# Schwab Foundation Awards 2026 In partnership with the World Economic Forum and Motsepe Foundation [Read the press release](https://reports.weforum.org/docs/Press_Release_Schwab_Foundation_Awards_2026.pdf) ## The Schwab Foundation Awards 2026 celebrate 21 social entrepreneurs and innovators who are driving systemic change around the world These leaders are values-driven innovators pioneering transformative business, social development and environmental models that are helping build a more equitable and sustainable world. From strengthening emergency medical services in Ethiopia, to establishing circular textile economies in Lebanon and tackling the shortage of STEM teachers in North America, this year’s awardees were selected for their transformative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing social challenges. ## Watch the Schwab Foundation Awards Watch the 2026 awardees take the stage to present their work and be recognised in front of global leader at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. *Interactive visualization or embedded content* ## Built to Last: Social Innovation in Transition Our 2026 awardees and impact report explores how social innovators are responding to global uncertainty with resilience, collaboration and new models for impact. It features the 2026 Awardees—21 social entrepreneurs and innovators from 17 organisations, working across 190 countries on challenges including healthcare, education, climate action and democratic participation. They are part of a global community of 510 social innovators whose work has improved over 950 million lives worldwide, mobilising close to $1 billion in the past year. [Read the report](https://www.weforum.org/publications/built-to-last-social-innovation-in-transition/) ## Get to know the outstanding social entrepreneurs and innovators 21 awardees from 17 organizations ## Social Entrepreneurs Individuals employing innovative, market-based approaches to directly address social issues. ### Kibret Abebe | Tebita Ambulance Kibret is the Founder and CEO of Tebita Ambulance Pre-Hospital Emergency Medical Service in Ethiopia. A nurse anaesthetist by training, he established the organization to address the critical lack of emergency medical services in the country. Under his leadership, Tebita Ambulance has become a pioneer in emergency response, offering pre-hospital care, ambulance transport and first aid training. It has played a vital role in building a professional emergency medical system in Ethiopia, saving lives and advocating for stronger health infrastructure. [Learn more](https://www.tebitambulance.com/) ### Ioana Bauer Sǎndescu | eLiberare Ioana is Chairwoman and President of eLiberare, a Romanian organization dedicated to preventing human trafficking and sexual exploitation. An advocate for human rights, Ioana has led national efforts to strengthen prevention strategies and survivor support. Under her leadership, eLiberare partners with schools, communities and law enforcement to raise awareness and create safer environments for vulnerable populations. Ioana’s work has contributed to shaping national policy and fostering public dialogue on ending exploitation. [Learn more](https://eliberare.com/?lang=en) ### Minhaj Chowdhury | Drinkwell Minhaj is Co-Founder and CEO of Drinkwell, a social enterprise providing affordable, safe drinking water through patented filtration technology. Drinkwell operates more than 800 water ATM systems in Bangladesh and India, providing over 47 million litres of clean water monthly to 3 million people while creating dignified jobs for hundreds of operators. Drinkwell's public-private partnership model, backed by development banks and powered by patented HIX-Nano ion exchange technology, has positioned Drinkwell as a global leader in decentralized water infrastructure. [Learn more](https://www.drinkwell.com/) ### Mario Haberfeld | Onçafari Mario, a former racing-car driver from São Paulo, founded Onçafari after witnessing wildlife conservation in Africa. He mobilized leaders to reintroduce jaguars and protect over 33 endangered species, shifting regional mindsets from extraction to conservation through self-sustained systems. Onçafari combines science, technology, ecotourism and philanthropy to restore ecosystems across 17 conservation bases in four biomes. The organization has protected 2.6 million hectares, raised $13 million in 2025 for new ecological corridors and benefited 5,900+ people through education and social programmes. Its model is now scaling across Latin America, aiming to protect 10 million hectares. [Learn more](https://oncafari.org/en/) ### Omar Itani | FabricAID Omar is the General Manager of FabricAID, a Lebanese social enterprise working to establish a socially and environmentally conscious value chain for the clothing industry. He co-founded the organization to tackle textile waste while improving access to affordable clothing for marginalized communities. Under his leadership, FabricAID has built one of the largest second-hand clothing collections in the Middle East, combining circular economy principles with social impact. Omar’s work demonstrates how business innovation can advance sustainability, dignity and inclusion across regional markets. [Learn more](https://fabricaid.me/) ### Olivia Onyemaobi | Pad-Up Creations Olivia is the Founder and CEO of Pad-Up Creations, a Nigerian social enterprise producing sustainable, reusable sanitary pads. With a mission to improve menstrual health and hygiene in Africa, she has built one of the region’s most impactful women-led manufacturing enterprises. Under her leadership, Pad-Up Creations has trained hundreds of thousands of girls and women on reproductive health, created more than 500 jobs and distributed over 18 million reusable pads across 21 countries. Olivia’s work has earned recognition from the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Acumen and the Mandela Washington Fellowship. She holds an MSc in Business Management and is pursuing a PhD. [Learn more](https://padupcreations.com/) ### Ana María Raad Briz | Fundación Reimagina Ana María the Founder of Reimagina, a non-profit organization based in Chile that focuses on educational innovation and social transformation. An anthropologist and social entrepreneur, Ana María has dedicated her career to developing initiatives that strengthen education systems and empower youth. Through Reimagina, she works with educators, public institutions and communities to co-create learning models that foster inclusion, collaboration and creativity. Ana María’s leadership has positioned Reimagina as a catalyst for rethinking education in Latin America, blending research, policy advocacy and grassroots engagement. [Learn more](https://fundacionreimagina.org/) ### Piyush Tewari | SaveLIFE Foundation Piyush is the Founder and CEO of SaveLIFE Foundation, an Indian non-profit organization committed to improving road safety and emergency response systems. After witnessing a fatal road crash, he dedicated himself to addressing India’s road safety crisis through policy reform, enforcement and citizen action. Under his leadership, SaveLIFE Foundation has pioneered the Good Samaritan Law, introduced evidence-based interventions to prevent crashes and improved post-crash care. Piyush’s work has saved countless lives and established a model for systemic change in road safety. [Learn more](https://savelifefoundation.org/) ## Corporate Social Innovators Leaders within established companies and purpose-built enterprises who drive business transformation by embedding social and environmental impact into core products, services, and business models. ### Karen Basiye | Safaricom Karen Basiye is the Director of Sustainable Business, Social Impact and Foundations at Safaricom, one of Kenya’s leading telecommunications companies. A sustainability leader, she oversees Safaricom’s corporate responsibility strategy, environmental management and the Safaricom and M-PESA Foundations. Karen’s approach integrates purpose and profit, ensuring that Safaricom’s business operations drive social and environmental impact. Her leadership has positioned the company as a sustainability pioneer in Africa’s private sector. [Learn more](https://www.safaricom.co.ke/) ### François-Ghislain Morillion | VEJA François-Ghislain Morillion is the Co-Founder of VEJA, a French footwear brand that combines environmental consciousness with social responsibility. After studying economics, he and co-founder Sébastien Kopp founded VEJA to challenge the traditional sneaker industry model. VEJA works directly with small-scale organic cotton farmers and wild rubber producers in Brazil, ensuring fair trade conditions while using sustainable materials and transparent supply chains. The company reinvests profits into social projects and sustainable innovation, proving that ecological design can coexist with commercial success. [Learn more](https://project.veja-store.com/en) ### Hamzah Sarwar | Reckitt Hamzah is the Global Head of Social Impact and Innovation at Reckitt, a British multinational company specializing in health, hygiene and nutrition. A mission-driven executive, he leads initiatives that integrate social innovation into Reckitt’s core business strategy. His work focuses on partnerships that drive positive health outcomes, strengthen communities and promote equity. Hamzah’s leadership has helped position Reckitt as a key private-sector partner in addressing global health and hygiene challenges, aligning business goals with measurable social impact. [Learn more](https://www.reckitt.com/our-impact/) ## Collective Social Innovators People who bring together organisations to solve complex problems that cannot be tackled by individual actors. ### Emad Adly and Ghada Ahmadein | Arab Network for Environment and Development (RAED) Established in 1990, the RAED is a regional network of more than 275 civil society organizations from North Africa and West Asia. RAED plays a pivotal role in regional environmental governance. Through capacity-building, advocacy, and partnerships, RAED empowers civil society organizations to promote sustainable development, environmental protection, and cooperation among key stakeholders across the Arab region. [Learn more](https://raednetwork.org/en/home/) ### Talia Milgrom-Elcott and Maya Morales Garcia | Beyond100K For over a decade, Beyond100K has worked to end the STEM teacher shortage by building a diverse community of educators and partners. The organization collaborates with schools, nonprofits, and corporations to prepare and retain excellent STEM teachers, especially in underserved communities. Its mission is to ensure every student has access to high-quality STEM education. [Learn more](https://beyond100k.org/) ### Juliana Uribe Villegas, Mariana Díaz and Lina Torres | Movilizatorio Movilizatorio is a Latin American social innovation lab that inspires and mobilises citizens to take collective action on issues that affect their communities. Through creative campaigns, digital tools, and participatory methodologies, Movilizatorio strengthens civic engagement and empowers local leaders to drive change. Its work spans areas such as democratic participation, climate action, and social inclusion. [Learn more](https://www.movilizatorio.org/en/) ## Public Social Innovators Leaders in the public sector who harness the power of social innovation to create public good through policy, regulation, or public initiatives. ### Mamadou Ndiaye | Ministry of Microfinance and Social and Solidarity Economy, Senegal Mamadou is Director of Cabinet at Senegal's Ministry of Microfinance and Social and Solidarity Economy, where he promotes inclusive economic development. He has championed Islamic microfinance for youth and women entrepreneurs in rural areas and spearheaded a new digital platform to assist social and solidarity economy actors. Mamadou led negotiations for an Africa-wide SSE framework endorsed by Heads of State, including an African SSE Observatory for data collection and knowledge sharing. He also played a pivotal role in adopting Senegal's National SSE Strategy, providing legal recognition, tax incentives and funding access to cooperatives and social enterprises. [Learn more](https://www.microfinance-ess.gouv.sn/) ### Orlando Rojas | The Government Lab, Chile Orlando is the Executive Director of Chile’s Laboratorio de Gobierno, the national unit driving public innovation. Under his leadership, LabGob has launched initiatives such as the Public Innovation Index, the Public Innovators Network and the Public Innovation School, training over 45,000 public officials and strengthening innovation across 70 institutions. Previously, he co-founded the Fiscal Expenditure Observatory and led Business Intelligence at the Office of the Comptroller General. A member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Council on GovTech and Digital Public Infrastructure, Rojas promotes mission-driven innovation and collaboration between government, startups and civil society, redefining how the state creates public value. [Learn more](https://www.lab.gob.cl/otro-angulo-ingles) ### Viviantie Sarjuni | National Entrepreneurship Institute (INSKEN), Malaysia Viviantie is the CEO of Institut Keusahawanan Negara (INSKEN), Malaysia’s national entrepreneurship development institute. Under her direction, INSKEN strengthens Malaysia’s entrepreneurship ecosystem through training, mentorship and business development programmes that help entrepreneurs succeed in a changing economy. Sarjuni is deeply committed to inclusive growth, supporting women, youth, rural and underserved entrepreneurs and advancing Malaysia’s social enterprise mandate by linking business success with social value creation. [Learn more](https://www.insken.gov.my/)