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UNESCO and ������ٱ�é launched the “Impulso Joven – Because Youth Matter” pilot programme in Latin America to provide young people with the resources and skills needed to develop and carry forward innovative solutions for positive social and environmental impact in their communities.

130,000 young people and community members benefitted from the pilot which supported 20 young leaders from 11 countries across Latin America. 

Grantees implemented projects aiming to address challenges related to three key topics, identified by youth across Latin America:

• Reduction of inequalities and promotion of social inclusion and diversity
• Climate Action and Sustainability
• Mental Health and Wellbeing

Formación lingüística de portugués para inmigrantes en el sur de Brasil (Portuguese language training for immigrants in the south of Brazil)

“As a student of Letters, our course covers topics related to language teaching for non-native speakers, such as the subject of Topics in Applied Linguistics, which gives us a perspective on the social importance of the teacher and his or her activism in education, especially in the field of language. In addition, we are aware of the need to address the themes of the 2030 Agenda in our studies, research and actions, so that this knowledge reaches schools, since language is a fundamental component in the process of transforming society. Additionally, the University of Passo Fundo has other projects, such as the Migrant Balcony and the Sérgio Vieira de Mello Chair, which provide important information on the 2030 Agenda and other local demands. In this context, my desire to contribute in a meaningful way to the regional society, together with my experience in the university environment and my previous incipient experiences in teaching Portuguese to immigrants, inspired me to participate in Impulso Joven. When our professors presented the proposal, I felt very motivated to participate, knowing that as a student, I can make a difference in the lives of many people. Very motivated to carry out this work, with the support of our course and the University of Passo Fundo, we gathered a group of students and professors to elaborate the proposal, which to our joy was selected. We are even more motivated to move forward with the project because, although we have limited resources, we already have actions underway, such as a group that is studying Portuguese. There are 20 students from 9 different countries, from Latin America and Africa, and 5 languages are used in the classes. Knowing that this environment of collaboration, learning and fraternity can be expanded is a great inspiration to continue.”

Afroricas Lab

"Our social enterprise is called Afroricas and our goal is to enable the socioeconomic mobility of black Brazilian women and people. We offer ESG and diversity and inclusion solutions for companies committed to reducing social inequalities and we produce educational resources on financial management, career progression and leadership to our audience.

Through our Afroricas Lab project, we offer free content to people with a focus on personal and professional development. We produce videos, documentaries, spreadsheets and other tools that support our community to generate more income to break cycles of socioeconomic vulnerability."

About your experience in Impulso Joven

"The trainings of the Impulso Joven programme have been a great opportunity to review and learn new things. For example: I did not know the SCAMPER tool and I found it interesting to apply it to our projects at Afroricas. I believe that by means of the mentoring we will greatly mature our commercial skills and gain more contacts with companies and organizations that may be future clients or sponsors of our programmes.

I believe that the feedback we give will help improve future editions of the programme."

ECOPURE - Cápsula de filtro cerámico para purificar el agua (ECOPURE – Ceramic filter capsule for purifying water)

"It inspired me because I am always ready to learn new things and improve my expectations. I understand that this is a great opportunity for me to grow personally and professionally considering that with this project I can help to improve the quality of life and contribute to a more just society."

Odontomovil

"First of all, the recognition of my colleagues when they elected me general coordinator made me realize the work done over the years by the project. And secondly my motivation to make the project grow and be able to reach more beneficiaries."

FONDOWN

"Determination and passion can overcome any obstacle. My project, FONDOWN, focusing on empowering children with Down syndrome through baking classes, inspires me because every child deserves the opportunity to grow, learn and explore their own talents. I firmly believe that baking is a gateway to creativity and self-confidence, and I am committed to guiding these young people to a future full of possibilities. I will be their leader and their friend on this exciting journey of discovery and growth. Together, we will build a space where diversity and inclusion will shine, and where dreams will become sweet realities.

The project will be carried out with participants between the ages of 8 and 40, with the aim that they can support themselves through their own entrepreneurship, since currently the possibilities of entering a stable job are very low. During a period of 3 months, we will offer training in the field of pastry and baking, giving our participants the opportunity to acquire culinary skills and develop their creativity in an inclusive and mutually supportive environment."

About your experience in Impulso Joven

"The trainings of the Impulso Joven programme have been incredibly valuable for my project. They have provided a solid foundation of knowledge and skills that have allowed me to restructure and improve my approach. I have been able to identify key areas of improvement and make changes that are fundamental to its success. I have gained new perspectives, strategies and tools that have enriched my understanding on how to implement my project more effectively.

As a result of the changes, we have modified the age limit of the project as after participating in studies and meetings, we found that young people over 18 have fewer opportunities than boys and girls. Therefore, we have extended the age limit to include young people up to 40 years old, which allows us to provide learning and development opportunities to a broader group of people.

In short, the training and mentoring have not only provided us with new ideas and approaches but have also inspired us to adapt our project in a way that makes it more inclusive and effective for all participants.

I feel that both the youth group and I have had a significant impact on the way the Impulso Joven programme has developed. This collaboration has not only allowed me to grow as an individual, but we have also been able to include many other young people in the process and give them the opportunity to shape innovative activities and projects. This process has been hugely rewarding and it fills me with pride to know that we are contributing to creating a better future for everyone thanks to the programme."

La poli-ludoteca menstrual itinerante (The traveling menstrual poly-library)

“Menstrual education is an issue that I am passionate about and that I see as an empowerment tool for girls. I believe that it is necessary that as a society we begin to recognize the importance of implementing menstrual education for girls with and without disabilities.“

About your experience in Impulso Joven

"The Impulso Joven programme has given me many tools that I have implemented in the project. As a team we feel more confident that our proposal responds to a real need of the target group. One of the exercises that I most enjoyed was thinking about other alternatives to work on, given that we already had a well-established idea. Giving ourselves that moment to do the scamper also enriched our business proposal.

We have also made changes to the project while working on the business model.We set ourselves the challenge of selling a coloring book and a story. It was something that we had not considered at the beginning, but we felt that both products would help us generate our own income and better position ourselves. With my mentor, we are considering the possibility of selling the story digitally on Amazon.

We are a group of young people committed to our causes. I have felt comfortable raising questions or doubts that have arisen through the different channels we have, which has contributed to maintaining more fluid communication as a community."

Proyecto Urupagua: la ruta de los conucos (Project Urupagua: The Route of Conucos)

"Part of my roots are in the Sierra de San Luis, where I have shared since my childhood with family and friends who are part of this thriving and hard-working community of rural farming families. The dedication and noble commitment of these communities to the cultivation of the land, hand-in-hand with the conservation of the typical flora and fauna of the region has served to me as an example of life and an inspiration to work for solutions that integrate the care of nature and the satisfaction of human beings."

About your experience in Impulso Joven

"The trainings of the Impulso Joven programme have been a great tool to expand my skills and knowledge in the development of the project and thus achieve even more positive growth and impact. All the mentors I have been able to meet have helped me to have a better overview of the world of social transformations. The trainings have also helped me to strengthen aspects of the commitment of the social actors who are part of the Urupagua project. This is fundamental in establishing concrete and achievable expectations within the framework of our social and environmental mission and vision. 

I feel that our diverse and broad cohort of young leaders has contributed to consolidating the horizon of the Impulso Joven programme, since although we all work on projects with different focuses, we are united by the fact that we are young people with dreams and goals who are developing wonderful projects for their local communities with the perspective of global citizens, within the framework of the 2030 Agenda."

Earth-IoT: Conectando el campo (Earth-IoT: Connecting the countryside)

"I come from a family of small producers in a rural community. For more than 7 generations, my family has worked the land and I have experienced first-hand the shortages and difficulties to ensure a better life. When I entered university, I realized that both knowledge and technology could facilitate the transformation of the field, but for various circumstances these did not reach the neediest people. That is why I committed to changing this situation and to supporting the development of my community and many others.”

Wayra Watt - Vientos de Esperanza: Energía Sostenible para un Futuro Mejor (Wayra Watt – Winds of Hope: Sustainable Energy for a Better Future)

"Joining the Wayra Watt project as an environmental engineering student inspires by connecting academic learning with practical action, allowing us to contribute to environmental sustainability, promote technological innovation, and raise awareness of the importance of renewable energy. It also provides the opportunity to work in multidisciplinary teams, positively influence the environment in the long term, and open doors to a growing career in the field of clean and sustainable energy."

Protiva bioinks

"My passion lies in finding innovative solutions inspired by nature to address global challenges. Fashion is a field in urgent need of transformation, and that need was my main source of inspiration. As a result, I co-founded Protiva Bioinks, a biotech startup that aims to change the way we conceive color and fashion through the use of natural microbial dyes."

About your experience in Impulso Joven

"The trainings of the Impulso Joven programme have been very useful to comprehensively rethink Protiva and its development. We managed to plan a realistic and ambitious business strategy for our startup through the trainings and we turned our focus to realistic goals to sustain the impact we aim to achieve. Following the training and mentoring, we made significant adjustments to the project, especially in our way of building key alliances, and we have adapted our approach to identify, nurture and maintain these alliances effectively.

I feel that our active participation has been relevant to the programme. In short, entrepreneurs are the ones who decide whether or not to take advantage of these opportunities. We have managed to contribute to a collaborative environment and make the programme relevant to the current reality of each venture."

Capa Rosa - Salud femenina y cuidado del ambiente (Capa Rosa - Women’s health and environmental care)

"I love education and the transformation that occurs in people through it. My passion is to learn, teach and create value. My goal is to ensure that girls and women in Guatemala have the opportunity to access education on the health of their bodies, since at the moment it remains taboo. The story of many women as well as my own experiences have inspired me to put an issue on the table that affects 50% of the population. Menstruation must be without shame and with empowerment, comfort and safety, alongside respect for our bodies and the environment."

About your experience in Impulso Joven

"The trainings of the Impulso Joven programme have enhanced my leadership skills, strengthened my ideas and allowed me to take firm steps in the execution of concrete actions in the development of the project launch phase. I discovered a new segment of consumers to target those with neglected needs - people with disabilities and who cannot take care of themselves. I want to create value for these women too. I have also adjusted the prototype and performed analysis of competing products to improve my prototype before the launch production run. 

I think our empathy and the knowledge that what we do is something that impacts our community has shaped the programme. I hope to build upon alliances with colleagues within the Impulso Joven programme and with others to foster collaborations for our projects."

Sumay-Revalorización de la saponina de Quinua (Sumay – Revalorization of quinoa saponin)

"Sumay started because I was looking for shampoo alternatives for my personal use, without harsh chemicals, vegan, biodegradable and at an affordable cost. When I couldn't find it, I decided to do some research and testing with some friends to create a shampoo that aligned with what I was looking for and offer it to others."

About your experience in Impulso Joven

"The programme has helped me develop my ideas to give my project greater coherence, in addition to learning about different experiences in Latin America. With the help of my mentor, I have recognized the need to carry out validation tests of my product and to identify alternatives to improve it. I hope to continue to learn about the experiences of other teams, and to grow my business based on these learnings."

Artesanos del agua (Artisans of water)

"I have always believed that we can learn from how nature works, from its forms of adaptation and evolution to create from this knowledge alternatives to environmental problems such as water scarcity. This is why I thought of fog catchers, adaptable and dynamic designs that are inspired by and mimic the mechanisms of different species to capture water. I also think that solutions are sustainable over time when they involve communities. For this reason, we were inspired by the millenary artisan tradition of the municipality of Ráquira to create "Artesanos del agua" that seeks to integrate traditional knowledge with new innovative alternatives, to adapt to climate change."

About your experience in Impulso Joven

"Through the trainings of the Impulso Joven programme, I have been able to apply different methodologies, identify key stakeholders and optimize the execution of my project. I have made adjustments to the fog catcher design process to optimize materials and times, and my team adjusted the schedule and scope of our project in this first phase.

We have brought our unique ideas, perceptions and experiences to the programme and we have been able to provide feedback throughout the process. We have also proposed topics that are of greatest interest to us to shape the training modules."

PLANTÚ: Convertimos la "basura" en vida (PLANTU: “We transform what we consider “garbage” into opportunities that generate life)

"PLANTÚ is a triple impact social enterprise dedicated to the production and marketing of sustainable and plantable products. Our goal is to lead the transformation towards a more sustainable and environmentally conscious world. We transform single-use paper into 100% recycled, germinable and compostable paper, offering eco-friendly solutions that generate a positive impact on the planet.

Our products include plantable cards, plantable clothing tags, plantable pencils, plantable calendars and many more. Each one is made from recycled paper and contains plant seeds that can germinate and grow after use. We seek to inspire you to rethink the use of single-use materials and promote more responsible practices with the planet.

At PLANTÚ, we envision a world where every discarded sheet of paper becomes an opportunity to generate life. We see ourselves as leaders in the transformation of waste into compostable and germinable products, promoting sustainability and the circular economy."

About your experience in Impulso Joven

"The Impulso Joven trainings have been incredibly valuable. They have given us clear insight into our business model and helped us understand the needs of our beneficiaries, allowing us to adapt our solutions more effectively. In addition, we have learned tools that have allowed us to analyze our project from different perspectives and find areas for improvement. We have also gained knowledge on how to measure our impact using specific indicators and how to improve leadership and teamwork within our organization. 

Additionally, the training and mentoring have led us to make important adjustments and changes in our PLANTÚ project. We have decided to focus on the launch of the PLANTÚLab sprout laboratories in public schools with latent needs, using germinable paper and we will also carry out paper and cardboard recycling campaigns to obtain the necessary material and build laboratories within the educational institutions. Additionally, thanks to the work with our mentor, part of the investment will be allocated to the R&D of new germinable packaging with plantable cardboard, to respond to the demand of the industrial market.

I feel deeply grateful for the invaluable opportunity that Impulso Joven has provided both me and our team at PLANTÚ. Being part of this initiative has allowed us to not only develop our skills as social entrepreneurs, but also connect with other young leaders who are driving positive change in their communities."

Fenikks

"Fenikks was not born with the idea in mind to sell shin guards, it came about because I didn't have them. When I was playing soccer with the idea of becoming a professional to improve the quality of life of my family, in a training session, they broke the ones I had with a kick, as I didn't have enough money to buy new ones, I decided to make some out of a bucket, personalizing them with photos. The next game, when I took them to the club, my teammates asked me where I had gotten them, to which I answered out of embarrassment: an uncle who lives in Buenos Aires sells them. I didn't realize that I had the opportunity to take a waste product and transform it into something useful, and the more I do it, not only will I improve the quality of life of my family, but it was also an opportunity to eliminate the pollution of the living spaces of all the underprivileged neighbourhoods. Once I became aware of the problem, I fell in love with the problem, to drive a business model that would be a solution."

"Leyendo Mis Emociones" Educación Emocional para Niños Migrantes en la Frontera México-EUA (“Reading My Emotions” – Emotional Education for child migrants on the U.S.–Mexico border)

"Since I was a child, reading helped me to know and manage my emotions. Seeing so many migrants arrive in my city year after year, I wanted to be able to do something to help them. So I decided on emotional education by encouraging reading."

About your experience in Impulso Joven

"The trainings of the Impulso Joven programme have helped me keep my feet on the ground while envisioning social impact. I feel that I have greater knowledge of the tools that are necessary for entrepreneurship and implementing them has given me something I can return to when I don't know where to go next.

We have also made adjustments to the project. The original proposal was to create another reading space, but with the reality of our current context, we recognized that it is better to continue adapting the space of the pilot programme, to ensure greater comfort and an improved space. I am also now interested in perhaps changing the branding and image of the project, to find a way to disseminate and advertise without compromising my ideals of protecting the image and identity of the children who have participated with us.

I feel that one of the ways our group has shaped the Impulso Joven programme has been through conversations during mentoring and other interactions; but mainly because of the type and variety of projects we bring to the programme and the ways we have managed to find similarities or differences and give each other advice based on our experiences as young people. I also feel that we inspire each other because of this."

4Win a plataforma de Asistencia Psicológica gratuita para Mujeres en Ecuador -JuntasXEllas- (4Win, a platform for free psychological assistance for women in Ecuador – JuntasXEllas)

"Since 2019, mental health problems have increased by 25%, with suicide ranking as the second leading cause of death among my generation. Anxiety and depression stand as the illnesses of the century. Through this project, we are striving to remove the stigma associated with mental health and to ensure treatment is accessible to all. Our primary goal is to address the surge in mental health issues and the inadequate assistance provided to women in vulnerable situations, particularly those experiencing violence."

About your experience in Impulso Joven

"The trainings of the Impulso Joven programme have been very empowering and have allowed me to develop the business strategy. Through the programme, we have made changes to the project and we are making good progress - it has been an incredible learning process.

As the first cohort of the programme, from different areas and countries, we are allowing for an understanding of what to improve, what can be omitted and above all what is useful within the programme when moving forward."

La enfermedad de la que nadie habla en el pueblo (The disease that no one talks about in the village)

“Several months ago, while talking with fellow interpreters from indigenous communities, I identified how the invisibility of mental health in the community, the lack of information about depression and anxiety, and the lack of attention has caused the excessive increase of addictions and suicides in our communities.”

About your experience in Impulso Joven

"The trainings of the Impulso Joven programme have been an enriching experience. I have gained valuable insights from each one of the other grantees and I hope that we continue working together, whether on Impulso Joven or new initiatives.

I feel that our exchanges and unique experiences in the way we work have served as a model to work with more youth."

"Negrx, Maricon ¡y Qué!" Experiencias afrodisidentes en el oriente de Cali ("Negrx, Maricon ¡y Qué!" Afrodissident experiences in the east of Cali)

"The voices and experiences of sexually diverse Black people have historically been silenced and denied due to structural racism, homophobia, transphobia and lesbophobia. In the quest to reclaim our lives, we aim to build safe spaces to heal collectively and to ensure that sexually diverse young black people have a space to embrace their racial and sexual identity, and can dignify their lives through collective embrace, brotherhood and care."

About your experience in Impulso Joven

"We have been able to enrich the processes not only of our initiative but also of our Foundation in general. Silver methodologies helped the construction of a 3-year strategic plan, and we have been able to modify budget items for the proper development of the project. I hope to strengthen the proposal and projects of the Matamba Foundation with the intention of continuing to build a racially and sexually just and equitable society.

I believe our proposal allows us to open the worldview of the Impulso Joven programme, to consider the racial-ethnic, gender and sexual dissidence approaches in future editions."

Clínicas Móviles Humanos 3D (BeOne Model in 3D Humans)

"I believe that in a context filled with shades of gray we can all be the glimmer of light for someone. I believe in the power of small actions, of cooperation and unity to change the world, to transform realities, to make everyone's life more equitable. I am moved by the utopian world in which we can all be agents of transformation, bringing opportunities and sustainable solutions closer to those who need them. I believe in people and organizations, in the potential that each one of them has, in the possibility of creating a more just and dignified society for all. I am inspired by being part of an organization that focuses its financial, human, administrative, strategic and financial resources on the most vulnerable people, that starts from innovation to make social impact projects more efficient and sustainable."

About your experience in Impulso Joven

"The trainings of the Impulso Joven programme have shaped my current vision, giving me greater focus and professionalism. As a result of the topics covered in the training or mentoring, we have adjusted the use of different social platforms according to the profile of our target audience. Following these trainings, I hope to implement theoretical concepts in a deeper way, to have a tangible impact.

We have shaped the programme by proposing bold ideas and insisting on starting from the needs of other young people to create better focused and more efficient solutions."