Fellows

Agha Mohsin Ali has been working in the development sector since 2006 with National & International organizations including NRDP, WWOP, Youth in Action, UNDP, BBSA, CPEA Network and SEHER on different management positions. He earned a Master’s in International Relations from the University of Balochistan, Quetta Pakistan. While working with the National Rural Development Programme (NRDP) Pakistan in Islamabad as Manager, Program Planning and Partnership Development, he led overall fundraising, resource mobilization, program research, planning, and program development processes. During 10 years of experience he implemented, coordinated, and developed partnerships with major donor agencies like USAID, DFID, UK-aid, UNICEF, USAID, CIDA, UNICEF, UNDP, USIP and IOM. Agha has had in-depth experience in child rights, education, and youth empowerment in Pakistan. He worked to protect children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation as well as to provide access to education through establishment of child-friendly spaces and temporary learning centers in flood affected areas. He has provided child protection actors opportunity to interact, share their experiences and avoid any duplication of resources through the CPEA Network and 12 larger projects on education, child rights, democracy and nutrition. Over this period, he has developed skills in monitoring and evaluation, program development, program implementation, proposal writing and resource mobilization. He has also written different articles and blogs on child rights and education in different news sites like ARY Blogs, Hamari Web, Duniya News and The Nations News. Agha also participated in different national and international forums like the World Youth Conference, 2010 in Leon City, Mexico, where he was as a delegate.

Host Organization: Creative Associates International

 Role at Host Organization: Agha will be assisting project staff with the development of an indicator database for a new evaluation project with the ExxonMobil Foundation. This project will be assessing the progress of client grantees in women’s economic empowerment on outcome indicators.

Aida Merabet has over ten years working experience with different nonprofits and corporations in the fields of business empowerment for women and youth educational programs in Algeria. She earned an MBA in Management Marketing from ESG Paris. Aida is the Founder of the social enterprise “Power Harmony Solution.” Previously, Aida worked as the Middle East Partnership (MEPI) Alumni Local Chapter Coordinator, where she strengthened commitment to civic activism, thus creating an environment where alumni can work together to bring positive change to the region. She helped empower young people to work for their economic success as an Education & Training Officer at Injaz El Djazair. As a Hub Manager for the Middle East and North Africa Business Women Network (MENABWN), she was responsible for leading and managing a program to support business women in Algeria. She has also served as an Algerian Country Officer Alwane-Algeria, with Women’s campaign International, an initiative that seeks to empower Algerian women to hold decision-making positions and to enhance their leadership roles so that they can become role models for the region. She also enjoys volunteering, whether it be as the Under Secretary General for Algeria’s national Model United Nations conference or as the Algeria Country Coordinator for the World Peace Initiative Foundation’s Project Peace In and Peace Out (PIPO).

Host Organization: Atlas Corps | American Express

Role at Host Organization: Aida will support the overall strengthening of leadership development in the nonprofit sector through a partnership with American Express. In her role, Aida will help to expand the American Express Leadership Academy franchise. Building on the American Express role in supporting best-in-class leadership practices and capacity building, she will coordinate and grow the alumni network; manage and coordinate the global Alumni Summit, help develop and improve communication and dissemination of best practices and provide overall project support for the Leaderstories.org website.

Alecia has over five years of experience in the nonprofit sector, and is currently completing her Master of Science degree in Human Rights at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), under the British Chevening Scholarship. Alecia served as a Regional Programme Officer at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Jamaica from 2013-2014. While at UWI, Alecia coordinated the regional youth platform, University of the West Indies Student Today Alumni Tomorrow (UWISTAT). In this position, she gained experience in project management, programme development and youth training. Prior to this, Alecia served as an Assistant Language Teacher for the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme and was based in Shizuoka, Japan, for three and a half years. In this position, she was responsible for curriculum design, capacity building and education. Alecia previously worked as a Public (Consumer) Relations Officer which, coupled with her current responsibility as a Chevening Scholar Social Media Ambassador, has honed her communication, public speaking and outreach skills. Alecia has been actively involved in youth leadership both in her community and at the national and international level. She participated in the Jamaican national consultation process for the Post -2015 as a youth advocate, and she has represented her country at several international fora. Alecia also volunteered in Ishinomaki, Japan, after the Great Tohoku Earthquake and she was an international volunteer on the Peace Boat’s 78th global voyage. With the knowledge gained from her professional, volunteer and multicultural experiences, Alecia intends to pursue a career in human rights policy-making and corporate social responsibility.

Host Organization: ChildFund International

Role at Host Organization: Alecia Maragh will provide major support in conducting research on education, protection and economic strengthening. She will also be providing operational support, strict analysis and support to the National Offices and Lifestage team.

Angelica has five years experience in the nonprofit sector. She earned her Bachelor’s in Marketing and International Business from UNITEC. Her academic connection enabled her to have a job at the same institution for over four years where she gained responsibilities and skills through her hard work. She has served as the president and founder of Club Amor, an organization that helps children fighting against cancer through a public hospital in Honduras. Recognized as a young leader by Rotary Honduras, Angelica has been awarded by the International Youth Foundation and Youth Action Net as a social entrepreneur and winner of the gold medal for Exemplary Citizenship. Angelica has volunteered in many nonprofit institutions such as Operation Smile, Hands in Christ, Fundacion para el Niño con Cancer, Club Rotario and Isaia 61. Angelica is very passionate towards helping others

Host Organization: Laureate

Role at Host Organization: Angelica will join Laureate’s Global Communications, Public Affairs and Social Impact team. She will focus on supporting network awards and scholarships, YouthActionNet, Here for Good activities, internal and external events, and B Corp network integration.

Aymen is the founder of the Tunisian Organization for Peace, the first secretary of the leading Tunisian watchdog organization iWatch, and the former secretary of Youth-Can. Aymen also has worked with several international organizations, namely the media development charity BBC Media Action and the peace-building organization Search for Common Ground. Aymen has seven years of experience in the nonprofit sector, particularly in the field of media development, peace-building, and transparency. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in English Language (British and American), Literature and Civilization from the University of Tunis-El Manar. For the past three years, Aymen has served as an assistant project manager for the BBC Media Action office in North Africa, overseeing media development projects in the Middle East-North Africa region, and later specifically in Libya and Tunisia. He has worked closely over the last year with Tunisian Television on developing new youth programs and expanding its social media presence. Aymen has acquired management and leadership skills working with official bodies, civil society organizations, and informal youth groups in Tunisia and Libya He is primarily interested in the role of media in the context of democratic transitions, transitional justice as a key factor for peace-building, and youth participation in decision-making. Aymen also is a die-hard fan of heavy metal music.

Host Organization: The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy

Role at Host Organization: Aymen, as the TIMEP-Atlas Corps Bassem Sabry Democracy Fellow, will work in a research capacity for six months. The design of Aymen’s research will be developed in conjunction with TIMEP’s directorial staff and should reflect this project proposal (subject to development and restructuring with TIMEP’s directorial staff). The mission of the Bassem Sabry Democracy Fellowship is to honor the memory of Egyptian writer and commentator Bassem Sabry by providing an opportunity for youth in the fields of journalism, international relations, political science, or other relevant fields to work on an independent research paper or project of their own design under the mentorship of a TIMEP staff member through to its execution.

Becky brings over eight years of nonprofit experience working with numerous grassroots organizations in Kenya; implementing and coordinating community projects and programs; and serving in various leadership capacities as a researcher, educator, consultant and entrepreneur. After graduating from college, Becky worked with the Africa Medical Research Foundation (AMREF) promoting health awareness while mobilizing the community through training and income generating programs. Becky was also appointed to head a project in Korogocho, a shantytown in Nairobi, which focused on building a sustainable community venture. In 2004, having seen the enormous challenges faced by a growing nonprofit organizations, Becky positioned herself as an entrepreneurial management consultant, one of the few present in East Africa. Becky focuses on working with small and medium community organizations and enterprises to think creatively, to utilize innovative approaches in achieving their social mission, and to bring development solutions to the communities. Most recently, she was a research fellow at the Johns Hopkins Institute of Policy Studies, where she conducted research on new and innovative approaches the nonprofit sector was adopting in building sustainable funding mechanisms and the challenges faced. Becky earned her B.A. in community development from Daystar University, Nairobi, Kenya.

Host Organization: Service for Peace

Blondie Ndebele has a decade of experience in the field of journalism and the non-profit sector. She holds a Master of Science Degree in International Relations from the University of Zimbabwe and a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Journalism and Media Studies from the National University of Science and Technology. As Communications and Marketing Fellow with Global Fund for Children, Blondie provides a wide range of content creation, editorial, digital media, and design support to the organization’s global Communications and Marketing Team. She also contributes to tangible communications and marketing efforts that grow and engage Global Fund for Children’s audience, amplifies partner and youth voices, and shares the organization’s work, impact, and learning. Her work in the community development sector has helped her develop skills in leadership, advocacy, project management, community engagement, relationship building, facilitation, research, and documentation. As a practitioner of communication for development, Blondie has strived to provide stakeholders with unlimited access to information on a wide range of issues and amplify voices of vulnerable groups. She has constantly provided vital information for communities to make informed decisions on social-economic and political issues. Blondie was inspired by her passion for equitable growth and development to undertake voluntary work with entities that assist orphans and other vulnerable groups. She has also contributed immensely in addressing issues that include children’s rights, justice for women, inclusion of people with disabilities and environmental justice in rural communities.

Host Organization: Global Fund for Children

Role at Host Organization: As the Communications & Marketing Fellow, Blondie will meaningfully contribute to tangible communications and marketing efforts that grow and engage Global Fund for Children’s audience; amplify partner and youth voices; and share the organization’s work, impact, and learning. The Fellow will end the Fellowship with a published portfolio and professional experience and skill sets in communications, digital marketing, public relations, thought leadership, international development, philanthropy, children’s issues, and the day-to-day operations of a nonprofit organization.

Carlos has eight years of experience in the nonprofit sector in Peru and Haiti. He holds a Bachelor´s degree in Communication for Development from The Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. He focuses on advocating for children’s rights and opportunities for vulnerable populations. While working as a Member of Technical Team of Nutriwawa project for the Peruvian Ministry of Health, he monitored and evaluated communication strategies and activities aimed to reduce early childhood malnutrition. Carlos also worked for Young Lives Peru, an international longitudinal study on childhood poverty. In his position as a Communications Assistant, he advocated children’s rights through branding, planning events, and creating website content. His international experience includes working at Groupe d’Appui aux Rapatriés et Réfugiés (GARR) in Haiti. There he supported the communication office of GARR, and carried out workshops about ICT and photography with four nonprofit organizations. Through these experiences, he learned technical skill such as using HTML language and design programs to redesign websites, create and disseminate content for websites and diversify social networks; he also learned how to plan conferences and workshops for advocacy and developed his public speaking skills. Carlos is passionate about cross-cultural understanding and multi-sectoral collaboration to achieve unity among people. Also, he enjoys travelling, engaging in sports, photography, meditation, and ICT for issues such as development, health, education, environment and cultural issues.

Host Organization: Social Progress Imperative

Role at Host Organization: Carlos will be part of a small team that leads communications for the global Social Progress Imperative effort. He will test social media strategies and forms of micro-content, write and edit blog posts, help report on the effectiveness of communications activities, and manage a website and email newsletter in multiple languages.