Country of Residence
Nigeria
Age
19
Project title
H.E.I.R PROJECT
Project Summary: Describe your project in one sentence
H.E.I.R. (Hope, Empowerment, Inclusion & Resilience) is a youth-driven initiative creating supportive spaces, mentorship, practical skills and opportunities that help young people discover their potential, build confidence and turn their strengths into meaningful impact in their communities.
Website URL(s) or social media handles.
Akeelahzee_07 (Instagram) Zainab GT Zakaria ( LinkedIn)
Project Category
My project is a brand new / emerging idea
Project Stage
Idea (We’re hoping to get started in the future)
Founding Story: What was the spark that led you to start your project? What was the "Aha!" moment that led you to get started and see the potential for this to succeed?
I think H.E.I.R. started with me. For a long time, whenever I saw a social problem, I wanted to do something about it. I would research, come up with solutions, stand on stages, pitch ideas, speak about change and then, somehow, it would end there. The applause would fade, the presentation would be over, and I would move on to the next thing. Then one day, on my way home from school, I started thinking about how many young people are just like me. Young people with talents, ideas, and dreams and but without someone to guide them, a community to encourage them, or a safe space to ask, “What next?” And I thought about the question that quietly follows many young people: After university, what happens next? Who helps you discover what you are good at? Who reminds you of your potential and not to doubt yourself? Who opens the door when you don't know how to enter the room? That was my “aha” moment. I realized that I didn't just want to keep talking about problems or presenting solutions. I wanted to build something that could continue after the stage was gone. H.E.I.R became that idea a reflection of my own journey and the kind of community I wish every young person could have: one that gives hope, creates opportunities, provides guidance, celebrates potential and reminds young people that they don't have to figure everything out alone. For me, H.E.I.R is HOPE.
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve? Why does it matter to you and your community?
There is no shortage of talented young people. What is often missing is what happens between having potential and knowing what to do with it. Many young people have skills, ideas, creativity and dreams, but lack access to mentors who can guide them, communities that encourage them, practical opportunities to grow, or the confidence to recognise their own abilities. Some discover their strengths too late. Others graduate without knowing what comes next, not because they lack potential, but because they have had little guidance on how to turn that potential into a pathway. I have seen this around me and experienced parts of it myself. There are young people who are brilliant at something but have never had anyone tell them that their skill could become an opportunity. There are others with great ideas who simply need someone to say, “Start. I will support you.” This matters to me because I believe potential should not depend on who you know, where you come from, or whether you happen to find the right person at the right time. H.E.I.R. exists to help bridge that gap. We want to create a community where young people can discover themselves, learn practical skills, connect with mentors and opportunities, build confidence, and ultimately use what they have to create meaningful impact. A young person just need the right guidance to build that perfect future.
Your Solution: How are you solving this problem? Share your specific solution.
H.E.I.R. addresses this gap by creating a supportive ecosystem where young people can move from discovering their potential to actually using it. We are building H.E.I.R. around four key areas: self-discovery, mentorship, practical skills, and opportunities Through our self-discovery initiatives, young people are encouraged to identify their strengths, interests, values and abilities not just what they are studying or what society expects of them. We want them to understand that their talents can become tools for growth and impact.We then connect young people with mentors and peers who can provide guidance, encouragement and honest conversations about navigating school, careers, leadership and life after school .The goal is not simply to give advice, but to create relationships that continue beyond a single event. H.E.I.R. will also provide practical learning opportunities through workshops, skill-building sessions, conversations and hands-on activities that help young people develop abilities they can actually apply. Finally, we will connect young people to opportunities,fellowships, volunteering,scholarships, collaborations and other platforms where they can gain experience and turn their skills into action. We also envision creating opportunities for young people to develop and lead their own community-impact projects. At the heart of the model is community. H.E.I.R. is designed to become a space where young people can ask questions, share ideas, learn from one another, celebrate progress and find support when things do not go as planned. Our goal is simple not to tell young people what they should become, but to give them the guidance, community, skills and opportunities to discover who they are, grow into it, and use it to be the best they can.
Impact: How has your project created impact / made a difference so far? Or, if at an early stage, what will impact look like?
H.E.I.R. is currently at an early stage, and we are being intentional about building it differently this time. Rather than measuring impact by the number of events we organise, we want to measure what changes for the young people we serve. Our immediate goal is to build a community of young people who feel more confident about their abilities, have access to meaningful mentorship, develop practical skills, and are better connected to opportunities. In the first phase, we aim to reach young people through our community, self-discovery activities, mentorship, practical workshops and opportunity-sharing initiatives. We will track not only how many young people we reach, but also how many engage in mentorship, complete skills-based activities, access opportunities, take on leadership roles, or turn their ideas into projects. For us, impact could look like a student discovering a skill they never realised they had and deciding to develop it. It could be a young person finding a mentor who changes how they see their future. It could be someone who graduates with more clarity, confidence and practical experience because they had a community supporting them. That is the kind of impact we want H.E.I.R. to create: not just moments of inspiration, but measurable growth that continues long after a programme ends.To grow a sustainable youth community. From a step to a race .
Your Innovation: What is different about your project compared to other programs or solutions already out there? How is your project new or innovative?
What makes H.E.I.R. different is that we are not trying to solve the youth-development gap with another one-time workshop, motivational event or mentorship session. We are creating a continuous journey for youth Many young people encounter opportunities in isolation: a training here, a webinar there, an opportunity shared on social media, or a mentorship programme that ends after a few sessions. H.E.I.R. brings these pieces together around the young person, creating a pathway from discovering their potential to actually using it. Our approach begins with self-discovery helping young people understand their strengths, interests, values and abilities. We then connect that understanding to mentorship, practical skills and real opportunities, while keeping them within a supportive community. We also want young people to be participants, not just beneficiaries. H.E.I.R. will create room for members to contribute ideas, lead initiatives, collaborate with one another and develop community-impact projects. This creates a cycle where young people who once received support can eventually become mentors, leaders and contributors. Accessibility is another important part of our approach. We envision a combination of online and physical engagement so that young people can access mentorship, learning resources, conversations and opportunities regardless of their location or circumstances. Most importantly, H.E.I.R. is built around a gap I have personally observed,young people do not always lack ambition or talent; they often lack the bridge between their potential and the opportunities around them. Our innovation is therefore not simply a new invention. It is the way we connect self-discovery → guidance~ skills →opportunities → action → impact into one ecosystem.
How many people are on your team?
7
Your team: What role(s) do your team members play? How do you share leadership with them?
H.E.I.R. is a youth-led initiative currently rebuilding its founding team. I lead the vision, strategy and coordination, while we are bringing together young people with strengths in programmes, mentorship, communications, partnerships, research, community management and creative design. Leadership will be shared through clear roles, collaborative decisions and project ownership. We want every team member to contribute ideas, lead initiatives and grow while building H.E.I.R. together.
What’s Next: What are the next steps you plan to take to grow or strengthen your project over the next year? If your project is still in the idea stage, describe the steps you will take over the next three months to launch or begin developing it.
Over the next year, our goal is to turn H.E.I.R. into a structured and active youth community. We will begin by building a committed founding team with clear roles across programmes, mentorship, communications, partnerships and community management. We will launch our key initiatives around self-discovery, mentorship, practical skills and opportunities, creating spaces where young people can learn, connect, collaborate and grow. We will also build partnerships with mentors, professionals, educational institutions and youth-focused organisations to expand the opportunities and resources available to our community. As H.E.I.R. grows, we will encourage members to take leadership roles and develop their own community-impact projects. We will measure our progress through young people reached, mentorship connections, skills developed, opportunities accessed and projects created. Our aim is to build a sustainable community that helps young people move from potential to action and meaningful impact.
How do you encourage other people to join your project or learn about the problem you’re working on? If you have a new idea, tell us how you will do this in the future.
We plan to grow H.E.I.R. through storytelling, community conversations, social media and partnerships. We will share relatable stories, opportunities, educational content and the experiences of young people to make the issues we address easier to understand and connect with. We will also use workshops, mentorship sessions, campus/community outreach and youth-led activities to introduce people to H.E.I.R. and create opportunities for them to participate. Rather than simply asking people to join, we want them to experience the value of the community and see themselves as part of its growth. As H.E.I.R. develops, members will also become ambassadors of the mission by sharing opportunities, inviting others, leading activities and creating impact projects within their own communities.
