RATHER than focus exclusively on reading a book and analysing its characters and themes, discussing the ideas and connecting them to everyday lives should form a huge part of reading culture.

This is the take of 15-year-old Zahra Ahmed Ajetumobi, the founder of ‘Zahra Jet Book Club’.
Zahra, who is building a platform around sustainable development, children’s education and reading, believes that her book club is a movement where young learners come together; share their experiences, ideas and thoughts.

The club has attracted more than 2,000 members and according to Zahra, their enthusiasm has reassured her that the idea is working.
She believes this interest is partly due to the way the club is organised. By making the club a community, she gives members more opportunities to participate.

“During a discussion of Wonder, for instance, members explored inclusion and the importance of treating people equally, regardless of their appearance, background or financial status. These are subjects that members can discuss from their own experiences, even if they have not finished reading the book. Everybody can share an idea and experience, even if they haven’t fully read the book that we’re discussing. They can still have something to say,” Zahra explained.

Her first book, The Journey So Far, shares lessons from her experiences, upbringing and conversations with prominent figures, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed.
From YouTube videos to global platforms, Zahra’s journey began with an interest in what other children were doing online.
As her knowledge grew, she found more opportunities to share what she learnt. Her interest in sustainable development emanated after a school lesson introduced her to the Sustainable Development Goals. She saw them as a checklist for building a better society and found a way to combine that interest with her experience in content creation.

Why education matters
Beyond reading, quality education is the issue Zahra says matters most to her. She links it to Sustainable Development Goal Four and believes that education can only transform society when people apply what they learn.
She questions why problems such as hunger and homelessness persist even as education becomes more accessible. “I believe that this is because whatever we’re learning or whatever information we have, we’re not applying it at the rate that we should. We’re not applying it adequately enough.”

According to her, the challenge is not just to make education available but to ensure that knowledge translates into action.
She also sees her own education as closely connected to her advocacy. Lessons at school give her ideas and information she can use in her videos and other activities.

Managing these responsibilities requires intentional planning. She divides her time between school, studying, reading, making videos and relaxing with friends. Time blocking and grouping similar tasks help her stay organised.
She also credits her parents’ continued involvement in managing her social media accounts with allowing her to focus on other priorities. “Everything that I’m doing is actually part of my passion. It’s something that drives me every day”.

Societal, cultural values
Engaging with people internationally has also reinforced the importance of the values she learnt growing up in Nigeria.
Zahra says her Yoruba background taught her respect, discipline and integrity, values she believes have influenced how she builds relationships and approaches her work.
“With respect, you’re really able to open doors of amazing connections with people. Connections are rooted in respect, in dignity and in kindness”.

She also considers open-mindedness essential when engaging with people from different backgrounds. She believes being willing to consider other perspectives helps understand the world through different lenses and develop ideas that can improve society.
Her cultural values, she adds, have helped her build connections and develop herself while contributing positively to the people around her.

Meeting young people where they are
Zahra believes that young people must be met where they are as they will not be involved in anything they can’t relate to.
She sums up the idea in a quote she uses in her book: “If you can’t participate, then there’s nothing to anticipate.”
For Zahra, her experiences overtime reinforces her belief that young people must be intentional about their actions and the impact they want to make. “We are the future. The actions that we do today will affect tomorrow.”

She sites social media as an example of how the actions of young people can influence life beyond the internet.
She believes that if young people become more involved in sustainable development, pursue education and apply what they learn, they can help create a world where nobody is left behind.