If you want to solve the issues of a developing country, educating the youth is key. Whether the aim is to reduce poverty, create a healthier population or build a more resilient and innovative society, getting high-performing young people into higher education will lead them to create opportunities for their home country that will make a dramatic difference at a systemic level. At 16, Mohamed O. Mohamed fled the civil war in Somalia and eventually came to the United States as a refugee. Having then studied at both Indiana University and Kellogg School of Management, he has discovered the power of higher education to help not just himself but his home country. He is now advocating for access to quality education in low-income countries as a means to support their development. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx