HIBER-NATION:
HEN it comes to making our world a better place, some of the biggest and brightest ideas are coming from our youngest minds.
Young entrepreneur
Taj Pabari says today’s kids are much more switched on to the challenges facing their communities.
And they are determined to do something about it.
“This generation is a lot more socially conscious,” said the 20-yearold (main picture) who started his own business at the age of 14.
“They are thinking about the problems they see in their community and they are looking for solutions to these problems.
“They are thinking ‘we are the ones who are going to inherit these problems, so we need to start thinking about solutions’ and asking ‘how can I be part of the solution’.”
Mr Pabari’s social enterprise company Fiftysix Creations has delivered entrepreneurship and financial literacy programs to more than 60,000 kids across Australia and New Zealand.
His company has teamed up with the Westpac Youth Impact Challenge to encourage budding entrepreneurs to tackle some of the globe’s biggest challenges, from poverty and hunger to climate action and inequality.
The challenge encourages students from year 1-12 to identify a problem in their community and come up with an innovative way to solve it.
Their solutions must contribute to one of the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, a global blueprint for creating a better world by 2030.
“There are some really amazing young people out there,” Mr Pabari said. “I think we’re going to see some world-changing ideas, which is going to be a great thing for our country, especially in the current climate.”
Queensland 11-year-olds George Facer and Carter Mason (pictured bottom right) are already on their way to changing their Sunshine
Coast community for the better through their business initiative, EPAC.
The friends from Cooran State School are developing a eco-friendly tourist pack to reduce the reliance on singleuse plastics in the
Noosa area.
They have already received $8000 of pre-orders and are finalising their packs, which feature locally made products and produce including a water bottle, bamboo towel, reusable coffee cup, a reusable spork (combined fork and spoon), stainless-steel straw, bowl made from coconut fibres and an app that identifies places to refill water bottles.
The boys, who have been mentored by Fiftysix Creations, plan to sell the packs for $40 at local farmers markets, restaurants and other tourist hot spots.
George said their tourist eco pack was inspired by seeing overflowing rubbish bins in Noosa during the busy Christmas holiday period.
“The bin was super full and just disgusting,” George said. “I kept thinking about it and wanted to do something to change it.”
Carter said it was worth listening to kids’ ideas. “We have got ideas that are unique and fresh and unique perspectives,” he said.
Aurora Surawski and Tanmay Pandya, both 12, have also worked with Fiftysix Creations to start bringing their great idea to life.
The Brisbane pair have come up with a fitness app called Cash Back Health or CBH, which allows users to set goals and then find suitable diet and workout plans.
The app costs $7 a week but users get the money back if they complete their weekly health objectives, plus another $7 worth of healthy food or drinks.
“The app uses rewards and incentives, which is one of the best ways to get people to do things,” explained Aurora, who met business partner Tanmay at a Fiftysix Creations business camp.
“I really want to be able to help my country and make a change that is relevant to the time,” Aurora said.
Both sets of budding entrepreneurs are considering entering the Youth Impact
Challenge.
Westpac general manager Jane Watts said the challenge was designed to foster problem solving skills and inspire new ways of thinking and connectivity. “As tomorrow’s problem solvers, we hope the program will inspire students to think creatively and demonstrate how they can harness their talents to drive positive change for the issues they care about,” Ms Watts said.
Nine winning ideas will be chosen by a panel of industry judges, with prizes including a Microsoft Surface laptop, a $3000 scholarship to attend the SingularityU Australia Summit: A Future By Design in Sydney and a 12-month mentorship package from Fiftysix Creations and Westpac.
Clean water and sanitation Affordable and clean energy Good jobs and economic growth Innovation and infrastructure Reduced inequality
Sustainable cities and communities
Responsible consumption Climate action
Life below water
Life on land
Peace and justice
Partnerships for achieving the goals