Young people leading change in their communities

I used to think that young people like me had to wait for adults to make change happen. But the Vibrant Youths programme showed me that we can be leaders right now.

Through the training, I learned how to design and run peer education sessions on gender equality and safety. My friends and I started a youth-led project in our school, creating safe spaces where young people could talk openly about relationships, consent, and respect.

What surprised me most was how eager other young people were to engage with these topics. They just needed someone their own age to create the right environment and ask the right questions.

Now I’m mentoring younger participants in the programme, teaching them the facilitation and leadership skills I learned. Watching them grow in confidence and take initiative reminds me of my own journey. Change doesn’t have to wait—we can start building it today.