When it comes to promoting global youth advocacy, One Young World stood out in 2023.
The organization has implemented numerous initiatives that span the globe, tapping into the rich potential of fresh-faced innovators from 190 countries, all committed to societal change.
“Every year, One Young World ambassadors generate meaningful social impact on a huge scale across the world, and 2023 was no different,” said Kate Robertson, co-founder of One Young World.
“Amid a rising tide of populism and a deteriorating political climate in large parts of the world, One Young World ambassadors are taking a stand for a better future by actively building a fair and sustainable future for all.
“The ambassadors featured in this report represent a small but extraordinary slice of our wider community. They are working across all [of the UN’s] Sustainable Development Goals to impact people, influence policy, and foster meaningful partnerships for change.”
Thanks to ambassador-driven work, 8.86 million people were impacted by the enterprise’s efforts, which generate, on average, $16 of social return for every $1 invested. Since One Young World launched in 2010, more than 50 million lives have been affected.
Here are just a few of the One Young World ambassadors changing the world one project at a time.
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Akola Thompson: The Fearless Feminist
Akola Thompson is the founder of Tamùkke Feminists. She participated in the 2022 One Young World Summit in Manchester, England, as a delegate speaker for the gender equality plenary challenge.
During her presentation, she discussed leveraging personal experiences to advocate for gender equality and feels that her involvement in the summit significantly enhanced the recognition of her efforts and those of Tamùkke Feminists.
“Being a One Young World ambassador has connected me with incredible change leaders from across the world who are involved in important development work.
Being connected to a community of individuals who are making progress on the SDGs has been an inspiring experience.”
Rinesh Sharma: The Political Changemaker
Rinesh Sharma started his professional journey as a social entrepreneur by establishing Smart Farms Fiji, an initiative to modernize agriculture and promote innovative urban farming methods in Fiji.
Sharma played a key role in helping clients set up personalized hydroponic farms and developed training programs on hydroponics for students and teachers at several schools.
He’s also one of the youngest members of Parliament from the 2022 Fijian general election.
“Going to this summit, I think the most beautiful experience was
being able to hold up my country’s flag among thousands of other people on the world stage,” Sharma said. “And then to receive funding from One Young World with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, I think it was huge.
“Today, a farmer can be a Member of Parliament at the age of 29 years old.
So I tell young people to believe in their aspirations and ambitions, and I want them to do it better than me, and at a younger age than me. You are never too young or small to make a difference.”
Annika Hauptvogel, Ph.D.: The Tech Innovator
The German entrepreneur with a penchant for sustainability attended the 2016 One Young World Summit in Ottawa, Ontario. After the event, she was promoted to her first leadership position at Siemens, head of service engineering at Siemens Mobility.
“I was very interested in the presentations at the Summit, to see those great people like Kofi Annan,” Hauptvogel said. “He, for example, said, ‘You are never too young to lead.’ And that stuck in my head.
I mean, I was 29 at that time, and just afterwards, I was in my first leadership role with Siemens. So it was good to have this encouragement from One Young World when you go back and start your first leadership role.”
Over the past few years, Hauptvogel’s career has advanced significantly, culminating in her current position as head of technology and innovation management at Siemens.
One of her primary responsibilities has been to overhaul the company’s foundational technologies to align with evolving industry trends.
Alex Kennedy: From Banking to Baking Up Change
Alex Kennedy attended One Young World’s Bangkok summit in 2015, and now he’s giving communities more bang for their buck.
Kennedy played a pivotal role in establishing The Feel Good Bakery, a social enterprise that empowers underprivileged youth in London, many of whom were once involved in gang activities.
The Feel Good Bakery operates on a remarkable model — for every sandwich or coffee sold at its establishments, a young person in need receives a nutritious meal.
“One Young World came at an amazing time in my life because I was at this crossover point between what I was doing in my career and what I wanted to do in my career,” Kennedy shared.
“And I think it was a good push. The opportunity to be surrounded by like-minded individuals with really cool ideas, from all around the planet, was amazing.
It was a huge catalyst in shaping my career and was an amazing way to build a network.”
Khazana Sihwaya, M.D.: The Child Nutrition Advocate
Dr. Khazana Sihwaya is the driving force behind the 2030 Child Nutrition Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating the devastating impact of malnutrition in Zambia.
This initiative aims to address one of the country’s most pressing challenges by focusing on households with pregnant women and children living in poverty.
Sihwaya attended One Young World summits in Munich in 2021 and Manchester in 2022. She was a delegate speaker in Manchester for the health plenary challenge.
She received funding from One Young World’s COVID-19 Young Leaders Fund and has developed her leadership skills through her exposure to and interactions with her fellow ambassadors.
“Being a One Young World Ambassador has significantly expanded my network and introduced me to a myriad of new opportunities, and I’ve been able to engage with diverse global initiatives and collaborate with like-minded individuals on meaningful projects,” Sihwaya explained.
