Australian schoolgirl Molly Wright’s TED Talk trails only Elon Musk and Bill Gates

Twelve months after Molly Wright’s TED Talk on parenting hit the globe, it’s one of the social channels top 5 most viewed videos.

EXCLUSIVE: IT’S been one year since Australian schoolgirl Molly Wright became an internet sensation with her groundbreaking TED Talk on parenting.

And now, the global impact of the Queensland primary school student’s words can be revealed.

Molly was just seven at the time her talk — Thrive by Five — was given in July last year, making her the youngest person to present in TED’s history.

Since her presentation about how parents and carers can better connect with children under the age of five, it’s been viewed more than 8 million times on the TED website and has reached more than 44 million people on Facebook.

The Year 3 student’s talk is also in the top five most viewed videos on TED’s social channels since January 2019 – trailing only Elon Musk and Bill Gates.

Molly Wright’s TED Talk was the most popular in the world for 2021. Picture: Adam Head

Now, thanks to the youngsters’ viral talk, the Thrive by Five program — in collaboration with the University of Sydney Brain and Mind Centre — is rolling out in 30 countries including Afghanistan and Indonesia.

This year, the program is expected to launch in several countries in Africa, including Ethiopia, and Kenya, as well as in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Malaysia.

“It’s amazing to see the impact the talk has had. It’s really special actually and this is what has made me want to share the message,” Molly said.

“They played my talk this week at school and it was both embarrassing but also a proud moment.”

Mum Ally said: “You don’t often get to see the impact of a talk or project.”

“And to just see so many people have responded positively around the world is truly special.”

Molly during her TED Talk on parenting. Picture: TED

Thrive by Five is an initiative backed by the Australian philanthropic group Minderoo Foundation, run by philanthropists Andrew and Nicola Forrest.

Leading philanthropist and Minderoo Foundation Co-chair Ms Forrest AO said the international program aims to “pick up where the TED talk ends”, encouraging greater parent-child interaction and supporting kids’ reading and writing development, often without the use of technology.

“The international Thrive by Five program contains practical, science-based activities for parents and caregivers,” Ms Forrest said.

Molly has also raised tens of thousands of dollars for the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital. Picture: TED

“We then validate them again through our implementation partners as well as parents and caregivers in each of the 30 countries that we’ll be launching in over the next three years.

“Only when we’re certain that the activities reflect the culture and traditional practices of each launch country, we roll them out via the Thrive by Five app, as well as via a multitude of other channels.”

Molly has not shied from the limelight in 2022, speaking out on topics of early education and wildlife as an ambassador for the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital.

She has raised more than $23,000 for the hospital.

“There’s so much pride in her face knowing she is making a difference,” Mrs Wright said.

“Since giving her talk, she has only strived for the better and every day she has a desire to help.”

Originally published as Australian schoolgirl Molly Wright’s TED Talk trails only Elon Musk and Bill Gates