A growing number of young individuals are emerging as key agents of social change, leveraging innovation and entrepreneurship to tackle pressing global challenges such as climate change, unemployment, and inequality. Their efforts reflect a strong commitment to community development and long-term sustainability.
One example is Muhammad Hassan Dajana, a 28-year-old from northern Pakistan, who has led environmental initiatives including Plastic Free Pakistan since 2019. His work extends to integrating sustainability education into religious institutions and supporting Indigenous communities in urban reforestation projects in Rawalpindi between 2022 and 2023.
He is part of a broader movement. Faisal Alshehri responded to youth unemployment in the Middle East and North Africa by launching Ataa Tech, a nonprofit offering Arabic-language tech training. The program has reached over 13,000 participants across more than 30 countries. He later founded Olo, a skills development and recruitment platform where 75% of graduates report achieving major career milestones—such as new employment or promotions—within six months.
Natalia Tsuyama Cócolo focuses on feminist climate advocacy and youth political engagement, contributing to platforms like the Feminist Action for Climate Justice Coalition and the G20 Civil Society Engagement Group. She mentors initiatives that emphasize inclusion, particularly for underrepresented communities in Brazil.
These changemakers are part of the Global Shapers Community, a network with over 500 hubs worldwide. With nearly half the global population under 30—and 70% in sub-Saharan Africa—young people represent not only the future but a vital force in the present.
Despite their motivation, systemic obstacles remain. Around 20% of youth globally are neither employed nor in education or training, two-thirds of whom are women. Among those working, 80% hold temporary or informal jobs lacking stability or legal protections. In many developing economies, two-thirds of young adults possess qualifications misaligned with labor market needs, leading to underemployment.
Political representation is also limited—only 2.8% of parliamentarians are under 30. Age-based assumptions often exclude youth from leadership roles, including in financial decision-making. According to Global Shaper Penelope Gregoriou, 81% of young innovators say they need more financial backing, as access to capital remains a persistent barrier.
Initiatives like Zlto, founded by Allan van der Meulen at age 20, demonstrate scalable models. The South African platform rewards community involvement and skill development with digital currency. Supported by RLabs, GROW Academy, and Google, it has processed over 3 million transactions and engaged more than 850,000 users, now expanding internationally.
To amplify such efforts, the Schwab Foundation, in partnership with the Global Shapers Community, SAP, and Hyundai Motor Group, has launched a three-year initiative. It brings together 15 young social innovators and ecosystem partners to dismantle structural barriers, redirect funding, and foster intergenerational collaboration.
The central question is no longer whether youth can lead transformation—it’s whether institutions are prepared to support them effectively.
— news from The World Economic Forum
— News Original —
Young people are social innovators – here’s how they thrive
Social Innovation n nYoung people are today’s social innovators – are we ready to support them? n nAug 26, 2025 n nZlto – founded by one of today’s young social innovators – tackles youth unemployment by rewarding community engagement and skill-building with a digital currency Image: Zlto n nKaterina Hoskova n nLead, Social Innovation (Private Sector) , World Economic Forum n nYoung people are increasingly motivated to pursue initiatives that leave a socially positive impact, but barriers persist. n nThe Schwab Foundation is working to help remove barriers and build partnerships for more young people to thrive and become social innovators. n nThis article first appeared in The Impact Entrepreneur, read it here. n nMuhammad Hassan Dajana, 28, was born and raised in a small town in northwestern Pakistan, along the banks of the Indus River. Growing up, he would watch the horizon darken as monsoon clouds swelled and then break open in a relentless downpour. n nThe surging waters swept up single-use plastics from every corner of nearby municipalities, clogging narrow drains and waterways. The ensuing floods wreaked havoc. For Muhammad and his community, climate action is not a distant concern but a matter of survival. Witnessing the repercussions of climate change and pollution firsthand set him on a path to confront the crisis. n nHe has since led several impactful initiatives, including Plastic Free Pakistan, which has been tackling single-use plastics since 2019; Our Green Masjids, which brought sustainability education into religious seminaries between April and November 2019; and Our Green Blue Rawalpindi, a project that ran from March 2022 to November 2023, empowering Indigenous communities to plant native trees in urban hotspots as shade and carbon sinks. n nMuhammad is not alone. He is part of a growing global movement of young people stepping up to address the issues that matter most to them – from climate change and diversity to unemployment and geopolitical conflict. n nThrough innovative and entrepreneurial approaches, they are reshaping economies, challenging outdated systems and building inclusive solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. n nLeading with hope n nA recent global survey of 4,000 young people across 140 countries found that 83% view the world as full of opportunity and 74% feel empowered to act on the issues they care about. This optimism fuels a solutions-focused mindset, which drives innovation, builds resilience and enables effective collaboration. n nToday’s decisions directly impact young people and, therefore, they are deeply invested in shaping their outcomes. The 2025 Possibilists Study reveals a “strong sense of collective purpose” among youth, most of whom are driven by a desire to support their communities and empower others to get involved in changemaking. n nIn 2020, Faisal Alshehri responded to widespread youth unemployment in the Middle East and North Africa by launching Ataa Tech, a nonprofit offering elementary-level tech courses in Arabic. The programme has supported more than 13,000 Arabs from over 30 countries. n nFaisal later founded Olo, a for-profit company that provides upskilling programmes and recruitment tools to connect talent with better job opportunities. Hundreds of young professionals have graduated from Olo’s programmes, with 75% achieving a major milestone, such as a new job, promotion, or career switch, within six months, they say. n nMeanwhile, Natalia Tsuyama Cócolo has dedicated her time and efforts to supporting youth engagement in local and global platforms such as the Feminist Action for Climate Justice Coalition (part of UN Women) and the G20 Civil Society Engagement Group (C20). n nShe leads and mentors initiatives focused on feminist climate solutions, youth political participation, capacity-building and intersectional advocacy, especially from underrepresented territories in Brazil. n nHassan, Faisal and Natalia are part of the Global Shapers Community – a worldwide network of active changemakers with over 500 local hubs. n nWith nearly half of the global population under the age of 30 and 70% in sub-Saharan Africa, young people represent the future but the present as well. It is imperative we listen. n nBarriers to progress n nDespite their vision, energy and relevance, many young social innovators face systemic barriers that prevent them from scaling their impact. n nUnequal access to opportunity. Muhammad was fortunate to receive higher education and pursue studies abroad in the United States, gaining access to skills and networks that helped him succeed. But such pathways are not available to all. Roughly one in five young people today are neither in employment, education nor training, two-thirds of whom are women. n nPrecarious employment. Even among employed youth, four out of five work in temporary or informal roles without adequate pay or legal protections. Stable, high-quality jobs remain scarce. n nIrrelevant education. In many developing economies, two-thirds of young adults hold qualifications that don’t match labour market demands – leaving them underemployed and their investments in education undervalued. n nPolitical underrepresentation. Only 2.8% of parliamentarians globally are under the age of 30. In a third of all countries, parliamentary candidacy begins at 25. Prevailing attitudes often deem young people “too inexperienced” for political leadership – a mindset that extends to the financial sector. n nFunding and financial exclusion. Global Shaper Penelope Gregoriou, an advocate for sustainable finance, notes that young people rarely have a say in where capital flows. Without a seat at the table and with limited access to personal financial resources, many youth-led ventures are chronically underfunded. In fact, 81% of young changemakers report needing greater financial support to achieve their goals. n n“ n nThe question is no longer if young people can lead change. The question is: are we ready to support them as they do? n n” n nMaking space for the next generation n nWe are at a pivotal moment in history. The global challenges we face – environmental, social, political and economic – are deeply interconnected. Yet those most invested in long-term solutions remain sidelined by outdated systems and power structures. n nThis is not to diminish the contributions of earlier generations. Many of today’s social innovations and technological breakthroughs were built on their efforts. But sustaining this momentum – and advancing it – requires creating space for new leadership. That means embracing intergenerational collaboration, shifting power and intentionally catalysing youth-led action. n nThe private and public sectors both have critical roles to play in this transition. With the right resources, mentorship and policy environments, young changemakers can drive transformative impact. n nZlto is a powerful case in point. Founded by Allan van der Meulen at age 20, Zlto is a South African platform that combats youth unemployment by rewarding community engagement and skill-building with a digital currency. n nLoading… n nSupported by RLabs and its GROW Academy – and later backed by Google – Zlto has since processed over 3 million transactions, engaged more than 850,000 users and is now expanding internationally. n nTo replicate and scale such success stories, the Schwab Foundation – in collaboration with the Global Shapers Community, SAP and Hyundai Motor Group – has launched a three-year initiative. n nIt brings together 15 Global Shapers who are also social innovators, Schwab Foundation Awardees and key ecosystem partners. Their collective goal: to identify and remove systemic barriers, shift capital and influence and build authentic cross-generational partnerships. n nThe question is no longer if young people can lead change. The question is: are we ready to support them as they do? n nDon’t miss any update on this topic n nCreate a free account and access your personalized content collection with our latest publications and analyses. n nSign up for free n nLicense and Republishing n nWorld Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use. n nThe views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum. n nStay up to date: n nSocial Innovation n nMore on Social Innovation n nSee all