The advancement of innovation plays a crucial role in hastening the progress towards accomplishing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By embracing nascent technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics, and blockchain, it is possible to revolutionise different sectors like healthcare, education, agriculture, and infrastructure. Digitisation and improved connectivity offer the chance to expand successful projects, link up with marginalised individuals, and significantly boost the effectiveness of interventions, thereby speeding up the fulfilment of the SDGs.

In sustainability innovation, the participation of the youth is an essential factor that brings together various stakeholders, combines their abilities, and promotes sustainable development. The world observes International Youth Day every year on August 12th. Traditionally, this follows the World Youth Festival hosted by Pope Francis. This year, the festival took place in Lisbon, Portugal, on August 3rd, attracting a crowd of 1.5 million people. Youth Day celebrations aim to raise awareness of the global issues that affect young individuals. During the festival in Lisbon, Pope Francis urged students to use their education to safeguard the environment, show compassion for the underprivileged and marginalised, and “redefine progress and development.” He also emphasised that the present generation should take up this challenge.

Use the privilege of your education to protect the environment, care about poor and marginalized people, and to redefine what we mean by progress and development. Yours can be the generation that takes up this great challenge!Pope Francis – World Youth Festival, 2023

MK-Africa’s #MyLittleBigThing initiative continues to encourage African youth to develop sustainable solutions for their communities by leveraging their entrepreneurial spirit and creative energy. Through collaborations with organisations such as the Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI) and Safaricom, we have supported youth-led initiatives to create scalable solutions and bring fresh perspectives, creativity, and innovative ideas to address local challenges. We cordially invite you to join us on August 31st as we unveil the winners of this year’s Safaricom SDGs Innovation Challenge. Together, we can make a significant impact and work towards achieving the SDGs, creating a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future.