In 2025 we launched the Good Start Challenge in nine countries across Africa, Latin America and South East Asia as part of our Foundation’s strategic focus on parental wellbeing. Our goal was to identify and advance innovative solutions that help parents and caregivers of young children thrive in underserved communities in collaboration with our partner Challenge Works with the support of founding partners FEMSA, Fundação Maria Cecilia Souto Vidigal and the LEGO Foundation.
On 3 September 2026, six winning teams from Ethiopia, Senegal, Uganda, Colombia, Brazil and Indonesia have each been awarded €200,000 to continue developing and scaling their work. While their approaches differ, they all demonstrate that supporting parents is essential to helping children, families and communities flourish.
“The six winners show the potential and readiness of organisations to bring meaningful change to parents’ everyday reality. Today we celebrate what has been achieved as a major milestone in our ongoing mission to ensure that not only children, but parents everywhere have a good start too.” Rushda Majeed, Chief Programme Officer, Van Leer Foundation
More than 1,000 organisations across 9 countries applied to the Challenge, sharing scalable ideas that respond to the realities of family life. The winners reflect the very best of the diverse of ideas that emerged:
- EKISIL CBO (Ethiopia) – SafeHubs
Community-owned, solar-powered hubs that provide displaced mothers and young children with access to parenting support, trauma counselling, health screening and digital learning resources. - Heights and Minds & Atou Nutrition (Senegal) – MindUp Tawfekh Keur Jaboot
A community-led family centre where children can learn and play while parents access childcare, nutrition advice, health services and tailored support. - StrongMinds (Uganda)
Group therapy programmes led by trained community volunteers, providing refugee parents with accessible mental health support and opportunities to build stronger social connections. - GENFAMI (Colombia) – UMBI
A WhatsApp-based tool supporting Afro-descendant teenage mothers with mental wellbeing, positive parenting skills and guidance during the early years of their child’s life. - PIPA Institute & Tempojunto (Brazil)
A virtual support network that combines professional guidance, emotional support and specialist care through WhatsApp and video consultations. - Foundation for Mother and Child Health Indonesia (Indonesia) – BUNDA
A community-based programme that equips midwives and health volunteers to support the mental wellbeing of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers through home visits and routine care.
Highlights and next steps
The Challenge has highlighted the tremendous potential of local entrepreneurs, community organisations and social innovators to address some of the most pressing challenges facing families today. Each of the solutions are deeply rooted in the communities they serve. Many were inspired by personal experiences or years of frontline work with families facing isolation, stress, displacement or limited access to services. The judging panel agreed that each of the winning solutions were designed within local realities and provide the support systems that parents want and need.
The winners as well as the other inspiring finalist organisations are part of a growing global movement working to reimagine how societies support parents and caregivers. Their work demonstrates that change starts locally, with people who creatively innovate to overcome the challenges parents face every day. To continue learning from this work, the winners and finalists will gather at regional showcase events from September through to November
To learn more about the Good Start Challenge winners and finalists visit: www.goodstart.challenges.org
