Youth Digital Champions
Round #4 YDC Call
Are you between 15-29 years of age (or know someone) with exemplary digital skills who has substantially contributed in some leadership aspect of community-focused sector development?
If so, we invite you/them to fill out the nomination form below to be considered for — and possibly profiled — in one of our Youth Digital Champions’ case study collections. For example, we profiled several YDCers in the Digital Literacy 101 courses we developed in collaboration with Alison.com.
YDC nominations will be accepted on a rolling basis through Friday, October 25th, 2024.
What is the Youth Digital Champions (YDC) initiative?
The mEducation Alliance, a consortia of development and donor agencies, and a number of youth-serving organizations are advancing the Youth Digital Champions initiative to build upon youth interest and passion in digital technologies (broadly defined to include mass media, such as radio, television, computer- based and mobile devices) to strengthen community development and self-reliance efforts in lower resource, developing country context by:
- raising awareness of and promoting youth (15-29 yrs. old) access to digital literacy skills training, employment, and entrepreneurship opportunities and,
- identifying, advancing, and supporting digitally-enabled young leaders in international, national, and local community development issues.
YDCs can work in a variety of sectors (e.g., Health, Education, Agriculture, Community Development, Civic Engagement), but are applying their leadership and digital skills for significant impact in the communities where they live/work.
YDC examples from our first cohort include:
- A YDC winner who is a project manager for an impact-driven global organization advancing tech solutions for displaced people;
- A YDC winner who is a CEO of a software development company, that provides game-based learning platforms on science, maths and skills for schools, teachers and students; and/or,
- A YDC winner who is the founder and project design director at a grassroots human rights organization, which champions for the digital safety of at risk human rights defenders
Following a selection process, some nominees will be approached to further develop their YDC stories into case studies. These case studies will then be shared among the broader mEducation Alliance community and partner network of development and donor agencies and policymakers and with other leading organizations advancing youth and digital literacy skills development worldwide.
The Benefits of YDC
- Global recognition by individuals and organizations deeply interested in the space of digital and youth leadership;
- An invitation to present at virtual and physical international events; and,
- Peer networking with other YDCs.
If you would like more information, including how to contribute to the YDC initiative, please email us at [email protected].
YDC Collaborating Partners
“I believe that coding is also a form of art in itself.”
– Sulata Dhakal, Program Director at the Nepal based non-profit Smart Cheli and 2021 YDC Winner
Announcing our Round #3 Youth Digital Champions!
AnnaKaye Boodho
Anna-Kaye is the General Manager of Orbtronics. She supports various corporate responsibility efforts to leverage Orbtronics' expertise and resources to support youth, including by hosting youth interns for ConnectED and leading various other efforts, from the Orbtronics Junior Program teaching robotics to the Orbtronics Digital Literacy Program, sponsored by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank and Republic Bank's Power to Make A Difference program.For Saint Lucia ConnectED, she hosted a team of youth interns onsite at the Orbtronics Junior Program, serving as an Intern mentor and supervisor. She oversaw the work of the team and assisted them in obtaining the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to succeed in their assignments, as well as develop new skills and confidence for venturing into entrepreneurship or the job market in the future. She also served for ConnectED as a training facilitator, providing training to the youth interns on a range of digital topics and STEM programs.
Country of Impact: Saint Lucia
Technologies: Robotics Kits, AI Tools
Keeghan Patrick
Keeghan Patrick is the co-CEO of Orbtronics and has been responsible for co developing all of Orbtronics Education programs. Keeghan has also facilitated many of programs himself in the very beginning of Orbtronics. He then reached out to other like-minded youth that were passionate about technology to join the Orbtronics team on their mission to accelerate technology adoption and development in their region through Quality and Equitable Education.Keeghan is also an active member of the International Telecommunication Union's Generation Connect group where he works with international delegates to cocreate inclusive digital policies for youth around the world.
Country of Impact: Saint Lucia
Technologies: Robotics Kits, AI Tools
Shergaun Roserie
Shergaun Roserie is one of the Directors and Co-Founders of Orbtronics, a software and hardware solutions company founded in 2020 that offers STEM educational programs to youth aged 18-35. Orbtronics holds the belief that to foster the Caribbean region's own "Silicon Forest" it is critical to educate and empower the next generation of creators and innovators. Orbtronics' STEM Programs aim to revolutionize the education system in the Caribbean by providing youth with exposure to the digital skills necessary to be globally competitive through hands-on, project-based learning.
Country of Impact: Saint Lucia
Technologies: Robotics Kits, AI Tools
Shariffa Amolo Ang'uria
Through the Global Youth Mobilization grant that was given to One More Percent in 2022, the Digital Champion Nominee was able to design a tech solution that enabled 50 girls and young women to experiment with a model software app that enables them to play games while at the same time learning about their reproductive health rights and processes of seeking justice when faced with gender-based violence. This solution enabled the participants to know their reproductive health rights and the process of seeking justice thereby increasing their civic educational empowerment in a fun and faster way
Country of Impact: Kenya
Technology: Artificial Intelligence
Mauridi Kiza Ramadhan
Mr. Mauridi has played a significant role in the Vodafone Foundation project, Instant Network Schools (INS), which aims to integrate digital resources into secondary classrooms within the Kakuma refugee camp, in Kenya. As a team leader, he coordinates with INS coaches to provide training to teachers and students. Kiza is also the founder and CEO of Action For Refugee Life (AREL), a social impact organization that empowers the refugee community to achieve self-reliance through state-of-the-art technology hubs. One of AREL's key initiatives, AREL Education, provides refugees with a platform to learn valuable skills that can lead to employment opportunities and self-sufficiency, including Digital Marketing and E-commerce.
Country of Impact: Kenya
Technologies: eLearning platforms, AI
Round #3 Youth Digital Champions Webinar Presentations
Orbtronics
Vodafone Foundation Instant Network Schools
One More Percent
Meet Our Youth Digital Championship Cohorts
Meet our Round #4 Judges!
Gedeon Bitegetsimana
Bitegetsimana Gedeon is an experienced professional with a deep passion for information and communication technologies. With an MBA in Technology Management, Gedeon has developed strong expertise through diverse professional experiences. Currently, he serves as the Digital Inclusion and Capacity Development Advisor at GIZ in Rwanda. In this role, Gedeon supports Rwandan institutions in implementing their digital master plan, with a focus on innovation in emerging areas such as the Industrial Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, and Virtual/Augmented Reality. He is also working on a project that aims to integrate robotics and coding into Rwanda's national general education curriculum.
Digital inclusion and Capacity and skills development Advisor
Anthony Bloome
Anthony Bloome is the Founder and Executive Director of the Mobiles for Education (mEducation) Alliance. He has specialized in the field of international development and technology for over 28 years. Tony serves on multiple advisory boards including for Benetech and Rotary International’s Basic Education and Literacy Action Group (BELRAG). He previously served for many years as a board member on the Library of Congress Literacy Awards.
Founder and Executive Director
Rhonda Greenway
Rhonda leads the creative direction and operations of IYF’s award-winning educational technology solutions, supporting global digital strategy and advising on best practices in youth engagement. Since joining IYF in 2016, she has managed projects across five continents for multinational corporations and public sector partners. Previously, Rhonda developed youth curricula for the World Food Prize and the Iowa High School Model UN Program, and managed the Iowa International Center’s language program. She is a New Leaders Council fellow, former UNA-USA National Council member, and holds a BA in Political Communications and Global Studies from the University of Northern Iowa
Technical Advisor, Digital Development, US
Thomas Michael Kaye
Tom Kaye is an international education expert with 15 years of experience working with organizations like UNICEF and the World Bank. He specializes in education and employment programs across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Currently, as Senior Advisor for Global Programmes at UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited, Tom oversees seven global programs that reached over 15 million youth in 2023, helping marginalized 15- to 24-year-olds transition into decent work. He holds dual master’s degrees in Public Administration and Evaluation, with additional training from Harvard and University College London.
Senior Advisor Global Programmes
UNICEF Generation Unlimited
Adam Turney
With more than 16 years of experience working in both US and international education sectors, Adam Turney currently serves as the Vice President of World Education’s Africa Portfolio. He provides managerial oversight and technical assistance across the portfolio while also serving as a senior technical advisor. He supports monitoring and evaluation systems, research, and new business development opportunities, and serves as an Africa Portfolio lead for the EdTech Center. Before joining World Education, Adam spent more than 8 years teaching and volunteering in the US, South Korea, and Mozambique.
Vice President, Africa Portfolio
Mary Effie Akinyi
Mary Effie is the Director of Engagement for the mEducation Alliance. She is recent graduate of Carnegie Mellon University Qatar with a BSc. Business Administration and a minor in Politics, and Public Policy. Effie's dedication to Youth Empowerment is a defining aspect of her character. She possesses a wealth of leadership experience, and is hoping to utilize her multidisciplinary education, diverse skillset, and wealth of experience to tackle the most pressing issues facing society and elevate the quality of life for underserved communities.
Director, Communications and Engagement
