Past Projects
Alumni Projects Supported by Incentive Grants from BFTF
| Participant | Project | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nibras Aziz (Denmark) | Create Debates: to organize a debate club to discuss youth problems on a non-partisan basis | |
| Flavia Domi (Albania) | Discovering diversity – Learning about Roma population: to learn and connect with the Roma populations in the communities and nations to combat prejudice and biases against the Roma | Was featured in national television and in local media |
| Mane Grigoryan (Armenia) | SELF – Summer European Youth Leaders Forum: to conduct a youth conference to discuss cooperation among European youth organizations | |
| Jorge Diego Martin Rufino (Spain) | Global Education Organization – GEO: to develop a website to engage BFTF alumni to provide free tutoring for immigrants and low-income students in language and math. | The project involves 32 BFTF alumni |
| Gresa Shala (Kosovo) | Step Up: to organize high school network throughout Kosovo, so that students can communicate and organize different activities together | |
| Mihai Sochirca (Moldova) | Art of Manliness Club: to create opportunities for boys and young men to build strong values, to encourage involvement in community activities | Was featured on national television, in media. Moldova’s US Exchange Programs Alum of the Year |
| Mihai Sochirca (Moldova) & Yoanna Boncheva (Bulgaria) | Peace Building in Eastern Europe Initiative: to establish partnerships between youth business groups and NGOs in Eastern European countries. | |
| Preetam Soundararajan (United States) | Education Beyond the Classroom (EBTC): to provide disadvantaged students with free online tutoring lessons and homework assistance. This will provide a platform to reach disadvantaged students locally, regionally, nationally and globally. | The project received several awards in California |
| Participant | Project |
|---|---|
| Batoul Abu-Yahya (Germany) | Truth introduced by youth (TIY): to increase self-awareness of young people through the means of arts and theater |
| Frishta Ali & Melinda Wang (United States) | Youth Health Education (YHE): to inform children both locally and internationally on various health topics |
| Iliana Bezinska (Bulgaria) | Situation and Management of Stray Dogs in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria: to decrease the number of accidents caused by aggressive behavior of stray animals |
| Lea Bodor (Serbia) | Students Against Cerebral Palsy: to create better living conditions for people with cerebral palsy and polio |
| Unnur Lárusdóttir (Iceland) | School Reform in Iceland: Shorter High School – Ideal or Ignorant?: to inform students about the government’s school reform plans and to engage students in national school reform discussions |
| Jorge Loures (Portugal) | GINI: Portuguese Summer Camp: to broaden students’ horizons and visions of their academic abilities through civic engagement and entrepreneurship |
| Theodor Marcu (Romania) | Math and Physics Clubs: to offer new opportunities for students interested in Maths and Physics by creating an environment where students can discuss ideas without being restricted by curricula |
| Pablo Delgado Mesa (Spain) | Developing Sport Facilities in Local Communities: to build sport grounds and sport facilities in low-income communities |
| Kaja Pavlinić (Croatia) | Remember the Fun: to decrease the amount of underage drinkers in the city of Varaždin by educating youth about alcohol consumption and offering fun activities |
| Michal Paul (Poland) | Project “Future”: to prepare school and college students to face career choices, to be ready for job interviews, and to write CVs |
| Barbara Zmušková (Slovak Republic) | Information Platform for High School Students: to provide computer literacy and access to online resources to High School students |
| Participant | Project |
|---|---|
| Loren Angoni (Albania) | Prevention of Youth Migration from Albania: to protect Albanian youth from human trafficking; to promote reform in youth-related policies on local and national levels |
| Luka Ignac (Croatia) | My Global Voice (Croatia): raising political awareness among high school students in Croatia; explaining students about their right to vote through different activities and sharing common and personal experiences from the BFTF summer school |
| Dimitrije Jovićević (Montenegro) | From Idea to Project: professional preparation for young Montenegrins (15–19) so they can develop their personal resources and competences to become change makers in their communities |
| Alex Lo (United States) & Omer Badreldin (Denmark) | Global Robotics Initiative: develop contacts between young people in Denmark and the U.S. who are interested in robotics and create a joint team |
| Ejona Kaziu (Macedonia) | Form to Reform: to bring together students of different ethnic groups in Macedonia to teach about leadership, diplomacy, debates and our rights |
| Yana Kunkevich (Belarus) | Adopt a Class: to promote academic integrity and combat dishonesty and plagiarism among students |
| Maiuran Loganathan (Norway) | EDIFY: to create a global, digital learning society for students and teachers all over the world to simplify and digitalize school-related interaction and connect students and teachers through subject-based groups |
| George Majiath (Hungary) | My Global Voice: to give an opportunity for young aspiring students to meet and communicate with political and business leaders |
| Noe Petitjean (Belgium) | Our Shared Differences (OSD): to organize discussion clubs in communities to combat prejudice, stereotypes, and racism |
| Lauren Prox (United States) | Super STEM: to promote STEM-related projects among HS students, to demonstrate STEM-related professions |
| Miriam Sabjali (Portugal) & Katarina Vodopivc (Slovenia) | YOUniversal Positive Thinking: to help teenagers understand why having positive thinking is essential for mental well-being and to alleviate a stigma of mental health issues |
| Veronica Summa (Italy) | Italian Cultural Heritage Revaluation: to involve students in learning about local history and to develop renovation projects |
| Tyler Timm (United States) | My Global Voice – Nebraska: to promote student self-governance and to create a platform for students to present political ideas |
| Jakub Tlisczek (Poland) | My Global Voice: to start an internet platform for students from low-income rural areas where they can exchange ideas and experiences about community projects |
| Gabija Verbaite (Lithuania) & Zohal Barsi (United States) | Circus in Prison: to draw public attention to the state of penitentiary facilities in Lithuania; to assist in adaptation of former inmates into society |
| Participant | Project | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Arlind Kamberi (Albania) | “3D Youth Center”- The first center in Albania for Sustainable Development Education | “3D Youth Center” will be the first non-governmental youth organization in Albania aiming to provide them with training in various skills and preparation by the experts in the field, socializing with their fellows from different cities and also from other Balkan countries |
| Vuk Vujčin (Serbia) | Project Glasnije | The goal of the project is to Improve the youth’s political education and sense of civic duty |
| Valerie Xu (USA) | Channeled Voices! Empower Young Generation Vocal | Channeled Voices is a non-profit program whose mission is to empower young generations of students of color to have the confidence and skills to engage in public speaking. |
| Kristie Moore (USA) | Female Leaders of the Americas (FLOTA) | This project will aid in facilitating connections between youth in North and South America while improving their understanding of politics, International Relations, languages, cultures, and leadership from a global perspective. It will also empower young girls and encourage them to strive towards careers in male-dominated fields–all while creating a friendly environment of like-minded individuals. |
| Eleftherios Lazarinis (Greece) | iVolunteer App | So, this project aims at promoting volunteerism through a social app. Focusing on volunteerism will increase the number of people that are taking part in community service or other social oriented actions. |
| Alina Munteanu (Moldova) | FEMTALK: Ending Women’s Exploitation in the Media | The goal of this project is gender awareness-raising in the youth of Moldova. |
| Šimon Babjak (Slovakia) | Youth Advisory Board for the Justice Transformation Fund, Ministry of Investments of the Slovak Republic | The aim of this project is to create an opportunity for youth to participate in the decision-making process in regard to Justice Transformation Fund. |
| Stela Mile (Italy) | A Transparent School | The goal of the project is to provide opportunities for students to actively participate in school management and share their ideas with administration. |
| Gor Badanyan (Armenia) | THE CHANGE – Volunteering and event organizing. | The project’s will be raise awareness of the value of volunteering, the need for teenagers to become dependable in the market and coordinate their career paths. |
| Participant | Project | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cate Kanapathy, Drew Zacharias (USA) | GlobeAllies- International Organization | The goals of this project are to create in three countries by the end of the year and to have held 10 sessions in total. |
| Eva Molman (Germany) | Democracy education in elementary school – children’s parliament project | The initiative is about strengthening democratic thinking within younger children in order to prevent undemocratic behavior in adulthood. |
| İdil Doğa Türkmen (Turkey) | Love Our Environment Clean-Ups | Love Our Environment is an organization that aims to inform people about environmental issues, mostly about pollution and littering, and encourages everyone to be aware of this and take action. |
| Maruška Kozáková (Slovakia) | Mini Art Galleries | The aim of The Mini Art Gallery Project is to highlight the work of artists and small business owners in communities. |
| Nedžma Srkalović (Bosnia and Herzegovina) | PEPBiH (Political engagement project Bosnia and Herzegovina) | |
| Polina Girse (Latvia) | Free period products | The goal of the project is to provide schoolgirls with free pads and tampon Boxes (like in Purdue University), to support them and make them feel more comfortable. |
| Rodrigo Miguel Tavares Furtado Cardoso (Portugal) | A helping hand. | Provide assistance for marginalized families and families in need. |
| Saanvi Bhatia (USA) | A Glimpse Into Chester County, PA’s Indian Community | The project includes perspectives from Indian immigrants to our community that will help improve relations in the community. |
| Savvas Papaiouannou (Greece) | One Health Triade | To raise awareness about health issues among youth. |
| Participant | Project | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Artur Ghahramanyan (Armenia) | Smart youth, active community | This project aims to create a multifaceted developmental youth center designed to facilitate both school-based activities and recreational activities. |
| Nina de Araújo Crisóstomo Santos (Portugal) | Arte Sem Fronteira (Art without Borders) | Increase the sense of community between immigrants. Encourage sustainable fashion and art; Display art projects with the participation of guest artists |
| Cyrine Assadi (France) | Cuisiner pour se recontrer (Cooking to meet) | The aim of my project is to use cooking and games to help immigrant families who don’t speak French to integrate, meet new people and learn the language so that they can flourish. |
| František Brezo (Slovakia) | Hungarian Students Matter Too! | Creating minority-language versions of state-funded competitions both in the regional and national levels. |
| Malak Samadova | STUDY4AZ | The goal is to ensure the accessibility of educational materials for students in the rural area schools. |
| Sara Shahab Diaz (USA) | Food Composting in Princeton, New Jersey | The goal of the project is to collect more than two pounds of food waste from Princeton High School each week. |
| Participant | Project | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Aleksandra Dinkova Atanasova (Bulgaria) | “Razgar” – political education courses and activities for Bulgarian high schools | |
| Bobana Milić (Montenegro) | Wolf sanctuary | Construction of a wolf reserve with a shelter for wolves, providing treatment and recovery for injured wolves found in the wild and returning them to nature. |
| Christos Lakkos (Greece) | Politics and the Youth – A bond to be strengthened | The goal of this project is to motivate the youth to participate actively in fundamental democratic practices and decision making. |
| Emma Brownrigg Fenech (Malta) | Revitalization of Malta Youth Press: Empowering Tomorrow’s Journalists Today | The goal of the project is to lunch a redesigned website “Malta Youth Press” and reach at least 20 young journalists through workshops, seminars, and networking events. |
| Fatima Ismail (Ireland) | Young Voices of Africa: Blood Diamond and Empowering African Youth Through Skill Development | Provide vocational training in sustainable agriculture for Sierra Leone youth. The training will equip participants with skills such as soil management, gari-making, and water conservation, offering a pathway to self-reliance and economic empowerment. |
| Fjolla Shahini (North Macedonia) | Melody and Mosaic | This is an art workshop primarily aimed at empowering youth by offering free art classes to those who may not have the opportunity to develop their artistic talents |
| Kristina Jamil (Sweden) | Educated Girls for Excellence’s English Program | The purpose of this project is to provide an accessible platform for women and girls to develop and enhance their English language skills from the comfort of their own homes |
| Mariam Tonoyan (Armenia) | Nayrian Days | The main goal of “Nairyan Days” is to bring together young people from 8 administrative districts of the Nairi community in Armenia by providing an opportunity to visit and explore the historical and cultural heritage of the Nairi community. |
| Simon Farruqui (USA) | Walivest: Building Resilience and Empowering Communities in Disaster-Prone South Asia | The goals of this project are to distribute 100 Disaster Prep Kits to the most vulnerable households in Feni, Bangladesh, provide 50 School Supply Kits to students displaced by the floods in Feni, ensuring they can continue their education in temporary shelters. |
Quotes
These are excerpts from Fellows’ program evaluations:
- “I do believe that the purpose of this Institute has been fulfilled. We have not only learned many things about different cultures but we have learned that besides our differences, we are all the same. It has above all helped us discover new things about ourselves and our role as a global citizen.”
- “Host families, classes, and travelling – it was such a unique experience!”
- “I am completely happy that I was chosen as a fellow especially in Purdue University. I really enjoyed every single moment that I spent with all fellows, mentors, teachers and organizers. I will miss everything here. I am so grateful for all of you for making this month unforgettable.”
- “This institute changed my life. I know that may sound overdramatic but it did. I’ve gone to leadership camps almost every summer but I’ve never met true leaders until this. To see lifelong friendships form after 2 days of knowing someone is not something you find in everyday life. It makes the world smaller and bigger at the same time when you see that there are people thousands of miles away from your home who are exactly like you.”
- “This was one of the best experiences of my life. I made so many bonds, connections, and friendships from around the world. The program blew my expectations out of the water because I didn’t expect to have this much fun. I didn’t just take classes, I had an entire experience. I can’t even say all the things I want to say because I loved it so much. We have to have a reunion.”
- “It’s a unique experience with very special people who I am looking forward to seeing again soon. This month changed my view on several international topics and myself. This stay in the US was unforgettable, and I will promote this institute as much as possible to have others experience this unique stay and this amazing transatlantic family.”
- “I had the time of my life. I just loved it, and it is thanks to the mentors and participants who made this experience so awesome.”
- “You can’t even imagine what I’ve lived through. It was something I will never forget and one day I’ll come back to those places to visit those people again. They helped me find myself in this wide world.”
- “It was an amazing experience which helped me to grow up, discover a lot of things about other countries, the U.S., and myself. It also helped to better know what I want to do in my life later.”
Outcomes
After almost a year, what do you consider the most important lessons of BFTF?
- First and foremost the diplomatic skills I gained there, the ability to make compromises with people whose views differ from mine drastically (the 10-hour bus ride was incredibly good lesson for that actually ☺), also I saw a whole another method of teaching through discussion and interaction, which is not that common in an old-school Estonian education system.
- I got to know myself better. Honestly, I realized, that diplomacy/politics isn’t the right stuff for me, because it requires a lot of responsibility and whenever big things depend on me, I stress out a lot and can’t do anything normally. Also, I realized that I enjoy having a conversation with people from different backgrounds and cultures.
- As I already stated, I met such inspiring people. The other fellows are the most important part about BFTF. It’s a really valuable gift to have friends – and I do mean friends – in all different countries of Europe as well as in the States. You get a different attitude towards other cultures, other countries because you know a bit more about all these countries, the countries where your friends live. (Last fall we crossed Luxembourg in the middle of the night and everybody was sleeping in the bus. Just a friend of mine and I were awake and I told him all random facts I knew about Luxembourg. He was like “Why do you know all that stuff and why are you able to talk about that at 3am?” :D) (Ah, and just a few days ago I thought about our country presentations at that evening when we met the host families. And I just want to comment that this was a really good idea. It took a really long time (probably too long) but it was a unique chance to learn at least a bit about every country.) Adding to the mentioned above, it is a great motivation to see what the other fellows do and what one can achieve together. And BFTF taught me a lot about what abilities I myself have. Furthermore, we had really interesting classes and debates. So, I also learned a lot about Diplomacy (that was the most interesting subject for me) and other areas. The stay in the host family was amazing and our trips to Chicago, Philadelphia and D.C. as well!! And the few days of community service might have inspired Flore and me for our own project.
- From my perspective, the most important thing that I learnt during BFTF is that the world, however different and divided, is still one big organism and to make it work perfectly, a constant dialogue is needed. What I mean is not only the meetings of presidents, prime ministers etc. but a simple, human conversation conducted by ordinary citizens, because neither peace treaties nor agreements can substitute true, sincere reconciliation between nations. I realized that we all are the sides of negotiations and the dialogue is the key to the final success.
“The cultural diversity was priceless, the places we visited, people we met, lessons we learned, and the wonderful mentors.