"From Privilege to Possibility: IYMUN Opens Doors to Global Learning for All Students"

Can you tell me about your project related to education? What was its main goal?

I founded International Youth Model United Nations (IYMUN) to make diplomacy education accessible to all students, regardless of experience. Our main goal was to remove the barriers that prevent young people from engaging with global issues.

What motivated you to focus on this particular education issue for your project?

As much as we have and education problem in the world and even in my own country, my focus was on how can we utilise these institutions on promoting education and accelerate the SDGs. Yes I agree that we need to improve education delivery and adjust our current model of curriculum to be relevant to the needs of Africa and the challenges we faced in this century, however we also need to use what is working and currently in order for us to address the needs we need to include our scholars and students as they are the once facing these unprecedented challenges such as poverty, lack of opportunity, sanitation and quality education.

I looked at teaching and research as a fundamental component to help is with the progress and the trajectory of what is the current state and how do we resolve the challenges we are faced with on a national level. Secondly how to we use our institutions to promote change in regions where war, conflict, climate disruption is becoming the root cause of displaced and reducing access to education setting millions of people behind and results into lack of education.

We need to hold governments and the international community accountable, as many students ends up not having the opportunity to exceed the educational ambitions because of the geopolitical agendas. There needs to be mechanisms set in place to prevent that education does not become eradicated or even a target because we can’t afford to destroy lives and dreams of civilians who bear the burden of conflict.

So to answer your question on what inspired me to tackle this issue on education, because I believe SDG 4 is a catalyst SDG to ensure that we can reach millions if not billions of people through our research and teaching methods.

Can you share some of the activities or actions you took as part of your project?

We hosted conferences, created free guides and workshops, and launched an internship program for students around the world. We also ran a podcast featuring youth leaders and UN officials.

How did you and your team work together to make your project successful?

We have a really great Secretariat team with members from all around the world! We had weekly meetings, divided roles based on strengths, and supported each other across time zones. Everyone felt ownership over the mission, which kept us motivated.

Did you face any challenges while working on your project? How did you overcome them?

Time zones, outreach, and imposter syndrome were big challenges. We overcame them by staying flexible, leaning on mentors, and reminding ourselves why we started.

What do you think was the most important thing you learned from working on this project?

Giving students a voice can be more powerful than any textbook.

Can you describe any positive changes or improvements you observed as a result of your project?

Students who had never spoken publicly before were chairing debates and mentoring others. We saw real growth in self-esteem, curiosity, and global awareness.

Did you receive any feedback from your classmates, teachers, or community members about your project? If so, what was it?

Yes—many teachers and peers said it filled a gap in our school’s global learning. Younger students especially appreciated how welcoming and empowering it felt.

How do you feel your project has contributed to promoting education and learning among your peers or in your community?

150+ students from 5+ countries joined, many of whom said it was their first time feeling confident in diplomacy.

What are your plans or ideas for continuing to work on education-related issues in the future?

I want to expand IYMUN’s reach and build new partnerships with schools and NGOs. Long-term, I hope to work at the intersection of policy, youth leadership, and education equity.