Here are examples of some of the amazing work that HundrED Youth Ambassadors are doing to address the SDGs. Some of the projects started before the start of the programme, while others were born out of being part of a vibrant community of changemakers.
1) Going Green Dubai - Rishabh, 16, United Arab Emirates
Going Green Dubai is a platform to inspire youth and communities to join the cause for recycling and work towards sustainability. By initiating regular and impactful E-waste, plastic and paper recycling campaigns, Going Green Dubai has been able to raise awareness on the importance of reducing and recycling waste. Going Green Dubai addresses UNSDGs 11, 12 & 13.
Going Green Dubai has recycled over 3, 776 kgs of E-waste, over 12,800 plastic bottles have been diverted from landfills and approximately 400kgs of paper waste till date.
2) Empathy Through Action - Raquel, 15, Mexico
Empathy Through Action is a mentorship program at my school from older students to younger students. (High school to middle school). The main idea is to guide them into becoming leaders and empower them to create a social impact project.
I've seen that my community is very closed-minded, there is a need for interaction between people from different ages, and also a need for leadership skills development. My social impact project, Empathy Through Action, addresses SDGs 17, 4, and 3. By teaching young girls social entrepreneurship skills through real immersive experiences, we have seen a growth in empathy development and world impact (SDG 4 ). In addition, by creating a relationship with these younger girls, we are learning about partnering to achieve a common goal (SDG 17).
As of now, we have had 3 of 5 sessions that have led students to explore the issue of migration and participating in activities with the migrants in Casa Monarca (A local refugee shelter) that are targeted at improving well-being. The 6th grade girls have understood the issue of migration and empathized with the migrants by observing and listening. In addition, they are now beginning to ideate and plan an activity that will promote well-being for the migrants at Casa Monarca.
3) Go Clean: My Community, My Choice - Maryam, 13, Pakistan
"GoClean: My Community, My Choice" is revolutionizing communities by converting organic waste into renewable energy, particularly targeting households below the poverty line. Through certified training programs for disadvantaged youth, the project installs and monitors biogas units, empowering community leadership.
We provide highly efficient portable domestic bio-digesters to households living below the poverty line. These digesters serve as a transformative solution, converting organic waste into valuable resources: biogas for domestic energy needs and bio-slurry for organic fertilizer. By installing these digesters, we not only address environmental challenges but also contribute to poverty alleviation and improved livelihoods.
Our six installation sites serve as more than just practical locations for implementing biogas technology. They function as classrooms where deprived youth are trained as community leaders. These individuals gain certified expertise in biogas unit installation and monitoring, empowering them with valuable skills for sustainable development.
4)Buddha Book - Ahmad, 16, Afghanistan
Buddha Book aims to help Afghan girls continue their education by providing them different free books. In 10 months, Buddha book has had more than 750 girls and boys participants sharing more than 3000 books with them. Our mission is to get 10000 books to help youths follow their passion. We have also made a group called " Growth Cycle " which focus on updating new opportunities for youths, especially girls.
5) Anary - Ariadna, 18, Peru
Anary is a mental health initiative under Oli Fundation and currently financed by Kids Rights that assists children between 12-18 from low-income communities on their emotional and stress management. We do it through our 3 main programmes: Emociones y Nosotros, the in-person programme where we donate sustainable mental health kits; Virtual Workshops, where we reach a national level; and ConcienteMente Jovenes, where we interview professional psychologists and mental health activists to further educate and inspire the youth.
So far, we have assisted 253 children on their emotional and stress management and received 150 donated sustainable mental health kits.
6) Likha’s Cradle - Aunnaire, 15, Philippines
Animal cruelty is a major concern in the Philippines, to the point where it’s common to witness it. Countless strays are being abandoned, injured, and abused. Most of the time, when people witness these acts of cruelty, they would prefer to stay silent. Their mindset is stuck on “I mind my business, you mind your business”. Children, especially vulnerable, learn from what they witness. Normalizing cruelty to animals can lead to accepting harm towards people.
Likha's Cradle is dedicated to helping the voiceless and empowering the youth to speak for them. We have a series of activities and events that increase awareness of animal welfare and raise funds for animal shelters, aiming to grow compassion in the community and foster responsibility towards (Sustainable Development Goal 15) Life On Land, specifically the life of animals. We give children and teens a platform to make a change and become the voices of those who cannot speak. They are given a space where they are motivated to become animal advocates and leaders.
We had our first Animal Sanctuary Fieldtrip last March 9, where we had a talk on animal welfare, a tour of the sanctuary, and time to play with the dogs and cats there. On May 17, we will be having our second event, which is Football For A Cause. All proceeds of the event will be used to support an animal shelter. We have been able to increase the awareness on animal welfare of multiple teens through these events and we are empowering them to speak for the voiceless.
Want to join the next cohort of the Youth Ambassador Programme? Applications are open between May 27 and June 20!