Each one captured a thought, a conviction, or a reminder that leadership is lived every day. Together, they reflect the spirit of YLS 2026 and the conversations that brought us together.

Swipe through and take in the moments that made this year’s summit memorable.

To our event partners, thank you for standing with us, investing in young people, and contributing to the success of the 2026 United Nations International Youth Day and S.M.I.L.E Youth Leadership Summit. Your support helped create an experience that informed, inspired, and empowered the next generation of leaders.

We appreciate your partnership and look forward to creating even greater impact together.

Your commitment continues to inspire those around you, and we celebrate this well-deserved recognition. Here’s to even greater impact ahead.

From our speakers to facilitators to partners, sponsors, volunteers, and every participant who showed up with a willingness to learn and contribute. Thank you for being part of our vision to raising a new generation of leaders across different sectors. The conversations may have ended, but the work of raising young leaders continues with S.M.I.L.E

To our esteemed mentors and speakers, thank you for sharing your knowledge, experiences, and time with the next generation of leaders at the 2026 United Nations International Youth Day & S.M.I.L.E Youth Leadership Summit (Fourth Edition).

Your wisdom sparked meaningful conversations, challenged perspectives, and inspired young people to lead with purpose. Thank you for investing in the future through every session, every story, and every word shared.

To our incredible volunteers, thank you for your time, energy, and commitment to making the 2026 United Nations International Youth Day & S.M.I.L.E Youth Leadership Summit (Fourth Edition) a memorable experience for every participant.

Your impact was felt in every detail, and we are grateful to have had you on this journey.

From our speakers to facilitators to partners, sponsors, volunteers, and every participant who showed up with a willingness to learn and contribute. Thank you for being part of our vision to raising a new generation of leaders across different sectors. The conversations may have ended, but the work of raising young leaders continues with S.M.I.L.E

EPISODE 4: Imposter Syndrome: The Real Reason You Don’t Feel Good Enough and How to Fix It

In this episode of S.M.I.L.E Youth Lounge, our host Ruth Abimbola sits down with psychotherapist and creative, Paula B. Martins, to unpack the realities of self-doubt, comparison, imposter syndrome, and the quiet lies we often tell ourselves.

Together, they share personal stories about rejection, redirection, and the art of pivoting when life doesn’t go as planned—revealing how setbacks can become setups for growth, clarity, and confidence.

If you’ve ever been rejected or felt “not good enough,” this episode is for you.

Hit play, and don’t forget to drop your answer to the fun brain teaser and the Fact or Fear game you don’t want to miss!

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/r5S-GB9GANk?si=1P2ScIrKE8KcRxDm

Watch, subscribe, and share with a friend who needs this!

S.M.I.L.E’s Young Leaders Mentoring Program (YLMP) is one of our flagship initiatives, purposefully designed to equip public secondary school students with the skills, knowledge, mindset, and leadership capacity required to excel academically and achieve their life goals.

Over the course of four impactful weeks, 40 Change Champions across eight public secondary schools were trained on transformational topics including time management, vision and mission development, public speaking, academic excellence, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), comportment and etiquette, and more.

Following the intensive classroom sessions, we were delighted to see these young leaders—through a structured peer mentoring approach and with guidance from S.M.I.L.E youth mentors and school counselors—embark on a seven-week fieldwork exercise. During this phase, they delivered hands-on training and knowledge-sharing sessions to their peers within their respective schools.

This peer mentoring phase was intentionally designed to broaden the mindset of both the Change Champions and their peers, deepen their understanding of the topics taught, and strengthen essential skills such as communication, teaching, presentation, and peer leadership. We are pleased to share that 158 secondary school students benefited from this phase of the program.

Most importantly, the initiative nurtured a new generation of young leaders who are empowered to guide, influence, and inspire others.

At S.M.I.L.E, we remain committed to developing confident, values-driven young people who lead with purpose and create lasting impact within their schools and communities.

Our profound appreciation goes to our amazing partners for their unwavering support.

We are deeply grateful to Folham Nigeria Limited for generously supporting S.M.I.L.E with strategic outdoor publicity through the installation of LED billboards, and lamp poles across key locations in Lagos.

This meaningful support amplifies our mission, helps us reach more communities, and ensures that our impact and the opportunities we provide for young people are seen, known, and accessible.

Thank you for significantly increasing the visibility and awareness of our youth empowerment and leadership development initiatives.

Together, we are illuminating pathways to leadership, purpose, and a brighter future for our youth.

Your partnership reflects a commitment not only to visibility, but to meaningful and lasting social impact. We truly appreciate you.