Meet the Fellows

ASIA

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Mohsin Khan, 28, India

Youth Activities Director, Ekta Foundation Trust

My dream as a young leader is of a non-violent society. A society where young people have access, freedom, justice and land rights to lead a peaceful life. Bridging the gap between urban and rural India through youth participation and leadership. A community that believes in coexistence and does not harm the environment for its greed. As a hobby, I like travelling, meeting new people, exploring food, watching movies, and listening music.

This program will help me connect with a global network of young land rights activists, so that I can understand land rights through their perspective, experience and community. It will also help me to explore myself and work on it to become better.

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Josua Situmorang, 28, Indonesia

Policy Advocacy and Network Development, KPA

"I dream of a change of land ownership and the equality of land rights for Indonesian People, especially for peasant or small-scale farmers, Indigenous Peoples, fisherfolks, and other vulnerable groups of people. As a hobby, I like watching movies, travelling and playing football.

The programme will help me in becoming a future leader in the organization and identify what my strengths, weaknesses and most important values are. As part of a global network, I also hope to share and learn from success stories and effective strategies from other youth leaders. Finally, the fellowship presents an opportunity to create and sustain youth networks."

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Antariksh Venkataramanan, 21, India

Youth Coordinator, Swadhina

"My dream is to create and support a global platform for sharing ideas and promoting the land rights advocacy and activism with various young leaders around the world. I am a microbiologist by training and currently doing my master’s studies, while as a hobby I love photography, traveling and food.

With the programme, I hope to connect with my fellow activists from different countries and learning about their struggles in achieving and advocating for land rights. It can help me understand different perspectives pertaining to securing rights of various indigenous groups and women."

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Krishna Khisa, 25, Bangladesh

Community Faciliator, Kapaeeng Foundation

"Ensuring the indigenous peoples customary land rights in Bangladesh is one of my desires as a youth leader working for land rights. I also hope our government will resolve land disputes in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) which were illegally occupied by the state and non-state actors. Apart from Kapaeeng Foundation, I am engaged with Bangladesh Indigenous Women Network (BIWN). This organization works and advocates for the rights of indigenous women in Bangladesh. My involvement gives me opportunities to learn more about the vulnerabilities of indigenous women.

Through this fellowship I am hoping to know about different mechanisms related to land rights of indigenous peoples which would help me in advocating about their rights. Moreover, I am learning different strategies through experiences sharing among the fellow fellows which ultimately enriches my knowledge to deal with different kinds of land issues."

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Siti Marfu'ah, 24, Indonesia

Campaign Staff, RMI

"I dream of a more just and equitable food system, from farming communities to consumers. I this is possible through urban-rural youth cooperation, both in villages and cities. Strengthening solidarity between rural-urban youth would transform the distribution chain so that the prices obtained by farmers are fairer, in addition to making it easier for farmers to access markets. My interests are in youth and development issues and creating links among these issues for people to see bigger issues beyond themselves and maximize impact.

I believe this program will increase the capacity I need, related to knowledge of sustainable network management and organization, skills in negotiating, influencing others, campaigning on issues, and marketing products."

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Rudolf Tiad, 31, Philippines

Area Coordinator, CARRD

"My dream is to be able to influence my fellow youth in participating with agrarian reform advocacy as well as leadership in farmers' cooperatives through capacitating them on basic agrarian reform policies and procedures and cooperative leadership. I’m motivated by my experiences growing up from a family of farmers. As a hobby, I love hiking and mountain climbing.

I see the fellowship programme as an opportunity for me to improve my skills and capacity as a development worker, that is to deepen my understanding of the problems of the rural youth. This will help my organization in developing better and more appropriate interventions with rural youth in my country."

AFRICA

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Samuel Kagheni, 34, Congo

Chargé des Programmes/ Projets

"I dream of a society of justice and equity where young people have secure access to land and enjoy sustainable land rights. This requires: the support to the legally founded steps of young people to access land and the protection of the land assets of young people on the basis of the existing legislations and the technological evolutions within their reach. This also involved the participation of young people in the production of laws and land policies that are favorable to them.

This program is an opportunity for me to build my capacity on transformational leadership in order to turn this dream into a reality for youth. In addition, it will allow me to benefit from the shared experiences of other youth which will further inform my dream. Finally, as a project manager of my organization, my capacity to design projects in favor of youth will be strengthened by the knowledge acquired on the global context of youth."

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Winny Chepkemoi, 30, Kenya

Women’s Land Rights Officer, KLA

"In Kenya, the land sector is largely dominated by the men and the elderly, but my dream is to spur the next generation of leaders to focus on their inclusion in the sector, and close the generational gap.

These actions will be able to feed into the regional and global call for youth inclusion in land governance, and ultimately, their economic empowerment. As a hobby, I enjoy community work and connecting with new people. I belong to different associations such as the Kericho Professionals Society that brings together professionals from my community with the aim of championing for education for all, mentorship and good governance. I also represent the young professionals in it's board.

I see the programme as adding to my capacity to serve and deliver for KLA members, partners and the rural active agencies of women and youth who look up to me. Furthermore, the programme presents an opportunity to get support to lead other changemakers in Kenya to mainstream the youth agenda in our organizations. The current conversations deserve to be accelerated and the fellowship provides a starting point for me as person and the institution I represent."

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Sophie Adhiambo, 28, Kenya

Program Associate, Namati

"My dream is to be able to show that youth need to be empowered enough to advocate for land rights in their respective spaces. Through my work I have seen the impact that decision on matters land directly and indirectly affect youth - with this in mind, how can we ensure that our voices are heard, and that we are able to influence policies, decisions and change.

This programme will help me engage with other youth across the globe and get their perspectives so as to be able to shape my dream better. In addition, the programme will also help me work closely with youth (such as our paralegals) to advocate for land rights with clear asks and strategies. The hope is to also implement my action plan with the help of youth as a step towards empowering youth to participate in matters relating to land rights."

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Judeon Yong, 31, Cameroun

Assistant de recherche, Centre pour l'Environnement et le Développement

"I dream of a society where the land rights of communities, more specifically, the rights of vulnerable people (women, youth and Indigenous Peoples) are recognized and protected in law and practice, but above all defended by these categories. Where young people understand the current land challenges, and are committed to defending and protecting their rights to land and resources as factors of cultural identity, food security and financial autonomy.

The programme will give me the tools to become a leader who is able to share his vision and dream of seeing youth and communities collectively engage in the defense and protection of their rights, with positive results. Furthermore, the program will allow me to share with young people around the world, the range of strategies and approaches that can be mobilized in the recognition and protection of common land rights."

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Abdou-Rachidou Matcheri, 29, Togo

Responsable du service communication et chef programme foncier, ADHD

"I believe in working for good land governance to reduce hunger and poverty, for I have seen its effects on people in my country and in the world. I am also passionate about audio-visual communications and the use of computers especially video and photo editing. This is why I spend a lot of time improving in this field, to become more professional and contribute to this advocacy as a communicator.

With the programme, I hope to reinforce my capacities on the use of different technologies including GPS and video editing in the context of people-centered land governance. I hope to use communications as a tool to raise awareness among rural peoples, especially on policies related to land and properties."

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Shimron Kiptoo, 23, Kenya

Volunteer, Chepkitale Indigenous People Development Projects

"Despite my young age, I long to see a situation where communities will be free from land injustices and also where there is the fulfilment of equality on matters related to land. I love exploring new challenges and working with communities. My passion is working towards a world where communities are free from oppression.

With the knowledge acquired from the programme I will be able to advocate for land rights and also enhance my leadership skills which will only be beneficial to me as I aspire to also pass the same to my other youths in the community."

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Doreen Tarimo, 23, Tanzania

Project Assistant, TNRF

"My dream as a young leader is to meet the glaring needs of my society on land rights especially the youth group whereby their access to land is limited by customs and traditions. As for my interests and hobbies, I love nature and I enjoy living in it with a community found in the famous wilderness ecosystems in northern Tanzania with warm sunrises at Ngorongoro crater and the beautiful sunsets at the plains of Serengeti.

The fellowship programme will help me grow, learn, develop and adapt to new leadership skills that can broaden up my abilities and address different issues and challenges during implementation."

EMENA

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Sajida Abdel Fattah, 24, Jordan

Volunteer, SEEDS

"I believe that land rights are fundamental and strategic to achieving a world with resilient food systems, through lower net emissions, greater environmental conservation, and freedom from hunger and poverty. I hope to understand the fundamentals of people- and planet-centered land management and how they contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals

Through the programme, I hope to gain the knowledge, skills and experience to help me in my career and in life in general. Moreover, by gaining additional skills in communication, problem solving and achieving my goals, I can also increase my self-confidence."

LAC

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Maricielo Quispe, 19, Guatemala

Coordinadora de juventudes, CODECA

"I dream that many and diverse youth express actions in the recognition and integral defense of the rights of Mother Earth to live in harmony with the ecosystems including other beings. I believe in the peaceful sustainable coexistence of all on this planet.

Through the fellowship, I hope to know more about different expressions of young people in the land rights advocacy, to further enrich and learn about these diverse experiences in youth leadership."

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Yamili Chan Dzul, 34, Mexico

Facilitadora e interpréte maya, Ecomunnis AC

"My dream is to build processes for women's free access to land rights and push for greater autonomy in the Mayan indigenous territory. With the local knowledge of women, I hope to continue the work on agroecology and together with them and the girls, create spaces free of violence where our bodies and territories are respected. I am working for this dream through U Yich Lu'um (Fruit of the Rarth), a grassroots and community organization in my home community, and the Mayan Women's Network Péepeno'ob (Butterflies). I am also a farmer and I like bird watching. My family gives me a lot of hope—my sisters-in-law, nieces and brothers—and together we collaborate in a number of community processes.

With the programme, I wish to make the most out of the opportunity to learn from others’ experiences and knowledge and new tools for dialogue, advocacy and support the development of a network of youth working on land rights."

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Simón Crisóstomo Loncopán, 27, Chile

Encargado del levantamiento de información territorial en comunidades Mapuche, Observatorio Ciudadano de Chile

"My dream is to ensure that the new generations, within our communities, become empowered and involved in the processes of collective participation and thus, generate life projects that allow us to move more solidly towards self-determination. I live with my grandparents and in our territory, the Mapuche community south of the Andes. Since I was 19 years old, I have been a Mapuche leader when I assumed the role of spokesperson for the communities defending the land and resisting extractive companies. As a hobby, I enjoy trekking in nature and kayaking in the river. I like to read and write poetry and Mapuche philosophy. In my free time, I practice meditation and I could say that I love mate and tea at sunset.

With the programme, I hope to exchange experiences with other young leaders from around the world, learning new work methodologies and creating support networks, bridges of dialogue among the participants of the fellowship, thus improving our leadership skills within our communities."

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Leticia Yolanda Ruiz Quino, 28, Guatemala

Colaboradora y representante de la juventud organizada, Comité Campesino del Altiplano

"I dream to become part of the change to promote agrarian justice for access to land, including rural youth (women and men). I believe in the power of community organization as we seek agrarian justice. Community organizations are very important for to defend our territories and the vindication of human rights.

I believe the programme is important in providing political training for new leadership in our communities and organizations."

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Rony Ezequiel Morales Tot, 30, Guatemala

Cumincador, UVOC

"I dream for youth to have their own access and ownership of land for us to work and live on. I’m a community photojournalist and I love seeing my photos reflect my feelings and how I see the reality of the people and communities which I find myself in.

I hope the programme would help raise awareness and visibility of our problems with land, especially the lack of land for young people in rural communities."

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Kantuta Conde, 20, Aymara from the Plurinational State of Bolivia

Membre of the Red de Jóvenes Indígenas LAC (RJI)

"I promote the rights of indigenous peoples, particularly the rights of indigenous women and youth. As a young Aymara, I wish to contribute positively to the promotion of youth leadership, the recognition of the right of indigenous peoples to their territories, the conservation of biodiversity and respect for traditional knowledge, with the active participation of indigenous women and youth. I am part of the Red de Jóvenes, a regional platform of indigenous youth that promotes the participation of indigenous youth in decision-making processes at the national, regional and international levels. I write essays on UNICEF's Voices of Youth platform in English and Spanish to promote the perspective of indigenous youth on today's issues. I also promote access to health as a member of the Pan American Health Organization's Youth Caucus.

I believe the ILC Youth Future Leaders Fellowship is a critical support for indigenous youth. Its central focus on land rights, biodiversity conservation, gender equality and indigenous youth leadership will strengthen the work of the Red de Jóvenes in the region and its intergenerational, local, national and regional actions."

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Agustín Fantino, 24, Argentina

Coordinador de Juventud- Región Cuyo, Federación Agraria Argentina

"My dream is to see young people and future generations being able to produce, settle and develop in rural areas so that they can keep alive our culture, the efforts of our ancestors and be the makers of the world's food.

I view the programme as a fundamental piece for the realization of our dreams, to be able to make visible the different productions of our geography and to be able to empower young leaders in the territory, to include the problems that affect rural youth in the public and social agenda and to work in coordination and together with urban youth to meet our demands."

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Nahir David, 27, Argentina

Lidereza Indígena, Colectivo de Mujeres del Gran Chaco

"We indigenous women believe in our strong connection to Mother Earth who provides us with food, raw materials for our handicrafts, water and our territories. We organized ourselves as a group of Guarani indigenous women where we work a lot on our intraculturality, gender, our territories and

the care of our nature. All this passion and interest was passed on to me by my father, who has been my mentor and one of the greatest indigenous leaders here. I am also a mother of a 3-year-old girl who has been my pillar of struggle and militancy.

With the programme, I hope I would gain new tools and learn together with other young leaders from around the world—and learn from them too."