Welcome to the Global Brain Health Changemaker Challenge

Thank you to all that have submitted videos to the challenge showcasing a change you've made to help individuals with neurological disorders.

What was the Changemaker Challenge?

We aksed for video submissions under 5 minutes from individuals or teams either in a rural or urban location in a low or middle income country. The videos we received showcased the change that, as an individual or team, had been made in a specific setting in relation to one or more of the five pillars of the World Health Organisation’s Intersectoral Global Action Plan on epilepsy and other neurological disorders (IGAP):  

  1. Raise policy prioritization and strengthen governance
  2. Provide effective, timely and responsive diagnosis, treatment and care
  3. Implement strategies for promotion and prevention
  4. Foster research and innovation and strengthen information systems
  5. Strengthen the public health approach to epilepsy

Each submission: 

  • Presented a solution/intervention addressing an issue impacting individuals with neurological disorders in a work based setting (either a new solution or an improvement to an existing solution). The examples come from fields of advocacy, clinical care, education and many others.
  • They also explained how this change resulted from or related to a previous Global Brain Health Clinical Exchange session  

All submissions were reviewed by a panel of experts and the winner and runner up entries are showcased below. The winners were announsed at the 26th July Clinical Exchange. All participants were awarded a Changemaker Challenge Certificate.

An image of cartoon people forming a crowd

WINNERS

1st Prize

Dr Mundih Njohjam, Ebsiy Nongse and Swirri Nji
Cameroon

The team designed a peer-led awareness raising initiative where they trained 25 young people to lead sessions at schools. They focused on IGAP Pillar 3 and looked at promoting brain health and awareness, destigmatize brain-related disorders and promoting early detection and treatment. The school sessions used brain models to help demystify misconceptions on neurological disorders in the community. They reached 10,000 students at over 200 schools, as well as running street sensitization sessions and using social media to raise awareness. Further to this, they developed their advocacy skills and have been given authority to run sessions in more schools by the education authority.

“I was greatly inspired by the work that other healthcare professionals like Professor Bindu Menon and her team in India have been doing to promote brain health and awareness of neurological disorders (Webinar: 'How to use patient and public involvement to improve global brain health'). The inspiration prompted me to start up similar activities in Cameroon. I used some of their strategies in designing my own project. Also, through the webinar on 'From research to policy: advocating for brain health', I learned the basics of advocacy and using the knowledge, I was able to advocate at a local level for the creation of brain clubs in some secondary schools. Additionally, I was able to engage local stakeholders in secondary education on brain health in schools. This allowed us to reach out to many more schools with brain health awareness activities.” Dr Mundih Njohjam

The award for first prize covers the cost of registration for a place at the June 2025 NeuroID course in Liverpool, United Kingdom. The award also includes $800 USD towards travel and accommodation expenses. See the NeuroID course website.

View the winning video submission:

Runners Up

Dr Sarah Braun and the team at University Teaching Hospital Lusaka
Zambia

The team developed a plan for capacity building in order to deliver local, sustainable and specialist care to thier stroke patients.

Dr Sherece Okafor and the team at Regions Healthcare
Nigeria

The team were influenced by the Clinical Exchange Platform and used virtual technology to assist in training both their physicians and EEG technologists to better help manage their patients. To help with the challenges they face in managing epilepsy they also raised awareness through organizing community outreach initiatives. These sessions were specifically about epilepsy, with ways to reduce misconceptions and promote social inclusion for individuals living with the condition.

The award for both runners up is virtual access to the Encephalitis International Conference on 2nd and 3rd December 2024. See the Encephalitis 2024 website.

Video Submissions

Thank you to all of our entries to the Changemaker Challenge. Below shows a list of submissions received:

  • Kaosarat Ibrahim, Nigeria
    Target group - epilepsy and stroke patients/caregivers.
  • Rajanna Brooks, USA
    Target group -paediatric patients with rare disease and neurological disorders.
  • Zakayo Ojijo, Kenya
    Target group - epileptic patients
  • Geeta Parwanda and Anand Parera, India
    Target group - post CVA patient above 20 years old.
  • Emmanuel Asrat and Seid/Tesema Yetnayet/Lema, Ethiopia
    Target group -patients with alcohol use disorder.
  • Henry Sande and Kamanga, Yamikani and Aaron, Malawi
    Target group - youths to improve health and well-being.
  • Alpa Arora, India
    Target group - children and the elderly to improve patient care.
  • Gidnora Kirigha, Kenya
    Target group - epileptic patients and their primary care givers.
  • Temitope Farombi and Olufisayo Elugbadebo, Olajoke Akinyemi, Olayemi Duru, Benita Omole, Nigeria
    Target group - older adults including vulnerable adults.
  • Vincent Ssenfuka and Joy Banonya, Uganda
    Target group - patients with chronic conditions such as brain and neurological disorders.
  • Gresham Africa, South Africa
    Target group - persons with and affected by epilepsy and other neurological disorders

All entries have received a Changemaker Challenge certificate.

How were the submissions evaluated?

There were 7 evaluation criteria to meet, see below for details and how the submissions were judged. 

Download a PDF version of Changemaker Challenge Evaluation Criteria. 

CriterionSuggested questionsScoring criteria

Problem understanding and knowledge of IGAP pillars
  • Which IGAP pillar does the question relate to? 
  • How clear is the problem statement and does it show a depth of understanding?

0 : Not addressed

1 : Minimal understanding of the issue, lacks clarity and problem statement is ill-defined

2 : The problem statement is relatively clear and understandable

3 : Demonstrates depth of understanding of the problem and the IGAP pillar, clearly defined and easy to understand
Connection to the Global Brain Health Clinical Exchange
  • How does the change you’ve made relate to a previous Global Brain Health Clinical Exchange session?

 

0 : Not addressed

1 : Minimal or no connection

2 : Some explanation of link to previous session

3 : Clear description of how change made resulted from learning or discussion related to a previous session 
Originality and innovation
  • Is your entry innovative? 
  • How is it different from others or previous attempts to make change? 
  • What stands out?
  • Is there a new solution that you implemented?

 

0 : Not addressed

1 : Lacks innovative thinking and originality when compared to other solutions available

2 : Some innovative thinking but may lack originality i.e., overlap with existing solutions

3 : The change expresses strong innovative thinking - either a new solution or strong improvement to existing solution - shows how the current solution differs from others 
Significance
  • What effect will your solution have on your target patient or user group? 
  • How will it benefit them? 
  • Will it be able to help solve that issue?
  • How will you know that your intervention is working as planned?

0 : Not addressed

1 : Lacks clear impact or benefit 

2  : Impact and benefits as described meet expectations 

3  : Appeal, impact, and benefits exceed expectations 
Reach
  • Who is your target audience? 
  • Is your setting rural or urban? 
  • Who or what community has benefited or been impacted on? Please estimate the number of beneficiaries. 
  • Have you reached a minority group or patients that have difficulty accessing care? 
  • Does your intervention open a door for follow-up changes?

0 : Not addressed

1 : Lacks reach when compared to other solutions available

2 : Reasonable reach when compared to other solutions available

3 : The change impacts minority groups or those that have difficulty accessing care provided in the setting 
Sustainability
  • How have you built legacy into the change? 
  • What ways have you disseminated your change in your country or wider? 
  • Have you produced a website/blog to update others on the progress of your change? 
  • How has the community contributed to sustained outreach?

0 : Not addressed

1 : Lacks a clear sustainable approach to ensure legacy of impact

2 : Some sustainable approaches have been considered and implemented 

3 : The change shows a strong sustainable approach and legacy has been built into the change and implemented fully 
Overall presentation
  • How clearly was the problem and solution presented? 
  • Was it well articulated? 
  • Easy to understand?

0 : Not addressed

1 : Difficulty in presenting idea, missing elements of presentation

2 : Presentation delivery lacks some clarity and organisation and is moderately creative

3 : Delivery is clear, well organised, and presented in a creative manner 



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