STORIES FROM YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS THE GLOBE

Designed by Freepik In a world where environmental degradation has become an insidious norm, we awaken daily to a planet in peril: forests consumed by infernos, oceans suffocating under the weight of human waste, and communities uprooted by conflict—yet still, we...

Designed by Freepik In a world where young women make up the majority of the youth demographic, the underrepresentation of young women in political leadership roles remains a significant challenge both locally and globally. The African Union estimates that 75% of...

Designed by Freepik In the global movement towards environmental sustainability and climate action, the gender gap in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) has emerged as a significant hurdle. The underrepresentation of women in ASM is not only a matter of equality...

PhotoCredit: Porapak Apichodilok The current digital rights landscape in Nigeria is plagued with a lot of half-truths and skepticism about the government's true intentions in making digital devices accessible for all. The past administration leveraged the acceptance...

Designed by Freepik Child labor remains a deeply entrenched social issue in India, affecting millions of children and impeding the nation's progress. Despite significant economic growth and legislative efforts to curb this practice, child labor continues to thrive,...

Designed by Freepik Nestled in the heart of Mumbai, Dharavi is one of the biggest slums in the world. Also known as Asia’s largest slum,  it is a labyrinth of narrow alleys, bustling markets, and makeshift homes, where over a million people live in a space of less...

PhotoCredit: Lawrence Baganiah.  I'm writing this by the ocean, staring at the mountains piercing through the horizon line. I look at all the green - the Palawan local government has made environmental sustainability one of the key areas to work on. It's not uncommon...

PhotoCredit: Jeremy Calo Alvarez.  Palawan, the final frontier - or rather, the Philippines’ last ecological frontier. Long ago, 95% of the country was covered with virgin rainforests, now only 3% remains. Yet somehow the Philippines remains one of seventeen...

PhotoCredit: Freepik.  In March of 2020 the Philippines, along with the rest of the world, went into lockdown because of COVID-19. Life shifted, companies shut down, jobs were lost. While some are lucky to still have a job and steady stream of income, others are not....

PhotoCredit: Jeremy Calo Alvarez.  It's June 14, 2021. The ground still glistening from the rain that just poured. I carry my camera slung across my shoulder as I get into a mid 2000's Toyota Avanza. I'm tagging along with my friend and his dad as they head off to the...

PhotoCredit: Sam Tamayo - Project Smile History is filled with youth movements that have sparked change in the world. From the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, to the events at Tiananmen Square, to the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, to modern...

PhotoCredit: ROMAN ODINTSOV.  I read the second edition of The State They’re In by Matthew Lockwood, a book which examines African poverty's causes and politics to propose better aid, trade, and debt policies. It also covers the 2005 Gleneagles G8 and WTO summit...