By Eric Ortega | Programs Director
May 2026 Update
Dear Donor,
As we close the first quarter of 2026, we are happy to announce that the Global Youth Summit (GYS26) is officially returning for 2026. Our signature event will take place from October 19-23 in Cape Town, South Africa, where, in collaboration with ATKV, we will host 50 exceptional changemakers for an intensive week of skills building and networking. The demand for this platform remains overwhelming. While applications closed on April 20th, the selection process is currently underway to identify participants from a highly competitive global pool. We anticipate announcing the final cohort of 2026 changemakers in June.
The Global Youth Summit is a transformative opportunity, yet its competitive nature means only a handful of applicants can attend. Recognizing this, we have expanded our efforts to support young leaders globally through the Changemaker School, joint funding campaigns like the Atlantic Slave Memorial, and diverse grant opportunities. Specifically, our first grant cycle of the year has recently seen successful engagement, including the approval of new project support initiatives. These grants are instrumental in helping youth-led projects advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and create measurable impact within their local communities.
Grant Cycle 2026
We are happy to announce that 14 new projects will join the Global Changemakers Network thanks to their amazing projects. We continue our mission to support change globally, and with this cycle, we reach a total of 573 projects supported throughout the years. Our unique approach combines education with financial support, enabling young leaders to execute innovative solutions for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These grants, including 47 awarded in 2025 across 33 countries, are instrumental in creating measurable impact within local communities.The diverse nature of this cycle's initiatives reflects our broad international footprint, with projects ranging from disaster response in El Salvador to MSRH Education in Nigeria. Other notable efforts include projects in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement, Uganda, where they our changemakers provide critical community support, as well as Water and Sanitation initiatives in Peru and education accessibility in Chiapas. This year, 73% of our grant recipients are graduates of the Project Management for Changemakers course, highlighting the success of our capacity-building model in preparing youth for impactful leadership.
Atlantic Slave Memorial
The Atlantic Slave Memorial Initiative is a powerful living memorial rooted in environmental restoration and historical remembrance. This collaborative campaign between Global Changemakers (GCM) and Green-Up Gambia is led by conservationist and environmental justice advocate Kemo Fatty, a GCM alumnus. The initiative seeks to honor the millions of lives affected by the transatlantic slave trade by planting 12.5 million trees across the African continent—transforming a legacy of pain into a future of hope and renewed life.The campaign officially ran throughout March 2026, culminating on March 25th to coincide with the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. During this period, GCM leveraged its international platform to raise global awareness, reaching over 40,000 accounts and generating 16,500 social media views. Although the goal for the campaing was not reached, the funds from the campaign will go directly to support the first phase of the project: the plantation of 1 million trees in The Gambia. This initial effort focuses on restoring degraded land, establishing tree nurseries, and providing tools and training for local youth and community members. By centering youth leadership, the project fosters a new generation of eco-conscious leaders who recognize the deep connection between racial and environmental justice. Further updates on the progress of these plantations and the long-term continental expansion will be shared in the coming mont
By Eric Ortega from Global Changemakers | Programs Director
By Eric Ortega | Programs Manager
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