USAID grAnD chAllengeSuse discovery science for both tech and social good

One of the greatest leaps of the grand challenges model is the expansion from medical and tech innovation to social good. The platform no longer shies away from tackling the less-flashy barriers to development, like water

and health infrastructure, but will donors follow suit?

USAID’S All ChIlDren reADIng grAnD ChAllenge wInner

Open learning exchange in ghana

The Ghana Reads project installs and supports through coaching the use of School Basic e-Learning Libraries, or BeLLs, that sit on Raspberry Pi, and which include educational software and multimedia materials. In the first year of its ACR grant, OLE recorded that 3,142 learners in 10 schools accessed the BeLLs resources, including 209 newly developed materials.

Photo credit: OLE Ghana

USAID’S All ChIlDren reADIng grAnD ChAllenge wInner

Open learning exchange in ghana

The Ghana Reads project installs and supports through coaching the use of School Basic e-Learning Libraries, or BeLLs, that sit on Raspberry Pi, and which include educational software and multimedia materials. In the first year of its ACR grant, OLE recorded that 3,142 learners in 10 schools accessed the BeLLs resources, including 209 newly developed materials.

Photo credit: OLE Ghana

USAID’S All ChIlDren reADIng grAnD ChAllenge wInner

Kampuchean Action for Primary education

The 4 Khmer Project proposes a technology-based approach to improve the reading scores of the reported 25 percent of lower primary grade children. According to the World Bank, these children continue to demonstrate substandard levels of proficiency in mother tongue Khmer, even with the introduction of new readers by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport in 2012. While this is an improvement from earlier rates of failure approximating 50 percent in national testing undertaken in 2010, it is still an unacceptably high number.

Photo credit: Kampuchean Action for Primary Education

USAID’S All ChIlDren reADIng grAnD ChAllenge wInner

Kampuchean Action for Primary education

The 4 Khmer Project proposes a technology-based approach to improve the reading scores of the reported 25 percent of lower primary grade children. According to the World Bank, these children continue to demonstrate substandard levels of proficiency in mother tongue Khmer, even with the introduction of new readers by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport in 2012. While this is an improvement from earlier rates of failure approximating 50 percent in national testing undertaken in 2010, it is still an unacceptably high number.

Photo credit: Kampuchean Action for Primary Education

USAID’S PowerIng AgrICUltUre grAnD ChAllenge wInner

aQysta holding BV

A low-cost, hydropowered irrigation pump that does not require any fuel or electricity, has no operating expenses, and does not emit any polluting greenhouse gases.

Photo credit: aQysta Holding BV

USAID’S PowerIng AgrICUltUre grAnD ChAllenge wInner

Practical Action

A low-cost model that transforms previously unused sandy islands that appear after each rainy season into large-scale pumpkin farms.

Photo credit: Practical Action

As the grand challenges approaches a watershed moment, will the model unite the development community through its platform of open-source innovation?

read about the evolution and future of the grand challenges model.