Omar Dibba -YOWLI 2008-Gambia
Omar Dibba is the Coordinator of Youth Projects with the Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices (GAMCOTRAP) a Women’s Rights organisation in the Gambia where he worked since 2004. He is an advocate on Adolescent/girls and women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and rights. His work involves networking of young people, project development and sensitization of communities particularly young people in and out of schools.
As a youth activist, he is a founder member of the National Youth Parliament of The Gambia, he is also a member of the National Youth Council of the Gambia where he served in different capacities coordinating the activities of young people at Regional level.
Through GAMCOTRAP and the Inter Africa Committee (IAC) he provides programme support to National and Community based youth organisations in integrating activities geared towards the elimination of harmful traditional practices i.e. FGM, and the Promotion of adolescents and girls sexual and reproductive concerns.
Omar is also trained by the African Women Millennium Initiative (AWOMI) during the 2008 Yowli edition in Dakar. A training that has elevated him substantively and thus helped in improving his work in the Gambia.
Musa Soko - YOWLI 2010-Sierra Leone
As founding member of the national youth-led organization; Youth Partnership for Peace and Development, Musa is a diligent, thorough and organized change-maker who has the desire and passion to make the changes needed within the community he lives and those around him. His demonstrated commitment to the importance of research on peace building and development issues in his country, and has provided invaluable insight into Sierra Leonean governance systems. He worked patiently and enthusiastically, and is continuously eager to learn new knowledge and skills.
He has an unflagging commitment to peace promotion and human rights with specific interest to the rights of women, children, youth and disabled persons. His devotion to the rights of marginalized people is evidenced in his earlier voluntary work and at 20, he introduced the Blind and Visually Impaired in Sierra Leone to basic computer literacy via an on-screen reader known as JAWS. He is also focused on the interlocking dynamic of peace building and reconstruction for development, human security, justice and democracy.
Musa has vast knowledge in peace negotiation, facilitation and training. Today Musa is an outstanding young leader who continues to work in support of his fellow young people and the communities they live. His commitment to development and women’s work is evident in his service as Commissioner to the Women and Youth Commission of the International Development and Cooperation of NGOs (USTKIP).
Musa is actively involved in public advocacy and youth work and with an academic background in Peace, Musa is actively involved in peace-related advocacies and he is a member of the African Union Peace and Security Cluster and also a Member of the Steering Committee of the DisArm for Peace Project. With keen interest in Urbanization, he was elected as a member of Youth Advisory Board of the UN-HABITAT representing Africa. Whilst serving as Board Member, Musa worked with a number of NGOs and government institutions to promote youth issues that has to do with the daily challenges women and youth are faced with, in search of solutions.
However Mr. Soko has a sophisticated understanding of the need for women’s empowerment and their roles in attaining the MDG as a central component of energizing his country and region. He has enormous confidence in the powers of youth and civil society to make the necessary changes needed in the world and Sierra Leone in general. As such, Musa put special efforts into youth-led development and activism. He currently occupies key leadership positions within Sierra Leone, Africa and around the world among which to name a few; Global Call to Action Against Poverty as African Children/Youth Taskforce Member and also a Sierra Leonean Youth Representative to the African Union ECOSOCC. Musa Ansumana Soko was a member of the Expert Group Meeting in the design and Implementation of the African Union Youth Volunteer Corps.
The fact that Musa as been an active portion of all these demonstrates the confidence and faith entrusted in him, Musa is interested in development cooperation to which extent he has attended meeting of the African Union-European Union Strategic Partnership Meetings. Musa was also invited by the Real Aid Network to participate at the 3rd High Leven Forum on Aid Effectiveness which also took into account review of progress on the Paris Declaration in 2005. At a point during the UN International Conference on Trade and Development XII, Musa as accredited to participate as one of the youngest youth delegates in 2008
Musa has travelled to a number of countries to participate in international meetings, conferences, training sessions and more to deliver talks and help in design of policy documents. and at the age of 20, he introduced the Blind and Visually Impaired in Sierra Leone to basic computer literacy via an on-screen reader known as JAWS. This has allowed him to have me various and renowned personalities in the UN systems and other key INGOs/NOGs, Leaders and inspiring young people across the globe.
Musa is energetic, capable with sustained concentration, and is enthusiastic about participating in discussions , trainings and debates that helps foster meaningful changes for those he serves and works with.
Sahiya Umuhoza - YOWLI 2010 - Rwanda
Sahiya Karim Umuhoza was born on the 16th November 1985 in Rwanda. The first born out of five, she completed her primary education in 1999 at Kigali Parents’ School. She then went to FAWE Girls’ School where she obtained both her ‘O’ and ‘A’ level certificates. She’s currently a mechanical engineering student at the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology.
Sahiya has participated in a number of different activities, trainings and workshops to help improve the wellbeing of the society. She is committed, confident, responsible and works under minimum supervision. She is ready to meet challenges, enjoys exchanging constructive ideas and experiences with likeminded individuals, and is involved with the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Rwanda.
Arame Tall - AWOMI Board Member - Senegal
Arame Tall is a proud native and current resident of Dakar, Senegal, in addition to being a doctorate student in African Studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C.
Her dissertation topic, “Reducing vulnerability to climate-related disasters in Africa. A cross-country comparative analysis of disaster management policies across Africa: which way forward in the face of a changing climate?” highlights her passion for climate and environmental issues. She is the recipient of a number of fellowships and awards including the Pulitzer Foundation scholarship for academic excellence, which she received while pursuing her graduate degree on climate change and society at Columbia University in New York, USA.
Prior to that, Arame completed her undergraduate degree at Smith College in Massachusetts, USA. The women and youth empowerment enthusiast has worked with international organizations like the U.N. Institute for Training and Research in Geneva, Switzerland, the Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Center in the Hague, Netherlands, and Senegal’s Centre de Suivi Ecologique. She also has a number of publications around climate change issues and is the founder of Afro-Optimism, an Africa-promotion foundation based in Geneva, Switzerland. During her leisure hours Arame enjoys reading, cooking, traveling and horse-back riding.
Esther Sheehama - YOWLI 2008 - Namibia
Esther Sheehama is an HIV Trianer, YOWLI 2008 graduate and YOWLI Namibia focal person. For the last 10 years she has dedicated herself in the field of HIV and SRHR issues.Her role as the YOWLI Namibia involves work related to HIV/AIDS. She supervises programmes and activities including the Post YOWLI project and ACT. She works closely with women living with HIV and is now involved with the HIV adolescents project in Namibia. Additionally, she is an international HIV/AIDS and Human Right activist. Her current HIV/AIDS activities include Policy support and operations, and research in areas on strengthening prevention strategies, and integration of HIV into reproductive health in Namibia.
