Local knowledge drives lasting solutionsThe most effective ideas come from lived experience. When Global Shapers co-design with their communities, solutions stick. Safe Space for Her (Ilorin Hub, Nigeria) broke the silence around menstrual health in schools through a peer-led model. By grounding the initiative in local realities, Shapers reached 300 girls across three schools, installing WASH facilities, creating pad banks and training “Safe Space Champions.” Because it emerged from the voices of girls themselves, the project is now shaping regional conversations on how schools can support students with dignity. Project CHAMP (Thimphu Hub, Bhutan), developed with Save the Children, educated 680 students about constitutional rights and children in conflict with the law. Rooted in young people’s lived experience, the initiative not only equipped students with legal knowledge but also sparked national dialogue on youth rights – showing how local voices can strengthen democratic institutions. Technology is a tool, not the goalDigital innovation has the greatest impact when rooted in human needs. Shapers are proving that technology is valuable not as an end in itself, but as a pathway to equity and inclusion. Technovation (Nairobi Hub, Kenya) trained over 170 marginalized girls in coding and entrepreneurship, producing 32 mobile apps to tackle local challenges. One standout, Usafiri, alerts fishers to dangerous tides, improving safety and livelihoods – an example of technology designed to serve communities, not just markets. Bauen (San Luis Potosí Hub, Mexico) designed a smart signage system for 60,000 visually impaired residents, integrating Braille, QR codes, near-field communication (NFC) and audio guidance. Piloted in schools and government buildings, the project shows how inclusive design transforms technology from a tool into a catalyst for wider social participation. Partnerships multiply impactYouth-led innovation scales fastest when paired with partners who bring reach, expertise and legitimacy. By combining grassroots creativity with institutional support, Global Shapers are turning pilot projects into systemic solutions. Career Counselling for All (Islamabad Hub, Pakistan) collaborated with the Moawin Foundation and S2S Exchange to pioneer a career guidance model in a city where only 16% of adults achieve higher education. The partnership expanded the project’s reach – already serving 500 students and training 20 teachers – while laying the groundwork for systemic reform in career readiness. Find Us at the Park (Budaiya Hub, Bahrain) developed an AI-powered platform to map park usage and demographics, but its real strength came from partnerships with ministries and citizens. By blending youth innovation with institutional collaboration, the hub created a prototype for inclusive, data-driven urban planning – a model with potential far beyond public parks. Innovation must be inclusive to be scalableLasting solutions don’t just solve problems – they broaden participation in the economy and society. When communities are engaged as co-creators, projects gain legitimacy, ownership and the power to replicate across contexts. Solar Cerrado Agrivoltaics (Brasília Hub, Brazil) installed solar systems powering irrigation, lighting and food processing while training farmers in climate-smart agriculture. By ensuring farmers were active participants, the project created a replicable model of renewable-powered farming that strengthens both livelihoods and resilience. Youths in Aquaponics (Bulawayo Hub, Zimbabwe) introduced solar aquaponics in schools, producing food year-round while using 90% less water. With IoT sensors and Red Cross partnerships, the project empowered students as food producers, linking inclusion to sustainability and inspiring new generations of climate-smart farmers. Water Ambassadors (Riohacha Hub, Colombia) addressed La Guajira’s water crisis through a model that combined filtration technology with community education. Because it centred dignity and local participation, the initiative reduced waterborne illnesses by 30%, boosted school attendance by 20% and was scaled to 20 other cities with support from Waves for Water. This demonstrates how inclusive design transforms local interventions into global strategies for resilience. Across continents and contexts, these projects reveal a unifying truth: youth-led innovation works because it is rooted in lived experience, powered by creativity and strengthened by partnership. From water systems in Colombia to AI-driven planning in Bahrain, Global Shapers are showing that solutions designed with communities can scale across borders and sectors. These aren’t isolated stories of impact – they are lessons for the world on how to build more inclusive, resilient and sustainable futures.Table 5: Key lessons Global Shapers Community: Annual Report 2024-2025 19

Global Shapers Community Annual Report 2024 2025