Ambassador Spotlight: October 2024

One Young World Ambassadors are leading projects in every country of the world, creating substantial social impact across all 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Every month our Coordinating Ambassadors select someone from their region who has created significant social impact locally, regionally or even worldwide.

The Month's Projects in Numbers

1 460 M+

Generated hours of clean light

3000 +

Biodegradable sanitary sanitary pads produced and distributed

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Meet The Ambassadors

Emre Caglar - Japan

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Emre Caglar - Japan

At Youth For Future (YFF), the mission is to empower children in orphanages in Japan by fostering self-discovery, adaptability, and independence. They focus on nurturing global citizenship and enhancing English proficiency, enabling them to take advantage of these skills that are possessed by a limited number of people in Japan. In Japan, more than 600 orphanages provide homes to over 30,000 children. Unfortunately, most of these children feel that their career choices are limited to the teachers and social care workers they interact with, the sole adults in their lives.

To broaden their perspectives, this year YFF launched the Global Identity Program (GIP), which supports children in discovering their unique identities amidst Japan's rapidly evolving multicultural society and technological advancements. The program includes spring and summer camps, weekly classes, and bi-monthly events, all designed to help the children to self-discover their potential roles in society. Through this, the GIP allows the children to broaden their horizons, allowing them to explore diverse career paths and become a true global citizens.

Patrícia Zanella - Brazil

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Patrícia Zanella - Brazil

EcoCiclo is a Brazilian-based social enterprise dedicated to achieving menstrual dignity and promoting environmental sustainability. Founded with the mission to provide accessible menstrual health products, EcoCiclo developed the first 100% biodegradable sanitary pad in Brazil. The biodegradable pads decompose in just six months, offering an eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastic-based pads that take 500 years to decompose. EcoCiclo provides income-generation opportunities to women involved in the production, sale, and distribution of our products. Through our programmes, they also equip women with entrepreneurial and leadership skills, enabling them to achieve economic independence and become agents of change within their communities.

EcoCiclo builds a marketplace of sustainable products made by women from Brazil, a sales channel with products from eco-diapers to clay soaps, focused on scaling the sales of women entrepreneurs. EcoCiclo has become more than a product, they are an ecosystem to generates income and opportunities for women. Since its inception six years ago, EcoCiclo has positively impacted over 15,000 women across Brazil, from the favelas of Salvador to the remote villages of the Amazon, where even basic needs feel like luxuries.

Janu Muhammad - Indonesia

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Janu Muhammad - Indonesia

Janu, an inspirational and passionate individual, has more than 8 years of experience working on food security, youth, and community development. He has worked with grassroots communities and multi-stakeholder in combating poverty, ending hunger in rural-urban societies, and young farmers' regenerations across Indonesia (SDG 1, 2, 8,12). Founded in 2020 Sayur Sleman is a platform which offers premium melon supplies, regenerative farming programmes, and agribusiness training. Sayur Sleman’s innovations not only provide high-quality products but also transform and empower local farmer communities in Indonesia.

By offering a climate-smart agriculture approach, Sayur Sleman contributes to improving farmer welfare. Janu has been recognised as a Young Ambassador of Agriculture by the Ministry of Agriculture and received the SDG Certified Leader Award. Through the Sayur Sleman Academy program and his role as Young Ambassador Agriculture, more than 60.000 young people have become training participants. Apart from being a One Young World (OYW) Ambassador, Janu has become an Equity Initiative Fellow and ASEAN Youth Fellow 2024. As OYW Ambassador, Janu aspires to become a world-class agri-social entrepreneur who provides benefits to Indonesian and global society.

Terry-Ann Adams Mathabathe - South Africa

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Terry-Ann Adams Mathabathe - South Africa

Terry-Ann is an author and disability rights and gender inclusivity advocate. They started their advocacy journey in 2014 as a Goodwill Ambassador for Casual Day, one of South Africa's largest fundraisers for people with disabilities. Terry-Ann has used their voice as a speaker on the lived experiences of people with disabilities on numerous platforms. Their publications include Those Who Live In Cages and White Chalk, which have both been praised for their representation and portrayals of marginalised people in post-Apartheid South Africa.

Often speaking on local and international panels, their aim is raising awareness of intersectional advocacy with a focus on disability and its intersections with other marginalised identities. These panels have included The Soul City Institute, AWID and the 2024 FILVEN festival in Venezuela where they spoke about diversity and inclusion in fiction. At Absa, Terry-Ann is the Education and Awareness lead for the True Colour’s Collective, Absa’s official LGBTQIA colleague forum. This work includes running dialogues, hosting Educational sessions, and creating a support group and online community for LGBTQIA colleagues and allies within the organisation. In 2024, Terry-Ann hosted their first creative writing masterclass with women authors, and in 2025, they will be one of the instructors at the Idembeka Creative Writing Workshop for young aspiring African authors.

Valentine Nnamani - Nigeria

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Valentine Nnamani - Nigeria

In Sub-Saharan Africa, the simple act of clean light source is frustrating families, polluting the environment, damaging children's health, and leading to poor performance in school. Discarded plastics and e-waste choke animals, contaminate water, and harm humans. Kerosene lanterns and candles pose fire hazards, damaging health and productivity. The problem inspired us to start OneGrid Energies. OneGrid Energies upcycle waste plastic bottles and e-waste lithium-ion batteries into eco-friendly affordable lanterns for energy-deprived communities.

The OnePlastic lantern provides up to 20 hours of light per charge and the impact that these lanterns have had on households includes improved health and school performance for children; increased incomes and productivity for homes and businesses, and reduced pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and poverty. The business revenue model combines product sales with subscription-based services. This hybrid approach allows us to offer our lanterns at a subsidized rate and generate recurring income through charging fees. OnePlastic recruits and trains local women as charging station managers, creating jobs and economic opportunities. They collect, charge, and maintain OnePlastic lanterns, phones, and devices, enabling them to support their families with sustainable incomes.

Christina - Haiti / Canada

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Christina Perceval - Haiti

FanmIn, founded in Montreal in October 2022, is dedicated to family rehabilitation by empowering women and girls as central figures in family and society. Operating in both Haiti and Canada, FanmIn promotes awareness around discrimination and inequality, aiming to create a more equitable society. The organisation strengthens families through education, advocacy, and community development, hosting workshops, training sessions, public speaking events, and offering educational resources. FanmIn also collaborates with policymakers and community leaders to effect change on local, national, and global levels, building networks committed to a world where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, and where women and girls are especially empowered to reach their full potential.

FanmIn’s initiatives, including APEDI, Ann Aprann Ansanm (AAA), and EmpowerHer, address the needs of vulnerable communities, particularly in Haiti. APEDI supports internally displaced families, especially women and girls, by providing training and resources to improve their quality of life. AAA has enrolled over 300 young people in courses on topics like Digital Marketing and Web Design, while EmpowerHer equips girls aged 15-21 with skills for social and economic empowerment. The EmpowerHer with DigitalBridge program further advances digital literacy among young Haitian women, covering essentials such as tech skills, transportation, and meals to eliminate barriers to participation. Through these programs, FanmIn fosters growth and opportunity in Haitian communities.

Martin Ignacio Díaz Velásquez - El Salvador

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Martin Ignacio Díaz Velásquez - El Salvador

The Knowmad Institut, an independent Think & Do tank based in Brandenburg, Germany, is dedicated to advancing human dignity through public and private policies and contributing to innovative global policy frameworks. Through multidisciplinary open research and analysis, the institute addresses complex global challenges. As a member of numerous international networks, the Knowmad Institut collaborates globally to confront public health and security issues with open science, delivering evidence-based insights to decision-makers. Its core programs include:

Technological Sovereignty & Human Dignity promotes the ethical adoption, democratization, and decentralization of emerging technologies. The programme ensures these technologies support human dignity and sustainable development, advocating for open-source software, internet neutrality, and the preservation of humanity’s tangible and intangible heritage in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Drug Policies & Human Rights champions advocating global drug control models focusing on public health, social justice, and human rights. As a member of the Rome Consensus 2.0, the Knowmad Institut supports universal healthcare coverage, destigmatization of people who use drugs, mental health initiatives, and the prevention of infectious diseases.

Knowmad Film Festival: Now in its fourth year, the festival attracted 760 short film submissions from over 80 countries. Launched from the One Young World Summit 2021 in partnership with the North Luzon Cinema Guild, this festival fosters cultural and social dialogue on drug policies, emphasizing social justice and human rights.

Laura Pascual Gómez - Spain

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Laura Pascual Gómez - Spain

The aim of the Balia Foundation is to provide teenagers with tools that enhance their talent, promote education in values and strengthen their emotional intelligence, preparing them to face the challenges of everyday life and promoting their inclusion in the community. The socio-educational project ‘Juventud Balia’ is aimed at adolescents at risk of social exclusion, with the objective of promoting equal opportunities and the integral development of young people.

This project consists of several interrelated programmes. The first, Territorio Joven (Youth Territory), offers academic support, adapted to individual needs, together with recreational activities that promote coexistence and teamwork. The second, Dance, offers dance classes, encouraging artistic expression and creativity, as well as the development of motor skills and self-confidence. The third is Basketball, which not only teaches sports techniques, but also emphasises values such as teamwork, discipline and personal growth. The fourth is Generacion Balia, a mentoring and career guidance project for young people in their final years of high school. There are also other projects specialising in the specific needs of young people that complement the comprehensive care that Balia offers them. The Youth Health Programme, developed in collaboration with AstraZeneca, is a cross-cutting programme in all youth projects. During the 2023-24 academic year, 251 workshops were held, benefiting 1,130 people, 690 of whom were young people from the organisation. One of the distinctive features of this intervention was the support provided to both minors and their families, which boosted the impact on their environment.

Venancio Coñuepan Mesias - Chile

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Venancio Coñuepan Mesias - Chile

Impacto Indígena is a social innovation platform dedicated to transforming the traditional approach to Indigenous peoples, changing the narrative from seeing them as vulnerable groups to recognising them as full partners in sustainable development, climate action and peacebuilding. Their (REDi) model is based on four fundamental pillars: Recognition, through podcasts including Indigenous Voices; Empowerment, through mentoring Indigenous entrepreneurs; Development, through partnerships with Embassies; and Advocacy, through International Forums such as COP and WIPO.

Impacto Indígena works closely in collaboration with public, private and non-profit actors such as Fundación Pacto Social, Fundacion Empresas Indígenas and Fundación Koñwepang Millakir for the respect of the mapu and the reconciliation of peoples. Wider programmes include the School Leadership Programme that in 2023/24 included 80 high school students in La Araucania, implementing projects in various sectors of social impact. Impacto Indígena has also held 6 Climate Café events in La Araucania, where more than 120 people have participated. By 2025 the aim is to promote 100 Café Climáticos in Chile and by 2030 we will have 400 versions in Latin America. With the Misión Ñielol network, they have carried out various climate action activities with the participation of more than 300 environmental volunteers.

Jessy Radwan - Egypt

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Jessy Radwan - Egypt

Jessy Radwan’s career began with the challenge of balancing work and motherhood, as flexible job options were scarce. This led her to create HireSuperMama, a Facebook group of over 50,000 women dedicated to helping mothers find flexible work. This group eventually grew into Carerha. Carerha was founded to connect women with companies offering flexible jobs that suit their career goals. While demand was high from both applicants and companies, Carerha found that many women struggled due to outdated skills from career gaps, making it hard to compete.

Additionally, some women turned to entrepreneurship without sufficient knowledge or experience. Carerha supports employers seeking to hire qualified women and meet diversity goals by becoming a leading female-focused EdTech platform in the Middle East, empowering women economically and promoting inclusive workplaces. Since its inception, Carerha has launched 90+ masterclasses and 50 courses. It has launched 30+ Female Focused Programs with Leading Multinational corporations including Nestle and Foundever and founded and led Carerha Summit in 2022 and 2023, with over 8,000 attendees, 400 guest speakers & experts, 70 workshops, and sponsorship from more than 50 multinational corporations, startups, incubators, and investors.

Bugembe Nelson - Uganda

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Bugembe Nelson - Uganda

Twezuule Foundation is a youth and disability-led organisation that champions and advocates for an inclusive society for persons with disabilities in Uganda prioritising empowerment, inclusive access to Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights education and mental health awareness. One of Twezuule’s key initiatives is the Prevention of Early Pregnancies among Students with Disabilities. This programme addresses the vulnerabilities faced by students with disabilities, especially regarding exploitation and harmful myths about their sexuality by creating safe spaces for inclusive information. This also furthers these efforts by engaging students and stakeholders in discussions on prevention and support.

The Twezuule Foundation has also run several economic empowerment sessions, training over 2000 youth in various skills such as liquid soap making, reusable sanitary towel production, and bakery. These programmes are designed to help participants, especially those with disabilities, become self-reliant by learning practical skills and marketing strategies that lead to dignified livelihoods. Kyambogo University, Makerere University, and Makerere University Business School have partnered with Twezuule Foundation to host educational sessions on both early pregnancy prevention and economic empowerment for students with disabilities.

Loor Masri - Palestine

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Loor Masri - Palestine

LaCom Magazine is an all-in-one digital media platform dedicated to supporting and empowering young entrepreneurs in the Arab world. The magazine was established as a trusted and inspiring source for innovators and startups, providing diverse content that highlights success stories, entrepreneurial ventures, and innovations contributing to the growth of the digital economy in the region. LaCom offers a wide range of articles covering various sectors, in addition to exclusive interviews with entrepreneurs and industry experts through the LaCom Podcast.

The magazine also focuses on providing practical advice on developing startup projects, overcoming challenges, and succeeding in a competitive business environment. With a focus on innovation, creativity, and partnerships, LaCom Magazine aims to build an integrated community of young entrepreneurs who aspire to create positive and sustainable change in the business world across the region. Collaborating with local and international partners, LaCom has spotlighted over 250 startups, hosted 25 events, reached over 10,000 young individuals and connected with 7,000+ entrepreneurs through its online channels, offering valuable content and insights that support sustainable business growth.

Joshua Aguilar Valdés - Colombia

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Joshua Aguilar Valdés - Colombia

ABC of Youth Leadership, created from the KAS Student Network of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Colombia by Paola Eljaik, Miguel Polanía, and Joshua Aguilar, between August 2021 and October 2022, emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic to address Colombia’s youth leadership crisis. This initiative empowers young Colombians with skills in planning, cooperation, negotiation, and advocacy, aiming to make them effective change-makers within their communities.

So far, ABC Youth Leadership has reached over 5,328 young people in 13 of Colombia's 32 states through in-person and virtual programs, partnering with public, academic, and youth organizations. Internationally, it has extended its influence through forums such as One Young World 2024 in Belfast and the Young Political Campus for Indigenous people in Quito, Ecuador. Founded by Paula Rueda and Joshua Aguilar, the IDHEAS Foundation promotes human rights among vulnerable youth and childrens along Colombia's Caribbean coast through social innovation programs focusing on the environment, play, territory, and health.

IDHEAS has impacted over 150 people in a health brigade on Tierra Bomba Island, engaged 150 children in public events like “Cine a la calle,” and supported the Mokana Indigenous community and local fishermen through ecotourism projects. Future plans include planting 300 mangroves in the Mallorquín Swamp to support environmental sustainability.

Salimatou Fatty - The Gambia

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Salimatou Fatty - The Gambia

The Salimatou Foundation for Education (SaFE), established in 2011 in The Gambia, is dedicated to promoting access to quality education and gender equality. The foundation’s primary aim is to eliminate barriers to education, especially for marginalised groups such as girls and children from low-income families. SaFE’s programs include educational advocacy, mentorship, literacy initiatives, and youth empowerment activities. One of its flagship projects is the National Spelling Bee Competition, which aims to improve literacy levels and create a culture of academic excellence with the first engaging more than 150 students.

Another key initiative is SaFE’s mentorship program, which pairs young people with experienced mentors who provide guidance on education, career choices, and personal development. This initiative has helped many youths, particularly girls, stay in school and pursue higher education and vocational training. Additionally, the foundation collaborates with policymakers to advocate for inclusive learning opportunities and participates in local and international peacebuilding efforts. Since its inception, SaFE has reached over 5,000 students through educational programs, workshops, and mentorship initiatives. The foundation remains committed to driving systemic change by addressing educational inequities and fostering a supportive learning environment for all.

Malakai Parom - Papua New Guinea

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Malakai Parom - Papua New Guinea

Green Planet Solutions is a community-based organisation focusing on conservation, research, reforestation, tourism, and environmental education. Their core mission is to teach students projects on Papua New Guinea and South Pacific biodiversity. Green Planet Solutions started as an idea by Forestry, Lands and Survey experts at the Papua New Guinea University of Technology in early 2020. The idea was initiated by Malakai Parom, the current Programme Director, to spearhead this community-based organisation. The primary aim is to preserve natural resources, educate local landowners, and conduct environmental awareness rather than over-exploit the natural resources within Papua New Guinea. This awareness is promoted within our Indigenous communities, and local community, but also pushed within all partnerships and collaboration. It is a priority of Green Planet Solutions, that Indigenous communities and their voices are at the forefront of not only the organisation’s work but work surrounding Climate Change in all aspects.

Green Planet Solutions is committed to serving the local community, connecting local and global partners and strengthening tourism through conservation education with effective networking. From this vision, Geen Planet Solutions offers services such as Wildlife Conservation and Environmental Damage Assessment, Environmental Education, Biodiversity Surveys, Nursery Reforestation and Habitat Rehabilitation.

Shi Diwen Zhu - Canada

Shi Diwen Zhu - Canada

Better Being is dedicated to empowering individuals and organizations with tools for lasting well-being, grounded in the belief that equitable opportunities are essential for personal and professional growth. Recognising that workplaces profoundly shape individual fulfillment and identity, Better Being partners with corporate leaders to create environments that promote employee health, resilience, and well-being. Many corporate leaders face challenges in addressing workplace stress and fostering satisfaction, and Better Being steps in to fill this gap with expert resources and support.

Leveraging data-driven insights and personalised wellness strategies, Better Being provides a comprehensive suite of services across 12 wellness areas, including nutrition, counseling, physical training, cooking, performance management, and stress management. This holistic approach emphasises social well-being and community building, recognising the workplace as a living ecosystem where healthier leaders and employees contribute to a healthier, more productive culture. Over the past year, Better Being has conducted over 200 activities in various organisations, impacting more than 5,000 individuals and heightening awareness of the importance of balanced well-being. Moving forward, the organisation is committed to addressing root causes of well-being challenges, aiming to promote deeper growth within organisations and meaningful improvement in the lives of individuals, ultimately influencing the quality of workplace culture and extending positive effects into the wider community.