See How Handshake Impact Engine Is Connecting Nonprofits to Funding Opportunities

In the heart of the nation's capital, a revolution is taking shape, one that is quietly connecting nonprofits to funding opportunities and bringing global prosperity to the forefront. It's a story of human connections, measurable economic outcomes, and turning essential infrastructure into growth engines. At the core of this movement is the Handshake Summit & Awards, a convening that has brought together some of the world's most influential leaders, including Nigerian business leader Aliko Dangote and UN Secretary General António Guterres.

This year's Handshake Summit theme, "The Offline Survival Kit: Building and Monetising Impactful Communities," is a deliberate challenge to leaders to prioritise human-centred engagement and tangible results over vanity metrics. It's a call to action that resonates deeply with Oluseun Onigbinde, founder of BudgIT and chair of the Handshake Summit & Awards. Onigbinde, whose work has redefined public accountability across Africa, spoke directly to the complex relationship between Africa and the United States. Accountability, he said, is not a buzzword, but the difference between a signed agreement and a fulfilled promise.

The concept of "relationship capital", the art of transforming human connections into measurable economic outcomes, is at the heart of the Handshake Summit. This philosophy is inspired by the World Bank Group's flagship global initiative, Water Forward, which aims to reposition water systems from basic social utilities into catalysts for industrialisation, job creation, and large-scale economic growth across emerging and developing economies. As World Bank President Ajay Banga said, water is foundational to how economies function, and when water systems work, farmers produce, businesses operate, and cities attract investment.

The Handshake Summit is not just about water, but about the role of private sector investment and infrastructure in unlocking economic value. Nigerian business leader Aliko Dangote, who delivered a keynote at the Water Forward launch, underscored the critical role of private sector investment and infrastructure in unlocking economic value. The summit is evidence of the power of relationships and the impact that can be made when leaders come together to drive progress.

• The Handshake Summit & Awards is a convening that has brought together some of the world's most influential leaders.
• The summit's theme, "The Offline Survival Kit: Building and Monetising Impactful Communities," is a challenge to leaders to prioritise human-centred engagement and tangible results.
• The World Bank Group's flagship global initiative, Water Forward, aims to reposition water systems from basic social utilities into catalysts for industrialisation, job creation, and large-scale economic growth.

As I reflect on the Handshake Summit, I am struck by the quiet revolution that is taking shape. It's a revolution that is connecting nonprofits to funding opportunities, bringing global prosperity to the forefront, and turning essential infrastructure into growth engines., what's next? Will this movement continue to gain momentum, or will it falter in the face of challenges?