_ABOUT ME
I’ve sat in the rooms where decisions get made about young people’s futures. I’d rather be building systems that make those decisions unnecessary.
Birndze Bete Dzekewong is a social impact strategist, youth development practitioner, and social entrepreneur working at the intersection of education, the future of work, and youth innovation. He is the Founder of Youth Connect Innovation Lab, a youth-led platform building pathways for young people to access digital skills, entrepreneurship opportunities, and funding to transform their ideas into sustainable ventures.
Birndze’s work is deeply shaped by his lived experience. After losing a parent at a young age and being forcibly displaced during the ongoing crisis in the Northwest region of Cameroon, he experienced firsthand the uncertainty, disruption, and lack of opportunity that many young people face. These experiences became the foundation of his mission; to build systems that ensure young people are not limited by their circumstances but empowered to shape their own future.
For nearly a decade, he has worked with young people across underserved and conflict-affected communities, helping them transition from education into meaningful work and leadership. His work focuses on designing practical solutions that equip youth with the skills, support, and access to opportunities needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
10 +Years
of Experience
A few things I refuse to compromise on
10+Experience
100Projects
10kCreatives
32+New Ideas
GLOBAL ROLES and RECOGNITION
Queen’s Commonwealth Trust
Network Hub Communication Lead Volunteer | 2023
Appointed to lead communications for a network of 900+ changemakers and entrepreneurs across Commonwealth countries.
YOUNGA Delegate Future of Work and Education lead | YOUNGA | 2023/2024
Appointed as the Future of Work and education working group lead, where I work with young people form over a 100 countries to develop policy recommendation for the future of work and education for the YOUNGA Delegate communique
Bridge for Billions / CVC Africa — Connect Africa | Mentor | 2024
Provided mentorship and business coaching to refugees and migrant entrepreneurs in South Africa as part of the CVC Africa incubator program.
Peace First | ChangeMakers Coach | 2024
Delivered monthly coaching to young changemakers, supporting them in launching or scaling social impact projects backed by the Peace First Activation Grant.
The Resolution Project | Guide & Mentor | 2024 -2026
Provided mentorship to Resolution Fellows — helping them launch and scale their social initiatives. Also served as judge for the SVC Africa fellowship selection process.
Rise Global | Finalist Day Selector | 2024
Served as a selector for Rise Global for the United World College Scholarship on finalist day — conducting pitch evaluations, brainstorming sessions, and finalist interviews for one of the world’s most competitive youth competitions.
Enactus Germany | International Judge | 2024–2025
Judged the Action with Africa Challenge (2024, 2025) — evaluating youth entrepreneurs from Ghana, Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt, Brazil, Morocco, and the UK. Also served as Level I judge for the EIB Empowering Women Challenge, evaluating projects across France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, and the UK.
GCMx West Africa | Organizer & Host |
Organized and hosted GCMx West Africa — an independent event under the Global ChangeMakers Initiative (USA) that convened 40 young leaders from 17 African countries to co-create solutions to contemporary challenges.
AWARDS
EE 30 Under 30
Recipient of the North America Association of Environmental Education (NAAEE) EE 30 Under 30 Award; recognizing outstanding young professionals advancing environmental education and youth-led climate action globally.
FELLOWSHIPS & LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS
Ashoka ChangeMakers Everywhere Academy
Bill Drayton founded Ashoka in 1980 based on the idea that the most powerful force for good in the world is a social entrepreneur: a person driven by an innovative idea that can help correct an entrenched global problem. The world’s leading social entrepreneurs pursue system-changing solutions that permanently alter existing patterns of activity.
Ashoka envisions a world in which everyone is a changemaker:A world where citizens are powerful and contribute to change in positive ways.
Ashoka identifies and supports the world’s leading social entrepreneurs, learns from the patterns in their innovations, and mobilizes a global community that embraces these new frameworks to build an “everyone a changemaker world.”
2021
Youth in Development Fellow — Impact Toolbox
Impact Toolbox is a non-profit led by experienced social entrepreneurs, educators, and change leaders dedicated to making social impact easier, sustainable, and rewarding.
We provide equity-deserving and emerging leaders with training, resources, and tools to transform their ideas into successful social enterprises, community projects, and meaningful careers.
Prioritizing rural and remote communities, racialized groups, youth, women, gender minorities, and individuals facing economic barriers, we help facilitate their socio-economic prosperity by supporting them to build sustainable businesses that create lasting change.
2022
UPG Biashara Entrepreneur — United People Global
United People Global (UPG) is a community that encourages and enables people to participate in making the world a better place. This is achieved in various ways and especially by contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UPG works to raise awareness, strengthen belief, facilitate collaboration and foster community. UPG uses publications, projects and events to achieve its mission.
2023
Climate Executive Coaching Accelerator — Climate Executive Coaching
Climate Executive Coaching Accelerator — Climate Executive Coaching
Ongoing
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TESTIMONIALS
The work speaks for itself
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