2023-05-04 22:33:47
Nora Altwaijri is a member of Generation17, a partnership between Samsung and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), empowering young people around the world who are contributing to the Global Goals.
Nora Altwaijri thinks a lot about the future of Saudi Arabia, a future where sustainability is part of everyday life. She has an unshakable belief that her country – and the world – will get there, especially because of her generational passion and energy.
“Young people have a fresh look at today’s challenges,” says 25-year-old Nora Altwaijri, who studied software engineering and now works in management consulting. “They are more eager than ever to make a positive impact and have a lot of creative energy waiting to be released.”
Nora mentors other young leaders who hope to make a difference in their communities
Growing up in Riyadh, the country’s vibrant capital in the Middle East, Nora was inspired by Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 – an ambitious national strategy aimed at economic and social reform that set her on a path to developing her leadership skills and engaging in service. community. She saw many tech-savvy young people who, like her, wanted to contribute to this vision but lacked the proper resources and confidence to make a tangible impact. Nora realized that she could help her generation overcome these obstacles and be part of something transformative. “I am proud to be part of a nation that continues to do very challenging and interesting projects,” she says. “I know I can bring my own ideas and I will get support for them.”
Technology-enabled impact
A family friend introduced Nora to the tech industry as a teenager, and something clicked. “I felt like my learning journey would never end in technology,” she recalls. “It taught me how to take a more systematic approach to innovative ideas.”
She soon realized that software engineering could provide the digital tools and problem-solving skills to support her passion for helping communities and the planet. And with two-thirds of Saudi Arabia’s population under the age of 35, Nora knew she could make a difference by empowering this new generation of changemakers through technology.
In college, Nora joined a nonprofit youth leadership program that introduced her to the Global Goals. To better understand how to support them, her team interviewed 600 local youth. The results shocked her: without knowing it, many were already contributing to the Goals by donating clothes, food and time to important causes. “We realize that there is a lot of energy being spent, but it is not being harnessed or directed efficiently”, says Nora. “The Goals are literally telling you exactly what you need to do to save our planet. Why not combine it all?”
Nora is passionate about using technology to communicate the Global Goals and inspire change
Drawing on her passion for technology, she decided to meet young people where they are: on the internet. “Today’s youth rely heavily on digital technology to communicate ideas and interact with others,” she says. “It’s a super powerful tool that lets you create any idea you want and bring people together to make it happen.”
Nora’s idea was the Sustainable University Initiative, a website where students can learn about the Global Goals and come together on solutions, like planting trees or cleaning up a local beach. She collaborated with like-minded peers on the platform, where universities compete against each other, earning points for ideas that have a tangible impact. The school with the highest score will be crowned that year’s winner. This additional layer of involvement from universities, not just students, is crucial to encouraging participation and raising the program’s profile. “I want to connect the global community and universities around the world,” she says. “This would not be possible without technology.”
To bring her initiative to life, Nora doubled down on her work and used social media to find mentors and trusted partner organizations who believed in her youth-led mission, such as UNDP. She is currently working to pilot the digital platform in Saudi Arabia, with hopes of international expansion.
On the Sustainable University Initiative website, students collaborate on solutions to the Global Goals and schools compete to generate the greatest impact
nurturing new ideas
The two-year journey from concept to launch inspired Nora’s next project, Mutalaf. To create even more impact, she started a social development program to help young people with big ideas build supportive communities. “I wish anyone who had an idea, as I did with the Sustainable University Initiative, knew who to contact and how to find the right resources to make it a reality,” she says.
The project was launched in Riyadh in September 2022, in partnership with the Saudi government’s Ministry of Sport. Twenty young leaders came together for a week-long training and formed communities to collaborate on local solutions to a variety of issues. With support and guidance from industry experts, participants connected with their peers to tackle social and environmental causes. The best performing groups receive sponsorship from the Ministry of Sports.
Nora poses with young Mutalaf leaders during the organization’s week-long training in Riyadh
Nora’s community of leaders is already making an impact, from a recycling program to a self-improvement podcast for teens. Other youth-led solutions include teaching orphans to code and providing training and internship opportunities to help them pursue careers in cybersecurity.
With each initiative, Nora hopes to open possibilities for others, contribute hope for the future, and help young people follow their passion for changing the world. “If we harness my generation’s energy to create impact,” she says, “we’ll be able to achieve a greater purpose for all – you’ll see the magic.”
* The Samsung Global Goals app is available for download on Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets running Android 9 or later and Galaxy Watch running Wear OS 4 or later in select markets.
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