Innovation & Impact Awards

Cooperation Canada, in collaboration with the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and the trustees of the Lewis Perinbam Award, is pleased to present the Innovation & Impact Awards in Honour of Lewis Perinbam.

These awards celebrate Canadian individuals and civil society organizations (CSOs) whose leadership and contributions are advancing international cooperation through innovative approaches, meaningful partnerships, and lasting impact.

About Lewis Pehimbam

Lewis Perinbam, O.C, (1925-2007) was a pioneer in building the international development sector in Canada. He was the founding Executive Director of CUSO, the first full time Secretary General of the Canadian National Commission of UNESCO and the CEO of WUSC.

He joined a fledgling Canadian International Development Agency in 1969 and became the founding director general of the NGO division. He later became the Vice-President of the Canadian Partnership Program where he launched several programs that made Canada a leader in civil society-government collaboration.

He led the 2000 Task Force on the Participation of Visible Minorities in the Public Service which generated deep change throughout the Government.

The awards recognize his outstanding contributions and provide a reminder and a call for action that ambitious system-wide innovation is always possible.

Nomination Process

Canadian individuals and civil society organizations (CSOs) are invited to submit nominations for this award, recognizing transformative work that advances civic action, inclusive leadership and democratic values.

Selection Criteria

Cooperation Canada defines an Innovative Practice as a new or more impactful way of addressing development challenges and improving the lives of the world’s most vulnerable populations. An innovative practice can take many forms—it may be entirely new within a specific context, even if it has been successfully applied elsewhere. It can include approaches, technologies, business models, policy practices, partnerships and more. To maximize its impact, an Innovative Practice should align with the Whistler Principles to Accelerate Innovation for Development Impact.
Expectations for Award Winner
Attendance, either in person or by video, at Cooperation Canada’s International Development Week event

The winner of the individual award is given a prize of $5,000 to acknowledge their contributions
Nomination Procedures
Nominators must complete the online form to provide rationale for the nomination

Nominators must demonstrate evidence for how the nominee has fit the criteria and has implemented an innovative practice that has resulted in greater impact and/or learning

Nominations can be peer or self-nominated

Ready to submit a nomination?

Deadline for submission is Friday, November 27, 2026.

Individuals

Past Recipients

Dr. Lauren Oates

2025

Dr. Lauryn Oates expanded access to education for Afghan women and girls through Darakht-e Danesh Academi, a virtual learning platform offering resources in local languages. As Executive Director of Right to Learn Afghanistan, she combined digital innovation with advocacy to defend educational rights, amplify Afghan voices and protect civic participation under repression.

Dr. Roopan Gill

2024

Dr. Roopan Gill co-founded Vitala Global to expand access to sexual and reproductive healthcare through technology. Building on her experience providing care in conflict settings, she helped develop digital tools supporting informed reproductive choices and access to safe abortion, advancing women’s autonomy in communities facing significant barriers to care.

Tiyahna Ridley Padmore

2023

Tiyahna Padmore advanced inclusion, equity and decolonization through her work as Project Manager at World Vision Canada. Combining policy development with storytelling, she championed representation and leadership, helping strengthen the sector’s commitment to more equitable international cooperation.

Musu Taylor-Lewis

2023

Musu Taylor-Lewis championed anti-racist practices and decolonization as Executive Director of Food for the Hungry. Grounded in kindness and empathy, her leadership advanced an approach to community development centred on sustainability, independence and justice, inspiring more equitable practices across the international cooperation sector.

Brenda Arakaza

2022

Brenda Arakaza advanced decolonization and inclusive leadership as President of Development and Peace – Caritas Canada’s National Council. She guided the organization’s most significant governance reform in 55 years, strengthening member participation and accountability, and ensured partners from the Global South helped shape its strategic direction.

Vinod Rajasekaran

2021

Vinod Rajasekaran founded Future of Good to connect changemakers and advance social innovation. Through journalism, events and recognition of emerging leaders, he amplified underrepresented voices, opened conversations on anti-racism and decolonization, and built bridges between international cooperation and movements tackling social and environmental challenges in Canada.

Kehkashan Basu

2020

Jim Cornelius

2019

Jim Cornelius strengthened Canada’s response to global hunger through more than two decades of leadership at Canadian Foodgrains Bank. He built innovative partnerships, brought diverse stakeholders together and advanced collaboration between civil society and government, while mobilizing Canadians—particularly rural communities—to support food security around the world.

Organizations

Past Recipients

SecDev Foundation

2025

iDE Canada developed Sama Sama, an innovative approach to improving sanitation in rural Ghana. Combining local leadership, a sustainable business model and blended financing, the initiative expanded access to sanitation products and services, adapting solutions to community needs while creating income and livelihood opportunities.

Développement international Desjardins

2024

Développement international Desjardins created Aequitas, a blended finance fund strengthening local financial institutions that serve underserved communities. Combining patient capital with technical assistance, the initiative expanded access to financial services for entrepreneurs and smallholder farmers, particularly women and young people, supporting economic autonomy, gender equality and climate resilience.

Girls of Tomorrow

2023

Girls of Tomorrow Foundation partnered with Ugandan schools and local experts to tackle menstrual stigma through school gardens. Combining permaculture, menstrual health education and reusable pad-making, the initiative engaged girls and boys in learning together, strengthening girls’ confidence and helping reduce menstruation-related school absenteeism from 66% to 18% during testing.

Farm Radio International

2022

Farm Radio International combined interactive radio, local expertise and digital tools to help rural communities across sub-Saharan Africa access practical information and share their priorities. Supporting more than 1,200 radio stations with training and resources, it co-created programming with communities and strengthened women’s participation through dedicated call lines and listening groups.

Justice Education Society

2022

Justice Education Society combined technology, training and local partnerships to strengthen access to justice in Guatemala. Its innovations included a missing women’s alert system and a multilingual platform connecting survivors of violence with support services, improving coordination among justice institutions and community organizations through an inclusive, survivor-centred approach.

Cause Canada

2021

CAUSE Canada and its Sierra Leonean partner developed “Mi Small Wef” No More, an initiative tackling child marriage by engaging men seeking child brides. Shaped by local girls and women, the approach equipped trusted community leaders to challenge the practice, helping prevent 137 child marriages across 20 communities during testing.