The Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) announced the five finalists of its sixth Superheroes of Development initiative, which honors creative and innovative solutions implemented in development projects financed by the IDB Group in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Superheroes of Development recognizes projects that, through systematic learning and by sharing and applying lessons learned, adjust to changing realities and generate applicable and timely knowledge that other teams can use.

This year’s contest had 141 submissions from 25 countries in the region, which is almost twice as many as in 2022. It is part of BIDAcademy, the IDB Group's knowledge and learning platform, which is designed to share rigorous, cutting-edge knowledge in order to implement, monitor, and measure IDB-financed projects more effectively.

The five finalists were selected by a panel of IDB Group experts and participated in two categories:

1) Projects still underway (projects that have at least had an initial disbursement) or where the IDB Invest or IDB Lab client has received financing.

2) Projects completed since January 2016 that have either a Project Completion Report or an Expanded Supervision Report.

The panel paid special attention to projects that identify and share lessons and operational knowledge from their implementation.

This year's finalists are:

• Social Safety Net for Vulnerable People (Haiti) seeks to strengthen support for the most unprotected population, such as unemployed youth or women victims of gender violence.
• Transforming Policing Culture amid Multiple Crises (Peru), a project that has involved implementing reform processes in the National Police regarding education, technology and organization.
• Productivity Pact, Chile, which promotes the labor inclusion of people with disabilities.
• Together We Build Strong Families (Barbados), which aims to reduce extreme poverty and unemployment.
• Transforming Scrap Metal into Opportunities (Ecuador). This project included the creation of a scrap metal recyclers club that is key to sustaining the steel industry in the country.

The finalists will present their projects to a panel of senior IDB officers on October 27 during the IDB Group's Knowledge Week. Two winners will be chosen, one in each category. The IDB will also spread the word of these success stories throughout Latin America and the Caribbean to improve projects already in progress and inform the preparation of new projects.

About the IDB Group

The IDB Group is the leading source of development finance for Latin America and the Caribbean. It helps improve lives by providing financial solutions and development expertise to public- and private-sector clients. The Group comprises the IDB, which has partnered with governments for over 60 years; IDB Invest, which serves the private sector; and IDB Lab, which tests innovative ways to enable more inclusive growth. Take our virtual tour.

About BIDAcademy

BIDAcademy is the platform that centralizes the IDB Group's knowledge and learning resources to tackle the region's development challenges.

https://academiabid.iadb.org/