Gabriela Guadalupe Ledezma Hidalgo

Gabriela Guadalupe Ledezma Hidalgo (17), is from Bolivia. Born to a Quechua-speaking father and an Aymara-speaking mother, Gabriela grew up seeing how language barriers kept many children in Bolivia from fully accessing education or sharing their views. That awareness became the spark for a lifelong commitment to social change.

At just eleven years old, Gabriela began advocating for the right to education for Quechua-speaking children who struggled in Spanish-language schools. Every afternoon, she met children aged 5 to 10 in a public park, bringing her own books and Quechua-Spanish dictionaries to teach basic grammar and reading. She helped these children build the confidence and skills to keep up in the classroom, and later expanded her work through organizations like Yachay Chhalaku, PBACC’s Climate Action Platform, and the Youth Global Network, creating spaces for dialogue and even helping local women weavers share their talents and ideas.

The impact has grown well beyond that park bench: through her workshops, classes, and environmental programs, Gabriela has engaged 340 youth and adults in sustainable practices and community learning. What began as one girl teaching Spanish under a tree has become a wider movement for inclusion, education, and environmental stewardship in her community.