Five years of Global Changemakers: How do you celebrate 733 birthdays at once?

Around the office I’m known for occasionally coming up with wacky (and not so wacky) top 10 lists. Since its our 5th birthday, herewith the top five Changemaker-related things I am celebrating/particularly grateful for this year:

5) Caroline Morrissey, Country Director British Council Switzerland Switzerland, who founded the programme; Paola Hjelt, my former co-director and dear friend, who pulled me into the Global Changemakers universe; and the British Council for its belief in Global Changemakers, support in making it possible and the hundreds of BC colleagues who work tirelessly on the project every day.

4) Our many partners and friends, in the UK and around the world, who share our belief in the importance of empowering young people and who through their support help us work each day toward bringing our vision closer to reality.

3) The phenomenal Global Changemakers team: CAPs Woman, Media Mogul, Web Guru, Mama Louise and John – who make it all possible.

2) The approximately two million eighty eight thousand minutes you spend every year leading by example and giving back to your communities and improving the lives of 3.5 million individuals (and you thought we weren’t counting…).

And the number one thing I am most grateful for and will be celebrating today:

1) Each and every one of you, for being exactly who you are! I’m not quite sure how I will manage the 733 birthday cakes but it will be a team effort and…where there’s a will there’s a way!

That doesn’t begin to do justice to all that you have collectively accomplished nor to the amazing Global Changemakers family in 121 countries around the world, but please know how grateful we are for all that you are, all that you do, and all that we have learned from your example.

Six of the 733 things I'm most grateful for...