Meet the 2023 PAYLP All-Stars Participants!

Funded by the U.S . Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and implemented by Meridian International Center and FIUTS, the Pan Africa Youth Leadership Program engages participants from African countries of Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, and Zambia in a U.S.-based cultural exchange and civic engagement training program. To bring together the top PAYLP alumni from across all cohorts (2013-2022), the Pan Africa Youth Leadership Program is offering a one-time All-Stars alumni program!

Get to know some of the participants below!

Left: My name is Emma Hawa and I am from Ghana. I’m a student studying BSC Health Information Management at the University for Development Studies. I’m the current Vice President of Health Information Management Student Association - UDS. In my free time, I listen to music and read trending news. 

Right: My name is Ajuwah Goode and I am from The Gambia. I am a student pursuing my BSc major in Nursing at the University of The Gambia. I enjoy spending part of my free time at the hospital to provide emotional support to patients, as well as reading medical journals to broaden my knowledge and expertize on medicine and health care management. One of the things I'll forever remain proud of was being in a position to provide emotional and psychological support to patients and fellow health care workers during the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic in the country's main referral hospital, in the face of inadequate protective equipment and exponentially soaring cases of Covid-19.

Left: My name is Diamond Ziambo and I am from Liberia. I am a student at the African Methodist Episcopal University undergraduate school studying public health and biology. I am a volunteer at Supporting Citizen Initiative for Development in Africa (SCIDA-Liberia). I am the founder and chief executive director for SAGIBA( Supporting Abandoned Girls Initiative for better Adulthood) a non-profit and non-governmental organization that aims at empowering abandoned and less privileged girls and young women through educational and social problems that enable them to realize their talents and potential. We have directly impacted 55 adolescent girls and young women through our mentorship and sexual reproductive health and rights program within our local communities.In my free time, I enjoy volunteering and I also like sports too. 

Right: My name is Titus Mandla Sithole from Eswatini. I am the Founder and Country Director of the Eswatini Foundation for STEM Education. My job is to set direction, lead, and maintain team morale, safety, and welfare, while managing resources, delegating specific duties as necessary, and maintaining oversight and accountability. During my free time, I am engaging young kids aged 04 to 13, in STEAM activities. If I am not working with kids, I am playing with kids. My life revolves around kids. As a result, my house’s backyard, after school, is transformed into a maker space for community kids. It is where they gather to play and learn. It’s where they get access to technology resources, lots and lots of LEGO Education resources, and encouragement to dream big, build, code, play, and make lots of mistakes and learn from them. I started these activities with no aim – direction – or goals, but today I am structuring them, with the aim to plant a seed in every young person within my community and inspire them to soar for excellence.  

Left: My name is Noélia Yequenha and I am from Angola. I study Economics at ISPTEC (Polytechnic Institute of Technology and Sciences). I’m a third year undergraduate and i enjoy my field of study very much. I have organized along with friends and other people a solidarity association called “Associação Prosperar” and we are able to help our community with food and clothes consistently. In my free time, I enjoy music. I play bass, piano, guitar and I sing. I’m also a gym person and proud of it.

Right: My name is Marie Yvonette Carméla Fortuno. I am a primary school educator in a catholic school and I am currently teaching grade 1 learners. My objective as an educator is to meet the individual needs of my learners while catering for their holistic education. I am pursuing my studies and will be completing my masters in educational management and leadership in 2023. Since I am a full-time educator and a part-time student at the university, I do not have much time. Yet, 3 times a week, I work as I a coach for the After School Sports and Fitness Programme under Active Mauritius.  The aim of the programme is to encourage children to engage in physical activity while developing their interest for sports.

Left: My name is Deepak Maunthrooa from Mauritius. I am a Quality Assurance Officer in the Quality Assurance Division of the Private Secondary Education Authority, under the aegis of the Ministry of Education & Human Resources. The Quality Assurance Division is in charge of pedagogical inspection in the 110 Private Secondary Schools of the Republic of Mauritius (Mauritius, Rodrigues, Agalega). As a Quality Assurance Officer, I act as the link between schools and Educators and I also tender advice and recommendations upon the pedagogical aspects of secondary schooling. My post-secondary education and the activities I am involved in enable me to officiate with more confidence and authority. I joined the English-Speaking Union in 2011.  The purpose of the ESU is to promote the English language among the population (pre-primary students, primary students, secondary students, tertiary students, and adults). I have contributed to the English language as a volunteer and this has enabled me to form part of the Executive Committee of the ESU.  Today I am the Vice-President and during the past 3 years I was able to represent the Mauritian branch at the International Committee Meetings.  The involvement in the ESU is what paved the way for me to know about PAYLP.

Right: My name is Moses Katungo from Zambia. I am currently pursuing a degree in Computer Engineering, at The Copperbelt University in Zambia. I am not employed but I handle small IT projects and graphic designs. I started a goat production unit in a rural area near my home town that encouraged young talented men/women to to raise income through meat and milk supply. I also opened a nursery school that helped struggling families with their children's pre education. Things I enjoy doing in my free time include playing guitar and video games , researching about new technology, programming and shopping for clothes . I am proud of being able to motivate others through my actions and deeds. 

Left: My name is Madalitso Ackim from Malawi. I am a Secondary School teacher working with youth in academics, mentoring youth development through various community programs. I graduated from Nkhoma University with Leadership and class management, Student Psychology, Communication skills and Contemporary issues in education. I am proud of being a coach in Grass Root Soccer program. This is a program initiative through Peace Corps that I was involved with the Peace Corps Volunteer. Grass Root Soccer is a program geared for Malaria and HIV prevention in the community. I also enjoy being part of the Church Choir.

Right: My name is Nellia Banda from Zambia. I am a secondary school teacher teaching History under the Ministry of Education in Zambia.  I have been teaching for thirteen (13) years now. I have been an advocate for people living with disabilities and I once worked hand in hand (on voluntary basis) with Zambia Agency Living with disabilities. I have four children living with disabilities whom I am helping out with school requirements at the moment. Apart from being an advocate for children living with disabilities, I am a church leader at my congregation. I teach comprehensive Sex Education and Reproductive Education.

Left: My name is Jee-won Mawein Arkoi from Liberia. As a virtual Communications and Advocacy officer of Rising Youth Mentorship Initiative (an NGO that provides SRHR education to adolescentgirls), I communicate with other professionals and institutions on behalf of the organizations. I also post the organization's activities and awareness messages on the Social media platform. In my free time, I enjoy writing poetry and I receive mentorship from Penn State professor Dr. Patricia Jabbeh Wesley through the Young Scholars of Liberia program. My poem titled "My Mother's Tale" was published in the 2019 Dove Tales Anthology: One World, One People. 

Right: My name is Umaru Foufanah. I am a teacher and an advocate for the right of children's education and against child labour.  I teach English as the head of  department at Glory Baptist international school. My vision is to see a society where all children have access to quality inclusive education. Growing up as a child, with experience in child labour.  I never had the opportunity to be guided or mentored in my educational career. All I knew today was a result of my determination to see myself among those that achieved educational success.  This is why I took it upon myself to see every child get access to quality inclusive education. Part of the thing I am passionate about doing during my free time is organizing extra educational programs for children to discourage them from being idle outside the classroom or not falling victim to my childhood experience.

Left: My name is Queen Rachael Winga from Malawi. I am currently a student at Kamuzu University of Health Science studying nutrition and dietetics. I started Litter free club at my high school. This club taught many students and community surrounding it to live in a tidy and health environment. I like music and am a praise team chairperson of Student Christian organization of Malawi (SCOM) at my university.

Right: My name is Fikiswa Doshie Dlamini from Eswatini. I participated in a DREAMS programme brought to our community in 2021 by PSI ESWATINI which worked on educating Adolescent Girls and Young Women about HIV Prevention and Treatment. In my free time I enjoy sports such as rugby.

We hope you enjoyed getting to know some of the PAYLP All-Star participants. If you’d like to meet them, you’re invited to our Networking Reception on Wednesday, February 28th. RSVP Here!