Impact Stories – SIMA Academy

BANGLADESH, BHUTAN

Community Action, GLOBAL EDUCATION

Youth as Agents of Change: How World Merit and SIMA Turn Film into SDG Action

Through a global partnership with SIMA Academy, World Merit empowers young leaders to use documentary film as a catalyst for action on the Sustainable Development Goals, hosting screenings, panels, and campaigns that inspire community engagement worldwide.

UNITED STATES

Environment, FILM CLUB

From Screen to Action: How One Educator Turned Global Documentaries into Local Impact

An educator in California is transforming SIMA Academy documentaries into a dynamic film club experience that connects global issues to meaningful local action. Through ongoing screenings, thoughtful discussions, and community-centered engagement, students move beyond passive viewing to actively exploring how social impact starts close to home.

SOUTH KOREA

GLOBAL EDUCATION, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The SDG Challenge: Advancing Global Citizenship Education and Professional Development Through The Power Of Film

Through its partnership with UNESCO–APCEIU, SIMA Academy equips educators with tools and training to integrate documentary film into global citizenship education and professional development.

KUWAIT

Inclusive Tech

Akhil Konduri: Championing Neurodiversity Through Inclusive Tech Education in Kuwait

2025 SIMA Student Changemaker Award Special Mention, Kuwait-based student and young leader Akhil Konduri created DiversiCode, a student-led global initiative inspired by the SIMA Academy film Vibrations. By reimagining STEM and coding education for neurodiverse learners, DiversiCode advances inclusive learning proving that when technology education is accessible, neurodiversity becomes a powerful source of innovation rather than a limitation.

PAKISTAN

Girls Education

Empowering Girls Through Storytelling: Syeda Munazza Bukhari Receives Educator Changemaker Award Special Mention

Pakistani educator, Syeda Munazza Bukhari complimented her Dream2Rise Project with the screening of the film First Period: A Film on Green Schools to empower Grade 10 girls and help them connect with the SDGs, build confidence, and take eco-friendly action.

MALAYSIA

Climate, Indigenous Knowledge

From Tradition to Climate Action: Malaysian Educator Adelyn Chin Wins SIMA Educator Changemaker Award

Malaysian educator Adelyn Chin won the SIMA Educator Changemaker Award for using the film Hope to link Dayak Iban forest stewardship with SDG 13. Inspired by the film, her students in the Papar District turned traditional knowledge into local climate action and community impact.

INDIA

Circular Economy

From Coffee Waste to Community Impact: Gaurjan Sharma Wins 2025 SIMA Student Changemaker Award

Inspired by SIMA Academy films The Happiness Shop and As For Us, India-based student and young leader Gaurjan Sharma created ReBrew, a youth-led initiative transforming discarded coffee grounds into sustainable products while empowering local communities. Through creativity, storytelling, and collective action, ReBrew advances climate action, responsible consumption, and sustainable cities—demonstrating how small, community-driven ideas can spark meaningful global impact.

PHILIPPINES

Youth Advocacy

Films That Inspire: How Andrew Dy Used Storytelling to Inspire Students in The Philippines to create Advocacy Videos

Through transformative film screenings, educator Andrew Dy empowered students in Cebu to connect inner awareness with global challenges—sparking empathy, leadership, and student-led action toward the SDGs.

BHUTAN

Wellbeing

Compassion in Action: How Tashi and The Monk Transformed a Bhutanese Classroom

An educator in Bhutan used Tashi and The Monk to inspire empathy, emotional well-being, and mindfulness. Students connected the film to SDGs 3 and 10, creating initiatives that fostered compassion, peer support, and a more caring school culture.

INDIA

Sustainability

Films Spark Sustainability, Dignity, and Community Action in Odisha Schools

Students in Odisha, India, get inspired after the screenings of Dignity With Flowers and First Period to link real-world issues with the SDGs, leading to creative community projects, deeper critical thinking, and a transformative understanding of sustainability and dignity.

SWITZERLAND

Student Leadership

Student Leadership Spotlight: Emilio Diez Barroso

SIMA Academy exists to empower the next generation of changemakers by harnessing the power of film to foster leadership, critical thinking, global citizenship, and civic engagement. One standout example is Emilio, who took the initiative to create a SIMA Impact Film Screening Club at his school in Aiglon College in Switzerland. Through his leadership, Emi has brought peers together to explore global issues, engage in meaningful dialogue, and experience the transformative power of documentary storytelling.

INDIA

Art Activism

Rajvi Trivedi: Educator leading Youth to Tackle SDGs Through Creativity and Dialogue

Rajvi Trivedi, an educator in Bangalore, used SIMA documentaries to spark student-led projects on sustainable consumption, gender equality, and quality education. Through film, art, dance, and literature, students connected learning with real-world impact.

INDIA

Health Awareness

Akriti Srivastava: Student Champions Food Awareness with Podcast and Film in India

Akriti Srivastava, a student at Lancers International School, India, screened From Gangs to Gardens and created a podcast on food adulteration for the SIMA Student Changemaker Award, promoting SDG 3, healthy eating habits, and label literacy among peers.

UNITED STATES

Sustainability

Antonella Regueiro Sparks Student Action on Poverty and Sustainability Through SIMA Film Series at Lynn University

Antonella Regueiro’s Impact Series at Lynn University engaged students with global issues like poverty and sustainability, inspiring social impact, responsible fashion choices, and dialogue through SIMA films.

NIGERIA

Climate Action

Saeed Muhammad Lawan Sparks Climate Action in Nigeria with Tree-Planting and Youth Engagement

Student, Saeed Muhammad Lawan inspired climate action in Nigeria with his project “Growing Together: Trees and Dreams.” Through poetry, education, and community engagement, he empowered youth and led the planting of over 200 trees.

CHINA

Gender Equality

Jingyuan Fu inspires University of Hong Kong Students to Lead Gender Equality Campaign

Educator Jingyuan Fu inspired students at the University of Hong Kong to take action on gender equality and domestic violence through the film Don’t Cover It Up, Step Up. Their campaign, “Girls Re:generate,” sparked dialogue and civic engagement on and off campus.

UNITED STATES

Rural Sustainability

Singing Rural Stories: A Music Video Celebrating Equity and Sustainability

Inspired by the film Farmers Footprint, a team of educators at Radically Rural created a music video, celebrating rural innovation, sustainability, and diversity while also showcasing different cultures, industries, and the lived realities of rural communities.

SRI LANKA

Climate Action

From Screenings to Solutions: Student Action in Sri Lanka Sparks Campaigns to Recycle, Plant Trees and Support Women’s Entrepreneurship

Educator Udeshika Kudachchi used SIMA films to teach the SDGs, inspiring students in Sri Lanka to launch “Pens for a Greener Future,” recycling 10,000 pens, staging eco-dramas, planting trees, and supporting women’s entrepreneurship in their community.

INDIA

Inclusivity

Empowering Learning: Pratibha Dhal’s Students Produce Audio Resources for the Blind

Educator Pratibha Dhal inspired her 11th graders through SIMA films to organize a sustainable fashion show and to create audiobooks for blind aspiring teachers. These projects combined creativity and empathy to create real-world impact.

UGANDA

Gender Equality

Nantume Masturah: High Schooler in Uganda Drives Change for Girls’ Education and Health

Nantume Masturah, a SIMA inspired high school student in Kampala, launched a fundraiser and petition to fight period poverty, raise awareness, and empower girls through education, skills, and support.

GERMANY

Clean Water

Water Is Life: Middle School Student, Finley Johnston, Launches International Campaign for Ugandan Village

Inspired by the SIMA film Water Is Life, Finley Johnston, a middle schooler in Germany, launched “The FN&N Project” to help bring clean water to Kiswa Village, Uganda by raising funds, uniting youth leaders, and helping build a well for 800+ households.

NIGERIA

Education

Teaching Global Citizenship Through Film: A Nigerian Educator’s Impactful Approach

Twamsen Danaan, a filmmaker and educator in Nigeria, used SIMA Academy films to teach SDGs. Films like Kayayo sparked empathy, inspired action, and helped students connect global issues to their own local experiences.

JAPAN

Refugee Advocacy

Teaching Peace Through Film: Hiroshima Students launch letter-writing campaign and Take Action for Refugees

Tiffany Key, an educator in Hiroshima, Japan, used the film Fledgling to teach SDG 16: Peace and Justice. The story inspired her young students to keep learning English and to start a letter writing campaign to support refugees.

PHILIPPINES

Environmental Action

From Screen to Shore: Students in the Philippines Tackle Climate Issues After Watching SIMA Films

Ranielle Navarro, an educator in the Philippines, used SIMA films to teach SDGs on climate, consumption, and conservation. She inspired her students to become environmental stewards through the use of vlogs, posters, and photo essays - resulting in the planning of beach cleanups and coral planting efforts.

INDIA

Media Literacy

Film as a Tool for Change: Educator, Rajvi Trivedi, Teaches Critical Media Literacy and the SDGs in Bengaluru

Rajvi Trivedi, an educator in Bengaluru, India, used SIMA films to explore SDGs related to education, gender, climate, and consumption, provoking critical thinking and emotional reflection on real-world issues, media consumption, and representation.

SRI LANKA

Climate Advocacy

SIMA Films Inspire Student Advocacy on Climate Action and Quality Education in Sri Lanka

Oshan Gunathilake, a youth educator in Sri Lanka, used SIMA films to engage students with SDG 4 and 13. The screenings sparked emotional, critical discussions on climate and education, leading to youth-led dialogues, advocacy, and strengthened civic awareness.

PAKISTAN

Climate Awareness

Novaira Khan Uses Film to Promote SDG 13 and Sustainability in Pakistan

Novaira Khan, a student in Karachi, Pakistan, screened What Would It Look Like? to raise awareness about Climate Action. The event sparked discussions related to sustainability, energy, and diversity, increasing the audience’s understanding and knowledge of climate issues.

PAKISTAN

Climate Action

Kashf Shah uses SIMA Film to promote climate action in Pakistan

Kashf Shah, a local community leader, screened What Would It Look Like? To promote climate action and sustainable development in Pakistan.

CANADA

Global Exchange

Bridging Cultures Through Film: A Canadian-Japanese Classroom Exchange

Canadian Janice Sestan and Japanese Rachelle Meilleur, both educators, collaborated to virtually connect their students through film- encouraging them to exchange their perspectives and share cultural insights.

CHINA

Food Sustainability

Iffany Zou Launches Podcast to Tackle Food Waste in Schools

Inspired by A Thousand Suns, Chinese student Iffany Zou launched a podcast to raise awareness about food sustainability and food waste within her school community.

UKRAINE

Animal Welfare

Hanna Dudich and her Students launch Advocacy Campaign for Animals in Ukraine

Ukrainian educator Hanna Dudich used SIMA films and lesson plans to inspire her students to tell stories in new ways—creating an immersive video from a dog’s perspective to advocate for local animal shelters.

PAKISTAN

Community Dialogue

Novaira Khan Sparks Climate Conversation with Local Film Screening

Pakistani student Novaira Khan organized a local screening to show What Would It Look Like? and to raise awareness about climate change and sustainable development within her community.

UGANDA

Energy Awareness

Isaac Sserwanga Leads Community Talk on Renewable Energy and Politics

Ugandan student, Isaac Sserwanga encouraged dialogue within his community to promote clean and renewable energy relating the content of the film Women of Fukushima to their political context.

MOROCCO

Global Partnerships

Maroua Ameziane Mobilizes Global Partnerships and Teamwork in Her Community

Maroua Ameziane, a Moroccan changemaker, screened the film 16/6 to promote global partnerships. She looked to foster solidarity and encourage her community to embrace teamwork and collaboration for a stronger collective impact.

NIGERIA

Health

Bukola Olalere Uses Film to Fight Leprosy Stigma in Nigeria

Bukola Olalere, Nigerian Ambassador for World Merit, screened Juanita to an audience living with leprosy to inspire hope, courage, and promote the fight against stigma and discrimination surrounding their condition.

NIGERIA

Poverty Awareness

Ayokunmi Ogunnaiya Sparks Dialogue on Poverty in Nigeria

Ayokunmi Ogunnaiya, an educator in Nigeria, screened Kayayo: The Living Shopping Baskets to raise awareness about poverty and promote critical thinking and a solutions-based approach among her audience.

BURUNDI

Entrepreneurship

Burundi Student Sparks Change Through Film, Launches Club to Fight Poverty and School Attrition

Léonidas Nzigamasabo, a student from Burundi, screened Kayayo to spark dialogue on poverty eradication, leading to the creation of the Entrepreneurial Club at the university to support young students and help prevent school attrition.

BRAZIL

Gender Equality

Brazilian Changemaker Raises Awareness on Violence Against Women Through Film Screening

Brena Lacerda, a changemaker from Brazil, screened At Home, In Bed, and in the Streets to raise awareness on sexual abuse and exploitation, helping contextualize and prevent violence against women.

NIGERIA

Gender, Poverty

Chaste Inegbedion Uses Film to Spark Dialogue on Poverty and Gender Violence in Prison Screening

Chaste Inegbedion screened Kayayo, The Living Shopping Baskets at the Kirikiri Female Prison to raise awareness about poverty and gender violence, helping the audience connect the film’s message with real-life challenges and the need for change.

SOUTH AFRICA

Policy Impact

Film Screening by South African Changemaker Sparks Policy Action on Water and Sanitation

Odwa Ntsika Mtembu, founder of World Merit South Africa, screened Mother of All Rivers during a national drought to raise awareness on water and sanitation. The impactful screening led professionals to turn the discussion into actionable policy.

UNITED KINGDOM

Ocean Conservation

Ocean-Themed Film Screening in Liverpool Sparks Sustainable Local Partnerships

Carlo Steensma screened Voices from the Sea to highlight the impact of overfishing and plastic pollution. The Liverpool event inspired new partnerships between the City Centre and sustainable local venues to host future eco-focused screenings.

MALAYSIA

SDG Systems

Global Ambassador Sparks SDG Dialogue and Partnerships with UNDP Through Film Screening

World Merit’s Global Ambassador, Ms. Shaan, screened Big Damage to spark solution-oriented discussions at UNDP related to different SDGs and to gender roles in leadership. Conversation fostered inter-institutional partnerships and collaboration between the World Merit and Youth Co:Lab members.

MALAWI

Climate Action

Malawian Educator Empowers Youth to Lead Climate Action Through Film Screening

McCarthy Samalani, educator and President of World Merit Malawi, screened What Would It Look Like? to raise awareness on climate change and inspire youth to take action as environmental leaders, especially in the face of Malawi’s climate crisis.

BANGLADESH

Labor Rights

Student Uses Film to Expose Modern Slavery and Promote Decent Work in Bangladesh

Bangladeshi student Maruf Hossain screened Nobody Dies Here to raise awareness among peers about modern slavery, child labour, and human trafficking, encouraging them to value decent work and recognize when they or others may be at risk.

GHANA

Child Labor

Ghanaian Educator Uses Film to Teach Students About Child Labor and the Value of Education

Joseph Whadji, educator in Ghana, screened Kayayo to help elementary students understand the harsh realities of child labor in their own country, and reflect on the risks girls face and the value of education and family support.

Youth as Agents of Change: How World Merit and SIMA Turn Film into SDG Action

From Screen to Action: How One Educator Turned Global Documentaries into Local Impact

The SDG Challenge: Advancing Global Citizenship Education and Professional Development Through The Power Of Film

Akhil Konduri: Championing Neurodiversity Through Inclusive Tech Education in Kuwait

Empowering Girls Through Storytelling: Syeda Munazza Bukhari Receives Educator Changemaker Award Special Mention

From Tradition to Climate Action: Malaysian Educator Adelyn Chin Wins SIMA Educator Changemaker Award

From Coffee Waste to Community Impact: Gaurjan Sharma Wins 2025 SIMA Student Changemaker Award

Films That Inspire: How Andrew Dy Used Storytelling to Inspire Students in The Philippines to create Advocacy Videos

Compassion in Action: How Tashi and The Monk Transformed a Bhutanese Classroom

Films Spark Sustainability, Dignity, and Community Action in Odisha Schools

Student Leadership Spotlight: Emilio Diez Barroso

Rajvi Trivedi: Educator leading Youth to Tackle SDGs Through Creativity and Dialogue

Akriti Srivastava: Student Champions Food Awareness with Podcast and Film in India

Antonella Regueiro Sparks Student Action on Poverty and Sustainability Through SIMA Film Series at Lynn University

Saeed Muhammad Lawan Sparks Climate Action in Nigeria with Tree-Planting and Youth Engagement

Jingyuan Fu inspires University of Hong Kong Students to Lead Gender Equality Campaign

Singing Rural Stories: A Music Video Celebrating Equity and Sustainability

From Screenings to Solutions: Student Action in Sri Lanka Sparks Campaigns to Recycle, Plant Trees and Support Women’s Entrepreneurship

Empowering Learning: Pratibha Dhal’s Students Produce Audio Resources for the Blind

Nantume Masturah: High Schooler in Uganda Drives Change for Girls’ Education and Health

Water Is Life: Middle School Student, Finley Johnston, Launches International Campaign for Ugandan Village

Teaching Global Citizenship Through Film: A Nigerian Educator’s Impactful Approach

Teaching Peace Through Film: Hiroshima Students launch letter-writing campaign and Take Action for Refugees

From Screen to Shore: Students in the Philippines Tackle Climate Issues After Watching SIMA Films

Film as a Tool for Change: Educator, Rajvi Trivedi, Teaches Critical Media Literacy and the SDGs in Bengaluru

SIMA Films Inspire Student Advocacy on Climate Action and Quality Education in Sri Lanka

Novaira Khan Uses Film to Promote SDG 13 and Sustainability in Pakistan

Kashf Shah uses SIMA Film to promote climate action in Pakistan

Bridging Cultures Through Film: A Canadian-Japanese Classroom Exchange

Iffany Zou Launches Podcast to Tackle Food Waste in Schools

Hanna Dudich and her Students launch Advocacy Campaign for Animals in Ukraine

Novaira Khan Sparks Climate Conversation with Local Film Screening

Isaac Sserwanga Leads Community Talk on Renewable Energy and Politics

Maroua Ameziane Mobilizes Global Partnerships and Teamwork in Her Community

Bukola Olalere Uses Film to Fight Leprosy Stigma in Nigeria

Ayokunmi Ogunnaiya Sparks Dialogue on Poverty in Nigeria

Burundi Student Sparks Change Through Film, Launches Club to Fight Poverty and School Attrition

Brazilian Changemaker Raises Awareness on Violence Against Women Through Film Screening

Chaste Inegbedion Uses Film to Spark Dialogue on Poverty and Gender Violence in Prison Screening

Film Screening by South African Changemaker Sparks Policy Action on Water and Sanitation

Ocean-Themed Film Screening in Liverpool Sparks Sustainable Local Partnerships

Global Ambassador Sparks SDG Dialogue and Partnerships with UNDP Through Film Screening

Malawian Educator Empowers Youth to Lead Climate Action Through Film Screening

Student Uses Film to Expose Modern Slavery and Promote Decent Work in Bangladesh

Ghanaian Educator Uses Film to Teach Students About Child Labor and the Value of Education

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