Skoll Foundation Announces Pakistan's ChildLife Foundation as a 2026 Skoll Award for Social Innovation

By modernizing Pakistan's pediatric emergency rooms and linking them to a telemedicine network, ChildLife is saving hundreds of children daily

WASHINGTON, April 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Skoll Foundation announced ChildLife Foundation as one of the three organizations that will receive the 2026 Skoll Award for Social Innovation. The $2 million award provides unrestricted support to nonprofit organizations with a proven track record of advancing transformational social change on intractable global issues. 

Through innovative public-private partnerships, thoughtful community integration, and systems-level thinking, the 2026 award winners are driving measurable progress on child health in Pakistan, early learning and development in South Africa, and civic technology and public benefits access in India. Together, these remarkable organizations are advancing a sustainable world of peace and prosperity for all.

The Foundation will present the awards and celebrate the leaders of each recipient organization during the 23rd annual Skoll World Forum, held April 21–24 in Oxford, U.K. and online. The Awards Ceremony will take place Thursday, April 23, from 5:00–6:30 p.m. BST at the New Theatre in Oxford and via livestream. Click here to register to attend the Forum online, or email press@skoll.org to request a press pass to attend the Forum in person.

"This recognition belongs to our frontline teams working 24/7 to save children's lives, to our government partners who make scale possible, and to our supporters who believe in this mission," said Dr. Ahson Rabbani, CEO. "Our promise: no child more than 30 minutes away from quality emergency care, 24/7 and free of charge."

"This year's winners of the Skoll Award for Social Innovation prove that when bold, creative leaders set their sights on a problem, their resolve and commitment lead to global systems change. Through innovative partnerships with affected communities and cross-sector collaboration, they are driving impact and lasting change in the fields of health, education, and public benefits," said Marla Blow, CEO & President of the Skoll Foundation. "Even in the face of profound shocks to the social impact space, these organizations are not simply maintaining their impact; they are increasing it exponentially. We hope their stories will inspire other social entrepreneurs to continue their pursuit of transformational change."

More details about ChildLife Foundation:

Pakistan faces one of the highest child mortality rates in the world, with nearly 1,000 children dying every day from treatable conditions like pneumonia. ChildLife Foundation works to prevent those deaths by strengthening Pakistan's struggling pediatric emergency care system. It partners with government to rehabilitate and manage pediatric ERs within public hospitals, delivering world-class care through modern facilities and equipment, efficient systems and well-trained teams. Additionally, ChildLife Foundation's 24/7 telemedicine network links over 300 district hospitals to pediatric specialists, covering 90 percent of the population. This system has achieved a tenfold reduction in child mortality in the ERs ChildLife manages. By building government doctors' capacity and scaling to 40 modernized ERs and more than 400 telemedicine sites, the organization hopes to deliver life-saving care to 20 million children each year.

About the Skoll Foundation: The Skoll Foundation catalyzes transformational social change by investing in, connecting and championing social entrepreneurs and other innovators who support them who are advancing bold, systemic solutions to the world's most pressing problems. In 2025, the Skoll Foundation directed nearly 80 percent of its funding in support of global social entrepreneurship, with 55 percent directly reaching its community of Skoll Awardees and other social entrepreneurs. 

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