ChangemakerXchange

COPs are an absolute labyrinth, different badges with different accesses, pavilions from every country and theme, lobbyists from all sides, satellite diplomacy and behind closed door meetings and lots of acronyms. And the meaningful leadership of young people at COPs is critical, and they have often been at the forefront the lobbying for key developments like the oil and gas phase out and the loss and damage fund. There is a bit of a feeling of progressive organisations ‘skipping’ COP29 in Baku next month and focusing on next year in Brazil, and with 2500 fossil fuels lobbyists in Dubai last year and this again being hosted in a fossil fuel economy nation, this feels like a dangerous moment with potential for backsliding or lack of progress when it’s most urgently needed. As ChangemakerXchange we will again support a cohort of young changemakers to join COP29 and are also offering, tomorrow at 4PM CET, together with our partners ClimaTalk, an 'Online COP29 Training' for people who will be present or who want to understand in general how to engage with COPs. Link is in the comments, and agenda below, open to everyone! ✅An intro to COPs and the UNFCCC, with COP29-specific details ✅An overview of the climate finance landscape leading up to COP29 ✅Reflections on past COP experiences through the eyes of youth delegates, NGO founders, topic trackers, and climate finance experts ✅The opportunity to ask your burning questions about all things COP, making a meaningful impact as youth, and navigating bureaucratic spaces!

We recently connected with Harun Mwadena Muyesi, founder of Collaborative Approach Consultancy and convener of the Changemakers Hike & Adventure programme (a service under Collaborative Approach Consultancy) — a journey that encourages reflection, peer learning, and helps young changemakers like you build lasting friendships. Check out the visuals for the full interview and discover how you can get involved! #ItsMwadena #HarunMwadenaMuyesi #CollaborativeApproachConsultancy #changemakershike #changemakersadventure #LinkedInBranding #PeerLearning #LeadershipJourney #cmxchange

To celebrate #WorldFoodDay, we interviewed some of our community members about how their work is advancing equitable access to nutritious food and promoting food sovereignty in their communities. This year’s theme, ‘Right to Food for a Better Life and a Better Future,’ highlights the importance of their efforts. Check out the visuals for the full interview and be inspired by their impactful stories. - Stephanie Gomez, co-founder of Shift Our Ways Collective, is dedicated to promoting equitable access to education, environmental protection, and community development. - Musasizi Joshua, founder of Musafarm Foods, is passionate about empowering farmers through quality agricultural inputs, sustainable practices, and fair market access. - Khalil Radi is the co-founder of Buy Food with Plastic, an initiative that exchanges plastic waste for food, empowering communities in Nicaragua, Ghana, and India. - Ridhima Arora, founder and CEO of Namhya Foods, leads a health foods brand focused on reviving the ancient Indian tradition of eating naturally with the help of herbs and natural ingredients. - Mark Kirwan, the CEO of Positive Carbon, is dedicated to using technology to create positive change in the food industry. He is passionate about ensuring food sustainability and accessibility. #StephanieGomez #ShiftOurWaysCollective #communitymade #JoshuaMusasizi #MusaFarmFoods #KhalilRadi #BuyFoodWithPlastic #RidhimaArora #NamhyaAyurveda #MarkKirwan #PositiveCarbon #cmxchange

On this International Day of the Girl Child, themed 'Girls' Vision for the Future,' we had the honour of interviewing some of our community members, who shared written responses on the messages they would like to send to world leaders and policymakers about the importance of girls' rights and their vision for a better future. Check out the visuals for their full messages! Aman Shah Kabiri is the Founder and CEO of Afghan Girls Success Gate (AGSG), a nonprofit dedicated to empowering Afghan girls through education. In a country where access to education is severely limited, especially for girls, AGSG provides digital resources, mentorship, and training to help them thrive in a rapidly evolving world. Lauren Martinez is a Girl Power Expert and founder of Girls Above Society, which she launched at age 15. Over the past 17 years, her work has been recognized by major organizations like the U.N. and Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation, earning her awards such as the Diana Award and establishing her as a change-maker for today's generation. #AmanShahKabiri #AfghanGirlsSuccessGate #LaurenMartinez #InternationalDayOfTheGirl #IDG2024 #GirlsVisionForTheFuture #GirlsAboveSociety #cmxchange

In honour of World Mental Health Day 2024, themed 'Mental Health at Work,' we asked our changemakers: What steps can workplaces take to prioritize mental health, and what changes would you like to see for a healthier, more supportive work culture? Their responses highlight the urgent need for workplaces to foster a safe, inclusive environment that prioritizes mental well-being. Check out the visuals to see their full responses. ▪ Jaron Soh is the Co-Founder & CEO of Voda, the LGBTQIA mental health app. Voda works with leading LGBTQIA psychotherapists to develop guided therapy programmes centred on the LGBTQIA lived experience. ▪ Natasha Kabir Israt is the President and Founder of BRIDGFoundation, an organization supporting differently abled individuals. She is also a graduate student at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, where she serves as the Diversity Senator. ▪ Karolina Mazetyte is a social entrepreneur, educator, and co-founder of Well-being Lab in Sweden. She is also a TEDx speaker and global facilitator for ChangemakerXchange, having worked with people from 170 countries. #JaronSoh #Voda #NatashaIsratKabir #BRIDGFoundation #KarolinaMazetyte #WellbeingLAB #WorldMentalHealthDay #MentalHealth #cmxchange

In celebration of World Teachers' Day, themed 'Valuing Teacher Voices: Towards a New Social Contract for Education,' we asked our community members, who are making a remarkable impact through their skills in educating and empowering young people, to share their thoughts. We posed the question: How does your initiative empower and amplify the voices of educators or community leaders in shaping learning experiences, and what impact have you seen in the communities you serve? Swipe left to read their inspiring responses! - Amélie Mariage co-founded Escuelas Visuales, an initiative that has empowered over 4,700 educators to create more inclusive and impactful learning environments through visual tools. Currently, she is a Partner at Akka and an Operating Partner at Aticco Ventures, both focused on democratizing startup investment. She has been recognized as a Forbes 30Under30 honoree and featured in "Las Otras 100 Mayores Fortunas de España" for her significant social impact. - Lavinya Stennett FRSA is a writer, cultural educationalist, and Founder/CEO of The Black Curriculum. She recently completed her first book, Omitted, and a debut poetry collection, 27. Lavinya has been recognized with several accolades, including the MIPAD Global Top 100 under 40 (2024), Limitless Award (2023), Veuve Clicquot Bold Women of the Year (2022), and Sunday Times Women of the Year (2021). Featured in Vogue and GQ for her activism, her organization, The Black Curriculum, founded in 2019, promotes year-round Black history education to foster identity and belonging for all students. - Chalipa Dulyakorn co-founded InsKru, a platform that connects teachers to share ideas, learn from each other, and improve their teaching. With over 200,000 educators, insKru promotes peer learning, boosts teacher confidence, and encourages creative teaching, ultimately benefiting students. #AmélieMariage #LavinyaStennet #NamoChalipa #EscuelasVisuales #TheBlackCurriculum #Inskru #WorldTeachersDay #cmxchange

Curious about what inspired the creation of Mawejje Creations? Check out our interview with Dimma Muhammed Mawejje, the founder behind this social enterprise revolutionizing the fashion industry in Uganda using plant-based substances ( banana fibers & organic cotton) and textile waste. Get the full story by checking out the visuals attached to this post. #DimmaMuhammadMawejje #MawejjeCreations #SustainableFasion #TextileWaste #BananaFibers #cmxchange

🌍ClimaTalk and ChangemakerXchange are thrilled to invite you to our virtual event “COP29 Training: Attending UN Climate Change Conferences as a Young Person” where young leaders will be leading a structured talk and panel providing insights on youth experiences at past UN climate change conferences, and preparing COP29 delegates to navigate and make impact in high-level spaces.🌍 You will get: ✅An intro to COPs and the UNFCCC, with COP29-specific details ✅An overview of the climate finance landscape leading up to COP29 ✅Reflections on past COP experiences through the eyes of youth delegates, NGO founders, topic trackers, and climate finance experts ✅The opportunity to ask your burning questions about all things COP, making a meaningful impact as youth, and navigating bureaucratic spaces! Our wonderful speakers will be: Annabelle Liao, ClimaTalk COP29 Project Co-Lead and delegate to COP28 Amal Ridene, UN Climate Change High-Level Champions Finance Youth Fellow and Young Tunisian Climate Change Negotiator (delegate to COP26, COP27, COP28 and SB60) Chanel Ng Siau Ling, ClimaTalk UNFCCC topic tracker and delegate to SB58, COP28 and SB60 Emma Heiling, ClimaTalk Founder & CEO and delegate to COP26 and SB60 This event will take place on Monday, 21st October at 4-5:30pm CET. Join us for an insightful session with remarkable young speakers and panelists! Open to anyone, but especially for upcoming COP29 delegates. We look forward to seeing you there! REGISTER HERE: https://lnkd.in/dDrUmySh Learn more about ClimaTalk and ChangemakerXchange here: 🔗 https://climatalk.org/ 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gHz5xkj #unfccc #interview #youth #youthinclusion #youthempowerment #climate #climateaction #cop29 #cop29training Nick McGirl

⚡️ Flash Update: Changemakers for the Planet 2025 (Sub-Saharan Africa and USA & Canada) We are thrilled to share that we have received a record-breaking number of over 2,200 applications for the Changemakers for the Planet Programme! In the coming weeks, we will be conducting the initial selection process and interviewing selected applicants as part of the next stage. Don't forget to keep an eye on your inbox (and kindly check your spam folder too). 📫 If you have any questions about the programme, feel free to drop them in the comments, and we will respond. This ChangemakerXchange for the Planet programme in 2025 is supported by SAP. #CM4P2025 #ChangemakersForThePlanet #cmxchange #SAP4Good

Anny Darlène NDORIMANA has always been interested in protecting the environment and has been involved in environmental associations and clubs since her teenage years. Intrigued by the fate of plastic bags after their use, she started to do her research and along the way discovered how plastic bottles can cause deadly floods when they block drains. She is the founder and director at RC Retraining, a social enterprise that recycles plastic bags and plastic bottles into art and fashion items. We had the pleasure of interviewing her during the Earth Day Campaign where she shared more about her work on improving the financial independence of rural women and reducing plastic pollution. Use the link in the comment section to learn more about our changemakers and their initiatives to tackle the planetary crisis. #AnnyDarleneNdorimana #EarthDay #ReducePlasticPollution #FinancialEmpowerment #cmxchange