Maria Antara Alam

Maria Antara Alam (16), is from Bangladesh. Growing up in a supportive family that valued kindness and responsibility, Maria noticed something troubling as she got older: many children in her community lacked equal opportunities and didn’t even know their basic rights.

Determined to change that, Maria organized awareness sessions to help children understand their rights, and led fundraising efforts to support underserved students with their education. She used creative tools like drama, poetry, songs, posters, and storytelling to make children’s rights easier to understand and talk about. When she saw bullying or unsafe conditions, she reported it directly to teachers to help keep her school safer.

Maria also worked with parents and her wider community on issues like early marriage, while encouraging girls and marginalized children to speak up confidently. Representing Bangladesh in UNESCO’s Tech Connect program alongside students from eight countries, she brought new leadership and communication skills back to her local work.

With her parents’ encouragement to always speak honestly and stand up for what’s right, Maria has reached around 800 people in person and up to 10,000 more online — helping children everywhere understand and use their voice.