As we look forward to celebrating Youth Day on Tuesday, 16 June, we applaud the bravery of those youngsters in Soweto who protested the discriminatory Bantu education system, while also admiring the youth who are positively impacting the world today.
The conversation around discrimination in schools persists, as South African youth join the #BlackLivesMatter conversation, and history has taught us the importance of listening to what the youth are saying.
Here is a look at 6 impactful youngsters globally who put into sharp perspective why we need to not only listen to the youth, but actively support them as well.
Boyan Slat (25) – The Ocean Clean-up
This Dutch entrepreneur went diving in Greece at the age of 16 and was overwhelmed by the amount of plastic destroying the beautiful ocean. With his whole future ahead, Boyan decided he didn’t want to live in a world where, by 2050, there would be more plastic than fish in the ocean, so he started designing an environmentally-friendly solution. By 19 years of age, through is project – The Ocean Cleanup – Boyan had designed technology that would remove plastic from oceans using the ocean’s natural forces. The aim is to clean up to 90% of plastic pollution in the next few years.
Ken Amante (15) – The Happy Animals Club
At the age of 9, this Filipino boy established a no-kill animal shelter to care for hundreds of cats and dogs that have been abandoned, or left hurt and starving around his rural hometown. Images of this philanthropic youngster have been shared the world over, with The Happy Animals Club receiving donations to assist in feeding and caring for these homeless animals.
Krtin Nithiyanandam (20) – advanced alzheimer testing
This British scientist and inventor won the Scientific American Innovator Award at the 2015 Google Science Fair for his work on developing a novel diagnosis test for early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. He was only 16 years old at the time. Unlike previous testing methods, Krtin’s test involved antibodies which were injected into the bloodstream and attached themselves to the brain to show up in brains scans.
Aisha Mustafa (27) – aeronautical engineer
At the age of 19, this Egyptian engineer was able to invent a space propulsion system – based on quantum theory – that eliminated the need for fuel and thrusters. Her invention was able to drastically simplify space missions, while also making them much lighter and cheaper.
Greta Thunberg (17) – environmental activist
This Swedish activist is known across the globe for her direct approach and courage, despite her age. Her focus has been on getting those in charge to implement stringent policies that seek to combat global warming and save the planet. Her activism career started in 2018 when she won a climate-change essay competition for the Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet. She started ‘School Strike for Climate’ three months later and launched her first protest three months after that. She has received numerous honours and awards, including Time magazine’s 100 most influential people and the youngest Time Person of the Year; inclusion in the Forbes list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women, and two consecutive nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Malala Yousafzai (22) – education activist
No list of impactful youngsters can overlook this Pakistani activist and the world’s youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate who stood up to the Taliban, insisting young women have a right to education. She was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman in 2012, but survived, and went on to become a champion for women and educational rights. Her work continues through the Malala Fund, while she furthers her education, studying philosophy, politics and economics at the University of Oxford.
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