Young Activist Rallies Community to Protect the Environment

Sofia Zhadan was a shy 9th grader from a rural village in Ukraine when she was selected to participate in IREX’s Tech Age Girls program. Training she received in leadership, community project development, and online activism skills not only built her confidence, but also launched her career as an environmental activist.

After researching local flora online, she organized an outreach campaign and a series of events dedicated to environmental protection in the region, including sessions on saving the unique plants around their village. Zhadan rallied more than 80 youth and local residents around the cause, and together they lobbied the village and district administration and received approval to create a local nature reserve.

Zhadan never thought that she could change anything in her community. But she now has newfound aspirations to enroll in college once she graduates from school.

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