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We identify, encourage, and equip talented leaders to lift the collective prospects of our planet.
If we tackle poverty where it is most prevalent and urgent, we can accelerate the pace of change to end poverty and inequality in our lifetime. Fewer people live in poverty today than ever before in human history. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, poverty has doubled, with 413 million people living on less than US$1.90 a day. It is soon to have the youngest and largest workforce (450 million people) in the world, with over half of the population living in poverty.
Since our start in 2000, EWB has worked toward a world without poverty and inequality where it is most prevalent. We have focused on creating opportunity and access for those living in conditions of poverty. To solve problems within social, economic and political systems that are inextricably linked.
In order to advance inclusive innovations, we have built diversity into our approach. Today, EWB invites and empowers engineers and non-engineers who value collaboration and cooperation to cross-breed solutions to poverty and inequality.
We aim to converge design thinking with systems thinking and elevate our collective passion to create sustainable and inclusive economies.
Through our leadership curriculum and Fellowships, EWB offers immersive experiences in Canada and sub-Saharan Africa to launch future shapers equipped to understand and re-engineer complex social systems.
By investing in the economic and social prosperity of emerging economies, and championing values that create inclusion, equality and sustainability, we can inspire development behaviour to help the international community end intergenerational poverty and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Canada-Africa Innovation Fellowship partners young leaders from Canada and Africa to learn, create, and accelerate ideas as a way to build a sustainable and inclusive future. A unique chance for university students to grow their leadership, entrepreneurial and innovation capacity while engaging in cultural, academic and professional exchange.
The Virtual Talent xChange provides an opportunity to hone volunteers’ professional and practical skills in a completely remote setting. The platform works to support innovative seed-stage social ventures in sub-Saharan Africa succeed by meeting their diverse talent needs in the areas of business modeling, marketing, UX/UI design, fundraising and more.
*Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic the Long-Term Fellowship is on pause. Please stay tuned for an announcement on its status for 2023.*
EWB’s in-country Fellowship program recruits outstanding leaders–typically post-graduate students and professionals–to pair with innovating African ventures in a 12-month placement. Through providing expert support and collaboration, EWB Fellows equip ventures with the essential talent required to accelerate and sustain their growth while also growing their professional portfolio in a new location.
The EWB Fellowship program recruits outstanding leaders—typically post-graduate students and professionals—to pair with innovative African ventures in a 12-month placement. Through providing expert support and collaboration, EWB Fellows equip ventures with the essential talent required to accelerate and sustain their growth.
The Kumvana Fellowship program provides African innovators with a platform to network, develop skills and collaborate with like-minded leaders: both from their local communities and from the wider global EWB ecosystem.
Our work involves solving the world’s most challenging problems through analysis, questioning and innovation. As a result, we develop leaders with the skills required to interrogate and improve economic, political, social and cultural systems.
We do this through our Systems Change Leadership model.
EWB Canada’s is in 9 provinces across Canada, with 34 University Chapters and 2 Professional Chapters. EWB's Chapter Network is committed to ensuring Canadians far and wide are connected to issues of international development, are aware of their potential to solve crucial problems of poverty and inequality, and equipped with the tools and knowledge to exercise their potential to transform broken and unequal systems.
Our National Conference was born from the desire to unite and spark equality on a local, national and global scale. EWB gatherings bring leading minds together from around the world and from all levels of society. Discuss opportunities, formulate ideas, turn ideas into actions, and create lasting profound change in the world.
Whether our people are meeting with community partners in Toronto
or crunching numbers in Ghana, we take an all-encompassing
and system-wide approach to creating change.
Our leaders drive change in the following impact areas.
By partnering with Small and Growing Business Ventures, EWB Fellows spark innovative sub-Saharan entrepreneurs. Through their talent, dedication and expertise, Fellows support innovative startup businesses as they develop new products and services to help millions facing poverty.
Through collaborating with major government and corporate bodies in our Governance for Sustainable Services initiative, EWB leaders promote operational changes to improve business and political practice in Canada and Sub-Saharan Africa.
As part of our work in Evolving Engineering, EWB leaders engage in a portfolio of initiatives designed to address key issues within the engineering community. The goal is to enhance and transform the role of the profession, with a particular view towards creating greater social impact.
