Celebrating Global Schools August Mentors of the Month

Written by Stacy Nyathi, Project Lead, Communications

The Global Schools Advocates program is supported by a network of mentors that inspire and guide Advocates in their mandate. These mentors are the backbone of the program, offering their time, expertise, and encouragement to help advocates implement transformative projects in their schools.

This month, we are recognizing 10 mentors that exceeded the call of duty. Their support has empowered Advocates to bring education for sustainable development to life in classrooms all over the world. 

As the Sustainability Leader at Hisar School, Utku Öztekin embraced the opportunity to extend the impact of his work to a much wider community through his role as a Global Schools Program mentor. He once again experienced that the most meaningful way to learn is through sharing. Together with his co-mentor and mentees, he completed a term marked by mutual learning and exchange, while also identifying the need to address the unique challenges faced by schools joining the program for the first time.

In response, Utku shared the sustainability policy, reporting frameworks, and research and development initiatives led by his school’s sustainability team, both with his mentee group and at the conferences he participated in. By doing so, he not only supported his mentees in overcoming challenges but also fostered a culture of collaboration, problem-solving, and continuous growth across the network. Utku finds fulfillment in contributing in this field and to be part of such a dedicated global community.

Sümeyye Kübra Dağlı leads impactful initiatives directly aligned with SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). Working closely with her mentee educators, she designs and delivers joint training sessions on integrating artificial intelligence into education, with a special emphasis on empowering girls to develop advanced technology skills, creativity, and self-confidence. She regularly provides mentees with curated resources and encourages their participation in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) competitions, while also supporting the creation of school-based projects that apply AI tools in meaningful ways, fostering problem-solving and innovation in real-life contexts.

In addition to her AI-focused work, she co-develops climate action initiatives that inspire students to use technology for sustainable and community-driven solutions. Her mentorship approach bridges innovation with tangible outcomes, ensuring that educators and students can transform knowledge into action. In recognition of her significant contributions, she has been invited to speak at the 2025 UNESCO Digital Learning Week at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, where she will share her expertise and impactful experiences with a global audience.

As a Global Schools Mentor, Abha Hanspal guides and supports a cohort of Global Schools Advocates educators dedicated to advancing Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) within their schools and communities. Her role involves a dynamic blend of coaching, collaboration, and empowering teachers to align their classroom practices with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Over the past few months, her primary responsibilities have included onboarding and orienting new Advocates, helping them understand the expectations of the Global Schools Program and how she can support them in their journey. She has conducted monthly mentoring sessions to review progress, address challenges, and facilitate the exchange of ideas on integrating sustainability into lesson planning and student-led initiatives. These sessions focused on offering constructive feedback and ensuring alignment with the program’s overarching goals.

Abha has particularly valued providing differentiated support tailored to each Advocate’s unique school context, teaching experience, and regional educational policies—an aspect of the role that offered both learning and fulfillment.

Through this mentorship, she actively contributes to the broader mission of equipping educators to deliver transformative education rooted in Education for sustainable development. 

Adams Ibrahim is a passionate educator, leadership coach, and social entrepreneur with over 12 years of teaching experience and more than 7 years of active volunteering. He currently serves as a Leadership Development Manager at Teach For Nigeria, where he coaches and supports over 25 Fellows working in underserved communities to improve literacy and drive community development.

A committed advocate for quality education, Adams is an alumnus and mentor of the Global Schools Program, as a mentor for three consecutive years (2023–2025), he has guided advocates from across Africa, including Cameroon, Senegal, Nigeria, Rwanda, Mali, Ivory Coast, and Ghana, in designing and implementing impactful local initiatives that advance education and sustainability. Through his mentorship, Adams has empowered these advocates to translate global goals into actionable projects, fostering inclusive and transformative change in their communities. His work exemplifies a strong commitment to building a generation of young leaders equipped to drive sustainable development at both local and global levels. Since becoming a Global Schools Advocate in 2022, he has worked with educators to integrate sustainable development into curricula, equipping students with the skills to address global challenges.

Adams is also a YALI West Africa RLC alumnus, a McKinsey Forward Champion, a United People Global Sustainability Leader, and a Global Youth Ambassador with Theirworld (UK). His professional experience includes serving as Growth and Partnership Associate at Schoolinka, where he supported over 1,000 teachers in developing leadership, life, and digital skills. Through his work, Adams continues to champion SDG 4 (Quality Education) and empower young leaders to create sustainable, transformative change in their communities.

Özge Can's role as a Global Schools mentor has advanced Education for Sustainable Development in both schools and the wider community. Her active role in various civil society organizations has strengthened her ability to connect stakeholders, integrate community perspectives, and amplify impact across sectors.

Iman Farooq is a Global Schools Mentor, an International Baccalaureate MYP Design and Visual Arts educator at The Democratic School, and a design pedagogue at The University of Faisalabad. She champions Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) across all stages of learning, from igniting creativity in school students to shaping future designers at the university level. Through her integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into both creative arts and design theory, she bridges innovation with social responsibility, empowering learners and educators to design solutions for a sustainable and equitable world.

As a Global Schools Mentor, she has gone beyond inspiring and mentoring new advocates by actively embedding sustainable education into her own teaching and leadership. In her role as Global Perspectives teacher and Head of the International Department, she has championed the UN Sustainable Development Goals throughout the academic year.

Her standout initiative, the Charity Calendar Project, united parents, students, teachers, and staff in meaningful collaboration around 17 goals, turning vision into tangible action. By consistently sharing innovative ideas and motivating her mentees to push beyond their limits, she has become a driving force for impact-driven education and a catalyst for lasting change in her school community and beyond.

Ece Hamret has been named Mentor of the Month in recognition of her outstanding dedication, visionary leadership, and transformative impact across multiple campuses. Guiding a large network of educators and reaching thousands of students, she has invested countless hours in designing and implementing innovative, sustainable, and inclusive educational practices.

Her mentorship has inspired teachers from diverse contexts to embrace 21st-century skills, foster global citizenship, and create meaningful learning experiences that truly resonate with their communities. The journey required hard work, perseverance, and collaboration, but the results have been worth every effort. Ece’s passion, expertise, and unwavering commitment continue to set a gold standard for mentorship and educational excellence within the program.

Büşra Dursun is a passionate Global Schools advocate and mentor. Büşra, her co-mentor Haifa Bouneb and their team lead several projects together. One of the projects, friend-pens, was particularly significant. The project made possible by collaboration promoted equality, paying special attention to gender equality. Students were tasked with producing their own messages in different ways at a common padlet page and each mutual school gave awards to best ideas.

For Büşra, being an advocate and a mentor means collaboration, working for the world, and spreading the sustainability soul to the youth. Several of Büşra’s mentees have been named Advocate of the Month, a testament to her hard work with her group.

Dr Babita Parashar is a passionate Global Schools advocate and now a committed mentor for Education for Sustainable Development. Her initiatives include raising community funds to support teacher education, game based education for SDG 7(Affordable and Clean Energy), student-led coastal cleanliness drives, and menstrual hygiene kits supported by the Parent Association and local administration. Dr. Babita has also contributed to revamping faculty development programs to be energised with mindfulness sessions and Zumba moves which align with SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing).

As a Global Schools mentor, she prioritizes being proactive and always accessible to her mentees. Her mentorship ensured that all the advocates in her cohort stayed connected and committed to ESD as a goal. She believes that every step in the right direction is a step closer to success.

The Global Schools Advocates continue to demonstrate that education for sustainable development is the key to a sustainable future. To learn more about the Global Schools Advocates Program, read our latest impact report. Download it here.