April Activist Spotlight: Pearl Oriele Perumal

Happy April 2024, beloved YouthxYouth community! This month, for our Activist Spotlight, we are uplifting a wonderful youth activist within our community, Pearl Oriele Perumal (she/her, South Africa)! Pearl is a current participant of our 2024 Weavership cohort, a graduate from our 2023 Weavership cohort, a host of the 2023 Tech Education x Supporting Youth Educators Global Action Circle, and a host of our 2024 Supporting Youth Educators Learning Festival Cafe.

‍

‍
As a medical scientist doubling up as an education activist and leadership development coach, Pearl’s Ikigai is oriented toward problem-solving, reducing resource inaccessibility, combating educational inequities as well as advocating for youth empowerment. Her interests stem from both science and education fields, with an emphasis on youth leadership development, student well-being as well as capacity building for social impact. Always guided by empathetic and servant leadership, as well as the desire to evolve youth into their true potential, she aims to equip them with the five minds of the future: the disciplined mind, the synthesizing mind, the creating mind, the respectful mind as well as the ethical mind. Thus, having co-founded the youth-led initiative: Pearlitas of Wisdom - which aims to create youth empowerment, mental health awareness, access to opportunities as well as acquisition of knowledge and wisdom.

Apart from establishing solid transformational education frameworks, through learner-centered best practices; Pearl also focuses on co-creating, co-designing and collaborating with like-minded individuals and organizations. This propels change in promoting the essence of Ubuntu, reigniting imagination, implementing alternate education forms, and promoting psycho-social and emotional support systems to those on the African continent.

‍

‍

We asked Pearl a few questions to hear more about her journey within the education transformation space and her work. Here's what she had to say:

‍

‍YouthxYouth: "What does education transformation mean to you?"

‍

Pearl:

"Education transformation to me isn’t reinventing the wheel. It is realizing what spokes hinder effective movement towards the collective vision and amending this accordingly, through collaborative efforts, to serve the people of its time in a more equitable manner."

‍

YouthxYouth: "What inspires you in your work?"

‍

Pearl:

"The unheard stories from ordinary people: discovering their strength, determination, resilience and sense of being amidst adversity."

‍

YouthxYouth: "What are you currently working on?"

‍

Pearl:

"The following co-founded initiatives are being established through different collaborations to tackle different areas for transformational education under SDG 4:‍

• Pearlitas of Wisdom aims to create youth empowerment, mental health awareness, access to opportunities as well as acquisition of knowledge and wisdom. This is achieved through the creation of blog posts, podcasts and development of youth opportunity groups. (www.pearlitasofwisdom.com ) However, this year in the spirit of transforming spaces, we are currently working on converting our initiative into its own NGO space - to integrate the needs of African youth into a holistic youth mentorship programme. This programme will focus on designing a programme acquired from the research phase and be piloted towards the end of this year, covering topics such as self-identity and awareness, job skills, leadership development and more. 

‍

• As a finalist for the Planetizen University Youth Design Challenge, run by the Learning Planet Alliance, I’m designing a project to interweave global indigenous knowledge and wisdom for future well-being. Our mission is to uplift global indigenous communities to inspire a more interconnected and transformed world, through an intergenerational and intercultural exchange that fosters personal and environmental reconnection as well as transformation. (Projects (learning-planet.org))

‍

• As a Talent at UNLEASH Rwanda, I worked with a group of young education activists and refugees to address the unemployability and education gap that exists for refugees, asylum seekers and those who are stateless. As a result, we are continuing to work on this project post-UNLEASH with other Talents, refugees and education change-makers. 

‍

• A fellow education activist and I travel for impact, in our free time, by going into high-needs communities to learn about their lived experiences and challenges, to empower them to not succumb to their circumstances and to motivate them to be active agents of change within their communities. So far, we have traveled to countries in East- and Southern Africa as well as Asia with a mission to contribute our skills and expertise to enhance their quality of health and wellbeing. 

‍

Apart from these, I concurrently: 

• Work with local companies to mentor and coach African university and high school students.
• Work alongside iac Berlin as an Impact Field Host for the Empowerment of Teachers under the Bosch Alumni Network. Here, I plan, organise, program manage and facilitate virtual and onsite sessions and conferences for educational practitioners to foster learning exchanges and knowledge sharing. Under the theme of transformational education, I weave together different clusters and fields to create collaborations between different fields: Inclusivity and Disability + Education, Health and Well-being + Education, Education and Governance etc.
• Serve as a youth board member at HE4G and an ambassador on their Youth Talks programme. Furthermore, I serve as an ambassador for Ikigai Data and a Fellow for the Learning Planet. Under the Learning Planet Alliance, I am a member of the Ubuntu Learning Circle and the Imagination Learning Circle (co-lead by AIME), where we reimagine our spaces through integration of the concept of Ubuntu and reigniting imagination.
• Am a weaver on the YouthXYouth Weavership programme and facilitated/co-hosted global action circles and community cafes with the organization under the theme of reimagining education."

‍

‍

YouthxYouth: "If you could offer one piece of advice to all youth activists, what would it be?"

‍

Pearl:

"To remember that their worth isn't determined by others' perceptions. Even if your idea or effort feels small in the face of global challenges, don't let self-doubt hinder your potential impact. While we may not solve every issue in our lifetime, we can spark change. Your actions could pave the way for others to act or inspire innovative solutions. Together, we're agents of change—not insignificant, but powerful. Not inexperienced, but passionate and inventive. And never alone, but part of a collective effort. Your efforts today will shape the environment that newer generations will inherit; one for which they will be grateful to you for. So, persist in reimagining, advocating, and vocalizing your passions. Together, our voices hold the power to resonate so strongly that the world cannot ignore the call for change. Keep speaking out, for in unity, we compel the world to listen and enact the transformations we seek. Lastly, remember that it’s perfectly fine not to have all the answers or to feel uncertain about your path. So. embrace the journey, as it will introduce you to diverse experiences and people that contribute to your personal growth and broaden your outlook. Be prepared for moments of discomfort as they often pave the way for profound, inspiring, and indispensable growth and most importantly, be your full authentic self in the process. Sometimes there is comfort in acknowledging that whilst you may not be everyone’s cup of tea; there is an entire nation that loves the tea you embody and whilst engaging in the things you’re passionate about, you will eventually find your tribe."

‍

‍

We are so grateful to be in community with Pearl and cannot wait to continue watching her weave together the worlds of our deepest longings. To keep up with Pearl and her work make sure to follow her on LinkedIn and Instagram.