English for All
Local Actions, Global Voices
A 4-week virtual journey where youth use English as a bridge to collaborate across borders and design real solutions related to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in their own communities.
Program at a glance
The EFA Global Action Hackathon: Local Actions, Global Voices is a global youth learning experience that brings together students from non-English-speaking countries to collaborate, communicate, and create local solutions to global challenges.
The hackathon uses English as a shared language for communication, not as a measure of perfection. Students engage in a meaningful process of exploring their local realities, exchanging ideas with international peers, and developing practical community solutions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Each edition of the hackathon will focus on a single SDG theme to create a unified global conversation. The 2026 edition will focus on:
General information
Format
Click a card to explore each part of the experience.
Students and teachers join an online meeting on Zoom, about 2 hours each Saturday, to collaborate. This is also where cultural exchange and cross-border feedback happen inside their Global Peer Pods.
2026 Journey
Select a milestone to see what happens in that period.
Aug 1st to 31st
Country eligibility
Open to teams from 44 eligible countries. Use the search below to check yours. See the full eligibility list.
No match — try another spelling, or see the full eligibility list.
Country eligibility is reviewed annually and may change based on Wise coverage or OFAC sanctions.
Awards
Impact and collaboration come first. Every meaningful action matters.
The winning team with the best solution video proposal will receive $500 USD to implement the project developed during the hackathon. The team will have 30 days to implement the project, with mentorship and support from EFA and partners, plus the opportunity to document and showcase the community impact journey during the EFA Community Celebration.
Awarded to teams that take a genuine first step toward their proposed solution after the hackathon. Recognition includes a certificate as an EFA Young Global Changemaker Team, feature stories through EFA communication channels, and recognition during the EFA Community Celebration.
Evaluation
Thoughtful, realistic, community-driven solutions come first.
Is the problem well understood, and is the solution realistic and achievable with available resources?
Think Globally. Start Locally. Act Today.
Meaningful change begins when young people use their voices, collaborate across borders, and take action in their communities.
