood education, seeks to close the school‑readiness gap by turning unemployed women into community‑based preschool entrepreneurs. The program targets the 1.3 million children aged three to five who lack access to high‑quality early learning. It has...
Could a Franchise for Early Learning Close the School Readiness Gap? | SmartStart 2026 #SkollAwardee
South Africa’s early‑learning crisis took center stage as the 2026 Skoll Award for Social Innovation was presented to a franchise model aimed at closing the school‑readiness gap. The award‑winning program targets children under five who would otherwise begin formal schooling...
Simple Steps, Big Change—How Indian Benefits Reach Every Family | Indus Action 2026 #SkollAwardee
The video spotlights Indus Action’s mission to overhaul India’s social‑protection delivery by turning a labyrinth of paperwork into a streamlined digital experience. Historically, 80‑90% of eligible citizens fail to receive entitlements such as scholarships, maternity aid, or labor benefits because...
Simple Steps, Big Change—How Indian Benefits Reach Every Family | Indus Action 2026 #SkollAwardee
Indus Action, a Skoll‑Awarded nonprofit, unveiled a digital platform aimed at simplifying India’s labyrinthine social‑protection system. The organization identified six critical life‑event “moments”—birth, school entry, employment, job loss, health shock, and permanent disability—that often push vulnerable households back into poverty,...