Adiya Akhmedina, Aidana Abzhanova
“We believe young people should not wait to grow up to create change; when we are fortunate enough to be heard, we must use that privilege to stand up for children who have spent too long in the shadows and deserve the chance to shine.”
Adiya Akhmedina (16) and Aidana Abzhanova (16), from Kazakhstan, are close friends who saw two urgent challenges around them: promising student ideas often stopped at competitions, while more children needed inclusive support. After consulting more than 12 experts, they learned that diagnoses related to autism and cerebral palsy had risen by 27%.
Together, they founded Innovate for Change (IFC), a youth-led initiative that helps high-school students turn ideas into practical solutions for social challenges. Through a nationwide program, more than 400 students applied and 20 teams were selected. They also created a child-for-child platform where students designed toys for children with disabilities.
Their ideas are reaching beyond the classroom. They hosted a three-day innovation bootcamp focused on accessibility and inclusion, with final solutions physically built and donated to children and partner centres. Their content on children’s rights and inclusion has generated more than 480,000 views, while campaign posts reached at least 25,000 views each. Their work has also been featured seven times in national media.
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