Fellows

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.

Alanna Sousa is a Social Intrapreneur and Global Citizen. Passionate about social (intra)entrepreneurship, innovation and youth leadership development, Alanna has spent the last six years working in the nonprofit sector. She earned a Bachelor´s degree in Law School from CESUSC in Florianopolis, Brazil, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Social Innovation Management from the Amani Institute, in Nairobi, Kenya. Originally from Brazil, Alanna has taught English to children with HIV in India, studied different approaches to justice and conflict resolution in Canada, applied Restorative Justice in Mozambique and brought light to the lives of people living in the slums of Brazil and Kenya. Since 2015, Alanna has been on a journey to better understand the impact of Privileges (and the lack of them) on people’s lives while also raising awareness about the importance of discussing the matter.

Host Organization : Liter of Light USA | Global Good Fund

Role at Host Organization: As the Program Officer in Liter of Light USA Alanna is responsible for providing Project Managing activities in the U.S., such as building new partnerships, deepening and refining all aspects of communications, aggregating project-level data to continuously improve interventions, and engaging in strategic business planning process for Liter of Light’s national and global expansion.

Génesis has more than three years of experience as an advocate for sexual and reproductive rights and youth leadership in the nonprofit sector. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Universidad Central de Venezuela with academic honors and an invitation to serve as a teaching assistant in the Clinical Psychology Department. As a youth network coordinator for International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere, she developed the structure and functions of the network, supporting meaningful youth participation and the network’s engagement with the organization’s strategical framework for 2016¬2022. She was in charge of planning and providing capacity¬-building activities for nearly 23 youth board members of IPPF/WHR’s Latin American and Caribbean partner associations. She also took part in several advisory groups on comprehensive sexuality education and sexual and reproductive rights. Previously, she was program coordinator at Construyendo Futuros Civil Association in Caracas, Venezuela, in charge of Quiero Saber (I Want To Know), a program aimed at providing comprehensive sexuality education to children and adolescents in vulnerable and rural zones of the Miranda State in Venezuela, including Petare, one of the biggest slums in South America. During her tenure, she systematized program indicators and statistics and developed the program’s handbook for teachers and facilitators, leading to 38% growth in the numbers of schools offering the program to its students. She has been a volunteer for Family Planning, Venezuela (PLAFAM) since 2013, representing the nonprofit at national and international events but also as a peer educator at clinics and in Caracas’ vulnerable communities. She has developed program/project management, strategic planning and communications, and community outreach skills. Génesis area of expertise and interest is sexual and reproductive health and rights with a focus on youth issues.

Host Organization: International Planned Parenthood Federation / Western Hemisphere Region

Role at Host Organization: Génesis will assist staff in managing sexual and reproductive health programs related to youth, gender-based violence, and HIV/sexually transmitted infections (STI) to implement programmatic strategies related to: youth leadership, comprehensive sexuality education, increasing access to quality health services (including HIV- and STI- related services), prevention and mitigation of gender-based violence, sexual rights and sexual diversity, and youth participation in programs and governance. Génesis will provide vital support to achieving the desired outcomes of these programs and contribute to the strategic vision of the team, including monitoring existing programs and developing new ones.

Hasan has five years of experience in the nonprofit sector and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Banking Science from Philadelphia University of Jordan. For the last three years, Hasan has worked as a protection assistant at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees office in Amman, Jordan. The unit coordinates with inter-agency protection sectors and provides direct support in case management for child protection, sexual- and gender-based violence, legal, detention and diversity/minorities’ caseloads. Hasan is one of the main focal points working on LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) cases. He was instrumental in implementing the UNHCR Jordan LGBTI protection program, which included the development of training material and the setup of an interagency network. In this role, he has developed the ability to liaise with UN colleagues and external stakeholders on this sensitive topic with professionalism and organizational awareness. Hasan is passionate about working with marginalized groups, particularly within the LGBTI community. Traveling and meeting new people are among his hobbies.

Host Organization: Heartland Alliance International

Role at Host Organization: Hasan will work as the Sudan Taskforce Project Manager and will be responsible for coordinating and overseeing the implementation of a project to support the taskforce. He will ensure that all program activities are implemented in line with the project’s work plan and in accordance with organization and donor requirements. Hasan will be responsible for oversight of all components of the project and for quarterly reporting.

Ifesinachi has over eight years of professional experience in the nonprofit sector working with the Treasureland Health Builders Initiative. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Health Education from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, and a Master’s Degree in Community Development and Social Work from University of Lagos. She has certifications in global health and international women’s health & human rights from the USAID and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health eLearning Center and Stanford University Online respectively. While working as a Project Coordinator and Community Development Specialist with Treasureland Health Builders Initiative under the Global Fund Malaria and HIV/AIDS Project, she helped improve the health of rural dwellers by reducing the incidence of malaria and HIV/AIDS in Western Nigeria. Ifesnachi has been an executive at the Association of Civil Society Organizations working on Malaria, Immunization & Nutrition (ACOMIN) in Lagos State and also a key member of TB Network, and has worked on the Nigeria “”Stop TB Partnership Project.” Ifesinachi is passionate about the health of young people and women, and has mentored over 1,800 women & youth on becoming community volunteers in that area. She has written three books and has received a National Youth Service Honors Award and the LEAP Africa /Nokia Youth Leadership Award for her outstanding contributions to youth, women & community development in Nigeria. Through these experiences, she developed strong project coordination and implementation skills.

Host Organization: RESULTS

Role at Host Organization: Ifesinachi will conduct policy research and coordinate with partners, across priority health issues including tuberculosis, vaccines and other child health priorities, and nutrition. The work would also focus on cross-cutting areas across RESULTS priority health issues, including financing for health and accountability tools.

Innocent has four years of experience in the nonprofit sector. He holds a Bachelors degree in Agricultural Economics from Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria, and a Masters of Science in Agriculture and Resource Management from the University of Bonn in Germany. Innocent has worked in various fields, ranging from humanitarian and disaster relief with the Nigerian and German Red Cross to rural development with Programme of Action for Health and Rural Development (PAHRD-Abuja). He also served as the Associate Impact Specialist for the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture-Sustainable Tree Crops Program (IITA-STCP) in Nigeria. Innocent has professional experience in natural resource management, food policy analysis, and environmental and energy efficiency. He has participated in numerous Model United Nations conferences such as the Committee on Sustainable Development (BIMUN-Bonn, Germany) and the Economic and Social Council (OxIMUN-Oxford, UK), from which he has acquired key international diplomatic skills. Innocent also served as Head of the European Student Delegation to the 2009 International Student Energy Summit (ISES-Calgary, Canada) and recently led a group of young energy entreprenuers in Nigeria. Innocent aims to positively impact lives by tackling energy poverty, food insecurity, and the effect of climate change on livelihoods in developing countries. He is a member of the International Association for Energy Economics (IAEE) and aspires to become a successful development expert.

Host Organization: UN Foundation

Katia has four years of professional experience. She has worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in Brazil as a health program assistant where she was responsible for monitoring grantees’ financial reporting. She also assisted other programs such as the At-Risk Program and participated in the design process of the USAID strategy against Trafficking in Persons in Brazil. Katia received a B.A. in political science and a graduate level certificate in state and civil society from the Universidade de Brasília, and was awarded highest honor for her dissertation on the role of nonprofit organizations in the fight against HIV/AIDS. She earned a master’s degree in international development policy from Duke University, where she was a Rotary World Peace Fellow. As part of her master’s program, Katia was selected by the Duke-Geneva Program on Global Policy and Governance, to intern for the migration and health department of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), where her knowledge on HIV/AIDS was critical to further her knowledge on emergencies and the several implications of international cross-border movements.

Host Organization: International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children

Kiran has six years of experience in the nonprofit sector. She has earned her Master’s degree in Education from Hamdard University in Karachi, Pakistan. While working with a provincial education foundation as Training and Development Officer, she leads an important portfolio of teachers’ capacity building with special emphasis on early childhood development and child centered learning pedagogies at Learning Support Unit. Her core contribution is towards seeking the betterment through education. She has empowered more than 3000 teachers of Sindh province to become professional teachers, under different projects of Sindh Education Foundation. Given her teaching experience and on-the-ground work with teacher trainings, she is adept at designing robust programs and adapting to various learning styles. She has been active in the International Inspiration, a London 2012’s sports legacy programme which is organized by the British Council as a partner organization and selected as a Master Trainer for Pakistan region. Kiran also serves as Vice Chairperson of an emerging nonprofit Child Rise. It focuses on the children’s rights in Pakistan by ensuring access to quality education, protection from all types of exploitation and economic empowerment to adolescents and women. Kiran is very interested in adolescents and youth empowerment, training designing and facilitation, academic and administrative management. She has also inspired many young students to volunteer by organizing different training programs at community- based setting.

Host Organization: Youth for Understanding- International Secretariat

 Role at Host Organization: YFU will launch a new Learning Management System, taking YFU trainings online for the international network. Kiran will be responsible for building up the content, creating trainings in various areas and topics, serving and supporting the YFU network of 55+ countries.