Selected as One of Egypt's 10 PepsiCo Youth Impact Studio Changemakers
A three-day PepsiCo Youth Impact Studio Bootcamp in El Gouna brought young changemakers from across MENA together to explore ESG, innovation, and practical climate action.
Joining PepsiCo's Youth Impact Studio Bootcamp in El Gouna was far more than a chance to learn about ESG, leadership, and sustainability. It was an opportunity to grow alongside people who cared deeply about shaping a more sustainable future.
I was one of 10 participants from Egypt, alongside 50 fellow participants from across the MENA region. The mix of perspectives made every discussion and challenge richer, reinforcing how much meaningful impact depends on collaboration.
From ideas to action
The Impact Shark Tank Challenge was a standout. My team moved from brainstorming to refining a pitch and presenting a vision for a more sustainable future. The experience made the connection between a promising idea and an actionable solution feel immediate and real.
The program also made room for practical professional development. Expert CV feedback, smaller-group storytelling sessions, and practice with elevator pitches helped me think more clearly about how to communicate my experience in both career and business settings.
Learning from experts
The workshops connected sustainability with the skills needed to make it practical. Angeli Patel's ESG session, Tarun Galagali's leadership workshop, Mohamed Tarek's perspective on ESG-driven entrepreneurship, Charlene Nawar's Climate Fresk, and Sami Abou Saab's AI and innovation session all helped turn complex ideas into something concrete.
PepsiCo's public program summary confirms the wider scope of the experience: Youth Impact Studio brought together 60 participants from Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE for training in sustainable development, ESG, climate action, AI, innovation, and professional development.
Further reading
Tarun Galagali documented the cohort and its approach to leadership in Forbes: How the Middle East's Generation Z Is Defining Leadership.
A community of changemakers
I am grateful to the mentors, speakers, panelists, organizers, PepsiCo Middle East, PepsiCo Foundation, and Zigzag for creating a thoughtful, energizing program. The bootcamp left me with a stronger belief that innovation is most powerful when it is grounded in collaboration, sustainability, and a willingness to act.
