When education systems fail to reflect the realities young people face, the cost extends beyond lost opportunity—it limits human potential. Around the world, millions of young people experience education that is unequal, inaccessible, or disconnected from their everyday lives. Yet these same youth often emerge as innovators, imagining solutions where systems fall short.
Since 2019, Samsung and UNDP have partnered on the belief that youth education and empowerment, amplified through technology, are critical to building inclusive and sustainable futures. Generation17, launched in 2020, supports young leaders worldwide tackling challenges ranging from education inequality and ocean literacy to climate justice and gender equality. This initiative highlights how young people, when trusted as co-creators and educators, can drive impactful solutions at scale.
Zubair Junjunia, at just 16, recognized how access—not ability—determined exam outcomes in his school system. This inspired ZNotes, a global learning platform built by students for students. Top-performing learners create and review educational content collaboratively, with peer support answering questions across a global community. ZNotes now reaches nearly seven million learners in 190 countries, with 85% in emerging economies, demonstrating that youth-led education, supported by technology, makes learning more accessible, equitable, and relevant.
José Francisco Ochoa, founder of Academia del Océano in Ecuador, addresses fragmented ocean education in coastal communities. By involving youth in co-creating campaigns on pollution and waste management, Ochoa’s initiatives make learning practical and rooted in lived experience. Students design educational content and engage peers, creating community-led solutions that are replicable and sustainable.
In Indonesia, Brigitta Gunawan’s work through 30×30 Indonesia and Diverseas bridges the gap between environmental education and urban youth disconnected from nature. Immersive experiences, workshops, virtual reality, and mentorship programs train and empower young people to become advocates for ocean-climate action. Her initiatives have reached over 17,000 participants across 15 countries, demonstrating how co-creation with youth fosters lasting knowledge transfer and leadership.
In Brazil, Renata Koch Alvarenga’s EmpoderaClima programme integrates climate education with gender justice. Targeting climate-vulnerable communities, the programme uses youth-led facilitation to address layered barriers such as school disruption, caretaking responsibilities, and exclusion from decision-making. Over 250 students in seven cities participate in workshops and learning materials that remain in schools, ensuring education drives both agency and systemic change.
Across these initiatives, the common lesson is clear: youth co-creation is essential. Young people experience the gaps in education, climate impacts, and social inequalities first-hand. When supported with technology, platforms, and sustained partnerships, they move beyond participation to leadership, turning education into a tool for equity, innovation, and transformative change.
