YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Festus Moses from Nigeria Found His Purpose in Business and Skills Education Oct 11, 2024

In this episode of the YALI Voices podcast, we’re sitting down to talk with Festus Moses from Nigeria. In addition to being a YALI Network member and 2024 Mandela Washington Fellow, Festus is an entrepreneur who — while building his footwear and leather goods business — saw the need for increased skills training and education. Festus has taught over 100 young people the art of leather craftsmanship. This training, along with business development classes, has empowered these students to start their own entrepreneurial journeys. Festus is a self-described “growth addict” who believes that each of us has the power to learn how to identify goals and accomplish the small steps needed to attain them for both personal and professional growth. He sees entrepreneurship as a way for all people to make positive economic changes for themselves and their community. Today we chat about mentorship, skills training, and Festus’ belief that business is about the people who make it a success. To follow what Festus is doing, check out his social media links here: https://www.instagram.com/moss_collections/ https://ng.linkedin.com/in/festus-moses-13217b125

YALI Voices Podcast: David Jeng is Mentoring for Small Business Success in The Gambia Sep 11, 2024

In this episode of the YALI Voices podcast, we’re sitting down to talk with David Jeng at the 2024 Mandela Washington Fellowship Summit in Washington. David is from The Gambia and in addition to being a 2024 Mandela Washington Fellow, he is an intellectual property law and rights expert. He has built businesses and is a board member of The Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and an advocate for private sector initiatives that help businesses thrive. David has a deep commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship, especially when it comes to small- and medium-sized enterprises, or SME’s. He sees small businesses as the foundation on which great communities are built. We chat about business, mentorship, and the importance of people who are real changemakers.

YALI Voices Podcast: Roni Kanuono turns discarded bottles into something amazing! Jul 12, 2024

https://yali.state.gov/roni-kanuono-turns-discarded-bottles-into-something-amazing-building-furniture-from-plastic-waste/ In this episode of the YALI Voices podcast, we’re honored to be speaking with Roni Kanuono from Cameroon. After working with an environmental NGO for a number of years, he decided to use the lessons he learned there and started his own! His organization, For A Green World, is dedicated to reducing plastic pollution in a most innovative way. Talking with Roni, it is clear that what we see each day as pollution and plastic waste can be repurposed into useful, even beautiful, objects. And he wants to make sure that others in his community and beyond are able to learn to make something new out of something ordinary. Roni Kanuono Social: https://x.com/KanouoRoni?s=08 For A Green World Website: https://chanasdigital.com/foragreenworld

YALI Voices Podcast: Lilian Kaivilu is Making an Impact Training Citizen Journalists May 04, 2020

YALI Voices Podcast: Lilian Kaivilu is Making an Impact Training Citizen Journalists by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Chiedza Makwara on Succeeding and Supporting Women Through Good Times and Bad Apr 21, 2020

YALI Voices Podcast: Chiedza Makwara on Succeeding and Supporting Women Through Good Times and Bad by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Dina Cirillo on Protecting the Rights of Women and Girls in South Sudan Apr 14, 2020

YALI Voices Podcast: Dina Cirillo on Protecting the Rights of Women and Girls in South Sudan by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Wuraoluwa Ayodele and Masele Msita on Speaking Up and Being Heard Apr 08, 2020

YALI Voices Podcast: Wuraoluwa Ayodele and Masele Msita on Speaking Up and Being Heard by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Melene Rossouw’s Movement for Women’s Leadership in South Africa Mar 03, 2020

YALI Voices Podcast: Melene Rossouw’s Movement for Women’s Leadership in South Africa by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Eunice Achenda Peter on Professionalism and Good Governance Feb 20, 2020

YALI Voices Podcast: Eunice Achenda Peter on Professionalism and Good Governance by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Patrick Stephenson Wants More Citizen Involvement with Public Policy Jan 27, 2020

YALI Voices Podcast: Patrick Stephenson Wants More Citizen Involvement with Public Policy by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Ebrima Sonko on Social Justice, Fairness, and Equity Jan 16, 2020

YALI Voices Podcast: Ebrima Sonko on Social Justice, Fairness, and Equity by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Adesola Adedokun Ajayi Working to Provide Opportunities for All Nov 26, 2019

YALI Voices Podcast: Adesola Adedokun Ajayi Working to Provide Opportunities for All by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Entrepreneur Corine Hounsou is Building a Global Brand Nov 15, 2019

YALI Voices Podcast: Entrepreneur Corine Hounsou is Building a Global Brand by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Juliet Odhiambo Says Financial Literacy is the Key to Economic Success Nov 08, 2019

YALI Voices Podcast: Juliet Odhiambo Says Financial Literacy is the Key to Economic Success by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Steve Zita Mentors Youth to be Successful Business Leaders Oct 25, 2019

YALI Voices Podcast: Steve Zita Mentors Youth to be Successful Business Leaders by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Robson Mamba Believes in a Comprehensive Approach to Service Jun 27, 2019

YALI Voices Podcast: Robson Mamba Believes in a Comprehensive Approach to Service by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast Three Champions Working Toward Tolerance and Acceptance for All Jun 27, 2019

YALI Voices Podcast Three Champions Working Toward Tolerance and Acceptance for All by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: James Amugsi on Service and Volunteerism in his Community Jun 27, 2019

YALI Voices Podcast: James Amugsi on Service and Volunteerism in his Community by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Suleiman Makore on Wildlife in Zimbabwe Jun 04, 2019

YALI Voices Podcast: Suleiman Makore on Wildlife in Zimbabwe by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Ama Duncan Brings Women Together in the Fabulous Woman Network May 14, 2019

YALI Voices Podcast: Ama Duncan Brings Women Together in the Fabulous Woman Network by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Nombuso Simelane Wants Girls to Glow in Eswatini May 09, 2019

YALI Voices Podcast: Nombuso Simelane Wants Girls to Glow in Eswatini by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Nangamso Koza is Bringing Educational Opportunity to the Eastern Cape Apr 16, 2019

YALI Voices Podcast: Nangamso Koza is Bringing Educational Opportunity to the Eastern Cape by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin is a Hero to At-risk Girls in Nigeria Apr 11, 2019

YALI Voices Podcast: Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin is a Hero to At-risk Girls in Nigeria by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast Nozipho Dlali Seeks Equal Justice for All Mar 05, 2019

YALI Voices Podcast Nozipho Dlali Seeks Equal Justice for All by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Shaban Senyange Talks Raising Awareness on Wildlife Conservation in Uganda Mar 05, 2019

YALI Voices Podcast: Shaban Senyange Talks Raising Awareness on Wildlife Conservation in Uganda by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Phyllis Zyambo Is Empowering Rural Women and Youth Feb 12, 2019

YALI Voices Podcast: Phyllis Zyambo Is Empowering Rural Women and Youth by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Tshinde Matos On Science, Entrepreneurship and Food Insecurity Feb 12, 2019

YALI Voices Podcast: Tshinde Matos On Science, Entrepreneurship and Food Insecurity by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Senegal’s Awa Thiam Uses Data to Link Farmers with Schools in Need Feb 12, 2019

YALI Voices Podcast: Senegal’s Awa Thiam Uses Data to Link Farmers with Schools in Need by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Zimbabwe’s Leon Damba Talks Agriprocessing and Catering to His Customers Dec 14, 2018

YALI Voices Podcast: Zimbabwe’s Leon Damba Talks Agriprocessing and Catering to His Customers by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Mystere Belmamou Diksia on Agribusiness and Building Resilience in Communities Dec 14, 2018

YALI Voices Podcast: Mystere Belmamou Diksia on Agribusiness and Building Resilience in Communities by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Auxence Muhigwa Talks Producing Healthy Soybean Oil in the DRC Dec 14, 2018

YALI Voices Podcast: Auxence Muhigwa Talks Producing Healthy Soybean Oil in the DRC by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: For Gcina Dlamini Success as an Agripreneur Started Early Dec 10, 2018

YALI Voices Podcast: For Gcina Dlamini Success as an Agripreneur Started Early by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Suhaila Aboud on Ending Gender-Based Violence Nov 29, 2018

YALI Voices Podcast: Suhaila Aboud on Ending Gender-Based Violence by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Constance Munyenyembe is Looking for a Few Good Agripreneurs Nov 19, 2018

YALI Voices Podcast: Constance Munyenyembe is Looking for a Few Good Agripreneurs by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast Felicity Walu Tells Nigerians to Run From Danger But Not From Voting Nov 15, 2018

YALI Voices Podcast Felicity Walu Tells Nigerians to Run From Danger But Not From Voting by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Muazu Modu Challenges the Status Quo in Nigeria Nov 15, 2018

YALI Voices Podcast: Muazu Modu Challenges the Status Quo in Nigeria by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Pokyes Richard Sati Rides the Potato Value Chain to Success Nov 14, 2018

YALI Voices Podcast: Pokyes Richard Sati Rides the Potato Value Chain to Success by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Peter Ayeni believes Nigerian youth are ready to lead Oct 24, 2018

YALI Voices Podcast: Peter Ayeni believes Nigerian youth are ready to lead by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Clifford Akonteh and the Power of Positive Energy in Cameroon Oct 10, 2018

YALI Voices Podcast: Clifford Akonteh and the Power of Positive Energy in Cameroon by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Uchenna Charity Onwuamaegbu Ugwu Jun 25, 2018

STEM education for young girls has been overlooked in many places around the world, but Uchenna Onwuamaegbu-Ugwu is working hard to change that. As the founder and CEO of Edufun Technik, she is providing STEM learning and resources to schools and students in eastern Nigeria. Uchenna, a 2017 Mandela Washington Fellow, advocates for youth empowerment through hands-on learning, and she shares how she hopes to shape the next generation of change-makers in Africa. Read more and find the transcript on the YALI Blog: yali.state.gov/yali-voices-podcast-uchenna-onwuamaegbu-ugwu-brings-stem-education-to-nigerian-girls

YALI Voices Podcast: Bongekile Radebe on Legacy, Responsibility and Building Her Brand May 24, 2018

Growing up near Soweto, South Africa, Bongekile Radebe understood both history and economic hardship firsthand. As the founder of Taste of Legends, Radebe inspires other young women to become business leaders, develop useful wellness techniques and engage in tea agriculture in South Africa. Find the transcript: https://yali.state.gov/yali-voices-podcast-bongekile-radebe-on-legacy-responsibility-and-building-her-brand/

YALI Voices Podcast: Nkem Okocha's Mamamoni Finances Women's Entrepreneurship in Nigeria May 24, 2018

Nkem Okocha's experience working in banking helped her learn how to devise a system in which she would provide loans to women as a way to help them jumpstart plans for businesses they didn't have the means to start on their own. Find the transcript at: https://yali.state.gov/yali-voices-podcast-nkem-okochas-mamamoni-finances-womens-entrepreneurship-in-nigeria/

YALI Voices Podcast: Jackline Bayoa on inspiring girls in Uganda Mar 13, 2018

Jacquline Bayowa, A 2017 Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumnae, Owns and operates a restaurant called Hot Seven in Arua, she’s committed to inspiring girls in Uganda to succeed through business and entrepreneurship. Find more: https://yali.state.gov/yali-voices-podcast-jackline-bayoa-inspiring-girls-uganda/

YALI Voices Podcast: Maria Rosa Dias Leads Marginalized Women to Success Mar 07, 2018

Through the Women’s Penitentiary project, Maria Rosa provides technical training to female ex-detainees and change their lives for the better. Read more: yali.state.gov/yali-voices-podcast-maria-rosa-dias-leads-marginalized-women-success

YALI Voices Podcast: Abinet Tasew believes education is the key to gender equality Mar 06, 2018

Drawing from her own experiences and those of her mother Abinet Tasew works to ensure girls in Ethiopia gain access to necessary educational opportunities. Read more: yali.state.gov/yali-voices-podcast-abinet-tasew-believes-education-is-the-key-to-gender-equality

YALI Voices Podcast: Neema Kiswaga Creates a Ladder to Leadership for Youth Mar 06, 2018

Neema Kiswaga of Tanzania is creating a permanent solution that guides and mentor youth to realize and achieve their goals. Read more at yali.state.gov/yali-voices-podcast-neema-kiswaga-creates-ladder-leadership-youth

YALI Voices Podcast: Rigbe Gebrehawariat on Empowering People with Disabilities Feb 26, 2018

Although she was born with a disability, Rigbe Gebrehawariat realized that changing her attitude has opened doors to opportunity. Learn more: yali.state.gov/yali-voices-rigbe-gebrehawariat-empowering-people-with-disabilities

YALI Voices Podcast: Sharifu Tusuubira champions the cause of those living with sickle cell disease Feb 01, 2018

Sharifu Kiragga Tusuubira understands the challenges and stigma surrounding sickle cell disease, having been born with sickle cell and facing discrimination throughout his life. Now, as the executive director of the Uganda Sickle Cell Rescue Foundation, Sharifu brings hope as he works in communities across Uganda to reduce the stigma regarding sickle cell disease. Read more and find the transcript: https://goo.gl/Whjs9p

YALI Voices Podcast: Kingdom U. Nwanyanwu on Education and Advocacy for the Hearing-Impaired Jan 19, 2018

Kingdom Uchenna Nwanyanwu, the founder and president of DEHAT Ability Support Initiative (DASI), is an advocate that aims to reduce violence and stigma and train educators in sign language so that they may teach the deaf and hearing-impaired community. Read more: yali.state.gov/yali-voices-kingdom-u-nwanyanwu-education-advocacy-hearing-impaired

YALI Voices Podcast: Uganda’s Elizabeth Kasujja Talks to Bakary Fatty on Mental Health and Healing Jan 19, 2018

Meet two energetic and committed young leaders who are working on the front lines of youth leadership and community engagement. Find more at: yali.state.gov/yali-voices-podcast-ugandas-elizabeth-kasujja-talks-bakary-fatty-mental-health-healing

YALI Voices Podcast: Dr. Abubakar Baasba on Improving Maternal and Child Health Care in Rural Kenya Jan 04, 2018

Abubakar sees his role as a physician and as an advocate for his patients and his community. Read more about his work in maternal and child healthcare. Read more at: https://goo.gl/xwcwdj

YALI Voices Podcast: Israel Bimpe Takes a Holistic Approach to Health Care Jan 02, 2018

Israel Bimpe is the first African president of the International Pharmaceutical Students' Federation and helps designs community public health campaigns to get people to think of health from a holistic standpoint. Learn more about his work: yali.state.gov/yali-voices-podcast-israel-bimpe-takes-a-holistic-approach-to-health-care

YALI Voices Podcast: Ntsali Khesa going door to door to raise awareness on HIV/AIDS in Lesotho Dec 05, 2017

Ntsali Khesa is making great strides in helping reduce the stigma and discrimination around HIV/AIDS in Lesotho. Having worked as a counselor for almost 10 years, she now focuses many of her efforts on outreach and helping individuals access treatment, prevention education and therapeutic resources needed to live their best lives. Read more: https://yali.state.gov/yali-voices-raise-awareness-hivaids-lesotho/

YALI Voices Podcast: Meera Shah is working to bring better health care to Kenyan Communities Nov 30, 2017

Meera Shah’s 10 years in the public health sector have reinforced the old saying that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” As a medical health officer in Mombasa, Kenya, Shah works to promote good health with preventive measures like immunizing children and stopping the spread of HIV. “It’s a lot to do with education and creating that awareness so that you are creating the demand for good health.” Read more at: yali.state.gov/yali-voices-meera-shah-better-health-care-kenyan-communities

YALI Voices Podcast: Melusi Mngomezulu on the Power of Data and the Value of Volunteering Nov 21, 2017

How can data help with volunteering efforts? Melusi Mngomezulu from Swaziland shares his advice in this YALIVoices podcast.

YALI Voices: Tina Musuya on Preventing Domestic Violence Nov 15, 2017

Tina Musuya is the Executive Director Uganda’s Center for Domestic Violence Prevention (CEDOVIP) and a tireless advocate for ending gender-based violence. CEDOVIP works with communities, institutions, civil society, and the Government of Uganda to promote the rights of women and girls in order to create safer, healthier, happier, relationships, homes, and communities. Their work aims to create change in the attitudes, behavior, and practices that perpetuate violence against women and girls in Uganda. Read more at https://yalibeta.state.gov/yali-voices-preventing-domestic-violence/

YALIVoices Podcast: Sylvia Kakyo on Keeping Girls in School Nov 13, 2017

YALIVoices Podcast: Sylvia Kakyo on Keeping Girls in School by YALI Network Radio

YALI Voices Podcast: Orondaam Otto on Passion and Perseverance in Social Entrepreneurship Oct 30, 2017

Originally on a path to become a medical doctor, Orondaam Otto passionately redefined his career path to pursue human capital development and social entrepreneurship after witnessing a serious need for helping disadvantaged children access quality education and opportunities in his community in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. He shares many of the practices that helped make him successful, as well as lessons learned in his early journey to founding the organization: https://goo.gl/jDXjYP

YALIVoices Podcast: Emmanuel Agumah, Founder of the Buruli Ulcer Victims Aid Foundation Sep 25, 2017

When he was in high school, Emmanuel Agumah was diagnosed with Buruli ulcer. Categorized as a neglected tropical disease, or “NTD,” it kept him hospitalized for approximately three years and bedridden for about a year and a half. The disease, which he could have chosen to view as a disability, has instead given him a cause for which he fights. Agumah founded the Buruli Ulcer Victims Aid (BUVA) Foundation, which focuses on socio-economic support for former Buruli ulcer patients and those with disabilities. Read more: https://goo.gl/xu88yf

YALI Voices Podcast: Fatma Abdalla Jul 14, 2017

Fatma Abdalla is a product of community action. Growing up, her mother would fundraise to pay her tuition. “The community stood by me so that I could gain my degree,” the business school graduate tells YALI Voices. “I feel that it’s my time now to pay back to the community.” Read more: yali.state.gov/yalivoices-education-key-change-professional

YALI Voices Podcast: Selina Nkoila saves her school Jul 12, 2017

Do you see opportunities or obstacles? Listen to Selina Nkoile talk about how she saved the school she attended as a girl and how she promotes education. Read more at: yali.state.gov/yali-voices-selina-nkoile-saves-her-school

YALI Voices Podcast: Victor Ochen Jul 07, 2017

At a young age, Nobel Peace Prize nominee Victor Ochen says, “my choice remains peace and will always be peace,” in this YALI Voices podcast. Read more: https://yali.state.gov/yali-voices-victor-ochen-audio

YALI Voices Podcast: Fombah Kanneh - Education changed his life. Now he’s giving back. Jun 30, 2017

Fombah Kanneh grew up in a makeshift house in the slums of Monrovia, Liberia, during the country’s civil war. As in many other cities, slum life in Monrovia is notoriously hard — plagued by drugs, poverty, hunger and peer pressure to engage in destructive behavior. Learn more: https://yali.state.gov/yali-voices-podcast-education-changed-his-life-now-hes-giving-back/

YALI Voices: Why Everyone Should Find Time To Be A Volunteer Jun 26, 2017

Volunteering has never been more important than it is today. With the spate of global humanitarian crises and the growing consciousness of alternative problem solving techniques available, volunteering with organizations that are solving societal problems gives people the opportunity to be part of the solution. Volunteering to help people in your community leads to your personal development and to the development of that community and the country at large. Read more: https://yali.state.gov/yaliserves-joy-of-volunteering-2/

YALI Voices: What Does It Mean To Volunteer Jun 26, 2017

Volunteering is the act of rendering selfless service to a cause, oftentimes for free and without coercion. It is about giving time to a good cause, specifically to help an organization, your community or an individual you are not related to. People who engage in this type of activity are known as volunteers. Read more at: https://yali.state.gov/yaliserves-joy-of-volunteering-1/

YALI Voices: The Benefits Of Being A Volunteer Jun 26, 2017

Before you decide on how and where you will volunteer, it is important to have thought through three key questions. Why do you want to volunteer? What volunteer opportunity best fits your career and/or other goals? And how will you maximize the potential in every volunteering experience? Read more at: https://yali.state.gov/yaliserves-joy-of-volunteering-3/

YALI Voices: Getting Even More From Volunteering Jun 26, 2017

While you are volunteering, be honest about your skills and experiences. One of the best things you can do for yourself during your period of volunteering is to be completely honest about your skills, abilities and experiences. What you already know you can apply and build on; what you do not know you can learn — but this can only happen when you are honest to both yourself and your employers and superiors.

YALI Voices: Getting The Most Out Of Volunteering Jun 26, 2017

An excellent way to appreciate the business of volunteering is to first understand how to get the best out of every volunteering experience, and this is what we will be looking at in this section. Read more: https://yali.state.gov/yaliserves-joy-of-volunteering-4/

YALI Voices Podcast: Alfred Kankuzi, hosted by Marshall Dyton Apr 14, 2017

Mr. Marshall Dyton, CEO of Freelance Web Solutions Malawi, interviews Mr. Alfred Kankuzi, Mobile Application Developer and graphic designer. Learn more and read the transcript at: https://yali.state.gov/yali-voices-malawi-kankuzi/

YALI Voices Podcast: Enelless Pemba Phiri, hosted by Mr. Marshall Dyton Apr 14, 2017

Mr. Marshall Dyton, CEO of Freelance Web Solutions Malawi, interviews Ms. Enelless Pemba Phiri, an arts and crafts entrepreneur in Malawi. Learn more and read the transcript at: https://yali.state.gov/yali-voices-malawi-pemba/

YALI Voices Podcast: Felix Lanyo's (Goodman) life experiences motivate his fight against drugs Jan 27, 2017

Felix Lanyo, is Youth Leader and Activist, Entrepreneur, Agriculturist, Peace and Climate Change Advocate, Humanitarian, Professional Digital Advertiser and Spoken Word Artist. His past projects include Scientific Research on Gene Repair to Combat Ebola, Malaria and HIV/AIDS in Africa which birthed World Scientific Conference in 2015. Inclusively, he is working on productive project; 'Agribusiness and Rural Entrepreneurship in Eradicating Poverty' for the past years and building Rural Communities, impacting and changing lives in rural communities in Ghana West Africa. He pilots Digital Entrepreneurship skills project; 'DIGITAL_CODE' for urban communities, impacting, equipping and developing young persons between the ages of 18 to 35 years with highly Digital Advertising and Coding skills in densely populated urban regions that have access to internet.

YALI Voices Podcast: Michel Okan Dec 28, 2016

Michel is a 2015 Mandela Washington Fellow who works as a community activist and has spent several years working to reduce youth violence and encourage peaceful solutions to election-related conflicts. A graduate of Benin University, he currently serves as a United Nations Volunteer Peace Building Fund program assistant in Mali.

YALI Voices Podcast: Renewable Energy Innovation Dec 13, 2016

Macon Phillips podcast about renewable energy with South African Mandela Washington Fellows Adele Boadzo and Tshegofatso Neeuwfan. Adele Boadzo is a clean energy activist and solar entrepreneur with over five years’ experience in Africa’s energy sector. She is passionate about delivering clean energy projects to electrify the continent and is currently a project manager at a South African solar PV company and is also the founder of Hope Rises Solar, an organization that empowers women to distribute and install solar technologies to transform their communities. Tshegofatso Neeuwfan has six years of experience working in the South African electricity supply industry. He started his career as a project engineer and now works as a senior advisor at South Africa’s national power utility company. Chief among Tshegofatso’s responsibilities is developing and implementing a gas-to-power strategy that forms part of his company’s intention to reduce emissions and introduce flexible capacity that can partner with renewables. Outside of the work context, he is the coordinator of a boys’ mentorship program that aims to expose boys from underprivileged backgrounds to positive role models, experiences, and information.

YALI Voices Podcast: Jamila Mayanja Dec 08, 2016

Jamila Mayanja has 6 years’ experience as a professional marketer, she is the CEO of Smart Girls Uganda, a company that empowers young girls and women through trainings to build their self-esteem. Through Smart Girls she started a franchise company called J Mobile Laundry Services that has contributed to curbing unemployment among the youth in Kampala suburbs, where she works as the team leader. After the YALI program, Jamila will continue her work of empowering young women and work to have more than 1000 youth working or owning enterprises each year.

YALI Voices Podcast: Manasseh Gowk (formerly Emmanuel Osei) Nov 14, 2016

Manasseh Gowk, formerly Emmanuel Osei, is a humanitarian and an environmentalist with interest in food security and climate change. He holds a degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Ghana Business School and currently works as a Business Development Officer at PFL Education Ghana. His quest to enhance social development has earned him an award-winning poem “Broken Homes”; published in both Italian and English, the poem helped raised funds for the Association of Poetry and Solidarity, Italy. He has gained leadership skills as a speaker at international youth forums in Europe and as the hospitals, prisons, and orphanages coordinator during his undergraduate study; he was recently adjudged the best writer at the Voice of our Generation Essay Competition. Emmanuel’s approach to the future need of food in Ghana is evident in his volunteerism and public presentations on climate change.

YALI Voices Podcast: Fombah Kanneh Oct 19, 2016

Fombah Lasana Kanneh is an entrepreneur and has been working with impoverished youths in slum communities on waste recycling for sustainable livelihood for more than three years. He is the chief executive officer of Youth Empowerment Training, a social enterprise that focuses on educating impoverished kids in slum communities with skills and materials in order to reduce poverty. Currently, he has an ongoing campaign called Leave No Child Behind, helping children with needy school materials and scholarships. Fombah is a member of the US Ambassador's Council of Youth Advisors in Liberia, and a candidate for BBA degree in Marketing Management from the University of Liberia, with a diploma in Entrepreneurship and youth development from Casimiro Global Foundation in the United States. As a fellow emerging from the Mandela Washington Fellowship, he plans to use the knowledge and skills acquired to mentor youths in slum communities on entrepreneurship and career development.

YALI Voices: Amalkher Djibrine Oct 06, 2016

She has over four years' experience in the community empowerment sector, focused on women and youth development. She is deputy coordinator for Collectif Des Association Pour La Citoyennetè Et La Sauvegarde Des Acquis Democratique Au Tchad, where she focuses on the association's training, management, and leadership. She is a contact person for IAVE in Chad, and the founder and president of a regional initiative for women and youth advancement, the goal of which is to strengthen the collaboration between African women and youth for sustainable development. Mami holds a Master’s degree in Project Management from Iscam Tchad, which enables her to help associations with writing and monitoring projects, and upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, she plans to continue working hard in gender equality, women’s rights and protection, and youth involvement in every development sector of the country.

YALI Voices: Essan Emile Ako Sep 22, 2016

Ako has worked for the past four years as the managing director of Radio Arc-en-ciel, a community-based radio station in the populous urban area of Abobo in Ivory Coast. Under his management, Radio Arc-en-ciel became known as the best community radio station of Ivory Coast, and in 2014 won a UNICEF competition on mother-and-child wellbeing. As a part-time consultant in advocacy and participatory budgeting, Ako is passionate about training and mentoring local stakeholders using results-oriented approaches. After the Fellowship, he wishes to set up a radio station specializing in motivating and impacting young people and women for sustainable changes. Ako holds a Master’s degree in English Linguistics, and further certification in sustainable development, advocacy and community-based development approaches. Currently, he is committed to promoting peaceful elections in his Côte d’Ivoire through the organization of public radio shows prior to upcoming presidential elections, a project funded by the USAID.

YALI Voices: Alieu Jallow Sep 08, 2016

Alieu Jallow founded the Young Entrepreneurs Association in 2012 to improve young Gambians’ entrepreneurial capacities and move them from being job seekers to job providers. He has over three years’ experience initiating, designing, and implementing robust business support services. He is currently project manager at the American Chamber of Commerce where he is working to setup the first startup incubator. His end goal is to help build the next generation of entrepreneurs in the Gambia and he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of the Gambia. He also volunteers as the coordinator for Generation Change Gambia, American Corner's, and Partnership in Employment. His interests include engaging with fellow Gambian youth to explore entrepreneur focused opportunities. Upon completion of the Fellowship, Alieu plans to continue his work in entrepreneurship development with a focus on trainings, capacity building, access to finance, and business support services.

YALI Voices Cyrus Kawalya Aug 25, 2016

Ugandan-born Cyrus Kawalya sounds a bit coy about his past as an entertainer in the latest YALI Voices Podcast with the State Department’s Macon Phillips. He was once nicknamed “Cyrus the Virus,” known for songs like “A Menace to Society.” He was also a professional photographer who founded Vision I, an organization that offers workshops to young people who are interested in pursuing a career in film or photography. But many YALI Network members have also heard of this 2014 Mandela Washington Fellow as the man behind the #IPledgePeaceUg campaign, which many credit with playing a part in the decreased violence around Uganda’s elections in February 2015. What motivated this successful artist to change his focus from the entertainment industry to social advocacy, and transform his routine from being “a late-night person” into someone who now advocates meditation and reading? Kawalya also discusses how he uses the YALI Network to engage rising leaders across the African continent and challenge them to stand up to corruption. “I’m going to be looking at you. I want to see what you’re going to do when you get into that space,” he says.

YALI Voices: Raindolf Owusu Jul 11, 2016

Read the transcript and more about Raindolf on yali.state.gov: https://goo.gl/n1eKJG In 2012, a 22-year-old Ghanaian computer science student named Raindolf Owusu introduced African internet users to the Anansi Browser. It is considered Africa’s first web browser and was designed to help users with unreliable internet connections stay connected as well as use games and a web camera that can operate offline. For his creation, he has been dubbed “the Mark Zuckerberg of Accra” by Forbes Africa magazine. But as he tells the State Department’s Macon Phillips in a YALI Voices podcast, as successful and as celebrated as the browser has been been, he lives in a country where many people can’t use it because they aren’t connected to the internet. “Building a big web browser … will give you accolades and everything else, but that’s something my mother cannot use or my grandmother in the village cannot use,” he said. As founder and CEO of the software company Oasis WebSoft, Owusu wants to create products that would be more relevant to his community. For example, in Ghana, like other African countries, mobile phones are relatively cheap and nearly everyone has one. Where is he taking his talent now and what are his future plans as a young leader? Listen to the full podcast to find out.

YALI Voices: Fatu Ogwuche Jul 08, 2016

Fatu Ogwuche has five years’ experience in the public sector and is the new media consultant at the Independent National Electoral Commission where she's instrumental in project management, capacity development, and developing strategies for citizen engagement. Fatu worked with the African Elections Project in the 2012 Ghanaian elections by sharing knowledge of new media tools used during the 2011 Nigerian elections. She played a positive role in the 2015 elections and coordinated activities in the INEC's Situation Room which led to her meritorious selection by Professor Attahiru Jega to serve on the 2015 Elections Report Committee. She volunteers in voter education activities and raises money for charity through various programs. Fatu holds a Bachelor of Law degree from the Nigerian Law School and an LLB from the University of Jos. Upon completion, she plans to work with institutions that strengthen electoral processes, good governance, and democratic values in Africa

YALI Voices: Timi Olagunju Jul 07, 2016

Timi has over five years' experience promoting good governance, human rights, democracy, and the youth agenda. He provides leadership to over three hundred and fifty young leaders in Nigeria through the Nigerian Youths in Motion (NYM), a non-profit organization that engages governments, institutions and communities in solving sociopolitical challenges, and promotes economic and societal growth upon which individuals and companies prosper. Timi holds a law degree from the University of Ibadan, and a certificate in the Science of Communication from the Graduate School of Communication in Amsterdam. He has trained thousands of young professional and students on how to creatively identify and solve socioeconomic challenges through the Eye for Accountability Initiative (EFAI). Timi is a lawyer, writer, and speaker dedicated to building stronger networks of sociopolitical thinkers, strategists, and problem-solvers across Nigeria, and eventually Africa, and intends to continue raising sociopolitical leaders upon his return from the Fellowship. For more information on Timi and for a transcript on this podcast, read "YALI Voices Podcast: Co-founder of Nigerian Youths in Motion propels education reform" here: goo.gl/qnh4ax

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