Social Impact of the Year 2000

Ahnaf and their friends founded 'Bhoroshasthol', a nonprofit organisation aimed at helping the underprivileged in Bangladesh. They have assisted over 30,000 people across 10 districts, providing meals, tube wells, vans, and sewing machines. 'Bhoroshasthol' has made a significant social impact, raising donations and providing aid during COVID-19, floods, and cold winters. Ahnaf's vision shifted from short-term fixes to long-term solutions, and they initiated the idea to establish the 'DRMC Social Service Club' to encourage student participation in community service. Despite facing challenges due to their young age, them and their team members are extremely devoted to their only objective of lessening the amount of suffering in the world.

Alanna is the CEO and founder of HOPE (Helping Our Planet Earth), a youth-led non-profit organisation which she uses to make mental health support available to young people internationally through mental health education, peer support and youth leadership training.

AlDhabi AlMheiri is the youngest Emirati publisher, columnist, and founder of the Rainbow Chimney Bookstore and Publishing House. A multi-Guinness World Record holder, she leads initiatives like Books from Children to Children and the Eco Club, promoting youth empowerment and sustainability. At Rainbow Chimney, I have positively impacted the lives of over 15,000 children, from infants up to age 13. This includes children with diverse needs like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, Down syndrome, and visual impairments.I have supported these children and their families in a number of ways. First, I run an initiative called books from children to children and through this initiative I published 52 books for children all for free to empower their writing and drawing and reading as-well. I have distributed over 7,000 specialized books, toys, and educational aids that cater to their unique learning styles and developmental needs. These resources have been essential in fostering inclusion, improving academic performance, and building life skills.

Anoushka is the founder of Anupam Foundation. She started her journey by organizing campaigns at local NGOs, at the age of 12 she began working as a radio jockey and ran three seasons of her own radio show aimed towards children in rural India. She has impacted over 50,000 youth across the world with the primary audience being in India.

Fourteen-year-old Avye started Girls Into Coding from her bedroom in 2018 after noticing that she was a rare girl attending STEM and robotics workshops, much less a young girl of color. Since then, her network--of which she is the only full-time employee--has reached 1,000 girls with its custom workshops on coding, robotics, physical computing and 3D printing. She raised 70,000 pounds in funding from major brands including Red Hat, SSE and Octopus Energy. In 2021, she brought in 70,000 pounds in revenue, this year, she has almost hit that revenue within the first half of the year.

Coco Xu is the founder of the Zero-Poverty movement in Chiang Mai, has dedicated their life to supporting underprivileged communities through food banks and supply donations. Their initiative has provided over 3,000 kg of essential goods to 800+ households, collaborating with schools, temples, and local organizations. With the help of five international schools and a food rescue organization, Coco recently led a mass distribution that supported 150 communities, delivering three truckloads of supplies.

Denise founded ‘A BetterLife International’, an NGO that works with children, young people, refugees, and internally displaced people to take climate action. Through ‘A Betterlife’, Denise has positively impacted over 10,000 individuals so far, offering solutions to environmental challenges while cultivating environmentally conscious future leaders. As a founder, educator, researcher, advisor and mentor, Denise’s activism is both wide-ranging and intersectional.

Diana, a passionate advocate for children with disabilities, has dedicated her life to supporting those facing challenges due to speech impairments and health issues. Diagnosed with dysarthria caused by decades of nuclear tests near her hometown of Semey, she overcame obstacles like bullying and surgeries. Unable to speak as a child, she expressed her thoughts through writing, later crafting stories about the dreams of children with disabilities. Founder of the ‘Inclusive Academy’ and creator of SpeakUp, an AI app for speech disorders, Diana inspires global inclusivity through education, technology, and storytelling.

Dr Anza is a medical doctor, public health specialist and social entrepreneur with a focus on education and healthcare. Growing up, she experienced firsthand the challenges that many young people face in accessing quality education. Inspired by these experiences, Anza founded the ‘Bright Young Leaders Initiative’ (BYLI) in 2018, combining her expertise in medicine and education to empower students through science and leadership programmes. Under her guidance, BYLI has reached approximately 150,000 students annually, enhancing STEM engagement and public health awareness. Her initiatives, such as the Rural School Innovation Camp, equip students with critical thinking skills while fostering awareness of public health issues, creating a future generation of informed leaders.

Ella founded ‘Broken Flames Productions’ as a teenager, inspired by her personal struggles with depression, self-harm, and eating disorders. Drawing on her experiences Ella’s mission is to reshape mental health representation in media. Her award-winning films, including Bibimbap for One on suicide grief, Why Wouldn’t I Be? addressing male mental health, and Smudged Smile for young audiences, have screened globally, sparking meaningful conversations and changing the narrative around mental health.

After a tragic attack on his school that claimed over fifty lives, including two friends, Feda channeled his grief into meaningful action. Following the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, while supporting his family, he founded the ‘Afghan Scholars Academy’, offering free guidance for Afghan students pursuing international college admissions and helping over 3,000 students, the majority of whom are girls banned from schools, and 115 secured scholarships abroad. Feda also raised funds to support underprivileged families, providing financial aid for 300 children. Despite immense challenges, Feda remains hopeful, focusing on rebuilding opportunities and communities through equal access to education.

Grace is the founder of Research to Empower, an educational non-profit to inspire, support, and empower the next generation of aspiring young researchers. RTE motivates them to become lifetime learners of creativity, innovation, and critical thinking. They have supported 26,700+ students (ages 7-18) as well as educators, administrators, youth leaders, and policymakers across 5 continents in 140+ countries.