Scholars

Agha-Nwi Fru is a communication and program management professional currently serving as Communications Expert for the United Nations Populations Fund in the conflict stricken North West and South West Regions of Cameroon. She is a founder of the non-profit organization Association Sembe which highlights community stories from Cameroon’s conflict stricken regions, especially the Boko Haram crisis in the Far North Region of the country. Prior to this, she worked as a Database and Reporting Officer on a USAID-funded program implemented by Creative Associates International to support stabilization efforts in remote communities along the Cameroon-Nigeria border which were destabilized by the Boko Haram insurgency. Before, Agha-Nwi worked on another USAID-funded program dubbed the Cameroon Peace Promotion Program implemented by Equal Access International in the North and Far North Regions of Cameroon. Here, she was the lead Producer on a team that produced radio broadcasts about peace and social cohesion. Before working on peace building projects, Agha-Nwi worked as a journalist for seven years. She holds a Master’s degree in Project Management from the Social Change School in Madrid, Spain, and another Master’s degree in Organizational Communication from the University of Douala, Cameroon. Agha-Nwi enjoys engaging in peace and resilience building activities at the root level and is highly passionate about women and youth empowerment. Her goal is to help people, especially vulnerable groups like women and youth in conflict-stricken communities, to tell the stories that are important to them, and she hopes to achieve this through the Sembe project. She currently resides in Buea, Cameroon and loves to share a good laugh with her entourage.

Agnija Kazuša has seven years of experience in the nonprofit sector, and earned a Master’s of Science in Communication from the University of Latvia. While working as a referee at Riga Social Service, Agnija helped more than 150 foreign residents in Latvia prepare documents for receiving crisis benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, Agnija worked as a content creator and editor for the World Peace Initiative Foundation and Peace Revolution project for three years to help raise awareness of mental health, mindfulness, and meditation. In this role, Agnija managed the Peace Blog and edited more than 500 articles; helped to create video stories; conducted Facebook Live interviews with peacebuilders from all over the world; organized more than 200 mindfulness activities in Europe, Asia and the Pacific; and provided coaching to 183 individuals on Peace Revolution’s online self-development platform. Agnija has volunteered as a facilitator and project coordinator with several youth organizations, including Lielvarde Youth Organization, European Students’ Forum AEGEE, AIESEC, Make Room, and FEJS (Forum for European Journalism Students) Latvia, which she co-founded. Through these experiences, she developed content creation, project coordination, and implementation skills. Agnija enjoys focusing on the topics of mental health and education and has a strong passion for social inclusion.Agnija Kazuša has seven years of experience in the nonprofit sector, and earned a Master’s of Science in Communication from the University of Latvia. While working as a referee at Riga Social Service, Agnija helped more than 150 foreign residents in Latvia prepare documents for receiving crisis benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, Agnija worked as a content creator and editor for the World Peace Initiative Foundation and Peace Revolution project for three years to help raise awareness of mental health, mindfulness, and meditation. In this role, Agnija managed the Peace Blog and edited more than 500 articles; helped to create video stories; conducted Facebook Live interviews with peacebuilders from all over the world; organized more than 200 mindfulness activities in Europe, Asia and the Pacific; and provided coaching to 183 individuals on Peace Revolution’s online self-development platform. Agnija has volunteered as a facilitator and project coordinator with several youth organizations, including Lielvarde Youth Organization, European Students’ Forum AEGEE, AIESEC, Make Room, and FEJS (Forum for European Journalism Students) Latvia, which she co-founded. Through these experiences, she developed content creation, project coordination, and implementation skills. Agnija enjoys focusing on the topics of mental health and education and has a strong passion for social inclusion.

Ako Eyo Oku is a young leader with extensive experience in broadcast media and public service. Ako has worked for the Nigerian Television Authority for nine years, where she has served three different regions and over 200 Nigerian communities with enlightening, educational, and entertaining TV programs. Ako is committed to community development and advocacy for social change. She has been an active leader in several organizations, including the Child Rights Club, Rotaract Club, MDGs/SDGs Mass Awareness Group, Strategy and Innovation for Development Initiative, and the Young African Leadership Initiative. She founded the Global Learning Community Program, a community of practice that encourages worldwide learning at the local level via MOOCs and GLAMs. In 2019, Ako participated in the US government-sponsored Mandela Washington Fellowship, where she received training on Leadership in Public Management at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Ako is a Commonwealth+ Open Source Leader, a World Pulse Ambassador, and an African Changemaker. Ako belongs to Chatham House, TED, Creative Commons, and Wikimedia communities.

Alexandra Bakiewicz has years of experience in communications and engagement, and she has earned her degree in Business Administration from the State University of New York, Polytechnic Institute. In 2018, Alexandra founded the digital communications firm AM Bakiewicz Consulting. Having been employed at a variety of companies and international non-profits across the United States, Alexandra has worked tirelessly to amplify her clients’ voices in the digital world. While working at international non-profits, she has developed digital media strategies to further her clients’ missions on an international level. Alexandra strives to uplift the voices of emerging social sector leaders worldwide. It is her personal passion and mission to make sure their stories are continuously told.

Amana Parveen has developed extensive industry knowledge and academic experience in the social impact sector through her involvement over the last three years. She is a Political Science honors graduate from the University of Delhi, India. Along with her Bachelor’s degree, she completed a diploma in Women Empowerment and Development. She also holds certifications in Human Rights and Legal Literacy. She has worked in a diverse range of impact environments, including education, livelihoods, fundraising, relief, communications, corporate engagement, and advocacy. As part of her currently Fellowship with the American India Foundation, she is developing a communications and branding strategy along with other deliverables for a European Union funded project on the revival of livelihoods for the indigenous and marginalized women artisans across India with Fair Trade Forum – India. Previously, she has worked on a project named “Let’s Reach Out Kerala,” which aimed to offer psychosocial support to guest workers stranded in and outside the state of Kerala, India, during the first phase of the pandemic. After that, she went on to work on a vaccination project to provide Covid-19 vaccines to 200 guest worker families in Delhi-NCR, India. Through her various experiences, Amana acquired considerable skills, such as project management, communications, graphic designing, development of concept notes, collaboration, and research. Amana is a self-motivated and passionate individual who envisions an empathy-driven world.

Amos KLA is from Cote d’Ivoire and is a training Computer Application Developer. He is in the process of obtaining his Executive Master’s degree in Engineering Option Data. He has four years of experience in Information Technology, including at an international recruitment firm Empower Talents & Careers in Ivory Coast, where he helped street musicians to live off their talents with his Ivoireflow music promotion platform. As an IT developer, he was involved in the entire IT project cycle: design, production, and maintenance. He is currently IT Manager in this recruitment firm. Through these experiences, he developed many qualities such as rigor, professionalism, sense of organization, and adaptability, as well as strong project coordination and implementation skills. He enjoys focusing on the topics of culture and technology, and has a strong passion for youth empowerment. He was laureate of AYADA Lab, which is a Franco-German incubation program carried by the French Institute and the Goethe Institute which allowed him to attend training and participate in networking across Ghana, Nigeria, France and Germany..

Angela Umoru has three years of experience in the nonprofit and media sectors. Angela earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Mass Communication from Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria. She is a 2020 World Literacy Foundation Ambassador and has utilized the opportunity to maximize and strengthen her fundraising, leadership, and advocacy skills. As a literacy advocate, she raised awareness on how illiteracy affects daily life by curating and sharing 112 “literacy stories” on social media. Previously, she worked as a Media and Communications Officer at Skills Outside School Foundation (SOSF), focusing on publicity for the Foundation’s work in life skill education for disadvantaged youth while securing relevant partnerships through digital media and production of media materials. In the time she worked with SOSF, she raised the organization’s profile by increasing social media followership by over 80% and spear-headed partnership discussions with various organizations. Currently, she is the Chief Operating Officer at Jela’s Development Initiatives (JDI), where she leads the teams in providing access to water, mental healthcare, and blood donors and promoting youth empowerment through volunteering. Through these experiences, she developed strong advocacy and collaboration skills. Angela is most interested in good governance and improving inclusion in education and mental health advocacy.

Anna Rountree brings over a decade of experience in international affairs, women’s and children’s rights, and mental health. Anna’s expertise lies in developing large-scale programs and campaigns that create opportunities for underrepresented populations. As Director of Communications at Clubhouse International, Anna plays a crucial role in amplifying the organization’s impact on individuals living with mental illness and driving engagement by developing and overseeing campaign strategy and tactics. In her prior Development roles at Clubhouse International, Anna used her interpersonal and writing skills to develop initiatives that grew constituency, helped meet financial goals, and influenced stakeholders. Anna’s focus on a rights-based approach has been instrumental in strengthening the impact of the Clubhouse network. On the Advisory Board of ECHO, Anna helps to build global capacity for emergency medicine, and on the Clubhouse Racial Justice Committee, Anna addresses inequities experienced by people of color living with mental illness. Anna edited the Governance and Rights Framework for the International Rescue Committee; prepared analytical reports for the General Assembly and Security Council, helping to secure passage of resolutions; and scrutinized policing of poorer communities as Associate Producer at CBS. Anna earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, double minoring in French and International Affairs from Binghamton University, and a Master of Arts in International Affairs from The New School. Anna’s practicum, Bridging the Gaps: Implementation of Comprehensive Abortion Care in Ethiopia, inspired much of her subsequent focus on the voiceless. Anna loves to travel, read, and meet people. She is committed to promoting the voice of underrepresented populations.