When Tsinghua University initiated the China-Latin America 2024 Youth Challenge to Alleviate Poverty, inviting students to develop innovative and practical solutions to global poverty, William Guey, a Brazilian Ph.D. student in industrial engineering, turned his thoughts to challenges in his home country.

Power outrages caused by severe weather or infrastructure damage often disrupt communication in impoverished communities. In response, Guey collaborated with fellow students in Tsinghua to upgrade a solar lighting device by adding charging plugs.

The team headed by William Guey (3rd left) wins the Gold Award in the Brazil final of the China-Latin America 2024 Youth Challenge to Alleviate Poverty on Aug. 17, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Tsinghua University]

This enhancement enables people to charge their phones outdoors during blackouts and stay connected in cases of emergency. With the project "Sustainable Solar Lighting and Emergency Response for Brazilian Communities," Guey's team earned gold awards in both the preliminary round at Tsinghua University and one of the two finals in Brazil.

Tsinghua University signs a Memorandum of Understanding for the China-Latin America Youth Responding to Global Challenges Program with the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in November 2024. [Photo courtesy of Tsinghua University]

The Youth Challenge to Alleviate Poverty is a core component of the China-Latin America Youth Responding to Global Challenges Program. From Nov. 17 to 21, Secretary of the Communist Party of China Tsinghua University Committee and Chairperson of the University Council Qiu Yong led a delegation to Brazil and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the program with the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. The MoU was among over 30 bilateral cooperation agreements signed during Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Brazil in November and recognized as one of the outcomes of the state visit.

The Youth Challenge to Alleviate Poverty initiative promotes innovative solutions for poverty relief in developing countries while fostering cultural exchange and mutual learning.

"China's success in poverty reduction is actually quite famous in the world. It's a really good example of how large-scale investments in infrastructure and also in education can bring such a difference in poverty reduction," said Guey in an interview. He added that Latin American countries, which prioritize education and investment, need partnerships with countries including China.

Chen Yu, a postgraduate from the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University, was a member of the silver award-winning team in the final in Chile. Drawing on an analysis of inclusive financial loan products for micro and small enterprises in China, she collaborated with fellow students in Tsinghua to design an innovative financial solution for Chile's micro and small fishing enterprises.

The project aims to help these enterprises expand operations, create jobs, promote sustainable development, and enhance the role of women in the fishing industry.

She said that the experience of visiting Chile allowed her to "encounter diverse ideas from other students." "The friendships we formed were the most valuable part," she added.

Chen Yu (1st left) and her teammates receive the Silver Award in the Chile final of the China-Latin America 2024 Youth Challenge to Alleviate Poverty on Aug. 22, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Tsinghua University]

Her teammates also agreed that the experience of participating in the Youth Challenge to Alleviate Poverty was more than just a competition — it was a gateway to a new culture; collaborating with peers from diverse backgrounds, everyone pooled ideas and contributed fresh perspectives from different cultural and professional backgrounds to tackle global challenges together.

"To foster friendly relations between countries, mutual understanding is essential. Each has its own experience to share, just as we have others," said Chen Taotao, director of Tsinghua University Latin America Center.

To help these young participants better achieve mutual understanding, the Youth Challenge to Alleviate Poverty also provided mentorship from faculty, lectures on poverty alleviation in China and Latin American countries, seminars, workshops, and visits to sanitation and utility companies in Brazil and Chile.

"Young people play a fundamental role in building our future. They're not just tomorrow's leaders; they are the change agents of today," said Lilian Ferrer Lagunas, vice president for International Affairs of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.

Moving forward, the China-Latin America Youth Responding to Global Challenges Program will expand its scale and involve more youth participants. It will broaden its focus beyond poverty alleviation to include other sustainable development topics. By organizing joint competitions, collaborative courses, and co-research initiatives, the program will produce more outcomes of cross-cultural exchange and mutual learning, according to Tsinghua University.