Country of Residence
Kenya
Age
20
Project title
OpenPath
Project Summary: Describe your project in one sentence
OpenPath is a youth-led initiative focused on motivating young people to believe in their potential and creating awareness of the value of education, technology and available opportunities. Through engaging outreach, digital tools, mentorship and practical guidance, OpenPath will help young people discover pathways to learning, skills development, scholarships, careers and personal growth, and inspire them to take action toward their future.
Website URL(s) or social media handles.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-njuguna-564961321
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?
OpenPath was born from a personal realization: sometimes the biggest barrier to a young person’s future is not a lack of ability, but not knowing what is possible or where to begin. As a young person navigating education and trying to find opportunities for growth, I have experienced the struggle of searching for information, understanding opportunities and figuring out which pathways could help me move forward. These experiences made me reflect on how many other young people may have the potential to achieve more but lack the awareness, encouragement or guidance to take that first step. My involvement in youth leadership and education-focused initiatives strengthened this realization. I have seen how a simple conversation, an opportunity shared at the right time, or someone believing in a young person can change how they see their future. I began asking myself: What if more young people could encounter that encouragement and discover opportunities they never knew existed? That question became the spark for OpenPath. OpenPath is my response to that gap. I want to create a space where young people are motivated to believe in themselves, become more aware of the value of education and technology, and discover practical pathways for learning, skills development and personal growth.
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve? Why does it matter to you and your community?
Many young people have the potential and desire to build better futures, yet they may lack the awareness, motivation and guidance needed to recognize and pursue available opportunities. In some underserved communities, education and technology-enabled learning can feel distant, difficult to access or disconnected from everyday realities. Young people may hear about scholarships, digital learning platforms, mentorships, skills programmes and career opportunities only after deadlines have passed—or may not know where to find reliable information or how to begin. This creates more than an information gap; it can become a confidence and motivation gap. When young people do not see clear pathways from education and skills to real opportunities, they may struggle to believe that investing in their education can change their circumstances. This problem matters to me because I have experienced the challenge of navigating education and opportunities myself. I know how overwhelming it can be to search for opportunities, understand requirements and decide where to start. It has shown me that sometimes a young person does not need someone to solve their future for them—they need someone to help them see what is possible, where to look and take the first step. OpenPath seeks to address this gap by making awareness and motivation the starting point for growth
Your Solution: How are you solving this problem? Share your specific solution.
OpenPath will turn motivation and awareness into practical action by helping young people understand the value of education, technology and skills while showing them clear pathways to opportunities. We will engage young people through school and community outreach, interactive sessions, peer activities and relatable stories. These activities will encourage them to believe in their potential and see education and technology as tools for building better futures. OpenPath will connect participants to scholarships, mentorships, digital learning resources, skills programmes, internships and career pathways. We will go beyond sharing opportunities by guiding young people on how to find reliable information, understand requirements, identify suitable opportunities and prepare applications. Technology will support this work through simple digital platforms and shareable resources for opportunity information, learning materials and guidance. Where internet access or devices are limited, we will explore low-data and offline-friendly approaches so technology becomes a bridge rather than another barrier. We will also encourage peer leadership. Young people who gain knowledge and confidence through OpenPath can become peer ambassadors who share information, motivate others and encourage a culture that values education and opportunity. We will listen to participants and improve the initiative while building partnerships with schools, youth organizations, mentors and opportunity providers. Our model is simple: Motivate → Create Awareness → Equip → Connect → Take Action. OpenPath is not about deciding young people's futures for them. It is about helping them see what is possible, understand where to begin and gain the confidence to take their first step.
Impact: How has your project created impact / made a difference so far? Or, if at an early stage, what will impact look like?
OpenPath is at an early stage, so our impact will initially be measured by changes in awareness, motivation, confidence and action among young people. We want participants to move from simply hearing about education and opportunities to believing they can pursue them and knowing how to begin. We will measure the number of young people reached through outreach and engagement activities, the number introduced to learning and career opportunities, and the number who take practical steps such as enrolling in a course, applying for a scholarship, seeking mentorship or exploring a career pathway. We will also use participant feedback to understand whether OpenPath has increased their confidence and awareness of available opportunities. The longer-term impact will be a growing network of young people who actively seek education, develop digital and practical skills, and share opportunities with others. Through peer ambassadors, one young person's increased awareness can reach others in their school or community. Success for OpenPath will not only be measured by how many young people we reach, but by how many take their next step. Our goal is to help young people move from “I did not know this was possible” to “I know what is possible, I know where to start, and I am taking action.”
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 OpenPath different is that it does not treat lack of opportunity information as the only problem. It recognizes that a young person may know that scholarships, education and technology exist but still lack the motivation, confidence or guidance to pursue them. OpenPath combines five elements in one pathway: Motivate, Create Awareness, Equip, Connect and Take Action. We start by helping young people believe in their potential, then introduce them to relevant opportunities and provide practical guidance on how to pursue them. Another innovative part is our peer-led approach. Young people will not only receive information; they can become ambassadors who share opportunities, encourage others and make the message more relatable within their communities. This creates a cycle where awareness can spread from one young person to many others. We will also adapt technology to the realities of underserved communities. Instead of assuming that everyone has reliable internet, expensive devices or high digital literacy, OpenPath will explore simple, low-data and offline-friendly ways of sharing learning resources and opportunity information. Most importantly, OpenPath connects awareness with action. Rather than ending with a motivational talk or a list of opportunities, we want young people to leave knowing what they can do next. By combining motivation, practical guidance, technology and peer leadership, OpenPath creates a more accessible pathway from “What is possible?” to “I know where to start.”
How many people are on your team?
2
Your team: What role(s) do your team members play? How do you share leadership with them?
OpenPath will initially have two team members. I will serve as Project Lead, coordinating the vision, planning, outreach and partnerships. My teammate will support communications, youth engagement, peer outreach and project activities. We will share leadership by dividing responsibilities according to our strengths, making decisions together and reviewing our progress regularly. As OpenPath grows, we plan to involve more young people as peer ambassadors and recruit members.
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 three months, we will launch OpenPath through a small pilot. In Month 1, we will finalize our two-person core team, develop at least 5 motivation and awareness resources, identify 10 relevant education and career opportunities, and connect with at least 2 potential community partners. In Month 2, we will conduct our first outreach activities and engage at least 30 young people through interactive sessions. We will introduce participants to education, technology and available opportunities and provide practical guidance on how to take the next step. In Month 3, we will follow up with participants, collect feedback and measure actions taken, such as applying for opportunities, joining learning programmes or seeking mentorship. We aim to have at least 50 young people reached, 2 peer ambassadors identified and 3 potential partnerships developed by the end of the pilot. We will use these lessons to strengthen OpenPath and prepare for expansion to more schools and communities.
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.
OpenPath is at the idea stage, so I have not yet formally engaged participants through the project. However, my experience in youth leadership and education-focused initiatives has shown me the power of sharing opportunities, starting conversations and encouraging young people to take action. To launch OpenPath, I will begin by engaging at least 30 young people through school and community outreach, interactive discussions and peer activities. I will encourage participants to share what they learn with friends and classmates, creating a ripple effect beyond each session. I will also invite motivated participants to become peer ambassadors who can help spread awareness, share opportunities and encourage others to value education and technology. In addition, I will engage mentors, schools, youth organizations and opportunity providers to strengthen the project. We will use social media and simple digital resources to share relatable stories, educational information and opportunities that young people can access. Through these activities, I hope to build a growing community where young people do not only learn about the problem but become part of creating the solution.
