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 FAQs

Eligibility

Do I need to have an established project in order to apply?

Nope! Brand new ideas are welcome. You can have an idea for a project, and not have started it yet. Your initiative could be in the preparation phase, the scaling phase, or anything in between! We accept applications for projects and ideas at any stage.    

I won one of Ashoka's other youth Challenges. Am I eligible to apply?

Yes! Finalists and winners of other Ashoka youth Challenges who fall within the age range are welcome and encouraged to apply.  

Do I have to be an Ashoka fellow to apply to this challenge? 

Nope! Anyone ages 16-25 residing in one of the following four countries, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana or Namibia are welcome to apply.    

Teammates

What if I don’t have a team member?

You don't need to have a team member to apply to the Young African Climate Changemakers Challenge 2024. You can apply as an individual or with one other team member.  

Is it okay if I have teammates outside of the age range?    

All applicants must be within the specified age range (16-25) at the time of the application deadline on July 30, 2024. You may have additional teammates outside this age range, but they will not be invited to the Young African Climate Changemakers Challenge in-person event.  

Does my team member also have to apply, or do we submit just one application?    

If you are applying with a team member, you just need to submit one application. Only one team member needs to apply on your teammates behalf.   

Can my team members edit my application on the platform?     

No. The platform does not currently allow multiple people to edit the same application.  

Early Entry Deadline

What is an Early Entry deadline and why should I apply early? If I don’t apply early entry, can I still apply later?   

The Early Entry deadline is May, 30 2024 (11:59 p.m. South Africa standard Time).  

Applying before the Early Entry deadline is an opportunity to get personalised feedback on your project and revise your application before the final deadline of July, 30 2024 (11:59 p.m. South Africa standard Time).  

Additionally, 3 Early Entry applications will be chosen to receive the Early Entry Stand-Outs prizes. Applying for Early Entry is optional. You can submit your application any time before the final deadline!  

I won the Early Entry prize. Does this mean that I'm guaranteed a spot at the in-person event?   

Winning the Early Entry prize does not guarantee you a spot at the event. But it does mean that you receive the Early Entry Stand-Out prize to support your project and feedback to improve your application!  

References

Who should I include as my project references?

References should be adults who know you well and are familiar with your idea or project. If you are under 18 years of age, at least one of your references should be a parent or guardian. Teachers and mentors can also be great references. Just be sure to ask them if they’re willing to be a reference before including their contact information so that they’re not surprised if we contact them!

What information will the references be asked to provide?  

Your references do NOT need to submit a letter of recommendation. We will send a short survey link to references asking about your role in your initiative and the impact you have had. It should take between 5-10 minutes for your references to complete. Should we have any additional questions, we may reach out to a reference via phone. 

Prize Awards

If I am selected as a prize recipient, are there requirements for how I use the prize funding?

It is our expectation that you will use all of the prize funding in service of your project.  Additionally, you will receive prize funding guidelines after you have been declared a prize awardee and can attend one of our info sessions where we will provide more information on prize funding.  

Pitch Video 

I am nervous to upload a video! How professional does it need to be?    

Don’t overthink it! You can talk on your phone and computer like normal. You can also add photos or videos related to your project as you talk. We just want to hear your passion and excitement for your solution! You are not required to appear in the video. However, if you would like, feel free to get creative using any other format like a video recording of a voice-over slideshow or any other option that works best for your circumstance. 

How should I upload my video to YouTube?  

When uploading your video, in the “Visibility” section, select the “Unlisted” option which will allow anyone with the link to access the video. Then post the link to your video on the application form.  

Please ensure that you are not putting your video on the “Private” option, as community reviewers will not be able to access and view your video. Please make sure you test the link accessibility; you are responsible for checking if it works before submitting it.  

What tips do you have for filming the video?  

• Start by writing down what you want to respond to the question before recording. Consider the evaluation criteria and how your answer demonstrates these four criteria.  

• When recording, make sure you can find a place where the noise won’t interfere with your video.   

• Please make sure you speak up and that we can hear your voice in the video.   

• Remember the video must be between 1 and 2 minutes long.  

My YouTube video is low resolution. What should I do?   

When uploading to YouTube, a low-resolution video is uploaded first. The resolution will improve, but it usually takes a few hours to do so. Be patient! Regardless, you won’t be penalized for the production quality of your video.   

Technical Issues 

I am having trouble creating an account. What should I do?   

You may be redirected to either 1.) the Create an Account page you were just at or 2.) the main Young African Climate Changemakers Challenge webpage after creating an account. If you are redirected to the Create an Account page, go back to the main Young African Climate Changemakers Challenge webpage. Scroll down and click the "Apply Here" button to be led to the application portal that looks similar to this.

Once you arrive to the application portal, click the light blue “Terms and Conditions” button on the upper left corner. Read/scroll through the Challenge agreement and click “Accept” at the bottom to be led to the application page, where you can now start your application!

If you are still having issues, please email us at [email protected].

How can I see the other applications that have been submitted?  

You need to be registered to see all the applications, but some of the projects will be featured on the 'applications' page.

How do I edit my application after I submit it?   

Even after you’ve submitted your application, you can make edits to it until the final entry deadline of July, 30 2024 (11.59 SAST).

To do this, first, ensure you are logged into your account and then find your application on the application platform. To quickly find your application, click on the applications tab (next to the Overview tab) and click the filter option "My Applications" (next to the search bar). Your published Applications will be filtered so you can click on it. Once you click on it, a blue banner will show up and invite you to edit the application.  

If you want to make text-related changes to your application, you will need to edit the required text and then hit save. If you want to make video-related changes to your application, you will need to replace it with a new video link before hitting save. You do not need to re-submit your application; you only have to submit your application once.  

All published applications will be locked as of July, 30 2024 (11.59 SAST). To allow for the most fair and equitable review process, we will not be able to make any edits after this deadline. 

I am having trouble applying online OR I don’t have consistent access to the Internet to update and edit my application. What should I do?  

No problem! Reach out to our team at [email protected] and we will get back to you with an alternative way to apply. 

Other 

I want to schedule an information session for my program/class/school/community – who should I contact?  

We would love to partner with you and host an information session, office hours, or support session. Reach out to us at [email protected] to coordinate with our team. 

I have more questions – who should I contact?   

Need help with your application? Reach out to us at [email protected] or @ashokachangemakers/@ashokaafrica on Instagram. 

Territories FAQs

Do I have to be a citizen of one of the four countries? Are foreign citizens studying, working, or living in the countries eligible to apply? 

All applicants must be physically located in one of the four countries when they apply, but citizenship is not an eligibility requirement. And, one or more of the four eligible countries must be your projects country of impact.  

What if my teammate and I live in different countries? Can we still apply?    

Yes! As long as it is one of the four eligible countries.  

Is the Winners' event in person? When is it?    

We are currently planning for an in-person event in the Johannesburg, South Africa, in early December 2024.   

I can't make the dates for the Summit. Can I still apply?    

Yes, as long as someone else from your team can attend the event in your place. Please ensure that this person also meets all eligibility requirements in order to attend the event.  

What language(s) can I apply in? 

All applicants must apply in English only.  

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