Rubbish

Ms. Latdavanh Keodala is the visionary founder of EAT YOUR CUPS, an innovative initiative producing edible cookie cups that help eliminate disposable cup waste in Lao PDR. This impactful work has garnered recognition from both the Lao government and One Young World. Additionally, she established NaturePreneur, a platform designed to inspire youth to engage in conservation, climate change initiatives, and poverty alleviation through sustainable development.  Ms. Keodala’s mission focuses on conserving nature and alleviating poverty within her community. Through her efforts, she has reached over 2,000 individuals via social media and engaged young people aged 18 to 35 in workshops centered on environmental conservation and sustainable practices. By providing educational resources and critical thinking tools, she empowers participants to understand the links between environmental stewardship and economic growth.  Although she has not yet raised funds for specific projects, her commitment remains steadfast. All initiatives are self-funded, showcasing her personal investment in her mission. She negotiates for free venue spaces and organizes impactful workshops, driven by her passion for inspiring the next generation to tackle climate change and promote sustainability.  As a social entrepreneur and a recent graduate in conservation and ecosystem management, Ms. Keodala serves as a mentor, guiding youth on how to blend entrepreneurship with environmental conservation. Her work is cultivating a new generation of leaders dedicated to preserving biodiversity and fostering sustainable economic opportunities.  A powerful example of her impact is a workshop participant who, inspired by Ms. Keodala’s vision, has committed to pursuing a career in conservation. This transformation highlights her ability to empower individuals while advancing the goals of conservation, climate action, and poverty alleviation.  In summary, Ms. Latdavanh Keodala’s unwavering dedication to inspiring youth in conservation and sustainable development, along with her innovative approach to reducing waste, makes her an exemplary candidate for the Future Minds Under 25 list.

Ogeer Yusouf deserves to be recognized as a Future Mind Under 25 for his outstanding leadership and tangible impact on youth and community development in Mauritius. As the Curator of the Beau-Bassin Hub under the Global Shapers Community and president of a local NGO, he has led multiple initiatives that have directly impacted over 1,200 individuals across different regions and age groups.  Who was impacted? Youth aged 16–28 across Mauritius, including university students, unemployed young adults, and community volunteers.  Vulnerable communities facing drug abuse, social isolation, and lack of access to opportunities.  How were they supported? Yusouf coordinated and implemented high-impact activities, including:  A 4-week leadership development program led by Shapers, empowering over 100 youth with confidence, public speaking, and community organizing skills.  The launch of an ongoing anti-drug awareness campaign, including a peaceful walk, sports events, and real-life testimonies from former drug addicts.  Monthly community circles fostering open dialogue on mental health, personal growth, and social challenges.  How much money did you raise? He successfully mobilized over MUR 60,000 in sponsorships and in-kind support from local businesses, including MCB, Pepsi, and local therapists and speakers. These funds enabled the team to provide free meals, logistics, printing, and speaker fees.  What does this mean for the people you work with? For many, Yusouf’s initiatives were a turning point—offering hope, mentorship, and a sense of belonging. Shapers under his guidance have grown into confident project leaders. At-risk youth have found alternatives to destructive paths. And the broader community now recognizes the power of youth-led impact.  Case study: One standout project under his leadership was the Bring & Share Community Bonding Event, which brought together 60+ Shapers and volunteers for the first time face-to-face. Beyond the food and networking, the event created a collaborative environment where new joiners immediately felt integrated. One participant shared, “It was the first time I felt like I belonged to something bigger than myself.”

The story begins with Ally Zlatar, who shared:  “Growing up, I suffered from a severe eating disorder for over 10 years. It severely impacted my health, leaving me with several chronic illnesses. My traditional Eastern European family didn’t understand mental illness, and medical practitioners saw only a diagnosis, not the person suffering. Art helped me find my voice, allowing me to connect and promote authentic communication about unwell bodies. This led me to start The Starving Artist.”  In response, Ally established The Starving Artist in 2017 as a platform to amplify the voices of those neglected in global communities. She believes art can give voice to the numbers affected globally, using it to catalyze change. Through art, education, and advocacy, Ally empowers others, highlighting the profound potential of creative voices in driving systemic reform. Her goal is to reshape societal narratives and champion the resilience of creative voices in change-making.  Since its inception in 2017, The Starving Artist has positively impacted over 100,000 lives across 30+ countries through various activist endeavors. These efforts include the establishment of the Scholarship Fund, exhibitions, public talks, and campaigns aimed at enhancing well-being. Four volumes sharing artists' experiences of illness have been published, with over 500 copies sold globally, influencing universities worldwide. Engaging with esteemed institutions like The British Museum, Smithsonian, and TEDx, The Starving Artist has hosted over 40 artist talks and 20+ exhibitions, attended by more than 2,000 individuals. Proceeds from art sales and projects contribute to The Starving Artist Scholarship, raising funds since 2018 to help marginalized individuals access healthcare, using art as a tool for healing and self-reflection.  We focus on art as an educational methodology, helping people explore art as a tool for processing, communicating, and engaging with their well-being. Art introduces individuals, especially youth, to various avenues for exploring emotions and allows them to participate more actively in our global community. Our work with refugee communities, for example, utilizes art to overcome cultural challenges like language barriers, educational gaps, and a lack of resources. Our objective is to demonstrate how art can be a powerful tool for self-reflection, civic engagement, and fostering intersectionality among diverse individuals and experiences.  The Starving Artist has been economically viable since its inception in 2017, through collaborations with hosting organizations that share costs and resources. Our work has received numerous donations, grants, and accolades from Creative Scotland, Arts Council England, and the King Hamad Award for Youth Empowerment of SDGs. We maximize industry collaborations with schools, hospitals, museums, and charitable organizations to create mutually beneficial projects. We generate sustainable income from artwork and publication sales, exhibitions, and speaking engagements. Additionally, we have developed four sets of digital art-based reflection cards, each downloaded over 300 times and used by 25,000 users. These cards cover themes such as climate well-being, migrant experiences, men's mental health, and eating disorders/body image. Our impact is recognized through numerous awards and accolades, including the UNWomen "30 for 2030" award, the European Charlemagne Youth Prize, and Princess Diana's "Legacy Award" (2021).  Ally's project benefits from a strong network of supportive individuals who provide donations, and host organizations that help bring our projects to life. To ensure scalability, we diversify our themes and focus areas, including health equity, gender equity, and climate innovations.

Juan David Amaya is a social entrepreneur, activist, and strategist. He is the Founder and Executive Director of Life of Pachamama, an organization committed to strengthening transgeographic narratives that connect generations, territories, and communities in the construction of a global movement for climate justice.  Under his leadership, the organization has mobilized over 50,000 young people across Latin America and other regions of the Global South. In recognition of his work, he was named one of the 100 most influential Latinos in climate action by Agencia EFE and Sachamama.

I'm a multidisciplinary artist, science communicator, and aspiring bioinformatician working at the intersection of science, storytelling, and social impact.  I’ve had my creative science communication work featured nationally on ABC Radio National, where I co-created Thoughts That Bug Me, a whimsical and deeply researched radio series about insects that invited listeners into the overlooked complexity of the tiny creatures shaping our ecosystems. The show reached tens of thousands of listeners across Australia, sparking curiosity about entomology in unexpected audiences.  As a drag artist, I perform acts about climate change in queer nightlife spaces, blending humour, data, and character work to make scientific issues accessible to communities often left out of traditional science communication. This work challenges the boundaries of who gets to talk about science, and who feels welcome to care about it.  Currently, as a Biosecurity Commons intern, I collaborate with environmental modellers to develop decision-support tools that help government and researchers track emerging biological threats. Biosecurity is becoming increasingly urgent as our climate warms and invasive species and pathogens shift across landscapes. My work helps make these models usable and transparent, ensuring the science reaches the people who need it.  Through the Wattle Fellowship, I’m developing a theatre show about climate risk and biodiversity loss, using clowning to explore how statistics, uncertainty, and ecological grief can be made emotionally legible and intellectually engaging.  In parallel, my Master’s research investigates how machine learning, specifically,  generative RNA models, can support drug discovery pipelines. I’m passionate about shaping an ethical and effective future for AI in biology, especially in how we design and evaluate these models in critical public health applications.  This work matters because science doesn’t speak for itself: people do. And by making scientific futures feel personal, possible, and imaginative, I aim to bring more people into the conversation.

I am a multiple award-winning multifaceted creative, artivist, changemaker, global citizen, civic media practitioner, and budding social entrepreneur from Lagos, Nigeria. Recognized as the most accomplished and globally awarded teenager in Nigeria and one of the most in Africa, I challenge injustice through bold action, creativity, and unconventional expression, using art to spotlight pressing local and global issues. I advocate for people and the planet through a range of projects that advance social justice, gender equality, human rights, environmental conservation, digital wellness, and collective well-being. Through my lifelong initiative, Utopian Before The Utopia Arrives, I lead sub-projects that promote diverse literacies and global citizenship, expand access to books and educational resources, create safe youth spaces, and make sustainability more engaging and accessible. I raised over ₦1 million to fund the Lagos Island Literacy Project, which equips young people in underserved communities with resources for civic, digital, emotional, and environmental literacy. This project directly impacted dozens of youth and indirectly reached many more through continued community engagement and creative programming. My creative work has reached millions globally, and I have collaborated on campaigns and projects with organizations such as UNICEF, Civics Unplugged, Schoolhouse.world and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Through my leadership in LOG OFF, I promoted digital wellness and citizenship among children and youth worldwide, contributing to conversations that reached the White House and the United States Congress. In addition, I have served on high-level youth advisory councils for World Ocean Day and a social media platform, offering insight on youth-centered design, safety, and inclusion. Through volunteering and grassroots organizing, I have directly supported and educated over 1,300 youth, and continue to advocate for systemic change that centers the most marginalized. Being recognized on the Future Minds Under 25 list would elevate the voices of the communities I serve, and affirm that youth-led change—especially from the Global South—is powerful, visionary, and already shaping the future.