MAKING A DIFFERENCE AT ANY AGE
It’s hard feeling like you’re too young to do much of anything. Especially nowadays where it often feels like the world is up in flames and you have to wait for your time to put out the fire.
As a high school student, it was easy to get wrapped up in the idea that I could make change in due time and that I had years to go before then. Instead, I consumed myself with political theory, economics and history. While I loved reading and studying, it wasn’t as fulfilling as making an actual impact.
The task felt daunting at first, having to find a reasonable way for a 17-year-old girl to make international change. It wasn’t until I found Partners in Sustainable Development International that this felt possible. They made it easy to get involved and offered youth positions that allowed younger people to make the change they seek.
I came on as a youth ambassador and was tasked with setting up a fundraising committee with my school’s National Honor Society and other social engagement activities.
It fueled my passion for sustainable development and international relations along with allowing me to lead and be creative. It no longer felt like I was sitting back and watching all the things I would fix or change.
Youth voices are more important now than ever. As we get older and get ready to head into the world, we are preparing ourselves for our turn to fix all of the problems we want in this world.
There is a common misconception that many student’s my age hold, that it’s not our time yet, so we continue on in our bubbles of pretending we can’t have an impact on our global community. It’s time that we stop holding this belief, instead it’s time to get involved.
I’m still very new to the organization, but their impact doesn’t go unnoticed. They have funded schools and helped children off the streets. When I tell people about the committee and the organization, they often ask, ‘Why Bangladesh?’
Bangladesh has always mattered and will continue to matter in the future. A Bangladeshi life will always be equivalent to a life of any other global citizen, and with the area struggling, we have a global civic duty to help out in whichever way we can. Additionally, Bangladesh poses as an important ally. With the proximity to Myanmar and the economic potential they have, the global community benefits from lifting up Bangladesh.
It was an area I wasn’t familiar with either, but after learning about the potential of the area and most importantly, the people and their resilience, it made me so much more passionate about the cause and learning about the region.
Despite the beauty and the resilience of the area, it is a country that goes unnoticed, but it doesn’t have to.
If we are going to make this change and bring Bangladesh the aid and help it reach its potential, kids, students and every age in between need to be lifted to a position where they feel they can make this change and they need to advocate for those positions where their ideas can be heard.
Youth voices are vital to lifting up global regions. It’s time that kids and students start getting involved in the global community. Bangladesh and regions like it benefit from youth voices, fresh perspectives and those passionate about making a difference, no matter the age.
Grace Walton is a Jr. at Eureka High School. Help us spread her message to inspire others. If you are a young person or know a young person wanting to make a difference in our world, reach out to us or one of many nonprofits making a difference.