how our Global Youth Ambassadors are making a difference

The category winners were:

Education Financing S/Hero: Lian Wairimu Kariuki (Kenya). She is passionate about education and helping young people to fulfil their potential. So it was fitting Lian was chosen to represent over 1.5 million children and young people globally when a youth-led petition was handed to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres last year.

Youth Skills S/Hero: Prabhath Mannapperuma (Sri Lanka). Started the STEMUp Educational Foundation to bridge the STEM skills gap of Sri Lankan children using technology. As well as being a GYA, he is regional lead for Sri Lanka at CoderDojo Foundation, Ireland and Ambassador at Micro:bit Educational Foundation, UK.

Refugees and IDPs S/Hero: Nandini Kochar (Botswana). Set up Ray of Hope, a youth-run NGO which strives to educate and empower underprivileged and marginalised children – including refugees and displaced children – in Botswana and the United Kingdom. Was also named as one of the Queen’s Young Leaders and is a member of the Global Changemakers network.

Safe Schools S/Hero: Anushka Gupta (India). Raises awareness of issues as sensitive as sexual abuse, including conducting workshops in state schools. She also helped to educate children and teachers about gender equality and designed a proposal of activities for the ministry of education to ensure gender equality in schools.

Early Childhood Development S/Hero: Stephen Odiwuor (Kenya). The medical student developed a community initiative that screens children in ECD centres in Kenya for malnutrition and refers the malnourished children to the nearest health facility for further management.strict to help fund costs for equipment.

#ReWritingTheCode S/Hero: Clareine N’lambi Nzeza (DRC). She is involved with REPER Asbl (Réalités et Perspectives) and KPossible Leadership Academia, where she helps to empower girls and women through education and information and communication technology. 

Disability S/Hero: Saul Paul Mwame (Tanzania). A committed youth activist who has been working towards inclusive education. He started a campaign called “Disability is not an inability” at his school, where he interviewed visually impaired students to raise awareness of the issues they were facing. He spoke at the UN General Assembly’s High Level Sustainable Development Goals Event on Education in New York.