Did you know most products you buy are designed to break after a certain amount of time, forcing you to purchase a new one? This reality is called planned obsolescence and is used as a business model all around the world. Because of this issue, electronic and textile waste is increasing at an alarming rate. Benjamin decided to tackle this problem and with the support of his teacher, he created a Repair Café at his school to give a second life to everyday objects.

What is a Repair Café? It's a place where technology, mechanics, and electronic enthusiasts get together to repair (for free!) objects that need a little attention. It goes from microwaves to irons, bicycles, coffee makers, and antique radios. In addition to allowing objects that are sometimes thrown away too quickly to live longer, Benjamin understands that a Repair Café also has a particularly strong social aspect: people meet, exchange, dialogue, become loyal to the project, and share a coffee together.

The impact of the Repair Café is multidimensional: young and old come together and forge new connections, people on a tight budget can repair their objects, students learn more about electro-mechanics, and the whole community benefits from the Repair Café as they see a new opportunity blossoming in their neighborhood.

Aware that Covid-19 brought a halt to every social activity and that people had to adapt to a life in isolation during the lockdown, Benjamin found pragmatic solutions to fight loneliness and discouragement. The young Changemaker first created anti-covid visors with a 3D printer. He then tried to become a volunteer at the vaccination center closest to his home. Finally, he participated in the reduction of the circulation of fake news around the pandemic on social media by responding to citizens with proven and optimistic facts.

Noor has worked tirelessly for the causes dear to her heart. Collecting money for SOS Ghana? Check. Creating a mouth mask for her school’s Valentine’s Day? Check. Participating in the local Red Nose Day? Check. Being part of both the students's board and the teachers' board? Check. And now, her next mission is to normalize students' well-being discussions at school.

Noor knows well how difficult it is to open up to others. Having suffered from health issues when she was little, she had trouble interacting and playing with her peers. Thankfully, her teachers were a great help and restored her self-confidence. Learning from this and motivated by the certainty that young people should have a space to learn and be heard, she started to create different questionnaires regarding the well-being of students around her. She also began to train teachers to speak about those topics. As a true leader, Noor really emphasizes inclusion and is not afraid to start conversations on less known issues such as autism.

Noor is a well-rounded Changemaker: she coordinates operations, trains teachers and future trainers, and loves to embed other young people in her projects. She is also sensible about climate change and has developed direct actions to tackle environmental issues, like sorting and reducing waste at school. Moreover, she was elected as the winner of the Lion’s Club Young Ambassador Award for 2021.

What’s next for her? Continue to fight for what she believes in, involve more and more young people in her movements, and in the long run measure her impact. Overall, ensure and maintain a safe, healthy and happy school environment for everyone.

Shahad, Anaïs, and Caroline have different backgrounds but were all raised in Belgium. However, they had to travel more than 5’500 km to find each other, meeting for the first time in Boston, MA thanks to the Women2Women program of the American Embassy in Belgium. Was it luck or fate? They don’t know, but they all believed in the same dream: a better world for young girls and women all around the globe.

They spent ten days in the United States trying to find a new idea to impact and improve the situation of women at their level. This is where Needie Paddie was born. Caroline, Anaïs, and Shahad started to realize that women, and in particular young girls, were facing a double sanction when it came to their period: there's still a heavy taboo in our society, but above it all, pads are very expensive. This cost weighs heavily on young people's budgets.

Needie Paddie intends to bring a solution to this. The girls placed sanitary products collect boxes in strategic places, where people can donate hygienic products. They then distribute the products to people in need.

In addition to providing a practical solution, the girls are also raising awareness on social media among women and men, young and old, normalizing menstruation and breaking taboos. And it works: the movement is already underway!

Determined to shape the world for the better, Wannes has been active since a very young age, especially at school. The Covid19 has been taking a toll on a lot of people's mental health. Wannes witnessed how students around him were slowly getting depressed and were having issues attending online courses. He found an answer to teenagers' need to socialize by organizing meetings with students using creativity to connect and share about wellbeing. Wannes’ motto? Everyone needs to feel at home at school.

He supports teachers and students in their interactions and tries to ease the communication between them and he also evaluates the students’ level of mental health to see how his project is actually impacting people’s lives. But the project got bigger and bigger and needs to persist once the pandemic is over (and after his graduation in two years). Wannes wants to support further development and the implementation of his project in school in order to improve the student’s motivation to go to school.

Deeply concerned by the environmental and social consequences of the textile industry and of fast fashion, Anceline and Anaïs decided to challenge fabric waste, micro-trends, impulsive purchases and mentalities. Inspired by the ‘hippie’ philosophy of ecology responsibility, non-violence, dialogue and recycling, the two girls started creating outfits made entirely from secondhand materials. With these creations, they want to show people fun and creative alternatives to fast fashion.

On the long term, Anceline and Anaïs want to reverse the norm, and make mass consumption out of fashion. With their Instagram page, they try to touch as many people as possible.

The Project and Goal

Ilias is one of the former students of the co-founder of "Ambassadeurs pour l'Expression Citoyenne," Bruno Derbaix, and is also one of the co-founders of the organization. Within this association, Ilias is currently primarily responsible for the "citizen school" aspect, specifically focusing on the development of the "Valio" application, designed to enhance educational management in French-speaking schools in Belgium.

Advantages of the project

• Improvement in student behavior support.
• Strengthening the relationships between teachers and students.
• Enhancing the connections between schools and families.
• Promoting scholastic engagement.
• Recognizing citizen behavior.
• More efficient management of incidents of violence.
• Combating cases of harassment.
• Better protection of students' rights.

Originally conceived by Ilyas' classmates, he is now responsible for its development and implementation. It's worth noting that the application is already operational in nearly 15 primary and secondary schools. Additionally, it is currently being implemented in six other institutions, including an association that combines football activities with homework assistance. They are also in discussions for its deployment in around ten other schools, particularly in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Download the Valio app here

The Project 

DYS/DIX is an initiative providing support to individuals with learning disabilities. 

The Person

Florence is an 18-year-old young woman known for her vitality and exceptional motivation. She is a co-founder of the organization DYS/DIX, an initiative aimed at providing support to individuals with learning disabilities. Her journey with this project began with her involvement in LJE, a Belgian non-profit organization that encourages young people to start businesses alongside their studies, with a primary educational focus. The results of this work have been recognized with three awards, acknowledging inclusion, diversity, and creativity.

The Goal

Sensitive to the issue of supporting students with specific needs within the education system, the project offers a fun activity aimed at detecting potential learning disabilities in children aged 6 to 13. By using a game-based approach, this game seeks to avoid stigmatizing the child while paving the way for a more tailored academic success according to their profile. This initiative stems from Florence's personal experience and that of her friends who have faced various challenges and have recognized the importance of early detection. The board game has been meticulously designed in collaboration with qualified experts working in the fields of childhood and paramedical healthcare.

The Challenges

Today, Florence has identified the following needs: support in various stages of the future non-profit organization, including business planning, logistics, needs analysis, time commitment evaluation, staff, and volunteers; there are many questions to address.

Learn more about DYS/DIX on their Instagram 

The Project

Yagmur created Monda Pupo a mini-enterprise with a positive impact both at social and environmental levels. Dolls of every body shape and color fight sexist and racist beauty norms, created from upcycled socks from "Les Petits Riens".

Parallel to that, Yagmur is also developing an artistic project around the image of women with the aim of fighting stereotypes around the female body. She also dreams of creating a photo exhibition.

The Goal

Her aim is to have an impact on the acceptance and normalization of a positive image, through testimonials, exchanges, and images.

The Challenges

• She had gotten a lot of support and guidance from LJE in setting up her project, and now needs help in finance, accounting, and legal issues.
• Needs help with event planning, networking

Follow Yagmur's project on Instagram 

The concept

Kawtar founded MOYRA, an ethical clothing brand produced by women, upholding principles of eco-responsibility and vegan-friendliness.  

Project Origins

Kawtar’s venture into fashion began on a whim, driven by an intrinsic need to add meaning and purpose to her life. With no prior background in the fashion world, she embarked on a journey that would significantly alter her life's course.

Personalizing Clothing

Her journey started with the art of customizing clothing, infusing each garment with a unique and personal touch. At this early stage, she gave little thought to the origins of the products she was working with.

A Shift in Perspective

Kawtar's quest for quality and her newfound commitment to ethical and sustainable fashion led her to discover "Stanley Estela," a brand that perfectly embodied her values. She then founded MOYRA an ethical brand sourcing products from Bangladesh, produced by women, and upheld principles of eco-responsibility and vegan-friendliness. Inspired by this discovery, Kwatar introduced "Moyra" to the vibrant streets of Brussels, where she initiated her journey as a retailer of these exceptional products.

Challenges

• Challenging Fast Fashion: Kawtar was resolute in her mission to challenge the fast fashion industry, notorious for its environmental exploitation and labor abuses. Her goal was to empower consumers to make more conscious choices in their fashion purchases. She even invested in an embroidery machine, allowing her to add unique touches to the clothing she sold.

• Navigating Challenges: Despite the formidable obstacles in her path, Kawtar remained unwavering in her commitment to spreading the message of sustainable fashion. She endeavored to encourage others to join her in making more responsible choices in fashion, all while mastering the complexities of budgeting, communication, fundraising, and advertising

Contact Kwatar on Instagram @_moyra.hob

Nicky established this non-profit organization, providing a nurturing playground center for children with disabilities. This initiative also raises awareness about parental discrimination toward these children.

These 18-year-olds are creating a Pathways Alumni network dedicated to fostering communication and negotiation skills. This initiative empowers young people through their shared journey of creative problem-solving.