“We continue to be inspired by young, innovative visionaries who prove that technology can be a force for good,” said Stephanie Choi, EVP & CMO of the MX Business at Samsung Electronics. “I am honored to welcome these six advocates into the Generation17 community. They embody the type of leadership that our world needs to build more sustainable societies, and I am excited to see how they inspire more people to learn about the 17 Global Goals and join our collective mission to achieve a brighter future.”

With the six advocates, grassroots organizers and entrepreneurs, Generation17 expands to all corners of the world, spanning countries in Africa, Asia, CIS & Europe, North America, Latin America and the Middle East. Their work will raise awareness of global solutions to the urgent issues facing humanity in 2022 and in years to come, as they advance digital innovation, empower refugee women through education and job trainings, coach the elderly about physical and mental health and more:

• AY Young (United States): Musician who produces albums and concerts that share engaging ways to tackle the global energy poverty issue.
• Kristian Kampmann (Denmark): Leader of UNLEASH, an innovation lab that sparks creative and inclusive solutions for the Global Goals.
• Nora Altwaijri (Saudi Arabia): Software engineer who educates people on the Global Goals and connects them to impactful resources through digital platforms.
• Oğuz Ergen (Turkey): Activist who rallies NGOs, academia and government together to address the climate crisis and protect the coastal Aegean region.
• Tamara Dewi Gondo Soerijo (Indonesia): Social enterprise founder who empowers refugee women by providing upskilling opportunities and access to market.
• Thuy Anh Ngo (Vietnam): Entrepreneur who launched a mobile app that equips the elderly with physical and mental health advice and activities.

The Third Cohort of Generation17 Young Leaders

“2022 is a critical year in our pursuit to achieve the Global Goals, as the COVID-19 pandemic has reversed decades of progress in global human development,” said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner. “Despite this somber reality, I am confident that the strength and perseverance of the young generation will help us build back better from the crisis and propel positive change on education, inclusion and climate. These six Young Leaders and the entire Generation17 community remind us that we need to step up our efforts to achieve the Global Goals and protect our collective futures.”

An Initiative Driven by and for Young People

Since its launch, Generation17 has been spearheaded by and in support of young people. Samsung and UNDP continuously engage with the Young Leaders to determine their biggest needs and discover support systems to help scale and advance their work. Together, the two entities provide the latest Galaxy technology, amplify their stories on global platforms, facilitate peer networking and best-practice sharing, offer mentorship opportunities and invite them to global agenda-setting stages like the UN ECOSOC Youth Forum.

In 2022 and beyond, Samsung and UNDP are committed to exploring new ways to partner with the Young Leaders. This includes convening the first-ever “Generation17 Youth Dialogues,” an event to rally Global Goals advocates from all over the world for knowledge sharing on how people can best navigate the Global Goals and achieve a more sustainable future.

The 14 Young Leaders will connect people to solutions that actively contribute to the Global Goals, including the Samsung Global Goals app. Launched in 2019 by Samsung and UNDP, the app provides learning opportunities on the Global Goals and shares easy and meaningful ways to make a difference. The app is currently installed on nearly 200 million Galaxy devices and has generated more than US$4 million in donations to educate the Galaxy community about the world’s most pressing challenges and strengthen UNDP’s work in supporting countries to implement integrated solutions for the Global Goals.

About UNDP

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. www.undp.org

Take our Generation17 young leaders. In the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges, these changemakers from Argentina to Ukraine have discovered how to turn their passions into something much bigger – solutions that scale beyond their communities and contribute to the Global Goals. That’s the essence of Generation17, Samsung’s partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

These leaders are also eager to inspire others and to share what they know. Here, they share five ways to make a difference.

1. Humanize the Problem

Tafara Makaza, 25, creator of the ridesharing and employment apps Tuverl and Fixa, Zimbabwe:

I always try to view technology in the context of the ordinary African person and what they need.

Look at Goal 1: No poverty. That’s a big phrase, but what does it mean exactly? I look at Zimbabwe and look at the poor people and ask, “What’s the root of that problem?” or maybe, “Why don’t they have jobs?” From there you can see maybe it’s because they don’t have access to certain services or certain technology that could enable them.

So, I always feel like it’s our job to figure out how to contextualize these big problems and break them down into small problems that we can tackle. Because wherever you have the biggest problems, you have the biggest opportunities.

2. Tap Every Resource

Yejin Choi, 27, creator of the educational app DoBrain, South Korea:

I faced a lot of challenges when I first created my app. I wasn’t a technician or developer, so it was hard to build DoBrain. I failed a lot and made many mistakes early on. But I started connecting with people who had the skills I didn’t have – developers, designers, and technicians. They had the same vision as me and believed education changes the world. Together, we’ve built something amazing.

I think everyone can find a way to use their own abilities to help other people and to solve even just one problem. Everyone can be a hero.

Daniel Calarco, 23, founder of the youth-empowerment nonprofit Observatório Internacional da Juventude (International Youth Watch), Brazil:

I think everyone must remember that the goal is to make things better, not to save the world. To stay motivated, I remind myself that I cannot do everything, but that I can mobilize people to work with me. We have to do the most we can with the resources available to us. Every person and every contribution counts.

3. Celebrate Common Ground

Máximo Mazzocco, 31, founder of the environmental nonprofit Eco House, Argentina:

I grew up seeing waste and trash all around me and wondering how we could do it better. I realized that if we want to do it better, we have to do it differently. And to make a difference, we have to work together. We must find what we have in common and start from there.

Once you start, people notice and get involved. Then you can think bigger. You can say, “Okay, I’m not alone. It’s not only this street we can help, but we can change the whole city. We can change the country.” Little actions taken by many people can make a big change.

4. Empathize With Your Audience

Shomy Chowdhury, 26, co-founder of the global nonprofit Awareness 360, Bangladesh:

When we gave a Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) training session, we introduced some games and quizzes, and we played Bengali music that they liked. They welcomed us with all their hearts, and it was just so beautiful. A crucial part of driving change is making everyone feel comfortable so they can be their authentic selves.

Sadya Touré, 23, founder of the women-empowerment organization Mali Musso, Mali:

Anyone challenging the status quo is going to face resistance. In my experience, it was difficult to talk about inequality and women’s rights with leaders in some of Africa’s villages. That wasn’t a topic they historically prioritized or were open to discussing. You have to respect their boundaries, but it’s still possible to make change. For us, we said we wanted to talk about a health issue. That was important to them, so they let us come in and educate the girls.

5. Take That First Step

Nadine Khaouli, 25, co-founder of the families-outreach initiative Kafe be Kafak (Hand in Hand), Lebanon:

There are a lot of messages in the world, but the most important one is to believe in yourself. Take the first step towards real change in your communities, because nothing is impossible. Just be patient, and work to enhance your skills to take the steps toward change.

Yurii Romashko, 28, co-founder of the think tank Institute of Analysis and Advocacy (IAA), Ukraine:

I don’t like to use the word “problem,” because a problem is a task. I prefer “challenges.” Challenges motivate me. I see a challenge in front of me, and I start. I tell myself the first step has the potential to change public policy and change people’s ways of thinking.

In a world where more than 3.5 billion¹ people now have smartphones and roughly 4.2 billion² use social media, technology and the platforms it provides access to, represent an enormous opportunity to realize positive change in the world. All over the world, people are taking advantage of these new opportunities to connect, pursue what they’re passionate about and make a difference.

Now, Samsung is exploring how technology is empowering the Young Leaders from Generation17 – a partnership between Samsung and the United Nations Development Program – to take on the UN’s Global Goals with their work. Below, young visionaries Tafara Mazaka, Shomy Chowdhury and Yejin Choi outline how digital tools are allowing them to bring much-needed services and support to under-resourced communities around the world.

To learn more about these incredible young entrepreneurs and the ways they are realizing truly impactful change, check out the infographic below.

¹ Oberlo, 2021

² Statistia, published by Joseph Johnson, 2021