The Hero Awards, in collaboration with Afghan Women Rising, is building the world's largest 'solution engine' for the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to CIO John Toomey, each of the UN's 169 targets is being transformed into a prompt 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 continuously updating themselves to achieve progress towards the goals.
A significant portion of the work is being done by members of Afghan Women Rising, young women in Afghanistan denied formal education under the Taliban-led government. They design and refine AI prompts online and engage in in-person discussions to incorporate human elements. 'Having these girls design the prompts allows them to sidestep the ban against schooling,' says Program Director Amy Chang. 'They gain valuable experience building projects that contribute to sustainability both in and outside their country, preparing themselves for a time when their talents will be vital for Afghanistan's future.'
The girls draw inspiration from the writings of J. Kutcher, particularly her metaphor of garden plant growth representing the spiritual, emotional, and intellectual development of young women. Completed protocols are eligible for a Hero Award if they suggest novel strategies for advancing UN targets. Successful efforts are featured on The Hero Awards website and in press releases.
Since the program's announcement six months ago, individuals from other organizations in the Global South have requested participation. Future iterations will include groups such as PARI (People's Archive of Rural India), dedicated to underserved populations in rural India; Siku.org, serving First Nations in the Canadian Arctic and Greenland; Cybersmartafrica.org, a network of teachers and students in Senegal preserving local cultures and improving digital literacy; Terrastories, an open-source application for South American and Amazonian indigenous communities to map oral histories; and Winyama, an Australian indigenous group using cultural mapping to document Dreamtime stories and historical land use.
June Hero Award winners include Tara Jensen, Maria Ortiz, Herman Matsui, and Wilhelmina Searles. For more information, visit the Hero Awards Substack or the UN's SDG goals and targets page.
