changemakers_for_the_planet

Changemakers
for the Planet

A Global Initiative

Through ‘Changemakers for the Planet’ we support, connect, and amplify the work and voices of hundreds of young changemakers, activists and innovators from all regions of the world who address the planetary crisis.

What We Do

We search, identify, and recruit young changemakers, activists and leaders, who tackle climate change, biodiversity loss, air, sea and land pollution.
We search, identify, and recruit young changemakers, activists and leaders, who tackle climate change, biodiversity loss, air, sea and land pollution.

The Initiative Tackles All Dimensions of the Planetary Crisis

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Biodiversity
Unlike climate change, the slow-burning but equally devastating nature crisis has been invisible to large parts of the population. The world faces an accelerating loss of biodiversity, approximately 1 million animal and plant species are at risk of extinction, many of which could be completely wiped out within the next few years. Humanity must solve the climate and nature crises together or solve neither.
climateaction_planetary_crisis2_pollution
Pollution
Air, land and sea pollution around the world have reached unprecedented levels. Beyond the devastating impact on nature, it is now also one of the main causes of premature death in the world. Nine out of ten people worldwide breathe air that contains levels of pollutants that exceed WHO guidelines. We need scalable solutions to address pollution more than ever.
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Climate
Climate change is the defining crisis of our time. Rapidly rising temperatures are fuelling environmental degradation, natural disasters, weather extremes, food and water insecurity, conflict, and terrorism. “We are in the fight of our lives, and we are losing” Antonio Guterres told delegates at the COP27 summit. We need bold, urgent and radical collective action.
Picture2_CM4P LatAm 2023
The Changemakers for the Planet programme provides young leaders with bespoke support for their changemaking journey, in-person summits, funding for collaborative efforts and life-long access to ChangemakerXchange’s vibrant global network of changemakers & activists.

What You Can Expect as a Participant

Capacity Building
The program starts with an online kick-off call, followed by a needs assessment to help us make recommendations of support to participants based on their individual needs. The cohort will also have the opportunity to attend online group sessions based on their collective needs.
In-Person Summits
An immersive 5-day, in-person summit awaits all participants. Held in a breathtaking nature-based location in their respective region, this unique gathering is designed to forge deep connections, foster well-being, and sew the seeds for meaningful collaborations.
Collaboration Funding
The cohort is invited to explore collaborations between their initiatives, causes or areas of interest, and they can unlock funding to support these collaboration projects.
Community
Those who participate in the in-person summit have the opportunity to become lifelong members of the global ChangemakerXchange community. This means access to curated changemaking resources and regular opportunities to connect, learn, and co-create.

The timeline/s

We want to respect your time and help you plan effectively, so we’re sharing all the key milestones for both the selection process and the programme with full transparency.
We want to respect your time and help you plan effectively, so we’re sharing all the key milestones for both the selection process and the programme with full transparency.

Programme Overview

The deadline for applications to our 2025 programmes, one in Sub-Saharan Africa and one in the USA & Canada, has passed.

Changemakers for the Planet in Sub-Saharan Africa 2025

  • Nigeria
  • Deadline has passed
  • Supported by SAP
Changemakers for the Planet 2025
  • This programme is for Changemakers aged 18-35 who are based in or making an impact in Sub-Saharan Africa with solutions to tackle the planetary crisis.
  • The application form is available in both English and French.
  • Participants are invited to join the ChangemakerXchange in-person summit in Nigeria from 7th to 11th April 2025.
  • For full eligibility criteria, please refer to our FAQ section.

ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES
Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Côte-d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, eSwatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Réunion, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Western Sahara, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Changemakers for the Planet in the USA & Canada 2025 (Gender and Climate)

  • Canada
  • Deadline has passed
  • Supported by SAP
OST CM4TP LatAm 2023_Agustina Olmedo y Federico Sevilla
  • This programme focuses on the intersection of gender and climate.
  • It is for Women and gender diverse changemakers aged 18-35 and either live in or have an impact in the USA or Canada with solutions to address the planetary crisis.
  • Participants are invited to join the ChangemakerXchange in-person summit in Canada from the 5th to the 9th of April 2025.
  • For full eligibility criteria, please refer to our FAQ section.

ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES
Canada, United States of America

Feedback from Recent Summits

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“Together, we are stronger, and if it is not for summits like this, it is easy to forget the power we have and the impact we can create together, collectively.”

—  Feedback from a participant at Changemakers for the Planet in MENA 2023
CXC EmpathyXchange 2021 © Hieronymus Caspar Rönneper 03

“I had a great time and it was very comforting, exciting and energising for me to attend this summit. I felt like I belonged, and felt valued in the group.”

—  Feedback from a participant at Changemakers for the Planet in Europe 2023
Collaboration CXC South Africa 2018 © Ashoka Africa

“I am leaving the summit with a renewed energy and determination to contribute meaningfully to the challenges we discussed.”

—  Feedback from a participant at Changemakers for the Planet in Sub-Saharan Africa 2023
Post It CM4TP LatAm 2023_Agustina Olmedo y Federico Sevilla

“For the first time, I had the opportunity to be in a place that really cared about me as a person, as an individual, so that I could make a difference and act for the planet.”

—  Feedback from a participant at Changemakers for the Planet in Latin America 2023

Our Community

At the heart of ChangemakerXchange is a vibrant close-knit community of 1000 changemakers from 130 countries working on a vast range of issues. Here are just a handful of climate changemakers who have taken part in this programme!
Salma Bougarrani
GREEN WATECH provides a low-tech, efficient solution for treating wastewater, enabling its safe reuse for irrigating vegetables in rural communities.
Salma Bougarrani • Morocco
Mohamed Elamir
Woamy leads in eco-innovation with biodegradable, zero-waste biofoam, a sustainable alternative to Styrofoam made from recycled materials and agricultural waste. It’s durable, insulates well, absorbs shocks, and is nontoxic—even edible!
Mohamed Elamir • Egypt/Finland
Charles Oyamo
Rethread Africa transforms agro-waste into sustainable textile alternatives, replacing plastic-based synthetics.
Charles Oyamo • Kenya
Francielly
benthos bridges the valuation gap of marine ecosystems, turning their conservation and restoration into quantifiable, investment-worthy assets crucial for our planet’s health and prosperity.
Francielly Monteiro • Brazil/Germany
Marie Griesmar
rrreefs is on a mission to regenerate degraded coral reefs on a global scale, restoring rich marine biodiversity for a healthier ocean.
Marie Griesmar • Switzerland
José Gudiño
Jóvenes empoderan a jóvenes empowers indigenous youth to preserve biodiversity hotspots and take climate action.
Jose Gudiño • Venezuela
Lauren Headshot
Green Career Centre equips youth, BIPOC, and newcomers for successful careers in the green economy.
Lauren Castelino • Toronto
Evolena
Faircado is an AI-powered second-hand shopping assistant, making recommerce the new e-commerce standard.
Evolena de Wilde d’Estmael • Belgium/Germany

FAQ

Who is the Changemakers for the Planet programme for?

For the Changemakers for the Planet programme, we seek young changemakers aged 18-35 who are tackling climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution of air, sea, and land. We welcome applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds, including social entrepreneurs, innovators, change agents, activists, and civil society leaders who are addressing the planetary crisis.

Specifically for the Changemakers for the Planet programme in the USA & Canada 2025, we focus on the intersection of gender and climate and seek changemakers who identify as women or are gender diverse with solutions to address the planetary crisis.

We intentionally recruit a diverse group of changemakers because the climate crisis demands an intersectional and coordinated approach involving various stakeholders. This includes those tackling the root causes and those responding to the societal impacts of these changes.

Who are the partners for the Changemakers for the Planet programme?

Changemakers for the planet is an initiative by ChangemakerXchange, an international non-profit organisation with a mission to provide inclusive, supportive and collaborative spaces for changemakers, social innovators and activists from across the world.

The initiative is supported by various global partners, including:

SAP | for programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa and USA & Canada in 2025, Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America in 2023, as well as in the Middle East and North Africa in 2022.
Apple
| for programmes in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa in 2023 and 2024
Fondazione Cariplo & Robert Bosch Stiftung | for programmes in Europe in 2022

To learn more about our partnerships, including how to join the effort, please reach out to Nick McGirl at

Are there any knock-out criteria for joining the programme?

Country:

  • (for programme in Sub-Saharan Africa 2025) You must come from or currently living / having impact in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Côte-d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, eSwatini, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Réunion, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Western Sahara, Zambia, or Zimbabwe.
  • (for programme in USA & Canada 2024) You must identify as a woman or be gender diverse and either live in or have an impact in the USA or Canada.

Age: For this programme you must be aged 18–35. Due to permission reasons, we focus on over 18s. (Please note that changemakers of all ages are welcome to join other activities like Train the Trainer programmes or activities or the Possibilists.)

Role: You are the founder/co-founder, leader/co-leader, manager/co-manager (or hold an influential position with decision-making power, e.g. intrapreneur) of a social/environmental venture/organisation which is up and running and addresses the planetary crisis.

Complete application: The application form must be fully completed – with no open questions or very obviously insufficient answers remaining. Only applications submitted before the deadline can be accepted.

Do I need to be the original founder or co-founder?

No, we also welcome applications from changemakers, who might have joined a program, venture or initiative at a later stage. However, it is important that you are in a clearly defined leadership position. We unfortunately cannot accept applications from other employees or volunteers.

Does my organisation / project have to fulfil certain criteria?

When assessing the work of changemakers who apply to become a part of ChangemakerXchange we usually take the following aspects into account:

  • Stage: The organisation should be beyond the idea stage and currently active.
  • Impact: The organisation should solve an issue within the sphere of the planetary crisis (biodiversity loss, pollution and climate change) and have some tangible impact.
  • Innovation: The organisation should show some elements of innovation for the specific context.

What personal criteria are important to ChangemakerXchange?

  • Values: Applicants for a ChangemakerXchange summit should demonstrate an alignment with the CXC values.
  • Character: Applicants should show an entrepreneurial and creative mindset.
  • Motivation: Applicants should show motivation to co-create and collaborate.
  • Diversity: Diversity is also a critical criteria for us. The planetary crisis disproportionately affects society’s most at-risk individuals and regions. As such, we are putting a strong emphasis on curating cohorts that are diverse in terms of demographics and types of initiatives. Applicants from marginalised contexts and those with intersectional initiatives are a great fit for this programme and encouraged to apply!

Who covers the costs of my participation in the summit and programme?

Participants are responsible for covering the following costs:

  • Transportation to Nigeria (for the Sub-Saharan Africa summit) or to Canada (for the USA & Canada summit), including local transport from the airport, train, or bus station to the designated meeting point.
  • Visa fees.
  • Travel insurance.
  • Any additional expenses if they choose to arrive earlier or stay later beyond the summit dates.

ChangemakerXchange will cover ALL OTHER COSTS associated with the summit and programme, such as: accommodation, catering, local transportation, room hire, equipment & material, COVID-19 rapid tests, FFP2 masks, facilitation & hosting compensation, programme manager compensation, carbon emissions offsetting derived from the local hosting, post-summit capacity-building programme and post-summit community engagement activities.

What happens if I cannot afford the trip to the summit?

We always strive to make our summits accessible and inclusive so if your circumstances do not allow you to afford the trip to the summit, please state so in the application and confirmation form. We will evaluate the possibility of offering you a partial or full stipend to ensure you can join the summit.

Is there an interview as part of the selection process?

Given the high number of applications we receive and the limited staff capacity, only candidates who are being considered for the final shortlist will be invited to a short informal interview to ensure their suitability in the programme and their fit with the community. This informal interview will take place online and will be conducted by a member of the ChangemakerXchange core team or community member.

When and how will I hear back if I was selected?

The call for applications for Changemakers for the Planet programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa and USA & Canada will be open from 27 August to 16 September 2024. You can expect to hear back from us via email approximately 6 weeks after the deadline, around 28 October.

Please note that upon successfully submitting your application, you should have received a thank-you message and a short notification email from with a summary of your responses (please check your junk folder). If you did not see either, please contact us at .

Can I receive feedback on my application?

Unfortunately, we cannot provide individual feedback on each application. But we do send a thorough email to all applicants outlining the full application and selection process, as well as sharing useful resources for changemakers, which has always been appreciated by applicants in the past.

Can my co-founder join instead of me?

ChangemakerXchange invests first and foremost in the person, aka you. In the event that you cannot attend the summit anymore, we unfortunately cannot accept your co-founder as there are other candidates who went through the whole application process and have been waitlisted.

Can I join only part of the summit?

Unfortunately, no. The ChangemakerXchange summit is an intense and intentionally designed journey that makes sense if undertaken from start to end. This means we can only accept applicants who can commit to the full duration of the summit. Also, we will only allow participants who have joined all sessions on all days into the ChangemakerXchange community.

What is your approach to Disability Inclusion?

We strive to be as inclusive as possible as an organisation and for all our activities, including the in-person summits. This includes physical disabilities (i.e. needing a wheelchair, being deaf or blind), as well as cognitive disabilities (e.g. being neurodiverse). If you have any specific questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to .

Also, if needed, we will prepare a personalised “onboarding toolkit” ahead of the summit to answer any questions you might have RE disability inclusion.

What is your COVID-19 policy?

We take the COVID-19 pandemic extremely seriously. The health of our team, participants and partners is the highest priority for us! Since we cannot yet predict the exact situation at the time of the in-person summits in April 2025 we won’t be sharing recommendations and notes on restrictions just yet, but in case you are accepted as a participant please expect to receive an extensive COVID-19 briefing several weeks ahead of the summit.

Will you support with Visa applications?

Whilst we do everything (!) we can to support your visa application by providing you with an invitation letter and hotel confirmation, please know that we cannot call the embassies / consulates to push for your visa. You will be responsible for your visa application process.

What happens right after the summit?

Attending a ChangemakerXchange summit is the first step into the program, connecting you with our global community of 1000 changemakers from around the world. After the summit, you will be invited to reflect on whether you would like to join our vibrant global network of 1000+ changemakers from 130+ countries.

Also, as part of the specific programme you join, there is a modest budget to provide Funding to go towards systemic collaborative efforts among participants. And last, but not least we’d make personalised recommendations for support and connections, based on your needs.

What is the value of joining ChangemakerXchange?

We believe the words of our community do the best job of highlighting the value of joining ChangemakerXchange. Here’s just some of the feedback we’ve received from members throughout the years:

“I wanted to change the world for the better since I was 14. But everyone around me would tell me ‘be normal, go to college, get a job, don’t try to do more than you can’. After CXC, I realised that I don’t want to have a ‘normal’ life. I want an extraordinary life. I want to fully realise my mission to paint the world in bright colours of peace, unity, and love. And ChangemakerXchange catalysed the process of realising my mission. Thank you!”

“CXC is an incredible platform to change the mindset and perspective on many things (to the best of course). I can definitely say that I’ve been transformed, and I now have a much better understanding about what it takes to be a social entrepreneur, scaling impact and opening yourself to others.”

“CXC gave me a feeling of belonging. I have been part of many conferences and different communities, but CXC still feels like home because of the genuine values, the genuine goals and long-lasting friendships.”

 

As a member, what are opportunities to get engaged in the community?

Attending a ChangemakerXchange summit is the first step to joining a global community of ~1000 changemakers from all over the world. Once you are part of the community, there are several engagement opportunities you can benefit from, including: 

  • Joining our private Facebook and Linked groups where you can engage with the rest of our community members from all over the world.
  • Joining the Bosch Alumni Network to access various opportunities such as job vacancies, workshops, seminars, travel grants, etc.
  • Joining additional community engagement activities to expand your network, connect with other members, and collaborate to amplify your impact.
  • Joining our Global Facilitation Pool to facilitate CXC-like experiences for other changemakers around the world.
  • Becoming a Community Host to bring the CXC summit experience to your country.
  • Becoming a Community Advisor to give feedback to the CXC core team on all-things strategy.
  • Getting access to a range of offerings and platforms offered by our partners, including everything from learning exchange grants to pro-bono coaching and law support.
  • Attending the Global Co-Creation Summit to shape the future of the community.

The beauty of ChangemakerXchange is that it is a very dynamic and constantly evolving community, continuously shaped by the needs and feedback of its members. 

 

The people behind the programme

Miriam Sweeney
Miriam is the lead for all programmes at ChangemakerXchange, bringing extensive experience in community building and activism campaigns to this programme.
Miriam Sweeney (she/they), Co-Lead, Germany
Ayodele Rebecca Olatunji
Ayodele is dedicated to advancing the linguistic identity of the Deaf community. She is the co-host of the Changemakers for the Planet summit in Nigeria.
Ayodele Rebecca Olatunji (she/her), Co-Host, Nigeria
Prisca Onuegbu
Prisca led an inclusion-focused organisation to promote an inclusive learning approach. She is the co-host of the Changemakers for the Planet summit in Nigeria.
Prisca Onuegbu (she/her), Co-Host, Nigeria
Steve Misati
Steve is a climate changemaker dedicated to restoring and conserving degraded mangrove forests along the Kenyan coast. He is a co-facilitator at the Changemakers for the Planet summit in Nigeria.
Steve Misati (he/him), Facilitator, Kenya
Villy-Nawa.jpg
Nawa is passionate about creating a safe space for young people to express themselves freely, without fear or judgement. He is a co-facilitator at the Changemakers for the Planet summit in Nigeria.
Nawa Villy Sitali (he/him), Facilitator, Zambia
BUKOLA-BOLARINWA-NIGERIA-HAIMA-HEALTH-INITIATIVE.jpg
Bukola (Bukky) is an expert in political risk advisory, human rights, and public policy. She is an interviewer for candidates from Sub-Saharan Africa.
Bukola Bolarinwa (she/her), Interviewer, Nigeria/UK
Bernadette Ojao
Bernadette is a climate changemaker addressing menstrual health by producing eco-friendly, reusable sanitary pads. She is an interviewer for candidates from Sub-Saharan Africa.
Bernadette Ojao (she/her), Interviewer, Uganda
Nicole Headshot
Nicole leads a climate leadership program for young Canadians aged 16-24. She is contributing to the programme as the host and interviewer for the Changemakers for the Planet summit in Canada.
Nicole Doray (she/her), Host and Interviewer, Canada
Noha Mahdi
Noha creates impactful learning experiences to inspire change and drive social impact. She will facilitate the Changemakers for the Planet summit in Canada.
Noha Mahdi (she/her), Facilitator, Canada/Egypt
Esther Grossmann
Esther helps leaders create visionary, compassionate solutions through facilitation and service design. She will facilitate the Changemakers for the Planet summit in Canada.
Esther Hayes Grossman (she/her), Facilitator, USA/Germany
Gitanjali Headshot
Gitanjali helps organizations design and deliver education for a sustainable and better future. She is contributing to the programme as an interviewer for candidates from USA & Canada.
Gitanjali Paul (she/her), Interviewer, USA
Nick McGirl
Nick, Co-founder & Managing Director of ChangemakerXchange, brings over a decade of international experience in social innovation and education. He coordinates the summit teams for Nigeria and Canada.
Nick McGirl (he/him), Summit Team Coordinator, Germany
More opportunities for changemakers based / with impact in other regions will be announced soon. Sign up to our waitlist now and stay tuned!

Walking the walk

While our approach to climate action is rooted in systems-level change, it is complemented by the belief that individual action and embodying our own principles and values is crucial.

ChangemakerXchange Office in Berlin
We have developed a Sustainability Manifesto that guides our sustainability efforts and ensures all our activities minimise their negative impact on the environment. For example, this includes the use of 100% renewable energy for our servers and our office, a “vegan only” office policy, and sustainable stationery.
ChangemakerXchange Summit
All our staff have the option to devote 10% of their time to climate action initiatives, including joining protests and supporting local grassroots initiatives.
CXC EmpathyXchange 2019 © Piotr Loj
We offset the carbon emissions of ALL our historic, current, and future activities, but also acknowledge the limits of traditional offsetting and, particularly due to the fact that ChangemakerXchange is incorporated in Germany we have reframed our offsets as ‘Climate reparations’ and through this, we make direct donations to youth-led climate action in the Global South.
Check out our list of climate action resources for changemakers where you can find everything from ‘navigating climate grief’ to tools to assess how well your company or country is performing on climate measures to digital storytelling toolkits for climate activists.