Nsovo Mayimele South Africa & United Kingdom Expand Nsovo Mayimele is a pharmacist, advocate and writer. Most recently the President of the Junior Public Health Association of South Africa, Nsovo is experienced in delivering community services in rural hospitals and is passionate about women’s health and wellbeing. She is a Women Deliver Young Leader and her work in health was recognized as one of the Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans making a change in their fields of practice. She is current student of gender studies at the University of Birmingham. Articles: Diary of a Rural Healthcare Worker Youth as Advocates for Healthcare
Sibusiso Bhebhe Zimbabwe Expand Sibusiso Bhebhe is the Co-Founder and current Executive Director of Dot Youth Zimbabwe. Dot Youth is one of the fastest-growing youth-led organizations globally, implementing programs that focus on young people, with particular emphasis on the welfare of women and girls. He works with a number of youth led organizations working in the areas of women’s and girls’ rights, health, civic participation, and child rights, where he plays both a technical and mentorship role. Having worked with a number of organizations, he has over 9 years of experience in youth and community development programming. Sibusiso is the current Hub Secretary for Global Shapers Bulawayo.
Mpho Elizabeth Mpofu Botswana, Zimbabwe & Zambia Expand Mpho is a professional criminologist who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice Studies from the University of Botswana. She also holds a certificate on Africa Sustainable Development for All from the University of Aberdeen. Mpho is the founder and current Executive Director of The Voice of Africa Trust, a youth-led organization that advocates for the rights of youth, women, and children. Mpho is a member of the Zimbabwe Independent Youth Advisory Panel, and Girls Not Brides, the global partnership to end child marriage. Mpho has conducted behavioral change research with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Botswana. Articles: A Life of an African Girl Child Maternal Mortality in Botswana: a Red Flag of the Millennium Development Goals Why Are Girls in Sub-Saharan Africa Self-Selecting Out of School? Chivalry vs. the “Evil Woman”: a Study of African Criminal Justice The Revictimization of Sexual Assault Survivors From the Eyes of a Child: A short story Let Us Lead: A Rallying Cry The Life of an Icon: "Lessons Learned from the Life of Nelson Mandela" Report from the Frontline: Bold Move by Botswana Parliament To Love the Man who will Murder You Where Change will Grow: Starting a New Life in Katakwi, Uganda #MeToo and #NeverAgain More Skin, Less Sexual Assault: The Peculiar Case Study of Karamojong, Uganda Child Sacrifices in Uganda Open Letter to the President of Zimbabwe
Onward Chironda Zimbabwe Expand Onward Chironda is the Founder and Executive Director of My Age Zimbabwe, a youth organisation that focuses innovating communication on advocacy for improved sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people. Onward’s experience comes from being the National Facilitator of the Young People's Network on Sexual and Reproductive Health, HIV and AIDS which is the African Youth Network on Population and Development (AfriYAN) in Zimbabwe (2013-2015). Onward has represented young people in various local and regional and international platforms including the Global Fund Partnership Forum 2015, Girls Not Brides Global Members Meeting 2015, African Youth Charter Summit 2012, ICASA 2015, the United Nations Partnership for Newborn, Maternal and Child Health ‘Every Woman, Every Child’ Strategy Stakeholder Consultation 2016, among others. Onward is part of the Youth Engage ACT2015 Alliance on the Post-2015 Agenda, which advocates for meaningful youth participation and inclusion sustainable development policy in Zimbabwe. He is also part of the Women Deliver World Young Leaders program, where he has been awarded a seed grant to implement a project on empowerment of girls and young women. Articles: The Paradox of Sex Appeal and Abstinence Young People Holding the Key to Ensuring We Meet the SDGs
Abdul-Hanan Saani Inusah Ghana Expand Abdul-Hanan Saani Inusah is a 20-year-old Ghanaian whose studies of medicine inform his work with various youth-led organisations for development. Skilled in participatory action research, project management, policy and data analysis, media advocacy skills and communication, Abdul-Hanan has a special interest in peace and justice, human rights, comprehensive sexual education, general health, and the environment. He also works with World Merit, Ghana towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Jacinta Musau Kenya Expand Jacinta Musau hails from Mombasa County, in Kenya, where she is in her final year of study in Finance whilst working as an advocate for Dream Achievers Youth Organization (DAYO) in direct community services around health, governance, education, and youth empowerment. Through DAYO, she has been involved in youth programs based both within and outside of formal educational frameworks to determine solutions regarding lack of access and engagement of youth with Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) services. Jacinta’s advocacy also is reflected in the theatre, where as a Trainer of Trainees in the Unite for Body Rights Project, she stages magnet performances that encourage the community to seek reproductive health services and equip peer educators to conduct Heart Connection Tours in the secondary schools. Through this project, she has also been trained in data collection and has worked expansively in baseline and mid-evaluations through the mobile app, Akvo Flow. Jacinta’s priority is to push for greater funding across Kenya to provide improved SRHR access and resources for young people, and facilitate more complementary relationships between established leaders and young people to formulate strategies that are better suited to youth audiences.
Onyeka Wisdom Akunna Nigeria Expand Onyeka is passionate about issues surrounding the protection and enforcement of rights of women and girls. She is the Team Lead for the South Saharan Social Development Organization’s education project in Nigeria. Onyeka holds a Bachelor of Arts in French Language and a Postgraduate Diploma in Development Studies. A Women Deliver Young Leader and member of the Continental Youth Advisory Board on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHRs) in Africa, she has been actively involved in advocacy measures around SRHR and combating gender-based violence both nationally, and internationally.
Tinashe Nyoni Zimbabwe Expand Tinashe Nyoni is a global youth advocate and entrepreneurship skills champion with a passion for sexual health and reproductive rights for youth. He is a Women Deliver Young Leader and the inaugural winner of the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program. Tinashe has a deep interest in redefining Africa’s growth and development, and endeavors to ensure equal participation of women and youth in all leadership structures across Africa. All of his work is driven by the belief that the future of every nation rests upon the empowerment of youth.
Alvin Mwangi Kenya Expand Alvin Mwangi is a youth advocate who is passionate about Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). He is a volunteer advocate of AYAN, a youth led organization which advocates for SRHR of young people in Kenya. Alvin is a current student of Social Work and Community Development at Nairobi Technical Training Institute. For over 3 years, he has worked in the reproductive health sector as a volunteer, where he has derived his drive from working towards a positive change in the lives of girls and young people in general. During his work as a volunteer, Alvin extensively built his capacity with regard to advocacy, expertise of SRHR, mechanisms to combat sexual and gender-based violence, strategic planning, and management of projects. Articles: The Teenage Moms of the Kibera Slums Spotlight Feature: Alvin Mwangi
Patrick Mwesigye Sewa Uganda Expand Patrick Mwesigye Sewa hails from Uganda and is the Founder and Team Leader at the Uganda Youth and Adolescents Health Forum (UYAHF), a youth led and youth serving organization that advocates for, and empowers, adolescents girls and young women to live a quality life in which they can realize their full potential with dignity through health service access and peer-to-peer referral and linkage. At the age of 27, he holds a wealth of experience in designing and implementing youth led program interventions to ensure vulnerable and poor adolescent girls and young women survive, thrive and develop capacity. Through UYAHF, Patrick has led and facilitated implementation of various projects aimed increasing access to services and information about sexual and reproductive health and rights for young people, including access to contraceptives and services for HIV and maternal health care. Patrick has also worked with community support groups of women and young people, school clubs, and local community leader within Uganda to develop skills and knowledge to prevent mismanagement of gender-based issues, whilst advocating for women’s rights, and campaigning to eliminate harmful practices such as child marriage, female genital mutilation, and teenage pregnancy. UYAHF also implements a menstruation hygiene and management program dubbed “Ensonga”, which literally translates to ‘menstruation’ in local language. The programs targets young people in and out of school, teachers, parents and local leaders, to break stigma against menstruation and promote dignity for all women and girls. Patrick is founding member for the Adolescents and Youth Constituency for PMNCH and the Co-Convener of Strategic Objective 3 of The Partnership’s 2016-2018 work plan[SH1] . He is also the Vice President of the Africa Youth and Adolescents Network on Population and Development (AfriYAN EAst and Southern Africa). Patrick has spoken at several national regional and internal conferences including, amongst others, side events at the 71st United Nations General Assembly in New York in 2016. Patrick has closely worked with the Ugandan government to advocate for meaningful youth participation and increased political prioritization and investment in adolescent health and wellbeing. He is a member of the National Adolescent Health Technical working group in Uganda, hosted by Ministry of Health, and is also a member of the Inter-Ministerial Committee for the East and Southern African Commitments on Scaling Up Access to Comprehensive Sexuality Education Youth-Friendly Services. He is member of the Youth Advisory Panel for the United Nations Population Fun East and Southern African Region Office, and also sits on the Uganda Civil Society Core Reference Group for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Patrick is a fellow of the Safe Mothers and Newborns Leadership Workshop hosted by the Maternal Health Task Force at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, and the Aghakhan University of East Africa. He is also a fellow of the Clinton International Summer School on Peace Conflict Resolutions and Entrepreneurship at Ulster University in Northern Ireland. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Management from Makerere Univeristy and a Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Management from Galilee International Management Institute in Israel. Articles: Say it with me: Menstruation. Destigmatizing periods for the wellbeing of girls and women. Why are Africa's Young Women Still Dying in Childbirth?
Oghenechovwen Oghenekevwe Nigeria Expand Oghenechovwen Oghenekevwe is an 18-year-old undergraduate at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. A former Intern at Green Campus Initiative and alumnus of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization and Athabasca University course in Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue, he serves on the Special Interest Group of the Commonwealth Youth Council and World Oceans Day Youth Advisory Council, where he provides unique ideas and recommendations to help indigenous youth engage their communities with advocacy and research initiatives. Oghenekevwe contributes stories on gender representation and stereotyping in the media, environment, rural sanitation, health, and social actions to YourCommonwealth, Astute Radio UK, Voices of Youth and the Huffington Post. Articles: Leaving Gendered Violence Behind For Sustainable And Inclusive Development Development, millennia’s and sex-disaggregated data: taking on water risks in Northeastern Nigeria Getting to Educational Equity: Q & A with Victoria Ibiwoye
Akpa Chidinma Nigeria Expand Akpa Chidinma is a young and vibrant woman with an unwavering passion for women empowerment, gender equity, and sexual and reproductive health. She loves to inspire, educate, mentor and encourage young women to stand up and speak out on matters concerning health and leadership. She has occupied several youth leadership positions and founded the organization, Sapphires of Worth, in 2015. She is a Women Deliver 2016 Youth Scholar, Southwest Regional Coordinator for the International Youth Alliance for Family Planning, and a final year medical student in the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. She works to train peer educators and prevent teenage pregnancy and death from unsafe abortions whilst encouraging young women on personal development and political participation. Articles: Surviving Intimate Partner Violence: a Guide "My Father, the Monster": Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria
Alawode Gbadegesin Nigeria Expand Despite coming from a broken home and being raised by a single mother, Gbadegesin started volunteering at the age of 18 and has served a number of notable organizations in Nigeria to create local actions and champion solutions to promote the health of underserved populations. He is a 2016 Women Deliver Youth Scholar and was awarded the prestigious National Youth Service Corps Honours Award in Katsina State in 2013 and 2014 for his contribution to community development service. Gbadegesin holds a Bachelor’s of Technology in Human Anatomy and a Masters of Public Health, majoring in Health Policy and Management from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Articles: Combating the Silent Crisis of Malnutrition in Nigeria; a Story of Pain, Survival and Hope Gaps in the Sanitation Infrastructure: The Unsung Struggle and Hardship of the Oranyan Slum-Dwellers in Nigeria How Investment in Dairy Farming Can Empower and Improve the Lives of Women: Model and Lessons from Nigeria Why Africa Needs Universal Health Coverage Outcry: The Exploitation of Young Professionals in Public Health Metastasis: When Cancer Comes for Nigeria’s Young Women
Kadija Touré Guinea Expand Kadija is a fierce young leader who lives and works between Conakry, Guinea and Minneapolis, USA. Her lifelong passion is the fight for gender equality, where she is an internationally-acclaimed champion for the rights of women and girls. She founded Le Projet Ecoute a little over two years ago and has made it one of the most outspoken youth- and women-led non-governmental organizations in Francophone West Africa. Under her leadership, Le Project Ecoute has empowered over 4000 children through the creation of a comprehensive personal safety program that is delivered through the dispersal of educational materials and workshops. Kadija fearlessly engages policy makers in Guinea to create sustainable change, where her organization’s focus for 2017 is the empowerment of children - especially girls - who have suffered displacement due to the recent Ebola crisis. She is a proud Women Deliver Youth Scholar and One Young World Ambassador. Articles: Why my 8th Grade teacher fell in love with me...and why he felt he could. The Orphans of Ebola: Their Hearts, Their Mental Health
Elie Mandela Rwanda Expand Elie is a young leader and social entrepreneur with a passion for empowering young people. With over 4 years of experience working with youth-run organizations, he is currently the Director of the Hult Prize at University of Rwanda, the largest global student competition aimed at solving some of the world’s toughest challenges through social entrepreneurship. Elie’s passion is to empower young people through the creation of opportunities and platforms that enable youth to best fulfill their potential. He is a co-founder of Shared Opportunities, a platform that connects young people to various global opportunities, and provides mentorship. He is also involved in building the capacity of other youth leaders through leadership trainings and workshops.
Mark Gachagua Kenya Expand As Founder of Young People Advocating for Health (YAH), Mark Gachagua is a Kenyan youth advocate who has advocated sexual and reproductive health and rights for six years. Mark has worked with more than sixty policy makers through advocacy campaigns, and was instrumental in the launch of the global “All in Campaign” which aims to scale up the fight against HIV/AIDS among adolescents. Mark is a Women Deliver Young Leader and is currently working with young people, institutions, and the media to create a movement of young people who are aware of their sexual and reproductive health rights. Articles: Ending HIV/AIDS among adolescents: where the solution lies Let’s talk about sex, baby. Let's talk about sex and disability Why aren't we talking about sexual and reproductive health for young people with disabilities? Triple Threat: Gender-based violence and human rights violations experienced by women with disabilities
Lorence Kabesele Democratic Republic of Congo Expand Lorence Kabasele Birungi is a 26-year-old youth advocate from the Democratic Republic of Congo. She is involved in the Youth Forum on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (Youthfim), a youth organization that informs, inspires, and involves young people in development. As the Youthfim Girls’ Manager, Lorence’s work focuses on the development of young girls, education about sexual and reproductive health and rights, and advocacy against child marriage. She is also the Vice-President of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Democratic Republic of Congo Youth Advisory Panel, where she provides consultative advice on matters pertaining to the girl child. Lorence’s advocacy focuses on policy change to end child marriage in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She initiated the “Red Card to Child Marriage” campaign that is supported by the UNFPA, where she has worked with 8 networks and movements of youth organizations to train 550 people on advocacy and leadership for the prevention of child marriage and teenage pregnancy. Through this campaign, she has managed to create 11 networks of engaged men, sensitize 127,569 people, organize inter-generational dialogues around child marriage, and secure medical assistance for some pregnant young women by co-ordinating prenatal consultations through to childbirth, as well as facilitating professional reinsertion programs for young women, which are delivered in partnership with Lizadelle. As she looks ahead to the future, Lorence plans to use the Mwasi Tech Hub platform, which is the first women’s tech hub in the Democratic Republic of Congo, to empower young women - especially young mothers - in the use of new technology. Articles: Child marriage in democratic republic of congo
Jennifer Amadi Nigeria Expand Jennifer Amadi is a Nigerian-based Advocacy Advisor at African Youth Initiative on Population, Health and Development (AfrYPoD) with an academic background in Health Education from Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Nigeria. She holds certification in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. Over the past year, Jennifer has led initiatives on cutting edge issues around Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health. Her focus has largely been on the Maputo Plan of Action, the International Conference on Population and Development Beyond 2014, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. With 3 years of work experience, Jennifer has previously worked for DKT International and Ipas across various programmatic portfolios in the area of family planning and women’s reproductive health and rights. Articles: Stories of Nigeria’s Involuntary Mothers
Collins Kudakwashe Shava Zimbabwe Expand Collins Kudakwashe Shava was born in 1992 in Gweru, Zimbabwe. He was educated in Kwekwe, where he started his journey to advance youth voices as a Child Parliamentarian from 2010-2011. He worked with the Young People’s Network around the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and youth engagement with sexual and reproductive health frameworks. He is an active member in the Lutheran church, and has worked with the Southern Region Communion for Lutherans (LUCSA) to advance youth voices that seek to address problems within the community. He is currently interning in the Economic Justice office of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches, having studied Natural Resources Management and Agronomy at Midlands State University. Articles: Young People: Zimbabwe’s Untapped Resource
Blessyn Kure Nigeria Expand Blessyn Kure is a multi-media journalist and Bi-lingual spoken word and voiceover artist who has worked on several projects aimed at spreading awareness on girl and women rights including the “Not just a pretty face” campaign. She is a Graduate of Quantity Surveying from Nigeria with four years’ experience as a presenter, newscaster and reporter on radio. Blessyn uses her social media based clothing store Kay_llection to champion the fight against female body shaming by challenging the societal standards of beauty as regards size. As a mental health advocate, she uses her vlogs to address the misconceptions and negligence of Nigerians to issues relating to mental health and emotional wellness. Articles: World Interfaith Harmony How Nigeria Will Eliminate Racial Hatred
Lesego Gaetwesepe Expand Lesego is a young lady who is passionate about human rights, her interest particularly lies on the issue of the death penalty. She is also a member of the Commonwealth youth Human rights and Democracy network and was an online social media reporter for the Association of African Universities during the African University week celebrations. Furthermore, she has worked on various projects such as the age of consent to SRH Rights, HIV group discussions on HIV/AIDS Prevention amongst young people and currently working alongside with two phenominal Pan African leaders on an intergenerational mentorship program for young women in Botswana. Lesego is a YALI alumni, she was also a writer on the law blog and currently a writer on the Commonwealth Student Association and International affairs. She believes so much in empowering young women not only to take bold steps in taking up leadership roles but also in becoming the best they can be; as she believes women are destiny carriers. Articles: Obstacles to Educating a Girl Child
Salome Nthenya Nzuki Kenya Expand Salome Nthenya Nzuki is a 24 year old feminist with a thirst for a just and equitable world. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Gender Development studies and Sociology from Kenyatta University. Salome has been involved in advocacy work on promoting gender equity and equality for over two years now. She advocates for elimination of unfair and discriminatory practices towards women such as sexual and gender based violence and challenges the patriarchal system. Recently she sensitized public transport crew on the need for a violence free public transport system in partnership with Equality Now and National Transport and Safety Authority, Kenya, in line with the 16 Days of Activism theme of making the world safer for women. She pens articles on gender issues with a view to spreading the message on the need to embrace gender equity and equality. She has been published by ‘Nairobi Law Monthly’ a Kenyan publication on legal issues, human rights and political developments. Salome is currently Wellbeing for Women Africa youth partner contributing advocacy content on gender issues. She is a member of African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) a Pan-African organization working to advance women’s rights. Salome is a believer and crusader of feminist leadership. She believes there is need for cooperation between men and women, equal distribution of power and control over and access to resources. In August 2017 she ran for member of county assembly seat in Machakos County, Kenya, but lost narrowly. Currently she is looking to economically empower women in her community through skills training and savings. She asserts that when you empower a woman, you power the heart of humanity. Articles: Why Do Women Stay in Violent Relationships? A Bloody Catastrophe: The Real Cost of Menstruation Ending HIV/AIDS in Kenya through Gender Equality Combating HIV Through Pre- and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis: Myths and Misconceptions Busted
Jude Thaddues Niikem Cameroon Expand Jude Thaddues Niikem, is a youth activist and the Executive Director of Community Centre for Integrated Development which is an organization formed by community development experts recognizing that for the world to become sustainable, the potential of communities must be harnessed. For more information about CCID, please visit https://youtu.be/Qtp7Nky3UuM. Jude is a youth worker and an advocate for girls and women’s right with over seven years’ experience on gender activism, policy advocacy/engagement. Jude is the initiator and project manager of Cameroon Human Rights Fellowship. Articles: Ending Child Marriage in Cameroon: Implementing the New Penal Code
Modestus Mwachindalo Zambia Expand Modestus Mwachindalo is a Zambian Social Change enthusiast with a passion for youth and women empowerment. He was born in 1985 in Lusaka, Zambia and has a Human Resources background, trained youth activist and has vast experience in youth activism and advocacy. His desire for social change is derived from many challenges the globe faces today and requiring urgent solutions. As a response to this noble cause, he joined World Youth Alliance in 2013 and has been volunteering as a Human Dignity Defender ever since. He also belongs to the YALI Network. He has been able to initiate initiatives such as the “Dress the Rural Child Initiative” on a personal level. The aim of this initiative was to provide clothing, school materials and shoes to rural disadvantaged children. After learning many lessons from the initiative, he went further to form Save Our Youth Zambia Foundation so as to reach out to more youths and provide empowerment to young people. Modestus Mwachindalo has exceptional leadership qualities and he is the two - time winner of the World Youth Alliance Youth Voices at the UN Global Essay competition for 2015 and 2016 respectively, see www.wya.net . “As a young person I have the responsibility to contribute towards the change I want to see in the world by standing up in solidarity with global movements that are driving change. “I am a youth, I have the strength, knowledge, courage, zeal, innovation and commitment to impact change in the world and this is my promise to the World.” Articles: Cultural Practices that Create Child Brides Zambia's Traditional Leaders Join the Fight Against Child Marriage