By Gabriella Brent, Sanjana Janardhanan, Lindsay Tuthill, and James Radner Humanitarian crises pose unprecedented threats to the safety, well-being, and future of children and families. In 2023, over 300 million people lived in crisis settings, the highest number since World War II. Amidst the devastation in Gaza, the turmoil across the Middle East, and persistent […]
Climate change threatens to roll back many of the gains that we’ve made in global health. In 2022, with support from the Government of Canada and in partnership with the South African Medical Research Council, we put out a call for funding, seeking bold ideas to address the impact of climate change on health. […]
Toronto, August 12, 2024 – This International Youth Day, we celebrate the incredible potential of young people to shape a sustainable future. Today’s youth are not just tech-savvy innovators; they are also key players in tackling one of their generation’s most pressing issues—mental health. Mental health is essential for young people to thrive, innovate, and […]
By: Chloe Panganiban We are proud to announce the launch of the Innovator Council. Drawing on the expertise of 11 leaders from Grand Challenges Canada’s global health, humanitarian and Indigenous innovation portfolios, the Innovator Council will strategize, share insights and provide feedback on GCC’s work, including our strategic plans, the innovator experience, grants management processes […]
The Grand Challenges (GC) Network¹, a family of global partners fostering innovation to solve key global health and development problems, today announced a group of more than fifty grant recipients leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to tackle the world’s most pressing health challenges. Emerging technologies, such as AI, machine learning, and quantum computing, are transforming the […]
Raised as a member of the Haida Nation on Haida Gwaii, a small group of islands off the coast of British Columbia, Patrick Shannon developed a passion for storytelling. According to oral history, Haida Gwaii has been inhabited for over 15,000 years, with a history shaped by geography and shared traditions. Patrick dreamed of seeing […]
Reflections from Suhas Monga , Portfolio Manager, Global Health Innovation at Grand Challenges Canada During a recent visit to the Lamu Archipelago, Suhas Monga, Global Health Innovation Portfolio Manager at Grand Challenges Canada, witnessed firsthand the transformative work of Safari Doctors, an organization dedicated to providing essential healthcare services to some of Kenya’s most remote […]
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Development Innovation Alliance (IDIA) have extended their Collaborative Agreement until the end of 2025 to accelerate the scaling of health innovations. This partnership combines WHO’s ability to identify public health needs with IDIA’s network of innovation funders, aiming to promote and implement impactful innovations in low- and […]
Innovations can play a pivotal role in transforming the lives of women around the globe. One such innovation making waves in Kenya is the Wema breast pump by Maziwa. This affordable device not only empowers women economically but also brings about significant social changes in the lives of mothers. According to Maziwa, 60% of women […]
Grand Challenges Canada is excited to welcome two experienced leaders to lead the Indigenous Innovation Initiative (I3) team. Julie Williams was appointed as the Director of I3 and Kathryn Manners joined as the Deputy Director. Julie Williams, Director of the Indigenous Innovation Initiative Julie is Ojibway from Rama/Mnjikaning First Nation and is a member of […]