Rakan's Story (UAE)

The Emirates Scouts Innovate Project

Across the United Arab Emirates, thousands of young people are discovering that innovation is not just about ideas; it is about action. Through the Emirates Scouts Innovate project in 2025, funded by Accenture, Scouts learned to identify real challenges in their communities and design practical, sustainable solutions that make a difference in everyday life.

Thanks to Accenture's support, an Impact Innovator Challenge badge was developed, as part of World Scouting's LifeLeaders educational initiative. The badge aimed to equip a generation of young people with innovation and creative problem-solving skills for life, encouraging them to take meaningful action in their communities to solve problems for people and our planet. The actions facilitated by the partnership with Accenture aimed to equip Scouts with the skills and knowledge to address locally identified social, cultural, and economic challenges, thereby advancing the Sustainable Development Goals through educational initiatives and capacity building.

Over 12 months, more than 1,750 Scouts took part directly in structured innovation activities, while a knowledge sharing model enabled their learning to reach far beyond Scout halls and classrooms. By sharing what they learned with peers, families, and schools, young participants helped extend innovation skills to over 17,500 young people, creating a powerful multiplier effect across the country. 

This momentum translated into action. Youth teams developed and delivered 130 community innovation projects, each aligned with real local needs and global frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals. These projects ranged from environmental solutions and education tools, to creative approaches to waste reduction and sustainability, demonstrating how Scouting can be a driver of community-led innovation when young people are trusted as changemakers. 

The result is a national model where innovation is no longer abstract. It is practical, youth-led, and rooted in service, powered by young people who believe they can find innovative solutions to real-world problems.

Rakan’s Story: Turning Food Waste into Growth

For Rakan Hesham, innovation began with something simple, and powerful.

A Scout for two years at Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Private Charity School, Rakan joined Emirates Scouts Innovate through his Scout group. Like many young people, he enjoyed learning new skills, working in teams, and finding ways to help others. But it was through an innovation project that those values came together in a very tangible way.

Rakan and his team noticed how much food waste, especially fruit and vegetable leftovers, was being thrown away every day. Instead of seeing it as waste, they saw an opportunity. Together, they launched a composting project that upcycled organic waste into nutrient-rich compost, helping plants grow while reducing food scraps sent to a landfill.

Through the project, Rakan learned how everyday actions can have environmental impact. He gained practical skills in upcycling organic waste, collaborated closely with his teammates, and experienced what it means to solve a real-world problem: not in theory, but in practice. Just as importantly, the project raised awareness among other students, encouraging them to think differently about waste and environmental responsibility.

What Rakan values most is not just the outcome, but the role he played in making change happen. As he puts it, being a Scout means taking something unwanted and turning it into something useful.

Innovation, for Rakan, is not always complex. It is about creativity, teamwork, and the confidence to act. With the support of his Scout leaders and school, he discovered that young people can make a real difference when they are given the tools, trust, and opportunity to lead.

Video and photography by Ahmed Samy.