In the midst of numerous global and regional challenges, OYW Ambassadors continue to display leadership in their countries and communities. Over the past few weeks, Ambassadors have launched new initiatives, been featured in Glamour and received funding from Facebook. Learn more below.
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Hauwa Ojeifo
Nigeria
Hauwa Ojeifo's organisation She Writes Woman was selected for the 2020 Facebook Accelerator. The Facebook Accelerator is a six-month program focused on growing impactful communities, with a total number of 77 communities across six regions selected to participate. Up to $3 million total will be awarded to program participants globally.
Kimron Corion
Grenada
Kimron Corion launched the Paradise at Home campaign with the Grenada Tourism Authority, which encourages citizens and residents of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique to become tourists in their own islands. The initiative aims to boost local tourism in the wake of COVID-19.
Marc Alain Boucicault
Haiti
The US Embassy announced support for 4 projects to officially join Marc Alain Boucicault's organisation Banj’s accelerator program. The programme will run for 3 months and will help participants take their prototypes to market. Banj is Haiti's first co-working space and has been heavily involved in the country's native app development movement.
Cristina Balbas
Spain
Cristina Balbas was selected as one of 130 of Spain's best talents in civil leadership in order to help the public sector overcome the COVID-19 crisis by Equipo País. The list comprises executives of large companies, startup founders , social entrepreneurs, third sector managers, academics and young innovators. Other notable nominees include the President of Santander and the President of Inditex.
Pratik Gauri
India
Pratik Gauri won the Creative Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 for creating the 5th Industrial Revolution. The Awards were virtually held for the first time by Entrepreneur India. Pratik founded his first startup when he was 16, and since then has founded 8 purpose startups in the 5IR Space championing the Sustainable Development Goals.
Salimatou Fatty
Gambia
Salimatou Fatty started a Youtube channel called the Beacon of Hope. Salimatou aims to use this platform to put an end to the norm of people only being celebrated and valued when they no longer exist. She aims to change the narrative by celebrating people while alive, while equally recognising the heroes and heroines of the past.
Zahin Rohan Razeen
Bangladesh
Zahin Rohan Razeen has been selected for the final round of United Nations 'Young Champion of the Earth' award. The United Nations Environment Programme annually selects a total of 35 finalists from all over the world to find the most talented young entrepreneurs making a positive impact on the environment with their initiatives. Zahin is the founder of Quantum Polychemics, which converts perishable waste destined for landfill into valuable materials through biological processes.
Travis Robinson
Bahamas
Travis Robinson was reinstated as Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism of the Bahamas. Travis will help combat the enormous challenges essential travel and tourism are facing in the country. In 2017, Travis became the youngest MP to serve on a country’s legislative body in the Caribbean at 22 years old.
Minerva Valier Camacho
Mexico
Minerva Valier Camacho participated in an essay context organised by the YouthLead Organization and was awarded with the Best Creative Writing in Spanish. Minerva's essay Puntos de inflexión: El comienzo de nuevas páginas en mi vida has been published in the official accounts, and she will receive special mentoring and follow up from the organization.
Meron Semedar
Eritrea
Meron Semedar is running for the Oakland City Council, District 3. Meron currently assists in the resettlement program of Eritrean refugees in California and is running for a safer, liveable neighbourhood that creates a thriving city for all.
Ilana Milkes
Colombia
Ilana Milkes launched the Bootcamps Online skills matching platform. The platform uses "digital DNA" to normalise data in real-time, closing the digital gap and bringing personalised opportunities to users. Algorithms personalise learning routes, career paths and talent pools recruiting.
Bryan Chesoli
Kenya
Bryan Chesoli just launched a podcast called Stories of Change. It aims to provide a space and platform to amplify the impact of young leaders and inspire a generation of change makers across Africa. Bryan explores topics such as the power of kindness and the importance of learning.
Ambassadors in the Media
Cecilia Chapiro
Argentina
Cecilia Chapiro was interviewed by Cointelegraph about the UNICEF Crypto Fund, which is looking for blockchain startups from emerging countries that tackle COVID-19 and humanitarian challenges.
Claudia Gwinnutt
United Kingdom
Claudia Gwinnutt's brand Circla was nominated for the 2020 GLAMOUR power list under best sustainable/responsible initiative.
Nadav Weiman
Israel
Nadav Weiman interviewed OYW Counsellor Gro Harlem for the Elders. They discussed his military service, the realities of occupation and hopes for peace between Israel and Palestine.
GeumHyok Kim
North Korea
GeumHyok Kim's interview with Youtube channel DIMPLE was featured on Fox News. GeumHyok spoke about his impressions of American culture and culture shock.
Speaking Engagements
Charlotte Japp
Germany
Charlotte Japp spoke about her experience founding intergenerational platform Cirkel on the Deloitte Indonesia Talks podcast.
Andrea Orsag
Slovakia
Andrea Orsag spoke at the Young Leaders Digital Summit. The Young Leaders Summit assembles together the world's most creative, ambitious young minds to work towards sustainable global impact.
Jonathan Chu
Malaysia
Jonathan Chu will be speaking at the Ideas Positive Youth Forum on Public Health (IPYFPH) 2020. IPYFPH is the Philippines’ biggest and the leading gathering of youth leaders in the name of public health and youth engagement since 2016.
Ambassador Publications
Amir Ashour
Iraq
Amir Ashour's organisation IraQueer published “Biased; Iraqi Media and the Spread of Anti-LGBT+ Rhetoric.”, highlighting the role Iraqi media plays in inciting violence against LGBT+ Iraqis. The report reveals several troubling practices by Iraqi media outlets including the spread of misinformation and actively trying to shape people’s emotions and opinions through spreading fear.
Elina Ingelande
Latvia
Elina Ingelande's organisation Learn IT contributed to the Tavla Klase project, which provides additional education to students in primary and secondary education by offering educational television broadcasts. The project helped combat problems with education quality in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Juan Carlos Viloria Doria
Colombia
Juan Carlos Viloria Doria helped publish a report on Venezuelan migrants and refugees in the context of COVID-19. The report was developed by 63 civil society organisations in 23 countries within the region and contained proposals and recommendations in the areas that require greater attention to promote integration, care and protection policies for migrants.
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