Youth x youth
Learning Festival

Sumaiya is a published author, a women in business, and passionate about creating a world where education is accessible to all. She is the founder of Sincerely, Her, a non-profit to help former sex workers redefine their destinies and start their own businesses with the help of vocational training and funding. She has worked with the education ministry of Bangladesh to pass a new bill enabling free secondary education to low-socioeconomic group students in the country. In her free time, she enjoys binge-watching Netflix and baking!

Success is a social entrepreneur with active experience working on various social impact projects covering education, food security, skill acquisition, advocacy campaigns, and youth empowerment. She is a graduate of the University of Benin, where she studied Education Chemistry with a focus on solving educational problems in underserved communities. As a volunteer and a member of the fundraising team at Slum 2 School Africa, she helps to raise funds with innovative fundraising strategies to help send children from the slums back to school. Success is the co-founder of Church on the street where she is engaged in organizing projects to ensure every child from under-served communities can have access to nutritious warm meals and quality education. Success currently serves as Creative Director of YouthxYouth, and is enthusiastic about learning and helping people become better versions of themselves.

Olatomiwa is a Christian and a development practitioner. With over four years of leadership experience in the humanitarian and development spaces, he has worked with multiple local, regional and global organizations in designing and implementing social impact programs. Previously, he worked to recruit, inspire and mentor young people to start change-making projects across the 54 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. He currently serves as Program Director of YouthxYouth, where he works to spark collective actions by youths all over the world in designing the future of learning. When he's not working, he enjoys trying out new recipes and visiting new places.

Grace is an educator with experience in working with schools and various non governmental organisations in providing access to quality education for children in marginalised environments. She is currently working as a special-needs educator. She believes that as a community, we can help children with both intellectual and physical disabilities lead a better life. She is an ambassador of Theirworld and World Literacy Foundation 2020.

Josh is a senior at High Tech High, a project based learning school in California. He has a strong passion for learning about progressive and alternate forms of education, and the work that they've done with YouthxYouth has only allowed them to grow more as an educational activist. When he's not working in youth activism, you can find him at his favorite boba spots in San Diego, thrift shopping, and playing piano!

Adrija Jana is a passionately creative writer based in India. She mostly creates poetry pieces based on her personal experiences as well as social issues she is passionate about. Her work mostly revolves around protest against period poverty, marital rape and advocating for freedom of choice. She is inspired by writers such as Margaret Mitchell and Rupi Kaur, as well as the minutiae of everyday life. Apart from being a writer, Adrija is also a Spoken Word Artist, Theatrecian, Filmmaker and creative researcher, and all her work is woven together by common themes. She believes that creative pieces that let the innate imperfection shine through truly touch hearts.

Kojo is a student at the University of Connecticut. He believes that student empowerment and advocacy are the bedrock for transformative change in education and the world. He is working to make sure that all youth know that their ideas and experiences are powerful, understand how to advocate for themselves, and have their voices embraced at school.

Amachree is a creative, a media personality, an entertainment enthusiast and a Teach for Nigeria Fellow. Obsessed with making a difference and leading positive Change in Education and every area of life in general.

Etim-Etim Bassey Akpan is a teacher-leader and a fellow at Teach for Nigeria. He's the Founder of "The Gents' Court". He loves to volunteer, travel and connect with people.

Bechem is a winner of the ELS EEDIFICATION PLUS International Young Humanitarian Award 2020 and has volunteered on several occasions to help equip youths with the necessary skills for positive change, turning them into ethical problem solvers. He is also an executive member of the Anti-corruption club in his university. He is one of the lead weavers of the YouthxYouth Cameroon Hub.

Temitope is a basic education teacher teaching one of the STEM subjects (Mathematics). She helps her students develop problem solving and logical skills in approaches to solving maths problems. She intends to launch a child development program in her local community which will help children from the ages of 5 - 12 years in their social, emotional and cognitive development.

Mohini is from Gqeberha, South Africa. Their exploration of alternative learning started in 2017 when they officially left traditional school and embarked on their journey of unschooling. Since being unschooled, they have actively worked with and for various social justice organizations (Fridays for Future, Extinction Rebellion, The African Climate Alliance, and now YouthxYouth). As a young person who had the privilege of following their passions unapologetically, leading to working in wonderful social justice spaces, mostly intergenerationally, Mohini is left with what feels like a plethora of invaluable experiences that would have never happened if they had attended a traditional school. They have had the rare opportunity to plant seeds of their wildest imaginings at a young age and to nurture them through these years of unschooling - seeds such as; mental health, activism, and liberatory learning. At the 2023 YxY Learning Festival, they will be sharing their journey with unschooling, how they became unschooled, and where unschooling has brought them.

April is an Education Officer at AHA Learning Center, where she currently in charge of the education and mentoring of over 300 underprivileged students and 200 parents. A proud graduate of the public school system, Teacher April is an advocate for equitable education, believing that those who have the least in life can get the best in education. April is also a creative writer, a translator, a community organizer, and a feminist.

Grace is an education activist focused on expanding awarness and support around youth mental health. Most recently, she has been leading a project called the Akemi Foundation Pad drive to bring out confidence amongst girls and young women facing issues of mental health due to stigma and lack of access to sanitary pads. She has been active in a number of initiatives advancing health and food security amongst children, including Matter Heart Run, a child charity organization, Dream Girl in Kisumu, and Mamboleo Children's Home. She has also been part of campus #MeToo movements to stop campus harassment in both universities and colleges in Kenya.

Jennifer is a teacher focused on improving the lives of less privileged children in her community. She has volunteered with Operation Christmas Child in collaboration with the Samaritan Purse to give gifts to young children in her community. She has also led drug-free outreach teaching about the menace of drugs abuse & overuse, and has worked with young children in different capacities over the years in teaching and building confidence through counselling.

Walter has long supported those in his community who are struggling, and has volunteered on the residence peer helper program at his university (Cape Peninsula University of Tech) since April 2022. As a peer helper in his student residence and on campus, he helps students reflect and resolve conflicts, seek professional support when necessary, and is actively involved in planning wellness awareness events. Walter is currently Secretary for the Esqiwini Student Legal Advice Club, and an incoming CPUT LSRC Project and Development Officer.

Peris is the co-director and youth lead at the Star Of Hope CBO, which holds a programme known as Enkerai Fund to support children in pursuit of educational needs. She is a Global Youth Ambassador at TheirWorld campaigning and advocating for quality education for every child. She was part of a youth consultative meeting held in Addis Ababa aimed towards coming up with effective ways of ending teenage pregnancies and child marriages.

Memoona is very passionate about building a pollution-free environment through clean technology. As a climate activist in her community and across the globe, she is a Decoder at Amnesty International, where she fights voluntarily for climate-related issues and environmental protection. She also got selected by ASEAN Youth Organization (AYO) as their delegate for ASEAN-European Youth Conference 2022 to talk about problems related to climate change and identity and mobility. At a very early age, Memoona has been participating in campaigns related to climate issues. She got many awards in this journey like an appreciation award from WBM Foundation as an active plantation campaign worker in her student life. She has worked on many projects related to climate research and presented them many times across the globe.

Genila is a blogger, writer and facilitator of design-thinking skills, which has helped her with produce sessions with Let's Read Podcast, connecting readers and writers, also a writer at Nilla Plus Blog, where she writes articles in different social and education-based themes including mental health and sexual health. She introduced the youth-based organization at her university called Inspiring Generation which aimed at promoting youth participation on crosscutting issues like climate change, education and gender equality. She also travels for impact in rural-urban areas where she meets children and youth, and provides assistance in building their capacities economically and socially as a trainer in entrepreneurship, life skills and digitalization.

Gbolabo is a young changemaker, an educator and social impact strategist committed to shaping the world by adopting innovative design response to global challenges and using alternative models to tackle problems whilst leveraging on technology. Currently serving as a Lagos State (Nigeria) Youth Ambassador, his core interests lie in Pan-African Development, Human Capital Development, Social Innovation and Project Management. With 5 years of experience in volunteering and active citizenship participation across several capacities locally and globally where he deployed skills in leadership, adminstration, strategy, communication, mentoring, digital marketing, community engagement and project design. Gbolabo is also a lead weaver of our YouthxYouth Lagos Hub.

Erioluwa is a Global Community Organizer and Operations Director at YouthxYouth. He is the co-founder of KAWE Fellowship, a 21st Century Teachers Program, and is focused as an activist on weaving communities of youth, their projects, and learning institutions to transform education towards of our collective liberation. Erioluwa has also served as a contributor at the first citizens Global Assembly, a mentor at MIT COVID-19 Africa Challenge, an alum of the US Exchange program, a Global Youth Ambassador at TheirWorld, and an author and storyteller. Erioluwa is also a lead local weaver of our YouthxYouth Lagos Hub.

Akampa is passionate about quality and inclusive education. She believes that one day every child will acquire quality education regardless of their socio-economic background. She loves children, and wants to see them dream big and work hard towards their dream. Akampa is also a lead weaver of our YxY Uganda Hub.

Ruphin is originally from Democratic Republic of the Congo, but currently living in Uganda as a refugee since years in Nakivale Refugee settlement. He is a teacher, and co-founder of Association of Head Teachers Nakivale (AHTN). He studied law at Université officielle de Bukavu in DRC, but couldn't finish the 5 years required because of some circumstances of life, then came in Uganda. Ruphin is based in Nakivale refugee settlement, interested in rural projects, human and children's rights, teaching, education, entrepreneurship, and environment. He is uplifting solutions to reduce vagrancy and homelessness, assist war victims such as orphans, and promote peace education and conflict resolution skills amongst educators. Ruphin is also a lead weaver of our YouthxYouth Uganda Hub.

Batul is an 11th-grade student and climate education activist from India. An enthusiastic young professional, she has extensive experience using tech tools in the field of education. She is an active member of Climate Action Projects and SDGs Advocacy, recipient of the Young Achieves Award, a Wakelet Student Ambassador, and actively collaborates with a number of NGOs: RobinHood Army, Helping Hands and She is Hygiene. She is also a IMUN Outstanding Delegate, with Special Mentions and Verbal Commendations. Beyond her activism, Batul enjoys writing, reading, dancing, and food!

Thomas is an activist whose focus lies in technology development in Africa, with the goal of all majory projects amongst Engineering faculty to be done by native Africans this will boost confidence amongst the people. To this aim, he has a vision of setting up a very powerful Technology Institute that will train the most talented mechanical engineers and reduce the cost of hiring expensive machinery from overseas. He is also hopes to set up a rehabilitation centre for those in his local community who face mental health issues, yet have no proper facilities to accommodate them, and provide free career guidance so that they are supported through university and beyond.

Kinlo is an activist committed to empowering youths especially high school students with instructional technology skills to help them develop qualities that will make them stand out in the job market. He is currently working on an initiative called KET Academy which is an online platform providing remote educational resources to students especially those in conflict area. Through this initiative, he has been able to organize and train 20 ambassadors who are secondary school or university students. Kinlo is also currently the lead weavers of our YxY Cameroon Hub.

Ila is committed to fostering a compassionate human presence on Earth in which all life can thrive and love permeates. She is deeply engaged in the intersections of spirituality, religion, wellbeing, education and nature. She loves to volunteer at community growing spaces and is always deepening my connection with human and more than human life.