Top five teams announced for the final of BeChangeMaker 2024

When BeChangeMaker 2024 launched in June, 30 teams of social entrepreneurs embarked on a rigorous programme of learning, coaching, and mentoring. The programme, jointly hosted by WorldSkills and the HP Foundation, has narrowed to 15 teams, then to the five selected for the final stage.

From reducing waste and pollution to increasing access to healthcare and improving mental health, these five teams are addressing challenges that impact the development and well-being of their communities and wider society.

The finalists of BeChangeMaker 2024 are:

• CarePlug (formerly DotConnectors) from Zimbabwe
• Holly from Colombia
• Planet Plus from Kenya
• RiceUp from Vietnam
• Sekofia from Nigeria

A panel of judges with expertise in global business, start-ups, skills development, and sustainability made the final selection. They included:

• Mary-Ann Anyikam, Director, Global Resiliency at HP Inc;
• Soledad Patiño, Coordinator of Global Skills Academy at UNESCO; and
• Julie Chrysler, Circular Economy and Social Impact Lead at Yunus Environment Hub.

As well as the live pitches, the judges also evaluated the teams’ ongoing engagement with BeChangeMaker 2024. They agreed that the five finalists had identified a clear unmet need, developed a strong business solution that would have a positive impact on people and the planet, and all shown huge commitment to the programme.

Let’s hear more from members of the final five BeChangeMaker 2024 teams:

Idah Odeka, from Planet Plus, based in Kenya

In her pitch, Idah described how the business could empower local communities to improve their environment. She said, “Settlements in Kenya have not been able to collect their waste in an appropriate manner, which leads to pollution in the rivers and streams. Most people in the informal areas are not as aware of waste management. We would like to sensitise communities for them to be able to instil an understanding of segregation, collection, and proper disposal. We have a solution with biodegradable bags where they can collect and segregate their waste in an appropriate manner.”

Yvet Turugari, from CarePlug, based in Zimbabwe

During the pitch, Yvet told the story of a female patient showing how telemedicine could have improved her access to the right health care. She said, “Like millions of Zimbabweans, [the patient’s] health records were a small book. Telemedicine would have made a difference if her doctor could follow up remotely and adjust her treatment, but unfortunately its adoption in Zimbabwe is limited. This highlights the challenges faced by millions of patients in Zimbabwe in accessing care. By addressing these challenges we can provide better care and save lives.”

Andrés Felipe Diaz, from Holly, based in Colombia

Andrés used the pitch to explain the connection between emotions and mental health. He revealed, “70% of students suffer from emotional discomfort, and this can deeply impact mental health and emotional well-being. We need to understand the importance of emotions, and that all our feeling matter - how in a good day or bad day, it is worth feeling.”

Ochong Johnson Aduma, from Sekofia, based in Nigeria

Ochong took the opportunity to share a personal story to illustrate how his Software-as-a-Service could improve the management of health insurance. He said, “My mother and 400,000 civil servants in Benue State, Nigeria, have been paying 5% of their salary for health insurance for six years now. For an average Nigerian like her, these payments could range between USD 12 to 200 per annum. Yet it could take her provider up to 12 hours to approve one of her hospital visits. Imagine if it was an emergency!”

Dang Dat Nguyen, from RiceUp, based in Vietnam

Dang used the pitch to explain how plant-based alternatives to plastic could not only reduce pollution but improve biodiversity. He said, “The global food delivery market is booming, but it is drowning in plastic. RiceUp is here to change that. Instead of burdening the environment with waste packaging, we could transform it into the flourishing garden on our balcony with RiceUp plantable packaging.”

The five teams will go on to receive intensive coaching and support throughout August as they prepare for the final. They will then meet in Lyon, France at the beginning of September to take part in a bootcamp, before their live pitch on 12 September in front of an international audience at WorldSkills Conference 2024, which runs in parallel with the 47th WorldSkills Competition.

BeChangeMaker is in its eighth year, since WorldSkills and the HP Foundation partnered to deliver this unique social entrepreneurship programme in 2017. Find out more about the selected teams in BeChangeMaker 2024.