Changemaker Projects - Life for a Child

Empowering individuals through funding, mentoring, networking, and recognition.

The Changemaker Projects will provide funding and support to individuals impacted by type 1 diabetes to help them develop an advocacy initiative of their choosing. Applications will be accepted from several African and Latin American nations.

The Changemaker Projects are open to a diverse range of people, from those who want to develop their first advocacy project, to well-established advocates who want to take their work to the next level.

We know that advocacy can often feel like rolling a boulder uphill. It can be intimidating, unpaid and thankless. The Changemaker Projects aim to break down these barriers and empower individuals to make a difference for people living with diabetes in their communities.

Applications are due 11:59pm UTC on September 30, 2023.

Six Changemaker Projects are available, three for people living in Africa and three for people living in Latin America.

What are the Changemaker Projects?

Open to all levels of experience

We hope to see applications from people who are developing their first advocacy project and from well-established advocates who want to take their work forward to the next level.

Breaking down barriers to entry

We will meet you where you are at. You will have the choice of communicating your project in Spanish, French, or English and we will try to accommodate any special requirements you may have.

Financial grants

Grants of up to 4,000 USD are available per project. Your budget may include payment for your time developing and delivering the project.

Beyond funds

Changemakers will be assigned a dedicated mentor with senior professional advocacy skills that are culturally appropriate. Changemakers will also be connected with key partners within our national and global networks.

Meaningful engagement

National advocates can influence positive change for their communities. Where possible, we will work to strengthen your legitimacy as a national expert through the Life for a Child network.

Building blocks

Big changes are built on many smaller building blocks. We don’t expect your project to move mountains, but to contribute to incremental change within your community.

What could a Changemaker Project look like?

Diabetes advocacy comes in many forms and looks different everywhere. It has a special power to break down barriers, generate knowledge, increase equity and make long-lasting change for communities. We will consider any project that aims to positively impact people living with diabetes, you can see some examples below. If you would like to run your idea past us or request help with your application, please contact us.

Development and deployment of a national type 1 diabetes fact sheet
Development and deployment of right-based materials for PLWD
Rights-based campaign
Social media campaign
Stigma and psychosocial campaign

Who is eligible to apply to the Changemaker Projects?

Changemakers must be individuals - either a single person or the leader of a small, informal group.

Applicants must also be:

At least 18 years of age.
Have access to their own bank account.
Have strong language skills in either English, Spanish, or French.

Only applications from residents of the below Latin American and African nations can be considered.

If your country is not listed, unfortunately you are not eligible to apply. Please see the Terms of Reference for more information. Please contact us with any questions.

Latin America

Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Mexico, and Panama.

Africa

Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic*, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Madagascar, Mali, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

*recently added

Submit your Changemaker Projects application before September 30

Applications open

August 22

Applications close

September 30
by 11:59pm UTC

Changemakers announced

November 14

If you have any questions or would like guidance with your application please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Meet the mentors

George Msengi

Tanzania

Dr. George Msengi is a Tanzanian physician and a Vibrant NCDs youth advocate. He volunteers with multiple screening and health educational programs in his community. He is the secretary of the NCDs steering committee in his Ministry of Health in Tanzania.

George also holds leadership roles as the secretariat and East African Regional representative of the African NCDs Network and sits as a governing council member with NCD child. He is a member of the WHO’s Civil Society Working Group on NCDs as a co-leader of the Advocacy and Communication steering group.

Tinotenda Dzikiti

Zimbabwe

Tinotenda Dzikiti is a cum laude of Bindura University of Science Education with a Bachelor of Commerce Honors Degree in Financial Intelligence; Certified Diabetes Educator; Global advocate for T1International; Co-Chair for Membership Committee & Co-lead for the Special Interest Group “Diabetes in Africa and Limited resource settings”- ISPAD; Africa Representative-Elect for International Diabetes Federation; Ambassador for Zimbabwe Diabetes Association; Patient Leader for Diabetes Center Berne; Patient Advocate for NCDI Poverty Network; #dedoc°voice alumnus; Editorial Board Member for Ascensia Diabetes Care; Host for “The Diabetic Mogul Podcast”; Vice President Public Relations for Broadcom Toastmasters.

Paul-Louis Fouesnant

France/Madagascar

Paul-Louis has lived with type 1 diabetes since 1998 and is passionate about building projects that improve the life of underserved population. Since 2017 he initiated several projects in Madagascar with A.MA.DIA (Association MAlgache contre le DIAbète) with the aim of building a sustainable model of access to diabetes care and empowering people.

International partners include Life for a Child, Direct Relief and Insulin For Life. More than 500 people including 350 young people with type 1 diabetes receive access to care free of charge at 12 points of care across the country and the number is constantly growing.

Mariana Gómez

Mexico

Mariana is a psychologist, diabetes educator, and certified health coach. She has been living with type 1 diabetes since 1984. Mariana is the creator of Dulcesitosparami, one of the first online spaces for people with type 1 diabetes in Spanish. She has worked in civil organizations since 2006 when she joined the Mexican Diabetes Federation’s team. Mariana is co-author of Había una vez una diabetes (Once upon a time there was diabetes) a book about mental health, diabetes burnout, and changing narratives with type 1 diabetes for children and caregivers.

Mariana is a member of Blue Circle Voices. She is part of the team at Beyond Type 1. She is the mother of a teenager.

Manny Hernández

Venezuela

After his diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in 2002, Manny became an advocate committed to making sure nobody touched by diabetes ever feels alone. He has been a devoted supporter of Life for a Child since his tenure at Diabetes Hands Foundation, the NGO that cradled TuDiabetes and EsTuDiabetes.

He was an executive at Livongo and Tidepool. Manny is VP of Customer Success at Thrivable, a healthcare market research agency. He also serves on the board of The Diabetes Link and the National Advocacy Committee for ADA.

Mark Barone

Brazil

Dr. Mark Barone has more than two decades of experience in public and global health, education, empowerment, and advocacy. In 2009 he founded the Brazilian Young Leaders in Diabetes Program, which he coordinated and supervised for 10 years.
He is the Founder and General Manager of the Intersectoral Forum to Fight NCDs in Brasil, a member of the IAPO’s Scientific Advisory Board, of the BMJ’s Patient Advisory Panel, of the Ramaiah International Centre for Public Health Innovations, and member of the Advisory Committee of Life for a Child and of the NCD-LAB-GCM/WHO. Mark is a former vice-President of the International Diabetes Federation and ADJ Diabetes Brasil.