Independent (Anushka La Grace Niassan Koumayeb)

“Jack of many trades, master of some” is a slogan that has shaped my journey in the non-profit sector for the past four years. After graduating from high school in 2021, I was selected for the prestigious summer academy at Open Dreams Educational NGO, a college-readiness program for high-achieving but low-income students in Cameroon, where I currently mentor other students through the college application process. Aside from Open Dreams, I serve as the project officer for DeWise Foundation, an organization that empowers internally displaced youths to become economically independent. At DeWise, I have successfully implemented over five national projects within the past two years. This experience helped me develop my leadership and diplomatic skills as I engaged with stakeholders like Greenpeace Africa, fostering partnerships to create sustainable change in my community. I co-founded KET Academy, a digital platform that provides educational content to students in war-torn regions of Cameroon, and have impacted 2000+ students through our resources. I also served as the deputy lead for the GenEndIt Youth program by Restless Development and UNAIDS, working towards eradicating the stigmatization of persons living with HIV/AIDS by 2030. Moreover, I served as a mobilizer during the recent 1.8 billion Young People for Change (“What Young People Want”) campaign by PMNCH in Cameroon, actively engaging youth to speak up for their health and well-being, which led me to represent Cameroon at the Africa Health Agenda International Conference (AHAIC) in Rwanda. I am also an alum of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), and the visionary of EDEN, a platform that provides educational content for children with cognitive disabilities. Ultimately, these experiences have shaped my view of life and are a testament to my unwavering commitment to inclusive education, youth development, and well-being.