Turning hopes into reality: how knowledge sharing empowers youth
Author: Fatima Karimli / Editor: Nicoleta Geru
“Pay It Forward”
These three words have surrounded every initiative I have undertaken for the last six years and have served as the inspiration for the article you are reading now.
In 2019, when I applied for a US-based exchange programme that I had been pursuing for a long time, and made it to the finals, my excitement was beyond words. It had been my long-pursued goal, and I had taken every possible opportunity since secondary school to increase my chances of being part of it. During the final selection process, while sitting and waiting for my interview time, listening to others share their various experiences around the world, I realised how unfamiliar I was with them, even though I had always had a passion for learning and self-development.
However, digging deeper, I realised my unfamiliarity was connected to my regional background, as the other finalists were from capital cities – the places where most initiatives focus. Despite being one of the most academically and socially active students at my secondary school, I recognised how the lack of information and the place of one’s origin could hold a person back. I didn’t make it as a main finalist for the programme that year, and I couldn’t achieve my long-desired goal. However, I did not take failure for granted. I decided to move forward with a promise: to learn, to develop myself, and to pay it forward – to give back to my community.
Growing up in a family where my mother was a teacher, I have always been inspired by her passion for her profession – her passion for discovery, developing concepts, and sharing them with her students. One day, while attending her class, I remember seeing a notebook left by a student expressing how important my mother had been in shaping her career and guiding her. At that moment, I truly understood how important it is to share what you know.
Later, as a university student, I encountered the concept of ‘knowledge management’, typically applied within organisations to foster collaboration, innovation, and informed decision-making. However, these aspects also apply to individuals in society. When we share knowledge, we not only fill in the gaps in our own understanding, but we also empower others to make more informed decisions. It fosters trust among people, encourages cooperation, and creates a space for “paying it forward” – the future sharing of knowledge. In the end, this has the potential to build more sustainable communities.
With this in mind, I decided to take every opportunity for self-development as a way of paying it forward for my community. I aimed to share my knowledge to raise awareness, help people make informed decisions, and build long-lasting connections. I hoped to turn my past challenges into stepping stones for others striving to reach similar goals.
The Young European Ambassadors (YEA) community in Azerbaijan has truly been the place where this hope turned into reality. In November 2022, I, along with a team of like-minded YEAs, started an initiative called ‘Raising Awareness of Youth in Remote Villages’. The idea was simple: to reach students from the northern villages of Azerbaijan and raise their awareness of both local and international educational opportunities. This initiative impacted 25 students during the first information session and mentoring session, where we guided them through the process of applying for both local and EU-funded projects in Azerbaijan and the EU. During one of the mentoring sessions, I shared my experience of attending conferences abroad and mentioned the importance of meeting new people and learning about different cultures, which shape who we are. With every new person you meet, you are introduced to a new story that influences your future through the knowledge they share.
Aisha Mammadova, a YEA from Azerbaijan and one of the main organisers of the activity, who is from the same village, reflects on the impact of the initiative:
“After this project, the students looked to the future with more confidence and enthusiasm. I think the feeling could not be stronger for students aged 10-16. In fact, studying abroad was no longer just a dream for them, but a real goal.”
This initiative demonstrated how, in fact, a simple idea can influence people’s lives and how important it is to share what you know.
The next major activity was EuroSchool 2024 – one of the fundamental initiatives for YEA activities in Azerbaijan. I had the chance to share my knowledge, from an educational perspective, on Azerbaijan-EU cooperation, the admissions process for local and EU-based programmes, and project management. Receiving positive feedback from the project participants about how their knowledge had increased, knowing that the information was useful in helping them build their future projects and participate more actively in academic life, is what keeps my passion alive.
One of the main aspects of Azerbaijan-EU cooperation has been fostering connectivity – connecting young people and their ideas beyond boundaries. The EU has been a partner in bridging Azerbaijan’s youth and academic staff with EU-based initiatives. One of the main initiatives under this cooperation is the EU4Youth programme, which supports young people in Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries, focusing on education, employability, employment, entrepreneurship, engagement, and empowerment. The first electronic report of this initiative, released in 2024, shared essential facts: the programme enabled 80 alumni to implement 45 community initiatives, reaching approximately 800 young people. Through Youth Policy Labs, it further engaged 200 participants in shaping youth policy while introducing the new ‘EU4Youth: Youth Engagement and Empowerment’ initiative, led by GIZ, which aims to strengthen youth participation in decision-making through targeted support and grants. Another programme, ‘Supporting Education Reforms and Skills in the Eastern Partnership Region’, launched by the European Training Foundation and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for European Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), further contributes to this goal.
All of these initiatives started as simple ideas but have since developed into impactful changes in lives, turning hopes into reality. Knowledge is a powerful tool to empower youth by raising awareness, helping them make more informed decisions, and fostering lasting connections built on trust. While the Young European Ambassadors in Azerbaijan continue to be a community committed to turning hopes into reality, Azerbaijan-EU cooperation in youth education remains a key factor in empowering generations and building more sustainable communities. The main idea remains – pay it forward – not only by receiving knowledge but also by sharing it, as it has the power to influence lives.
This article is an example of sharing my knowledge with you, transcending boundaries and possibly reaching different parts of the world. Now, why not take this as an opportunity to pay forward what you have learned to others?
