The Ahlan Simsim initiative has transformed the lives of children and families through early childhood development services in its fifth year.

In the world of philanthropy, the 100&Change competition stands out for its potential to catalyze meaningful solutions for some of the biggest problems of our time. Among the 1,904 impressive projects submitted in the inaugural round of the competition, four finalists stood out for their unique approach, strong partnerships, and vision for achieving impact. This series provides an update on these initiatives and their achievements over the past five years.

The Larsen Lam ICONIQ Impact Award was designed as a $10 million competition to fund refugee initiatives. It ended up drawing $24.25 million, funding five programs and sparking a movement.

Five years ago, a plan to help children cope with the distress of the Syrian war received $100 million. Today, the program has supported over 23 million children and parents across the Middle East and North Africa with healthy development and early learning toward a resilient and thriving future.

Changing The Way We Care was a finalist in the MacArthur Foundation’s inaugural 100&Change challenge. Five years later, it’s sparking global momentum to reform institutionalized childcare.