Class 18

Rene has eight years of experience in the nonprofit sector, and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in law from the University of Buea in Cameroon, and a Master’s Degree in International Relations. He specialized in international cooperation, humanitarian action and sustainable development from the International Relations Institute of Cameroon in partnership with Ca Foscari University of Venice, Italy. Rene is the founder and the Executive Director of “More Action For Disability Inclusion In Development”, a charity organization that works to promote equal opportunities and the social inclusion of persons with disabilities in the developmental processes of their respective communities. While working as a Community Resilience Program Manager with the Ecumenical Service for Peace, Rene helped improve the livelihood of vulnerable children, women, and refugees from Central African Republic and neighboring communities. Rene has worked recently with two community-based organizations simultaneously on several projects to promote inclusive education for children with disabilities and to build the capacities of youths, women, and disabled persons on income generating activities to promote self reliance to improve their livelihood. Rene has volunteered with UNICEF and UNHCR as a Child Protection Officer and a Field Associate to coordinate education in emergency programs for refugee children. Rene also worked as a Community Capacity Building Coordinator with Trauma Centre for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture in Cameroon. Through these experiences, Rene developed strong leadership skills in capacity building, research, project management, and fundraising. Rene is particularly interested in the sectors of education, humanitarian relief, human rights, and international development.

Host Organization: Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota

Role at Host Organization: Rene will provide leadership in working with the services for people with disabilities and the services for older adult teams as it relates to specific projects, service delivery systems, research and evaluation to enhance the service delivery systems of the organization. He will be working closely with executive leadership and their teams in a statewide delivery system structure.

Saqib Riaz is a public outreach and advocacy professional with 11 years of experience in public sector, nonprofit and media organizations. He has strong understanding of international development, human rights issues and global politics. Currently, he is working as Senior Public Diplomacy and Political Affairs Officer at the Embassy of the Netherlands in Islamabad where he is extensively involved in political reporting for The Hague, and protection and promotion of human rights by engaging with NGOs, INGOs and UN agencies based in Pakistan. Saqib has demonstrated impactful contributions to improve the quality of elections as well as democracy in Pakistan. He managed the advocacy portfolio of Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), Pakistan’s largest election observation network, by contributing to mainstreaming the long-impending agenda of electoral and political reforms – a prerequisite for the deepening of democracy in the country. His academic grounding as a political scientist with a Master’s Degree from the University of Punjab, Lahore, has provided him the added advantage of steering complex advocacy campaigns to influence policy, legal and regulatory reforms. Harnessing the potential of new technologies, Saqib successfully blended traditional communication tools with more advanced and emerging social media to advance FAFEN’s electoral reforms work. Saqib started his career as a journalist and has worked with print and electronic media as desk editor and producer. He was the member of the founding team of Express 24/7, Pakistan’s first English-language news channel. His hobbies include traveling, trekking and photography.

Host Organization : Meridian International Center

Role at Host Organization : Saqib conducted need assessment for revamping communication channels of Meridian and expanded online outreach through social media and website. He generated content, articles, case studies/blogs and managed website and social media accounts during his one-year fellowship. Saqib also served as a resource person to develop concept notes for programs specific to Pakistan and coordinated with Meridian teams, partners, public/private donors to ensure visibility of Meridian’s programs. He introduced the use of infographics, photos and compelling videos for marketing of Meridian, and developed a strategy and curriculum to improve communication and build capacity of Meridian staff on effective communications.

Subecha Dahal is a Master’s in Public Health candidate (2019) at Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University. From Kathmandu, Nepal, Subecha is a Dornsife Fellow and is currently supporting Unicef supported project to develop a global framework to measure & evaluate social norms changes in female genital mutilation. Previous to this, Subecha was working as a project coordinator with VaxTrac, a global health non-profit in Washington D.C., where she first served as an Atlas Corps Fellow. At VaxTrac, Subecha supported the coordination of vaccine related mHealth projects that were implemented in partnership with Unicef, WHO and CDC. As an Atlas Corps Alumni, Subecha is a part of a diverse group of emerging nonprofit young leaders from all over the world. Subecha completed her graduate degree in sociology from Pune University in India, where she also completed her undergraduate studies. Through her work in public health, Subecha hopes to address existing health disparities.

Host Organization : VaxTrac

Sadia Ijaz completed her Master’s in International Relations, from University of Peshawar, an LL.B degree from Ayub College of Law, Haripur, and Bachelor’s of Education (B.Ed.) from Hazara University Mansehra (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) in Pakistan. SadiaIjaz brings more than ten years of rich professional experience mainly in child rights, education, health and hygiene, communications, monitoring, reporting, documentation, and professional practice leadership roles. She has held progressive management roles at Saibaan Development Organization and De LaasGul (DLG) Welfare Program in child rights, child labor, women empowerment, library development, and water filtration plant projects funded by OXFAM Germany, ILO, Asia Foundation, Association for Development of Pakistan, and Global Funds for Children. She has seen great success in the development and implementation of these projects, and also has shown great leadership and initiatives that shows her persona. Sadia worked in Early Childhood Care Education (ECCE) project with Save the Children International funded by Netherlands Embassy for a year. She is presently the Senior Officer of Documentation, Reporting and Communications at Save the Children International. She has experience in improving coordination with external stakeholders and has overcome many challenges, which ultimately improved the impact of the projects implemented by Save the Children in the region. Sadia is an effective and dynamic leader with sound knowledge of issues related to teacher education, school development, leadership, and ECCE in the context of Pakistan. Through these experiences, she developed strong project coordination management, communications, monitoring, evaluation, reporting, documentation, and program implementation skills.

Host Organization: RESULTS

Role at Host Organization: Sadia will ensure effective coordination of the International/Northern Civil Society Organizations constituency, through the establishment of an online communications platform, development of a constituency advocacy strategy, and contributions to ongoing research and analysis of key constituency issues. She will also regularly communicate across the other Global Partnership for Education Board civil society constituencies to ensure coordinated actions.

“Rofaida has six years of experience in the nonprofit sector and has earned a Master’s Degree in Information Technology Management from the University Technology Malaysia. She has worked in nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private sectors as well. She also has experience in health informatics, knowledge management, business analysis, and data management.
Rofaida is a good volunteer that enjoys participating in community events and human aids, and she has been engaged in different activities and community service programs throughout her career. In 2012, Rofaida became a founding member of the Sudanese Knowledge Society SKS, which focuses on enabling people of Sudan to utilize the concepts, methods, and values of the knowledge society. She is particularly interested in ICT for development and knowledge management. Rofaida is always eager to learn new things that relate to her field, and she also loves traveling, reading, and event planning activities.”

Host Organization: American Red Cross

Role at Host Organization: Rofaida will support the information and knowledge management needs of the Global Disaster Preparedness Center (GDPC). This includes providing immediate support for data collection and analysis, maintaining and refining an effective knowledge management system for a state-of-the-art resource center, and piloting of complementary knowledge management initiatives in conjunction with the wider American Red Cross International Services Department (ISD) and the global Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Mohamad Adam is a Cairo-based journalist. His work was published in The Economist, Mada Masr and Egypt Independent. Adam studied physics at Cairo University but got entangled in politics with the Egyptian uprising in 2011. He was driven to document the events as they unfolded and by 2012 he had fallen comfortably into a career of journalism. In 2013, Adam co-founded Mada Masr, an independent news website, with a group of journalists. He spearheaded the website’s Arabic section, where he wrote, translated and edited content. Adam also freelanced for international publications such as The New York Times and provided analysis and reports on current Egyptian affairs to the Washington based Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP). He also worked as a local producer on an English documentary for Al Jazeera. He also joined the leading Egyptian NGO, The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights as a media officer in 2014. Adam covered topics ranging from Islamist affairs, the health sector, worker and human rights. He also authored investigative pieces on police affairs in Egypt.

Host Organization: The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy

Role at Host Organization: Adam will work in a research capacity with the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP). The design of his research will be developed in conjunction with TIMEP’s directorial staff and will reflect the Adam’s submitted project proposal exploring media biases in Egypt.

Maureen has five years of experience in the non-profit sector with two nonprofit organizations and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Sciences from University of Juba in South Sudan. While working as a National Program Officer with the United Nations World Food Programme for a year and nine months, Maureen provided technical and programmatic supports to Cooperating Partners in regard to Project Implementation in Upper Nile state, South Sudan. Previously, Maureen worked for FARM Africa as a Project Officer in Juba, South Sudan for two years and nine months. Later, she worked for Intermon OXFAM as a Livelihood Program Officer for six months in Western Bahr El Ghazal State in South Sudan. Through these experiences, she developed durable program management and implementation skills and also acquired capacity building and partnership skills. As a good team player she has contributed immensely to project successes of her past employers and previously contributed to the overall goals and objectives of the World Food Programme. Maureen is passionate about matters related to community development with emphasis on women empowerment, enterprise and agricultural development.

Host Organization: Oxfam America

Role at Host Organization: Maureen will support and contribute to Oxfam America’s gender justice program and policy work. Oxfam America commits to the goal to build internal capacity to integrate and highlight gender in all work and transform unequal gender power relations through all programs and campaigns. Maureen will work with Global Gender Advisor in accomplishing this goal in coordination with other team members.

Kangu has four years of experience in nonprofit sector focusing on education, elections, agriculture, youth empowerment and development. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in development communications from University of Juba, and a certificate in freedom of expression and professional journalism from South Sudan Media Forum. Currently, Kangu works as a journalist for Bakhita Radio under Catholic Radio Network to promote peace and reconciliation among different communities. As head of the news department, he edits and prepares news bulletins to go on air, decides on the best way of presenting a story, prepares interview questions, and conducts live or prerecorded interviews. Previously, Kangu worked as a broadcast journalist with Eye Radio where he presented information in a fair, balanced and accurate manner. He wrote and edited stories for multiple platforms, evaluated and followed up on news tips to develop a story idea, and he was a solo anchor for the weekday segment on the news program. In addition, Kangu worked for Century Films and assisted director Sam Benstead whilst shooting films in Juba to be shown on the BBC TV, and provided translation services. Kangu was also a Trainer of Trainees during South Sudan Referendum where he trained polling staffs especially in Morobo County of Central Equatoria State to produce valid results leading to South Sudanese independence. Kangu was a mathematics and science teacher at Ombchi Keliko Primary school in Morobo County of Central Equatoria State and at Kings Academy School in Juba. Through these experiences, Kangu has promised to be a development communication support and offer versatile communication for behavior change in both international and local media to mitigate poverty, illiteracy and also improve the rule of law through radio.

Host Organization: Voice of America

Role at Host Organization: Kangu will serve with VOA staff to identify and research news and feature stories in Sudan and South Sudan that are of interest to the target audience, and will be called upon to conduct interviews. Kangu will produce radio reports for international broadcast and digital content for the voanews.com/southsudan website. In addition, he will support the editorial process of planning daily news coverage.

Kaltuma Vanesa Ahmed is 26 years old and was born in Torit, Eastern Equatoria State, South Sudan. Kaltuma earned a Bachelor’s degree in journalism from Nkumba University in Entebbe-Uganda and has two years of experience in nonprofit organizations. While working as an assistant with the Makulu Fund for Children in Uganda for a year, identifying and registering these children to the organization under the supervision of her senior manager, she helped to improve the welfare of children living with HIV/AIDS and those whose parents died from HIV/AIDS in Uganda. Previously, Kaltuma worked with Radio Bilal volunteering in a project raising funds for the people who were destroyed in landslide in Bududa in Uganda for 6 months, sensitizing people on the impact and showing how these people can be helped. Currently, she is working as a reporter and presenter at Voice of Eastern Equatoria radio. Through these experiences, she developed strong project coordination, communication skills, and her love for media presentation. Kaltuma is interested in women/gender issues as well as other topics that need to be communicated to the public.

Host Organization: Voice of America

Role at Host Organization: “Kaltuma will serve with VOA staff to identify and research news and feature stories in Sudan and South Sudan that are of interest to the target audience, and will be called upon to conduct interviews. Kaltuma will produce radio reports for international broadcast and digital content for the voanews.com/southsudan website. In addition, she will support the editorial process of planning daily news coverage.

Marcela has six years of experience in the nonprofit sector working with human security and development projects. She earned a Bachelor´s Degree in Government and International Relations from the Externado de Colombia University, and a Master of Arts in National Defense and Security in Bogotá. With a deep interest in capacity building, sustainable development, youth rights and civil society strengthening, Marcela has participated extensively in technical assistance processes for the design, implementation and evaluation of public policies, especially in the human rights, public security, national defense and victims’ protection fields. While working as a specialized professional in the international cooperation field, she contributed in the completion of strategies to achieve sustainable development in Colombia. Previously, Marcela worked to promote the private sector’s contribution to the community in coordination with local government projects, primarily in the areas of violence and abuse prevention. Early in her career, as a consultant in Public Security, Defense, and Strategic Intelligence, she collaborated during three years with several public entities, both national and local levels, in their capacity building processes. During that time, she successfully participated with different public and private organizations and victims of the Colombian armed conflict in the evaluation of the National Public Policy to protect the rights of the victims. Before finishing college, Marcela was an intern at the Organization of American States in the Dominican Republic where she was selected as an electoral observer to guarantee the transparency in the presidential elections of 2008. Marcela has a special interest in education processes as a path to prevent and reduce violence. She is a dedicated lecturer at the Externado University, where she analyzes with her students the main urban security issues in Latin America.

Host: Internews

Fellow Role at Internews:
Marcela will work closely with a team of approximately 20 development professionals, who develop and implement projects in Latin America related to access to safe, affordable, and uncensored information. The projects range from providing financial grants, technical training, and advisory support to local civil society and media organizations, to policy and advocacy projects. Marcela will also be involved in developing technologies that enhance and make access to an affordable internet safer. She will be paying particular attention to aspects of digital security and evolving developments in cyber security, as they affect the public, media and civil society.

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.

Hyun Shin has more than two years of experience in the nonprofit sector, and earned a Master’s Degree in International Development from the University of Sheffield in the U.K. While working as a coordinator in the Korean Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities (KSRPD), she operated the Secretariat of Asia Pacific Disability Forum (APDF), an international disability organization. She also contributed to international partnerships with Disabled People’s Organizations in Asia and Pacific region by organizing seminars and conferences in Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, and Indonesia. She planned and organized different projects for youth leadership. She also worked as an executive assistant and interpreter to the President of APDF for meetings at the UNESCAP and the UN Headquarters. Hyun-Shin did an internship at the Development Education Centre in South Yorkshire in the U.K. in 2011, and finished her research on “An analysis of children’s development awareness.” Previously, Hyun-Shin worked as a co-worker in the Camphill Community in the UK in 2004, where she was responsible for the house unit looking after residents with disabilities, and completed the National Vocational Qualification in Care. She also worked as an English teacher for Korean middle and high school students in private sectors for four years. Through these experiences, Hyun-Shin developed project management and coordination skills as well as teamwork skills. She enjoys focusing on the issues of international development related to disability, global partnership, youth participation, gender, and education.

Host Organization: CARE USA

Role at Host Organization: “Hyun-Shin will work with the Senior Policy Advisor of the Gender and Empowerment team, which is involved in a number of policy and influence activities related to gender integration, prevention of gender-based violence, and mitigation and prevention of child marriage. Hyun-Shin will work to support the team’s efforts to influence global discourse and policy implementation on these issues, and to monitor progress against the team’s influence and policy implementation goals.