WAKAFRIKA AWARDS 2026

Presentation of the WAKAFRIKA Award

As part of its annual WAKAFRIKA gathering, the URUNANI Africa Network is launching the WAKAFRIKA Award 2026, a call for projects open to all members across the network’s 12 member countries.

This year, the WAKAFRIKA Award focuses on popular education and sustainable development, supporting innovative projects that contribute to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). All fields and sectors are eligible, provided that the project is rooted in a popular education approach and clearly contributes to one or more SDGs.

The winning project will receive a grant of €1,500 and will be honored during the WAKAFRIKA gathering in September 2026, in the presence of the entire network.

Alignment with the SDGs

Candidate projects must contribute to achieving at least one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established under the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Projects combining popular education and social transformation are particularly encouraged, especially those connected to the following areas:

• SDG 1 – No Poverty: access to rights, economic empowerment
• SDG 2 – Zero Hunger: agriculture, food security, nutrition
• SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being: health education, prevention
• SDG 4 – Quality Education: training, literacy, skills development
• SDG 5 – Gender Equality: women’s leadership, fighting discrimination
• SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth: social entrepreneurship, youth employment
• SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities: social inclusion, community cohesion
• SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities: housing, social cohesion, community living
• SDG 13 – Climate Action: initiatives addressing climate change
• SDG 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: participatory governance, culture of peace
• Projects linked to any other SDG are also eligible, provided they demonstrate a clear and measurable contribution.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

• Be an active member of the URUNANI Africa Network in one of the 12 member countries
• Lead an innovative project based on a popular education approach
• Demonstrate a clear contribution to at least one of the 17 SDGs
• Show a direct and measurable impact on beneficiary communities
• Propose a replicable model that incorporates participatory practices
• Submit a complete application before July 31, 2026

Grant Amount

€1,500

The grant will be awarded to the selected project leader during the annual WAKAFRIKA gathering in September 2026, which will take place in Burkina Faso.

Timeline