Stories of Leadership Fellows
Ethiopia
Hirut Brasa Kaila
Hirut is working to transform Ethiopia and is using her leadership skills to ensure the judiciary plays its role to help protect the rights of all Ethiopians without gender bias.
Yohannes Teklu
Concern about how an increasing population was creating a land shortage and increased unemployment inspired Yohannes to advocate for linking reproductive health with youth development programs.
Zemi Yenus
It was the need to make a difference in the lives of the uninspired youth she saw on the street and young girls working as commercial sex workers that drew Zemi, a successful hair dresser working the US, back to Ethiopia.
Fekerte Belete
Fekerte's has been one of the main activists in designing and ensuring the implementation of programs that expand reproductive health education, services, and options for urban and rural communities in Ethiopia.
India
Murari M. Choudhury
Murari assembled a critical mass of passionate leaders by uniting several groups to form the Development Intervention on Sexual Health of Adolescents Network.
HARI SHANKAR
Hari Shankar has pioneered several community centered initiatives from resource groups in the Hazaribagh villages to Village Health and Sanitation committees in Bihar.
Varun Kumar
Varun Kumar developed several educational videos under the mini grant project ''To Digitally Document the best practices in Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health (ARSH) in Bihar and Jharkhand.''
Dr. Shubhra DwivedY
Dr. Shubhra Dwivedy educates India's tribal adolescents on the minimum age for child-marriage, transforming the livlihoods of future generations of women.
Dr. M M Raja
Dr. Raja's family life inspired him to transform reproductive health in the Aurangabad district.
Dilith casleton
Dilith motivates individuals from tribal communities to seek leadership in politics.
Smita Gupta
Smita and her organization, the Mahila Samakhya program, work to empower women and give them the support they need to gain equality within their communities.
Nigeria
Mustapha Adam Kolo
Mustapha created an economic empowerment project that enables previously poor and powerless women to make reproductive health decisions by themselves.
Gidado Sulieman Farfaru
Gidado established a micro-loan project to provide poor women with emergency obstetric treatment.
Ladi Wayi
Ladi Wayi discusses the strong impact leadership training has on the development and sustainability of sex workers’ attitudes toward reproductive health.
Pakistan
Sarah Asad
The injustice and sexual exploitation suffered by street children in Pakistan motivated Sarah to start Pahchaan, an organization to protect children from abuse and neglect. So far, Pahchaan has supported over 3,000 children and created awareness in more than 10,000 adults regarding child protection issues.
Dr. tufail mohammad
Dr. Tufail Mohammad has recently taken a lead in trying to develop disaster response strategies in partnership with other Leadership Fellows as well as with the Pakistan Reproductive Health Network.
Zafar Dehraj
In Pakistan's fatal floods of 2010, Zafar Dehraj led relief efforts to address maternal and sexual health issues.
Philippines
Drs. Reyde los Reyes,
Merlita U. Awit & Jose Melchor Sescon
This team of doctors conducted a nationwide survey on knowledge, aptitudes and practices on reproductive health among OB-GYN practitioners. The survey concluded that the majority of the Philippines’ primary providers of women’s health care had very little knowledge of and very conservative views on reproductive health. These doctors are on a mission to change this situation.
Maricar "Chi" Vallido
Chi founded the Cine-Inde Film Festival to showcase the talented and meaningful work of local artists who give voice to social justice.
Roberto "Obet" Ador
Obet's history of social activism lead him to work with future leaders in myriad national development organizations.
Mayor Eutiquio bernales
Mayor Bernales' enviornment and population development integration efforts have made a significant difference in the quality of life for the people of Ubay.
Cindy Uy
Cindy strives to prevent gender based violence in small towns like Manjuyod through policy change.
Cecille "Ces" Villa
Cecille's dedication and wealth of experience in the advocacy of adolescent development has made a tremendous impact on youth in the Philippines.