 You know, children are our future. From around the world, I have looked and compiled a list of inspiring kids who have changed the world for the better through environmental action, educational advocacy, promoting peace, or just spreading positivity.
First, we'll talk about Bana Al Abed from Syria. She's an advocate for the rights of children in war zones and access to education. At the age of seven, she began documenting her experiences of the Syrian civil war in 2016. She asked her mother to begin a Twitter, now X, account so she could show the rest of the world what it was like in war-torn Syria. Eventually finding safety in neighboring Turkey, Bana went on to write two books advocating for peace and an end to all global conflict. Bana hopes that her book will make the world do something for the children and the people of Syria and bring peace to children all over the world who are living in war.
Now we'll talk about Takaya Blaney. She is a Canadian indigenous environment activist and singer. At the young age of 10, she co-wrote Shallow Waters, a song highlighting the danger of oil spills. She wrote the song in response to Enbridge, an oil company, building an oil pipeline across Canada. Takaya has continued her journey as an enthusiastic activist and advocate for indigenous youth.
At the age of eight, Mari Copeny wrote to the former President Obama to draw attention to the public health crisis in her hometown of Flint, Michigan. Not only did President Obama respond, he made a trip to her town and issued a $100 million fix for the problem. Since making waves as Little Miss Flint, Mari has continued her dedication to social justice. In 2019, she partnered with Hydroviv to produce her own water filter to move away from single-use plastic bottles. As Mari said, "You are never too young or too smart to change the world."
Next we have Marley Davis. In November of 2015, at 11 years old, she was noticed that many books for her children her age did not feature diverse main characters. She made it her mission to collect 1,000 books that contained main characters who were both Black and female. She gained international support by launching 1,000 Black Girl Books. She now has collected over 13,000 of these books to date, and was named one of Time Magazine's 25 Influential Teens. Currently, she is studying at Harvard, but continues her advocacy for literature that is diverse and inclusive.
Kelvin Doe. From the age of 10, Kelvin Doe liked tinkering with discarded electrical equipment in his hometown of Freeport, Sierra Leone. He is best known for creating batteries and generators which helped provide light to the homes in his neighborhood. He even managed to build his own radio station. Kelvin, now living in Canada, continues to inspire others. He has since founded the Kelvin Doe Foundation, which seeks to, quote, "Provide creative spaces to nurture communities, ignite a culture of innovation, and inspire civic engagement."
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