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Discover the winners of the UNESCO x SEVENTEEN ‘Going Together – For Youth Creativity and Well-Being’ grant scheme

UNESCO and SEVENTEEN launched this Global Youth Grant Scheme to provide young people with resources and skills to develop innovative solutions for positive social impact.
Seventeen Kpop group at UNESCO

UNESCO and SEVENTEEN, Goodwill Ambassador for Youth, launched a call for innovative youth-led projects across the globe as part of the ‘Going Together – For Youth Creativity and Well-Being’ initiative. One hundred proposals from young leaders, entrepreneurs and youth organizations were selected by a jury to help them create and implement solutions on the ground. 

The call reached over 2300 applicants from 140 countries. This clearly shows young people's commitment to social engagement and their need for support to achieve their goals and create change. 

These 100 grantees are driving remarkable projects that address critical issues like inequality in sports, mental well-being, and lack of access to the arts and music, creating ripple effects of social change in their communities and beyond. Empowering young voices to shape solutions is at the heart of this inspiring initiative, championed by UNESCO and SEVENTEEN.

The creative spirit and sense of responsibility that permeate these youth-led projects have been an inspiration to us all. We are excited to see how the collective experience will help build youth communities and empower many more like ourselves to achieve their dreams.

Upon their nomination as the first-ever UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Youth in June 2024, SEVENTEEN donated 1 million USD to support this joint grant scheme.  

This programme will help participants reach their full potential. Each participant receives a grant together with training sessions and mentoring throughout the development of their projects. The programme starts with a capacity-strengthening phase to support the grantees to make a significant impact with their projects.  

The one hundred best proposals were selected by a global jury composed of representatives of UNESCO and five young leaders from around the world, namely: 

ղ⳾’a Abu Ayyash (Jordan), 13th UNESCO 91鶹Ʒ participant 

Joy Chiadika-Nwaeze (Nigeria), UNESCO Meaningful Youth Engagement young trainer 

Vicky Laprade (Canada), 13th UNESCO 91鶹Ʒ participant 

Esteban Silva (Argentina), ‘Impulso Joven’ Nestlé x UNESCO Grant Scheme participant 

Kenta Sayama (Japan), 13th UNESCO 91鶹Ʒ participant 

Who are the grantees?

One hundred grantees will implement projects aiming to address challenges related to three topics:  

Promoting youth confidence and resilience through music, arts, and sports

  • Akomkwa Bujiriri Osée (Osée Elektra), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Youth Rise through Arts 

  • Albaraa Albadowi, Oman, Creative Connections: Nurturing Minds, Building Communities 

  • Amine Kasmi, Morocco, House of Art 

  • Amoun Aden, Somalia, Kick Start for Equality - Using Sports and Arts for Girls Rights 

  • Anas Mahdad, Morocco, Empowering Youth through Hip Hop Dance 

  • Anubhav Ghimire, Nepal, Mural Safety: Art for Disaster Preparedness  

  • Arcadius Muntean Florin, Romania, Concrete Spot Cultural Youth Center 

  • Beatrice Phiri, Guinea, Sports for Environmental and Social Change 

  • Botame Peter Ikome, Cameroon, Echoes of The Forest: Amplifying the Voices of Marginalized Baka Youth through Creative Arts and Sports 

  • Chrispin John, Malawi, The Science of Play Project for Children in Nursery and Primary Schools 

  • Dawsher Charles, Trinidad and Tobago, Resiliently Me 

  • Denia Kopita, Greece, SkaterCreators 

  • Emeline Laude, France, Run to Youth Conferences 

  • Hamid Adim Othman, Libya, Sodur Project for Preserving Toubou Musical Heritage 

  • Jonathan Meneses Valencia, Colombia, ♪♫DO RE MI - MUSIC CAMP 

  • Justine Linton, Panama, Between Crochet Needles 

  • Keren Hellery, Indonesia, Beyond Football 

  • Lloyd Kings Chunga, Malawi, Kwathu Sport 

  • Lochana Adivarekar, India, Swatva: It Starts with Me 

  • Max Doll, United States of America, Dare to Be Aware: Presented by OYLPN 

  • Natasha Sharma, India, Youth Arts Mentorship Program 

  • Natasha Tanjutco, Philippines, Islands of Imagination Festival 

  • Paul Kiserem, Kenya, Music for Change, Education and Empowerment for the Youth 

  • Sara Matos, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), There Is More to Dream 

  • Sarah Moore, Guatemala, Creative Roots: A Community Arts and Music Program 

  • Sounou Gloria Djromahouton, Benin, In Tune with Our Vibes 

  • Tooba Dawood, Canada, Winter Begins 

  • Yibeth Morales Ayala, New Zealand, Refugee Youth Active and Empowered 

Building creative communities together with youth

  • Adigao Alvin Wenia, Ghana, Seeds for Change  

  • Ahmed Saad, Egypt, Creativity and Innovation in Education Program 

  • Alejandra Rocha Fernández, Mexico, Colour and Courage 

  • Ali Raid, Iraq, Montawi 

  • Andy Dyer Moreno Salazar, Ecuador, Knitting in Community: Empowerment of  Young Women in Talahua for the Preservation and Revitalization of Knitting as a Pillar of Cultural Identity and Community Cohesion 

  • Brandy Vicent Meshack, United Republic of Tanzania, GOING TOGETHER – For Youth Creativity and Well-being 

  • Cherelys Dwarka Sing, Suriname, Project LEAP: Learning, Empowering, Achieving Progress  

  • Dobre Cosmin, Romania, Non-Formal Education Caravan (NFE) 

  • Dylan Humphrey, United States of America, Do-Ology 

  • Ebram Tawfik, Egypt, Empower Her Arts 

  • Ekaette Frank, Nigeria, FACE 

  • Eliézer Jefte Cabadi Pinto, Angola, Healing the Youth 

  • Emmana Jeffers, Dominica, Rise & Create: Youth Empowerment through Creative Arts Management and Business  

  • Felicidad Elva Huayta Ramos, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Ecological Restoration 

  • Florencia Iglesias, Argentina, Journey to The Center of Neighborhood 

  • Ghislain Irakoze, Rwanda, Resiliency through Ages 

  • Kimberly Louis, Nigeria, Trash to Art Project  

  • Kymara Elliott, Jamaica, Labour of Love 3.0 

  • Laiza de Carvalho Lima, Brazil, Blue Flora Cooperative Project 

  • Linda Wu, Canada, ThriveTogether 

  • Lizeth Estefania Garcia Salazar, Ecuador, Creating the Future with Waste 

  • Mardhia Jamal Hussein Al Zahawi, Iraq, Building Creative Communities through Fostering Youth Leadership and Innovation   

  • Mardin Aso Mohammed, Iraq, Youth Voices: Building Strength and Unity 

  • Maria Claudia Lira Perez, Peru, CITE Resilient City Urban Lab 

  • Mary Rose Pagador, Philippines, Project Palabasa 

  • Megi Marku, Albania, Building a Network of Young Leaders: Empowering Albanian Youth for Mental Health Advocacy and Action 

  • Mike Odhiambo, Kenya, I Owe Lamu. 

  • Mohamed Ghanem, Egypt, Unify 

  • Mohammed Zaid, Libya, LYBOTICS 

  • Nada Fayed, Egypt, Al-Arish Castle Revitalization Project in North Sinai 

  • Nejat Nejib, Ethiopia, Honey, We’re in This Together: Empowering Youth through Apiculture 

  • Prabin Chaudhary, Nepal, One Health Journey through Installation Arts and Visual Storytelling in Indigenous Tharu Community 

  • Regita Gurung, Bhutan, Going Bhutan: A GSTH Project 

  • Roberta Bojang, Germany, Journey of The Broken and The Hopeful II 

  • Sama Lesly Tankfu, Cameroon, Natura project 

  • Uyen Nguyen, United States of America, HuLib 

  • Warren Milton Iacoccca, Indonesia, Fearless Creative Community - Be Fearless 

  • Zhirui Chen, United States of America, HeArt Territory - Bridging Culture with Art Education 

Supporting youth mental health and well-being

  • Abdellatif Belmkadem, Morocco, Tech4Wellbeing 

  • Alai Syafina, Brunei Darussalam, Empathy on the Move 

  • Ammaarah Arendse, South Africa, Psychosocial Support Programme 

  • Andrei Ioan Munteanu, Romania, YouthBank Academy #IamWellWithMyself 

  • Anusha Chhetri, Nepal, Let me be the CHANGE 

  • А辱Ա Babayan, Armenia, Creative Horizons in Armenia: Empowering Youth through Arts and Culture (EYAC) 

  • Bich Ha Dong, Canada, Smile Flowers 

  • Chanakarn Kachonseree, Thailand, Mind Dream 

  • Chaneil Imhoff, Antigua and Barbuda, Wadadli Initiative for Self-care and Healing (WISH)  

  • Esraa Sayed Abd Elgaber, Egypt, Lazhu  

  • Hirchell Richards, Grenada, STAY-Mind Matters: Empowering Mental Wellness 

  • Inuel Luís Sousa da Trindade, Sao Tome and Principe, Community+ 

  • Jana Tancevska, North Macedonia, Hike and Heal (Nature’s Path to Wellbeing of 100 Young Women in N. Macedonia) 

  • Jean Rousselet Saint-Firmin, Haiti, Support Project for Improving Mental Health Care and Well-Being for Young People in Petit-Goave 

  • Jessy N. Marine, France, Skate for Balance  

  • Johanna Alazar, Sweden, Mirrors 

  • Jonathan Brooks, United States of America, Social Media Education and Advocacy for Youth 

  • Juliette Gudknecht, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Amplifying Autistic Wellbeing: Listening to the Voices of the High-Support Needs Autistic Community 

  • Lizeth Monroy Hernández, Mexico, Menstrual Education for Educators: Transforming Rural Communities 

  • Muhammad Hamail Zaigham, Pakistan, Empower Through Art: Bridging Generations in Rural Pakistan 

  • Marion Abilene R. Navarro, Philippines, Wellbeing School 

  • Maxime Zadel, Netherlands (Kingdom of the), Own Power Food 

  • Md Rehanuz Zaman, Bangladesh, Mind First 

  • Meriem Mihoub, Tunisia, Cultural Well-being: Integrating Mental Health and Heritage on Djerba Island 

  • Mirriam Sikalume, Zambia, DeafSmart Initiative 

  • Noor Azaiez, Tunisia, PsyQuilibre: Empowering Youth through Creative Mental Health Care 

  • Rean Wirianda, Indonesia, ART+ (Art for Recovery and Thriving on “Positive” Young People) 

  • Ruvimbo Nadine Shenje, Zimbabwe, Reviving Gen Z (RGZ) 

  • Sahr Sandi-Gbetuwa, Sierra Leone, SoundWell: Empowering Futures in Silence - A Comprehensive Approach to Sexual Reproductive Health Education and Mentorship for Youth with Hearing Impairment in Aberdeen Cockle Bay 

  • Sirisay Vongsamphanh, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Youth Mental Resilience Camp 

  • Sophia Jone Stalin Suresh, United Arab Emirates, The HOPE Project  

  • Susana Moreno, Portugal, TRIPLE R  

  • Talaimanu Peneueta, Samoa, SVSG Youth Empowerment Program 

  • ճéDZ󾱱 Jarbath, Haiti, Makerlab Culture Youth and Girl 

See also

Learn more about this initiative 

More about the Global Youth Grant Scheme 

More about UNESCO’s Youth Programme