Generation SDG: Youth Changemakers forming Tomorrow

By, Nurul Khalisa binti Khalili 

A silver lining of hope seems to have gradually but surely been forwarded by young changemakers to keep alive hopes of a sustainable future. Highly interested in the SDGs, young leaders create awareness and move into practical implementation. The faces of education, health, and technology are also being changed by youth. A teenage inventor in India by the name of Gitanjali Rao created a mobile app to deal with cyberbullying and a device to detect lead in drinking water. She showcases exactly how young minds are driving progress toward the attainment of Goal 4: Quality Education and Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation.

All over the world, youth are driving innovative projects in alignment with the SDGs. Take the story of Melati and Isabel Wijsen, two teenagers from Bali who founded ‘Bye Bye Plastic Bags’. Through grassroots movements, the sisters have drastically reduced single-use plastics in their community, and are working toward a ban on plastic bags across the country. Their project is proof that youth-driven actions can create an impact around Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. 

Another shining example of that is Vanessa Nakate, a Ugandan climate activist who did work to amplify voices from the Global South. Her work highlights how changes in climate disproportionately affect poorer, vulnerable communities while pushing for climate justice. Nakate’s effort towards the promotion of renewable energy solutions within schools and homes directly aligns with Goal 13: Climate Action and proves that determination set by one can inspire the Globe.

What makes this generation different, though, is the way in which they use technology and social media to amplify their voices. The platforms of Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok are increasingly becoming tools for spreading awareness, creating communities, and rallying around causes. Through these channels, young activists break down barriers, challenge norms, and seek accountability from leaders and corporations. These young change-makers face a number of obstacles: not much money, resistance from institutions, and limited inclusion in decision-making forums. Such a disconnect requires meaningful collaboration between governments, businesses, and civil society. To harness this energy into lasting impact, programs should include mentorship, financial support, and avenues for sharing their ideas. 

Success of the SDGs requires the contribution of all generations, but the role of youth is particularly important. They bring freshness, uncompromising optimism, and a sense of urgency to problems that demand immediate attention. As individuals, as communities, and as nations, it is time to develop enabling young people to become the architects they ought to be-to lead a tomorrow that is sustainable. 

But the leaders of today’s youth are not just the inheritors of our planet, they are our hope. And their ideas and initiatives provide the blueprint toward the realization of the SDGs. Now, is the time that the world listens, invests in, and supports these changemakers so that their vision of a just, equitable, and sustainable world could become real.***