Melati Wijsen was twelve when she and her younger sister Isabel started Bye Bye Plastic Bags on Bali – a youth-led campaign to push single-use plastic off their island. What began with two schoolgirls collecting signatures grew into an island-wide movement, and Bali went on to restrict single-use plastics.
Her second act tackles the deeper question: how do you turn a young person who cares into a young person who acts? Through Youthtopia she builds peer-to-peer programs where young changemakers learn from other young changemakers – proof that the next generation doesn't need permission to lead, just tools and each other.
Achievements
- Co-founded Bye Bye Plastic Bags at age 12, together with her sister Isabel
- Helped drive Bali's move to restrict single-use plastics
- Founded Youthtopia, a peer-to-peer platform for young changemakers
- Global voice for youth-led change, from classrooms to world stages
In Planet vs. Patriarchy: Girls are leading the sustainable revolution.