The Hero Awards, in collaboration with Afghan Women Rising, are spearheading an initiative to create the world's largest "solution engine" for the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to CIO John Toomey, each of the 169 targets underlying the SDGs is being converted into prompts for AI bots, starting with platforms like OpenAI's GPTs, Gemini's Gems, and Claude Artifacts, and evolving into full-fledged AI assistants capable of continuous self-updating and actionable workflows to advance the goals.
Afghan Women Rising, a group of young women in Afghanistan denied formal education under Taliban rule, are at the forefront of this effort. They design the AI bots online and refine them through in-person discussions, injecting a human element into the process. Program Director Amy Chang noted, "Having these girls design the prompts allows them to sidestep the ban against schooling. They get valuable experience building projects that will contribute to sustainability both in and outside of their own country for a long while." The girls draw inspiration from the writings of J. Kutcher, particularly her metaphor of garden plant growth for spiritual, emotional, and intellectual development.
Completed protocols are eligible for Hero Awards if they suggest novel strategies for advancing UN targets. Successful submissions are publicized on the Hero Awards website and in press releases. Since the program's launch six months ago, interest has expanded to other organizations in the Global South, including PARI (People's Archive of Rural India), Siku.org serving First Nations of the Canadian Arctic and Greenland, Cybersmartafrica.org in Senegal, Terrastories for Amazonian indigenous communities, and Winyama for Australian indigenous groups.
June Hero Award winners include Tara Jensen, Maria Ortiz, Herman Matsui, and Wilhelmina Searles. The initiative aims to empower marginalized communities while accelerating progress toward the UN's 2030 agenda. For more details, visit the UN Goals and Targets page or the Hero Awards Substack.
