Arif AbdelJalil has led many youth projects and programs that contributed to the development of youth capacities in Algeria, and at the regional levels both in the MENA and Africa regions. He founded the International Organizations’ Simulation Program known as "AlgeriaMUN" and was also the first Pan-African Youth Union’s Commissioner for Peace and Security.
He is Youth Ambassador at the Arab Thought Foundation, and a Consultant on Youth Agendas with distinguished international organizations. In these capacities, he organized several training sessions and study days on youth participation in decision-making, leadership, management, communication and negotiation strategies.
Arif chaired the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European-African Youth Parliament – which was held in Berlin, Germany. Additionally, he contributed to the high-level discussions organized by the United Nations Security Council on youth peace and Security in the Arab States region, where he shared the conflicts prevention approach towards combating violence and extremism, in Amman, Jordan.
Among the projects he worked on was the revival of the Supreme Council of Algerian Youth, and the African Network of Youth Peace Focal Points. He organized 9 annual conferences on the inclusive participation of youth in sustainable development, social entrepreneurship, peace, and security. He holds a degree from the National School of Administration.
Rebecca Phala is a South African experienced hard news journalist
whose seven years long experience spans from television, radio and print. During her undergraduate days, she started a student based television station where she gave young people with aspirations to venture into media a starting place behind the scenes or on screen.
She has worked with radio turf at the University of Limpopo as an entertainment reporter before she went to work for urban sister radio stations Energy FM and Choice FM first as an English news anchor and filed reporter, then as current affairs show host to ultimately serving as News Editor for both stations.
At Energy FM, she interviewed multiple high profile government and civil society leaders inclusive of President Cyrl Ramaphosa, cabinet Ministers and Provincial leaders. She then worked with multiple newspaper publishing house Northern Media group where she wrote hard news and ivestigative news stories for four publications namely Observer, Bonus, Review and Capricorn Voice. She broke a record at the publishing house as the only journalist to have their stories featured in the front page for their entire stay in the publication's employ.
She was then headhunted to serve as communications officer for Johannesburg based KTVR Bus Service which is operating the Bus Rapid Transit for the City of Ekurhuleni metro. She has worked as host of a current affairs television show called "Point of View" on Limpopo Television channel which was broadcast on DSTV.
At KTVR Bus Service, she is responsible for internal and external communication, media liaison sole, stakeholder relations, policy drafting and execution, marketing and advertising, graphic design and the editing and publishing of the company's quarterly publication called Observer. Rebecca has volunteered as public relations officer for the Limpopo Artists Movement, an organisation that has successfully lobbied for provincial governments to give local artists enough recognition.
She was responsible for all of the organisation's media and publication. She has been featured on the BBC, Gabz FM in Botswana, Legally clueless podcast, the South African State Theater, Woman Radio in South Africa and SAFM commentating on media trends, political events, breaking stories and gender equality discussions.
Precious is a Volunteer judge for the Queens Commonwealth Essay competition. She has served as the Gender and Governance Executive of the Commonwealth Youth Gender Equality Network (CYGEN) from the year – June 2020 to March 2022. A Coordinator for the Commonwealth Young Women mentoring program in 2019, Precious is also a Global School Advocate for the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN Youth). She has served as a board member of InventSTEM, an international nonprofit with the mission to increase STEM accessibility for youths. She has contributed to the Woman Agenda Program at WFM 91.7 radio station.
Her works have been featured on FBOMB (a Women Media Centre, USA Initiative), Levers in heels, Budgit, WasteSmart, and Global Development Commons by UNICEF. Precious was part of the Nigeria Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) consultations on the 2020 Voluntary National Review (VNR) facilitated by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on the sustainable development goals (OSSAP - SDGs). She is equally a Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) fellow, Civic Hive Fellow, and Safe Sister Fellow.
Precious holds a certificate in Engaging Social Change Leadership from Leading Change Institute, Stacey School of Leadership Studies, Kansas State University. She has a certificate in Public Leadership and Policy from the School of Politics, Policy, and Governance. In addition, she has a certificate in designing a multidimensional poverty index from the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), University of Oxford.
Dr. Samuel Dotse is Chief Executive Officer and Founder of HATOF Foundation, Country Coordinator for the Climate Action Network-Ghana, President of Ghana, His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s Appointee to the Keta Municipal Assembly, Board member of the Stakeholder, and Convener for the Global Environment Facility CSO Network in Ghana. He is a senior Environmental and Sustainable Development Expert with more than 18 years of experience promoting, raising awareness, and advocating sound policies in sustainable development and the broader environmental governance and climate policy processes at the national, regional and international levels. Between 2014-2016, he served as the Deputy Presiding Officer of Africa Union, Economic Cultural and Social Council (ECOSOCC), and as Chairman of the Rural Economy and Agricultural Cluster of the Council from 2011-2012.
Samuel holds Ph.D. In Sustainable Development and Diplomacy, EUCLID University, Post Graduate Diploma in International Environmental Law and Policy, National Law University, Delhi, India. He holds MA. in Environmental Management and Policy, University of Cape Coast, Diploma in Multilateral Environmental Agreements (Climate Change), at the University of Eastern Finland and Fudan University International Law School, Shanghai-China. He also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in International Environmental Law, United Nations Institute for Training and Research, Geneva, a Diploma in Economics Institute of Commercial Management–Bournemouth, UK and HND in Management Studies, Institute of Commercial Management–Bournemouth, UK.
His additional training includes Certificate in Challenges and Opportunities in the Field of Environmental Law and Policy, Bharathidasan University, India, 2020; Certificate in Pollutants of Emerging Concern, Bharathidasan University, India, 2020; Certificate in Climate Change and Food Security Nexus, Wageningen University, Netherlands, 2018; Certificate in Green Economy Concepts and Application, UNITAR, 2015; and Certificate in Gender and Climate Change Financing, UNDP/Gender and Climate Change Alliance, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2009.
Valarie Waswa is a young Kenyan national with a background in Law and passion for socio-economic development in Africa. Valarie has worked with organizations at the grassroot and international level that seek to address the challenges faced by women and youth from disadvantaged backgrounds.
She is a member of ChangemakerXchange, a global community that seeks to support the work that social entrepreneurs do in their communities. She is also a Generation Connect Youth Envoy at International Telecommunications Union, where she is actively involved in ITU's work that seeks to include youth voices and opinions in shaping digital policies and promoting digital connectivity and digital transformation to all persons.
Valarie also runs a local organization called Village Pillars Empowerment Project (VIPEP), which seeks to empower Adolescent girls and young women in the rural parts of Kakamega County through digital skills training and mentorship programs. She is also the host of Afri Girl Rise Podcast, an initiative that seeks to amplify the voices and stripes of African women in a positive light. Apart from that, Valarie has taken part in various fellowship programs such as the Future Africa Fellowship, which is an 8-month intense program that seeks to equip young leaders and Changemakers in Africa with skills and knowledge to actively and positively influence Africa's political economy.
Funmilayo holds Postgraduate Degree in Disruptive innovation from Harvard Business School and earned Master's in Business Administration from Webster University. She has also received a great deal of recognition and has been awarded multiple certificates and licenses in Life and Health Insurance, Business analysis and process management, and Google project management pertaining to her vast Banking, accountancy, IT, and Business skills.
Aphiwe Tafeni is the founding director of the business strategy, image consulting and training firm; Aphiwe Tafeni Business and Image Consulting.
She is a graduate of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and has previously held positions at The Foschini Group, Zando, Woolworths and Nedbank. She is currently the national coordinator for Acts Business Institute where her roles include but are not limited to:
• Sourcing Sponsorship and Funding
• Strategy formulation, implementation and monitoring
• Soft skills training
• Mentorship
• Stakeholder Relationship Management
She has also gathered experience in:
• Business Management
• Content Creation
• Styling and Wardrobe Management
• Business Trend Analysis
In addition to her BTech degree; she also has a certificate in feature writing from GetSmarter and UCT and a Certificate in the Pre-Foundation Level in Retail Banking.
She is passionate about the development and success of the black child particularly those residing in Townships and Rural communities.
