By Mohamed El Ghamry (YES 2019-2020, Morocco, placed by AFS-USA in Chicago, IL) 

From December 8-12, YES alumni from across Africa and the U.S. joined together in Egypt for the YES Africa Region Changemaker Workshop. At the workshop, we discussed challenges we face in our countries, brainstormed solutions, and developed projects that can benefit our communities. We also learned tools to overcome the barriers that we might face when implementing a project.  

We learned about the 17 U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the role we all must play in making those goals a reality. Through reflective sessions, we considered what we could do in our personal lives to support the Sustainable Development Goals.  

Every participant came from a diverse cultural background, and each of our communities faces a unique set of challenges. Through community mapping and needs assessment activities, we identified the unique assets, resources, and strengths in our communities which can be leveraged to face those challenges. One of my favorite parts of the workshop was listening to experts in project development who shared their expertise with us.  

After a lot of learning, we prepared and pitched our projects. My project idea focused on the development of biodegradable plastic from food waste. Each participant delivered their own project idea using everything we learned throughout the workshop.  

One of my key takeaways was that problems don’t form on their own, and neither do solutions. It is our role as changemakers to take creative action to target those problems. Listening to YES alumni from across Africa and the U.S., all determined to build a better future, inspired me and reminded me that in unity, we find solutions. 

Many thanks to AFS Egypt and the volunteers for their hard work during the workshop and making Egypt feel like home. I would like to also thank the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and Amideast/Morocco for their continued support in my journey as a YES alum. The YES program helped shape us into capable leaders and ambassadors for our countries, and I am looking forward to seeing all our changemaking projects implemented in our communities!