The Youth Advisory Council

Diego Fernandez Irrazabal is a 19-year-old from Fernando de la Mora, Paraguay. He is deeply passionate about tackling the global water crisis and the pressing issue of climate change. His interests lie in the intersection of engineering, environmental science, and human behavior.

Diego is pursuing undergraduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania, where he aims to explore innovative research and sustainable solutions. In the future, he envisions creating a platform that empowers students from underserved backgrounds, enabling them to develop their ideas and realize their potential. One of his key goals is to develop new technologies that provide clean drinking water for the residents of the Chaco region in Paraguay.

Diego won the AFS Award for Young Global Citizens at the 2024 AFS Youth Assembly for his project Mbaretics which includes a portable, solar-powered desalination device that helps provide clean water to Chaco residents.

Ilan Enverga is an award-winning K-12 educator and international teacher trainer for education for sustainable development (ESD) and global citizenship education (GCED) from the International School for Better Beginnings and Global Changemaker Schools in the Philippines, as well as Youth Representative on the SDG4-Education 2030 High-Level Steering Committee and Asia-Pacific Representative of the UNESCO SDG4 Youth & Student Network.

Ilan pioneered a youth-led education innovation that champions education for sustainable development, global citizenship and social-emotional learning. Ilan has presented his program for education ministries regionally and internationally and was awarded the National Sustainability Leadership Award in Education. As a member of UNESCO’s SDG4 Youth & Student Network, he was part of the development and launch for the Youth Declaration for Transforming Education, and its subsequent follow-up initiatives.

At his first attendance of the AFS Youth Assembly in 2023, he participated in the Global Educators Workshop, was the youth speaker on the panel on Solidarity for SDG 4, and was awarded 2nd Place for the AFS Award for Young Global Citizens.

Khaled Abdulwahed is a passionate community leader who is dedicated to empowering refugees and advancing the UN Social Development Goals. Forced to leave his home country, Syria, as a teenager, Khaled experienced the harsh realities of displacement first-hand. His struggles as a refugee in Lebanon motivated him to begin working with one of the largest refugee-led NGOs, Molham Volunteering Team. Khaled began as a volunteer and quickly rose to Operations Manager in Lebanon. Dear to Khaled’s heart is improving access to quality education in refugee camps, which he firmly believes is key to empowering today’s youth and preparing them for a world of opportunities. With the support of his team at Molham, Khaled coordinated many vital projects that promoted equitable access to food, water, health care, education, housing and employment for Syrian refugees and internally displaced people. He also volunteered with the UNHCR and other international organizations to support refugee-centered development projects.

Now a Canadian citizen, Khaled leads initiatives in his community that empower refugee families and youth. He is the administrative manager of the Molham chapter in Canada and he continues to lend his time and ideas to strengthen Molham’s work. Khaled is a seasoned volunteer with many local Canadian organizations that serve newcomers, including SCF, which assists refugees from around the world as they resettle and adjust to life in Canada. In his free time, Khaled leads soccer programs that enable newcomer youth to develop strong interpersonal skills.

Maria Nelago Kanyama is a Water Scientist and doctoral candidate in Computer Science, specializing in the application of Artificial Intelligence and blockchain technologies. She is also a qualified Air Traffic Electronics Engineer with expertise in communication, surveillance, and navigation systems for air traffic management. Driven by a passion for technology and innovation, Maria focuses on addressing climate change and improving water resource management.

In recognition of her contributions, Maria was named a L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Young Talent in 2023, honoring her scientific advancements through technology. She serves as a Technical Mentor for the African Science Entrepreneurship Program, guiding African entrepreneurs in developing machine learning-based minimum viable products (MVPs) to tackle some of the continent’s most critical challenges.

Maria has gained valuable insights from leadership programs such as the Make-IT in Africa’s Women in Leadership and the L’Oréal Enrichment Leadership Program. She has also participated in key global events, including the Africa-Berlin Startup Connect Week, African Women in Tech and AI, and the 29th AFS Youth Assembly. At the AFS Youth Assembly she attended the Climate Entrepreneurship Academy, got certified though the Global Up at Home program and was awarded the DHL Young SDG Leader award for her project on using AI to address water scarcity.

In her personal life, Maria is a lifelong learner with a passion for cooking and fashion design—hobbies she enjoys during her free time.

Moemen Sobh is a 24-year-old climate activist, a social entrepreneur, and also an environmental advocate from the city of Port Said in Egypt. As an Architecture Engineering and Environmental Design graduate, Moemen has dedicated his career to working on marine conservation, climate action, and sustainable development.

Moemen co-founded MENAECO, the first NGO in the MENA region that focuses on ocean conservation. Further manifested in his work in marine protection and biodiversity is being the World Water Envoy for the International Water Resources Association, IWRA. He was also the co-founder of two social startups, while currently focusing on Visenleer. Visenleer is a pioneering multi-disciplinary project centered around three pillars: Education, Services, and Products. Their mission is to create a positive impact by addressing the pressing environmental challenges across the MENA region.

His entrepreneurial pursuits have won him several awards, including: the AFS  Award for Young Global Citizens in 2023, a mention among the Young Climate Prize 25 Under 25, and Changemaker title conferred by the IUCN. Moemen has served on the Youth Advisory Council for AFS Youth Assembly since 2023.

Besides activism, Moemen focuses on education and community empowerment. He creates school curricula on environmental awareness and SDGs through the educational programs of Visenleer with Nile International Egyptian Schools. He further imparts green skills to the local fishermen as part of their livelihood transition.

Nadia Sarkis is a 23-year-old law student at the University of Costa Rica who received the Outstanding Youth Delegate Award at the 29th Session of the AFS Youth Assembly, which took place on August 16-18, 2024 in New York City. Through her work, Nadia aims to contribute to creating an inclusive, sustainable, and just future. Her commitment to social progress and her efforts to strengthen the intersection between business and social responsibility underscore her dedication to making a positive impact both in Costa Rica and beyond.

Currently in her fourth year of legal studies, Nadia works as a legal assistant with a focus on corporate law. Her experience spans advising national and multinational companies and collaborating with various civil associations to advance corporate social responsibility and sustainable practices. Nadia is an active member of Young Leaders Costa Rica, an NGO focused on fostering leadership among young Costa Ricans. She leads the project for the “Clinic + Humanos”. This initiative provides free medical care to vulnerable populations in San José, including the homeless, migrants, and people in poverty.

Olamiposi Ekuma is a young leader with a strong background in IT program development, strategic partnerships, and stakeholder engagement. Olamiposi is dedicated to making a meaningful impact on communities and advancing initiatives on a global scale. As the Managing Director and Program Manager at Genesys Foundation, Olamiposi has demonstrated expertise in developing and implementing program strategies to advance technical education and entrepreneurship in Africa.

Olamiposi’s passion for youth empowerment and entrepreneurship is evident in their project management experience. She has successfully managed and contributed to projects such as the Tanzania Women Development Campaign, Africa Tech Expo, TxE Africa, Genesys Startup Boost, Shell Sponsored SheCan Skill Acquisition Project, Genesys Ignite, Google Developers Community (Female web development bootcamp). These projects have not only provided vital support and resources to youth and entrepreneurs but have also fostered innovation, inclusiveness, and economic growth. With positions held in organizations such as Afrilabs (Vice president, electoral committee), Africa Business Heroes (Judge and mentor), Pioneer member ISN Corporate Innovation Thematic Group, Olamiposi brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective.

Olamiposi is an EMBA student of the Quantic School of Business and Technology. She has also pursued NonProfit Leadership Management from the Lagos Business School in Lagos, Nigeria. Olamiposi is fluent in English, Igbo, and Yoruba. Olamiposi won the second place at the AFS Award for Young Global Citizens in 2023.

Savannah, a junior doctor from South Africa, is deeply passionate about Global Health, merging clinical expertise with a commitment to equity and social justice in healthcare. She has held leadership roles in various healthcare organizations, including serving as President of the UCT and Southern African Student Surgical Societies and as Director of Mentorship for the International Association of Student Surgical Societies. Previously, she contributed as a researcher with Reach Alliance, focusing on improving healthcare access for marginalized groups.

Savannah’s extensive community outreach earned her the “Outstanding Youth Delegate” Award at the AFS Youth Assembly in 2023. In 2024, she took on the roles of Youth Ambassador and Youth Council member and she will continue her contributions to the Youth Council this year. Currently, Savannah is pursuing a DPhil in Clinical Medicine at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, committed to ensuring that South Africa has a prominent voice in the Global Health agenda.