SDGs: 2. Zero Hunger (Quality Food), 4. Quality Education, 5. Gender Equality, 9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, 10. Reduced Inequality, 12. Responsible Consumption and Production. 

Amina Amirhanova is an 18-year-old graduate of the Nazarbayev Intellectual School of Chemistry and Biology in Almaty, Kazakhstan. She is a youth journalist at the Youth Information Service of Kazakhstan and an active advocate for inclusive education. In recognition of her community work, she was awarded the “Volunteer of the Year” award by the President of Kazakhstan.

Her project, Food for Good: Seed Growth in Minds, was inspired by the journey of her mother, Professor Ramza Berzhanova—a biotechnological scientist who grew up in a remote Kazakh village in Kyzylorda region. Despite facing systemic gender barriers and limited access to scientific resources, Ramza pursued her passion for science, ultimately becoming a leader in biotechnology. Witnessing her mother’s challenges and achievements, Amina became determined to help rural girls see science not as a distant dream, but as an accessible path.

Their joint project combines sustainable food innovation and education. Using biotechnology, they produce organic superfoods from natural milk sourced from villages. Simultaneously, they engage girls aged 13–18 from rural areas in project-based STEM learning. Girls not only learn lab skills and entrepreneurship but also meet women from diverse professional backgrounds—scientists, social leaders, and innovators—who show that “everything is possible.”

The project’s first year aims to reach 25 girls from underrepresented rural regions. As the organic production business grows, so will the number of beneficiaries—creating a scalable model to bridge the urban-rural education divide.

By celebrating and empowering girls in science and business, Amina’s project contributes to economic growth rooted in inclusivity and innovation.