UNLEASH Hacks are localized hackathons designed to address sustainability challenges in specific contexts around the world.
Through a collaborative 2-day event organized by UNLEASH alumni and their network, passionate talents work with local stakeholders and community leaders to collectively solve problems and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Each Hack focuses on one region and one sustainability challenge. For now, all Hacks in 2021 will take place online over two Satursdays.
Internet and technology access remain a challenge in The Gambia, regardless of the ubiquitous age of technology. Lack of infrastructure, unaffordability, and interrupted power supply affect young people’s access. This challenge, among many issues, contributes more broadly to low-quality education and skills development for students to thrive. This hack focuses on creating solutions to expand internet access and improve learning outcomes for students.
Applications are open until April 25. Apply here!
Contact: [email protected]
Ghana’s youth unemployment is 12%, while underemployment is 50%, both higher than the overall unemployment rates among Sub-Saharan African countries. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this problem is expected to intensify. This hack focuses on increasing job creation opportunities for young people and discovering green startup ideas for a thriving Green Economy in Ghana.
Applications are open until April 25. Apply here!
Contact: [email protected]
Lack of school enrollment and inadequate educational resources in Kakuma Refugee Camp expose young kids to harmful practices such as alcohol and drugs abuse. Additionally, young kids indulge in unhealthy activities that increase their chances of contracting severe health conditions. This hack focuses on developing preventive practices to support kids and prevent them from being affected by major health issues.
Applications are open until April 25. Apply here!
Contact: [email protected]
Seventeen of Mexico’s 32 states are on the coast of the two largest oceans in the world. However, 41 of its 58 highly biodiverse coastal areas are currently threatened. Most of these regions’ economies are based only on tourism which are not adequately regulated or monitored. This hack focuses on creating solutions to protect coastal ecosystems while promoting responsible tourism to address SDG 15: Life on Land.
Applications are open until April 25. Apply here!
Contact: [email protected]
One in every four Moroccan children is unwanted. About 450,000 people are infected by Sexually Transmitted Infections annually, 70% of whom are women. Hence, women still lack access to quality sexual and reproductive health services and information. This hack focuses on improving women’s access to sexual and reproductive health services and information.
Applications are open until April 25. Apply here!
Contact: [email protected]
Good governance remains a major challenge for Pakistan, ranging from law and order, integrity, coordination, and cooperation among individuals and institutions. Combined with corruption and political instability, these issues impede progress towards the country’s sustainable development. This hack focuses on enhancing the legal capacity and equipping young people with the tools to create community solutions to Pakistan’s governance challenges.
Applications are open until April 25. Apply here!
Contact: [email protected]
Bangladesh has nearly 40 million children enrolled in school. The complete shutdown of schools during COVID-19 significantly impacted the country. Previously, Bangladesh struggled with a severe educational crisis, including a high drop-out rate. The UNLEASH Bangladesh Hack focuses on developing forward-thinking ideas to bridge the gap between quality access to education and the future of learning and skills development.
Applications open 5 weeks before the hack.
Contact: [email protected]
Despite Brazil having one of the cleanest energy matrixes in the world, this sector has been undergoing transformations and its modernization is essential in a challenging pandemic context. This hack focuses on developing ideas that make energy more accessible, efficient, clean and diversified.
Applications open 5 weeks before the hack.
Contact: [email protected]
90% of Jamaica’s GDP is produced within the coastal zone, comprising its key industries. Over half of the population is vulnerable to hurricanes, sea-level rise, and the loss of about 350 hectares of forest each year, leaving 40% of Jamaica’s Forest. This Hack focuses on increasing innovation around Biodiversity and Climate Change issues in Caribbean SIDS.
Applications open 5 weeks before the hack.
Contact: [email protected]
Historically, the LBGTQA + community has experienced social discrimination due to lack of information & inclusion in public policy in the region, provoking several injustices and lack of access to fundamental rights. This hack is focused on the search for peace and institutional strength, health and well-being for community members.
Applications open 5 weeks before the hack.
Contact: [email protected]
Thirty-five million tons of food go to waste annually in China, especially in cities, which causes food insufficiency in impoverished areas and widening the regional disparities. China’s food loss can feed 30 to 50 million people. Food waste also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. The UNLEASH China Hack focuses on using technology, like AI and image recognition, to prevent and reduce food waste.
Applications open 5 weeks before the hack.
Contact: [email protected]
Unemployment and underemployment are increasing among women in Ghana. The lack of job opportunities and limited support to entrepreneurship initiatives targeting women and the COVID-19 pandemic further amplify these challenges. This hack focuses on job creation solutions and economic opportunities for women, targeting the technology, WASH, hospitality and tourism sectors.
Applications open five weeks before the hack.
Contact: [email protected]
Poor public health infrastructure and lack of awareness, especially among low-income groups in India, have severe long term impacts. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated this problem. This hack focuses on creating effective practices that address mental health challenges while creating awareness of clean water and sanitation for poor urban communities.
Applications open five weeks before the hack.
Contact: [email protected]
Global Climate Risk Index 2021 ranked India as the 7th most-affected country by the impact of climate change globally in 2019. Climate change massively affects the social and environmental determinants of health. This hack focuses on creating solutions for integrating climate change mitigation & adaptation and improving the health effects caused by air and water pollution for Indians.
Applications open five weeks before the hack.
Contact: [email protected]
Cities in developing countries are experiencing rapid urbanization. The land is under enormous strain from road expansion. A total of 151,113 people were killed in 480,652 road accidents across India in 2019. This hack focuses on reducing economic strain and road fatalities, increasing access and equity across socio-economic groups, and decongesting tier-1 and tier-2 cities across India.
Applications open five weeks before the hack.
Contact: [email protected]
Air pollution is a concerning environmental issue in India, having killed nearly 1.7 million people in 2019 – 18% of all deaths. Air pollution significantly impacts public health, the environment, and the economy, causing India $36.8 billion in 2019. This hacks focuses on developing innovative solutions to inform practices and solutions to mitigate air pollution as a key catalyst to address SDG 11 and 13.
Applications open five weeks before the hack.
Contact: [email protected]
Japan’s legacy of peace and ICT leadership, offers an opportunity to reflect on the multi-faceted components of building and sustaining peaceful relations between countries and communities.This hack engages students and thinkers in international relations, sustainability studies, and peace from ICU, UNU-IAS, and the University of Tokyo to ideate for positive peace.
Applications open five weeks before the hack.
Contact: [email protected]
In Liberia, the impact of climate change is severe due to the low levels of adaptive capacity in various sectors, emanating from low levels of human and institutional capacity, technology, and infrastructure. This hack focuses on improving Liberia’s adaptive capacity by integrating climate change and education across Liberia.
Applications open five weeks before the hack.
Contact: [email protected]
Ulaanbaatar is one of the world’s most polluted capitals. Ulaanbaatar’s ger districts are home to about two-thirds of the capital’s population, where fossil fuels are burned, resulting in over 60 percent of the city’s overall air pollution. This hack focuses on advocating for creation of sustainable digital solutions to address air pollution in Ulaanbaatar for a healthy future generation.
Applications open five weeks before the hack.
Contact: [email protected]
Nepal’s vulnerability to climate change puts millions of Nepalese at risk from its impact, including reducing agricultural production and food security. This hack will address multidimensional aspects of SDG 2, and SDG 13, focusing specifically on improving food and nutritional security and strengthening the climate resilience of vulnerable populations in Nepal.
Applications open five weeks before the hack.
Contact: [email protected]
Singapore launched a set of ambitious measures to accelerate the country’s aim toward net-zero emission. To achieve this goal by 2050, private sectors, local communities and regional collaborations are crucial. This hack focuses on empowering youth in the Growth Triangle region (Singapore-Malaysia-Indonesia) to innovate for Sustainable Living in Singapore and regional decarbonization efforts.
Applications open five weeks before the hack.
Contact: u[email protected]
An estimated 90% of the on-site sewage systems in Lowndes County in Alabama’s Black Belt are failing or non-existent, resulting in the pooling of raw sewage in yards. Exposure results in negative health impacts, such as hookworm infections. Lack of sanitation perpetuates cycles of poverty and marginalization. This hack focuses on addressing wastewater and sanitation challenges in Alabama’s Black Belt.
Applications open five weeks before the hack.
Contact: [email protected]
In low-middle income countries, children below the age of 15 account for about 42% of the population. These school-going age children have the fewest touchpoints with the healthcare system if any. Mental and physical health problems have contributed significantly to education challenges, including increased missed school days and high drop-out rates.This hack focuses on creating solutions to improve health and education outcomes for Zambia.
Applications open five weeks before the hack.
Contact: [email protected]
Gain new experiences, tools and skills to tackle the SDGs by working on a topic that is close to your heart, with dozens of other young people in your region, each with strong networks and proven drive.
Become an SDG pioneer and join the UNLEASH Community, getting access to a global network of talents and experts, as well as new programs and opportunities.
Solve important sustainability challenges in your community and create solutions that can create tangible impact to reach the Sustainable Development Goals.
