Past Challenges

Bringing young people together for global change.

Since 2010, students around the world have come together to learn, share their experiences, and make the world a better place. In the process, they've created incredible artwork and memories. Each Challenge tackles a unique and timely global issue, and the results are always inspiring.

Learn About our Past Challenges

Previous Challenges

See what students around the world have created—and how they've made a difference—from 2010 through the present.

Sparking global change through art⁠–⁠ivism

2022: World Needs Challenge

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Honoring everyday heroes

2021: Changemaker Challenge

Students faced a number of issues during this Challenge: a global pandemic, socially distant learning, racial injustice, the environment, and much more. That’s why we invited students to make awards for changemakers in their own backyard. Their awards also helped support changemakers around the world!

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Fighting Hunger and Malnutrition

2020: The Hunger Challenge

Students brought the ingredients to cook up change. Tens of millions of children around the world go to bed hungry or malnourished each night. Students from around the world changed that. Through the Hunger Challenge, students were able to mobilize $2.3 million for programs fighting hunger both locally and globally.

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Ocean Conservation

2019: The Ocean Challenge

More than 1,000 teams in 40 countries participated in the Ocean Challenge, making it one of the largest campaigns in our 10-year history! Student generated donations helped nine nonprofit organizations train coastal youth in ocean conservation and coral restoration.

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Engaging Difference

2018: Facing Difference Challenge

The Facing Difference Challenge was held during the 2017-18 school year to help educators worldwide empower young people to reflect and take action toward building understanding, empathy, and peace.

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Youth Empowerment

2017: Youth Uplift Challenge

Over 115,000 students in 28 countries made 250,000+ hands for the Youth Uplift Challenge! For every hand you made and sent in, the Bezos Family Foundation donated $1.90—up to $500,000—to Save the Children’s programs empowering youth in Nicaragua and Indonesia to rise into a life they dream for themselves.

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Syrian Refugee Crisis

2016: Healing Classrooms Challenge

Teams from around the world made over 200,000 paper pinwheels! The Bezos Family Foundation matched each pinwheel with $2 for a total donation of $400,000 to support the International Rescue Committee's Healing Classrooms program serving Syrian refugees.

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Earthquake Recovery

2015: Flowers for Nepal Challenge

Students Rebuild joined forces with Save the Children to support children affected by the April 2015 Nepal earthquake. The Bezos Family Foundation matched every non-perishable flower garland you mailed in with $2, and donated $200,000 for temporary schools and safe places to play, back-to-school kits, and more.

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Access to Literacy Programs

2015: Literacy Challenge

Students Rebuild partnered with Save the Children and Global Nomads Group to improve youth reading and writing skills around the world. For each bookmark we received, the Bezos Family Foundation donated $1—up to $300,000—to Save the Children’s Literacy Boost program in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

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Clean Water

2014: Water Challenge

In partnership with charity: water and Global Nomads Group, Students Rebuild brought clean, safe drinking water to those who need it most. For every 20 handmade beads made by students, one person received access to clean water thanks to matching funds from the Bezos Family Foundation.

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Typhoon Recovery

2013: Typhoon Haiyan Challenge

Students Rebuild partnered with Save the Children to support Typhoon Haiyan victims in the Philippines. Students around the world wrote letters matched with funds by the Bezos Family Foundation. Save the Children used these funds to provide students with temporary learning spaces, educational materials and more.

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Humanitarian Crisis

2012: One Million Bones Challenge

Students Rebuild joined the One Million Bones project, CARE, and Global Nomads Group to create 1,000,000 handmade bones as a visible petition against humanitarian crises. The Bezos Family Foundation matched student efforts with a donation of $500,000 to CARE’s work in Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC.)

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Earthquake Recovery

2010: Haiti Challenge

In the first-ever Students Rebuild Challenge, students raised funds to benefit those affected by the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. Students Rebuild partnered with Architecture for Humanity and Global Nomads Group so students and educators could raise much-needed funding for school reconstruction.

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Earthquake and Tsunami Recovery

2011: Paper Cranes for Japan Challenge

In 2011, Students Rebuild partnered with DoSomething.org and Architecture for Humanity to give students a way to support their Japanese peers affected by the earthquake and tsunami that struck Sendai. We asked students to make paper cranes and mail them to have their efforts matched by the Bezos Family Foundation.

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