Global Youth Action Fellowship
Cohort 1 Final Report 2026
From Youth Leadership Development to Community Action.
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A Message from the Vision Bearer
Bishop D. Wolah
Chief Executive Officer, My Safepad International • Vision Bearer, Global Youth Action Fellowship
To every reader, partner, funder and friend of the Global Youth Action Fellowship, thank you. Cohort 1 was delivered by a lean, committed team at My Safepad International, working with institutions and independent experts who gave their time, expertise and credibility to this programme. We self-funded and organised this Fellowship because we believe in the young leaders who applied to it. The 260+ applications we received within three weeks deserved more than a waiting list.
What you are about to read is what 80 enrolled and 45 completing fellows did with that investment of belief. They moved from ideas to structured project concepts. They built Theory of Change documents, stakeholder maps, budgets and results frameworks. They mapped over 1,000 institutions. They elected their own leadership. They learned to listen to their communities before designing solutions for them.
This report is a record of that work. It is also a request. Many of the projects in this portfolio are ready. The fellows behind them are ready. What remains missing, in most cases, is the catalytic support required to move these community-tested ideas from concept and pilot into lasting implementation.
If you are a funder, partner, institution, foundation, corporate, university or individual who believes in what young people can do when properly supported, please reach out to us. Your contribution does not fund an abstract idea. It funds a fellow who has already done the work, with a project that has already been tested, in a community that has already been engaged.
Let us turn learning into legacy, together.
Bishop D. Wolah
Chief Executive Officer, My Safepad International
Vision Bearer, Global Youth Action Fellowship
About This Report
- Report title
- Cohort 1 Final Fellowship Report
- Reporting period
- March to August 2026
- Publication date
- September 2026
- Report status
- Final, Version 1.0
- Prepared by
- GYAF Secretariat
Purpose of this report
This report documents the design, implementation, participation, outputs, outcomes, learning and recommendations arising from Cohort 1 of the Global Youth Action Fellowship (GYAF). It is prepared primarily for programme partners, institutional collaborators, technical experts, funders, evaluators, and internal governance stakeholders. It also serves as the primary evidence and pipeline document for resource mobilisation and partnership conversations supporting the post-fellowship implementation stage of Cohort 1.
Primary audiences
Funders and philanthropic institutions; programme and M&E professionals; government and development institutions; technical and institutional partners; participating fellows and their host communities; and GYAF governance.
Evidence sources
Programme records (applications, enrolment, participation, completion), post-fellowship participant self-assessment submissions, feedback responses, facilitator records, project submissions, and a structured gap assessment conducted by the Fellow Leadership Council and GYAF team in August 2026.
Reading Note on Evidence and Interpretation
The findings in this report primarily reflect programme records, participant submissions and post-fellowship self-reported feedback. This report is a programme completion report and does not constitute an independent impact evaluation. Reported learning and application outcomes are therefore interpreted as participant-reported outcomes and not as independently verified long-term behavioural or community-level impact. Project portfolio information represents the status documented at the time of reporting and may change as fellows progress toward implementation. The institution-mapping figure represents documented prospects, not confirmed partnerships. All project pipeline figures are drawn from submissions by fellows who completed the full Fellowship and are deduplicated by fellow.
Executive Summary
Purpose
The Global Youth Action Fellowship (GYAF) Cohort 1 was established to address a persistent practical challenge in community development: young people often have proximity to community problems and strong motivation to act, but lack the structured capacity, networks, and pathways required to translate ideas into credible and implementable community solutions.
Delivery model
The programme was delivered through a Pre-Fellowship phase and a subsequent six-week core Fellowship, combining expert-led training, peer learning, applied project development, and structured feedback. Sessions covered leadership, community needs assessment, project design, Theory of Change, results frameworks, safeguarding, human rights-based approaches, gender and inclusion, mental health, digital advocacy, AI for community organising, budgeting, partnership building, fundraising, and monitoring and evaluation. The programme was delivered across 16 countries and featured expert contributions from institutional partners and independent specialists with deep sector experience.
Participation
GYAF received more than 260 applications from over 20 countries within three weeks of opening the call. 80 fellows from 16 countries were enrolled and completed the Pre-Fellowship phase. 45 fellows from 11 countries completed the full Fellowship, submitting community-focused projects at varying stages of readiness across 14 thematic areas. Of the 45 fellows who completed the full Fellowship, 30 were female and 15 were male.
Major outputs
80 community project submissions during the Pre-Fellowship phase; 45 unique fellow project submissions documented post-fellowship; over 1,000 institutions identified and documented through partnership-mapping exercises; 45 Theory of Change documents, 45 results frameworks / logframes, 45 project budgets, and 45 stakeholder maps; and a peer-elected Fellow Leadership Council of five members.
Key outcomes (participant-reported)
98% of survey respondents reported substantial or significant learning; 93% reported applying their learning to a live project; 100% said they would recommend GYAF to a peer; and facilitator effectiveness was rated an average of 4.7/5. In the earlier Pre-Fellowship phase, 98.8% of fellows committed to implementing their projects with or without external funding.
Key learning
Demand for structured youth leadership development is high; applied assignments produce stronger learning than passive participation; project readiness varies significantly even among completing fellows; expert contributions add measurable value when directly connected to participant projects; and post-fellowship support must be designed from the beginning rather than added after completion.
Key challenges
The principal challenges documented in this report are the retention and completion gap (80 fellows enrolled versus 45 completing the full Fellowship), the implementation-readiness gap (projects at different stages require differentiated support rather than uniform intervention), and the resource constraint on programme delivery itself, where the host institution self-funded and organised the Fellowship, with expert facilitators volunteering their time and a standard programme budget not established at inception.
Recommendations
Strengthen retention and completion support; assign dedicated thematic mentors; extend practical project-development and fundraising sessions; embed evidence collection into programme delivery; establish an operating budget and standard facilitator engagement framework from inception; and design post-fellowship support from the outset of Cohort 2.
Forward direction
Cohort 1 demonstrated demand for continued support beyond formal fellowship delivery. In response, GYAF is actively mobilising resources for the Community Impact Fund (CIF), a post-fellowship implementation and resource-mobilisation mechanism that will connect eligible fellow-led initiatives to catalytic grants, technical assistance, mentorship, technology, partnerships, referrals, and networks required to progress toward implementation and scale. This report itself forms part of that mobilisation effort.
Cohort 1 at a Glance
The evidence spine of this report
Programme Background and Rationale
Context
Across the countries represented in Cohort 1, young people are disproportionately affected by community challenges such as unemployment, limited access to education and health services, climate vulnerability, gender inequality, exclusion of persons with disabilities, and constrained civic participation. At the same time, young people are often the closest actors to these problems and the most motivated to respond. They are the first to notice a need, the most trusted by their peers, and often the most willing to act with limited resources.
What they frequently lack is not motivation. It is structure. Two persistent gaps limit the translation of youth motivation into sustained community impact.
The Capacity Gap
Young changemakers frequently lack structured training in project design, Theory of Change, safeguarding, stakeholder mapping, budgeting, and monitoring and evaluation. Motivation alone does not survive contact with programme complexity.
The Resource Gap
Even well-designed, community-tested projects stall at the pilot stage. Fellows frequently lack access to catalytic capital, technical partners, and the networks required to move from idea to implementation.
Programme Rationale
GYAF was designed as a hybrid, implementation-focused fellowship that would address the capacity gap directly through structured training and applied project development, while also building the foundation for addressing the resource gap through peer-led governance, partnership mapping, and a pathway toward post-fellowship support.
Rather than a traditional leadership course, GYAF was structured as a progression: Learn, Lead, Design, Connect, Implement, Measure, Scale. Each stage builds on the last, and each fellow is expected to leave with a structured project concept, a stakeholder map, a results framework, and a budget. This structure ensures that the fellowship produces not just learning outcomes, but an emerging portfolio of actionable community-focused initiatives.
The programme was delivered with expert contributions from institutional partners and independent specialists across mental health, gender and discrimination, digital advocacy, AI, safeguarding, project design, stakeholder engagement, resource mobilisation, and human rights-based approaches.
Programme Objectives and Intended Results
Cohort 1 was designed against five objectives. This report assesses each objective against documented evidence.
Strengthen youth leadership and practical programme-development capabilities.
Assessed through participant-reported learning and completed project frameworks.
Enable fellows to apply learning to real community challenges.
Assessed through project submissions and reported application to live projects.
Strengthen capacity in project design, M&E, safeguarding, partnerships and resource mobilisation.
Assessed through post-fellowship self-reported skill areas.
Build cross-country peer and institutional networks.
Assessed through peer engagement records and the institution-mapping exercise.
Establish a pathway from fellowship learning toward responsible community implementation.
Assessed through the project portfolio and the emerging post-fellowship pathway.
Programme Design and Methodology
GYAF Cohort 1 was delivered in seven structured stages. Each stage had a defined purpose, participation requirement, and expected output.
Delivery components
Cohort Profile and Participation
Participation Funnel
Cohort Composition
- Applications received260+
- Countries represented (Pre-Fellowship phase)16
- Countries represented (full Fellowship completers)11
- Thematic tracks14
- Fellows enrolled80
- Fellows completing full Fellowship45
- Gender of full Fellowship completers30 F / 15 M
- Institutions mapped (prospects)1,000+
- Post-fellowship project portfolio45
Country Distribution (All Countries in Portfolio)
Programme Implementation
The following table documents what was actually delivered during Cohort 1 across the principal implementation components.
| Component | Activity | Participation | Output / Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruitment & Selection | Open call across 20+ countries; structured review and selection | 260+ applications | 80 fellows enrolled from 16 countries |
| Pre-Fellowship | Orientation, onboarding, initial project identification | 80 fellows | 80 project submissions documented |
| Core Fellowship | Six-week structured programme of expert sessions and applied assignments | 45 completing fellows | 45 structured project concepts |
| Expert Sessions | Live sessions delivered by institutional and individual experts | All enrolled fellows | Session records; participant attendance records |
| Project Development | Guided development of Theory of Change, results frameworks, budgets, stakeholder maps | 45 completing fellows | 45 project documents at varying readiness stages |
| Peer Engagement | Breakout rooms, peer review, cross-country sharing circles | All enrolled fellows | Documented peer engagement and reflections |
| Institution Mapping | Partnership-mapping module and documented prospects | Completing fellows | 1,000+ institutions identified (prospects) |
| Final Assessment | Project-level assessment and completion verification | 45 fellows | Completion records; project stage classification |
| Leadership Council | Election of five-member Fellow Leadership Council | All fellows eligible to vote | Council constituted August 2026 |
| Certification & Transition | Certification and post-fellowship transition | 45 completing fellows | Certification records; post-fellowship pathway design |
Expert, Institutional and Partnership Contributions
Cohort 1 was delivered through a collaborative model in which institutional partners, technical experts and the host institution each contributed defined components of the programme. Below, we acknowledge the institutional partners and independent experts whose time, expertise and credibility made this Fellowship possible.
Institutional Partners at a Glance
Institutional Partners and Contributions
My Safepad International
Host Institution & Lead Delivery Partner
Designed, coordinated and hosted the full programme architecture. Facilitated sessions on budgeting, task assignment, community needs assessment, and field testing support. Provided safeguarding architecture, mentorship coordination, programme governance and end-to-end delivery across all 16 countries. Convened and hosted every expert session, and provided the convening platform for all institutional and individual experts.
Alliance for Youth Development in Africa (AYDA)
Recruitment, Mobilisation & Youth Advocacy Partner
Supported fellow recruitment and mobilisation from Liberia. Contributed specialist expertise in youth advocacy, representation and youth-led accountability frameworks within the Fellowship curriculum.
CIMP, India
Technical Partner – Mental Health, Digital Advocacy & AI
Delivered expert-led sessions on mental health literacy, digital advocacy strategy, and responsible AI use for community organising.
My Skin Global
Technical Partner – Gender & Discrimination
Provided training on gender equality, intersectionality, anti-discrimination frameworks, and inclusive safeguarding practice.
Geinnova
Technical Partner - Project Design & Stakeholder Engagement
Led practical training on Theory of Change, results frameworks, stakeholder mapping, partnership strategy, and implementation readiness.
Individual Experts and Facilitators
Emmanuel Newah
Technical Advisor – Safeguarding & Protection
Plan International Liberia
Safeguarding, PSEAH, child protection, accountability and organisational capacity strengthening across humanitarian and development settings in Africa.
Session
Accountability & Safeguarding: Accountable Interventions and Protection
Daron L. Davis
Founder, BlackGuard OS & Independent Governance Researcher
BlackGuard LLC
Applied governance frameworks focused on accountability, institutional authority, traceability and implementation control.
Session
Community Needs Analysis
Dr. Puleng Letsie
Coordinator – Menstrual Health & African Coalition for Menstrual Health
UNFPA East and Southern Africa Regional Office
Public health, gender and human rights specialist with over 25 years of experience across Africa. PhD in Psychology of Education, MPH, and MPhil in Human Rights.
Session
Systems Thinking & Stakeholder Mapping
Mwikali Kasyoka
Legal Equality Associate
Equality Now Africa
Human rights lawyer with expertise in refugee law, women’s rights, and gender equality; previously provided legal representation to refugees and survivors of SGBV at Kakuma Refugee Camp.
Session
Ethics & Human Rights-Based Approach
Ange Flora Kamugisha
Senior Development Practitioner
CSR Solutions Rwanda
Over 20 years of experience leading humanitarian and community development programmes across Africa; board member of CSR Solutions Rwanda and founding member of Zonta International Rwanda.
Session
Resource Mobilization & Engagement through CSR
Festus Kang’alya
Programme Officer
Sightsavers Kenya Office
Over 15 years of expertise in disability inclusion, education, livelihoods and policy advocacy; leads social inclusion work supporting women and farmers with disabilities to exercise labour rights.
Session
Resilience & Self-Care
Dala T. Korkoyah, Jr.
International Development Professional
Independent Consultant
Over 20 years of experience with international NGOs, governments, USAID, the UN and the World Bank; specialist in strategic planning, monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL), and organisational development.
Session
Results Framework & Theory of Change
Emanuela Pia Viglione
Senior Project Manager
GEINNOVA
A senior project manager with a background in Political Science and International Relations. She connects global challenges with local realities, designing new approaches to learning and helping organizations navigate the green transition. Her focus is on creating conditions for people and places to thrive through culture, knowledge, and innovation.
Session
Project Design Fundamentals & Partnership Engagement
Prof. Priya Nath
Assistant Professor & Executive Director, TiE Patna
Chandragupt Institute of Management Patna
An educator and AI strategist with over 16 years of experience in artificial intelligence, digital transformation, marketing, and entrepreneurship. Author of "Role of Artificial Intelligence in CSR" and has conducted AI workshops introducing over 2,000 students to generative AI. Her current research focuses on Emotional AI and its influence on trust and persuasion.
Session
Digital Literacy and Advocacy
Divya Thakur
Psychologist & Psychotherapist
Chandragupt Institute of Management Patna (CIMP)
A Psychologist and Psychotherapist with experience in counselling and mental health support. She conducts workshops on mental health, stress management, and life skills. She has authored research for the United Nations and represented India at an international conference in Vietnam.
Session
Mental Health: Awareness, Support and Advocacy
Bishop D. Wolah
Visionary Social Entrepreneur | M&EL Professional | Software Engineering | Youth Empowerment | Gender Policy Advocate
My Safepad International
Impact-driven Social Entrepreneur, M&EL Professional and Software Engineer with 9+ years of leadership experience across NGOs, youth movements and social enterprises in Liberia and Rwanda. Founder of a nationally accredited NGO and CEO of a menstrual health social enterprise with over 11,000 product sales. Certified national trainer on Women, Peace and Security (UNSCR 1325), Human Rights, Gender, Masculinity and Sexual Reproductive Health. Experienced in Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, Results-Based Management, grant implementation and digital data systems.
Session
Budget Design and Layout
Value of the Collaborative Model
The Cohort 1 experience demonstrates the value of a distributed delivery model in which the host institution coordinates programme design, facilitation and fellow support, while specialist partners and independent experts contribute targeted technical expertise. This model enabled the Fellowship to deliver breadth of content, from budgeting and community needs assessment to gender, mental health, digital advocacy, AI, safeguarding, resource mobilisation and human rights-based approaches, that would not have been feasible within a single institution.
It also created early patterns of institutional relationship-building that can support future collaboration across knowledge, mentorship, technical assistance, networks, implementation and research. We are grateful to every partner and facilitator who contributed their time and expertise.
Fellowship Curriculum and Learning Areas
Session content was designed to be applied and cumulative: each session built toward a tangible project output. This learning-by-doing structure was consistently identified by fellows as a defining strength of the programme. Fellows were expected to leave each session having advanced a specific component of their community project, from problem identification through to budget and results framework.
Outputs and Deliverables
Note on outputs vs. impact
The deliverables listed above represent programme outputs and intermediate outcomes. They should not be interpreted as community-level impact. Community impact will depend on subsequent implementation, which is the focus of the post-fellowship stage.
Outcomes and Participant Learning
Outcomes in this section are drawn from verified participant feedback and post-fellowship self-assessment. They are reported as participant-reported outcomes.
Reported Outcome Domains
Knowledge
Project design, Theory of Change, results frameworks, M&E, safeguarding, human rights-based approaches, budgeting, and gender and inclusion.
Skills
Communication, stakeholder engagement, fundraising and advocacy, monitoring, project planning, partnership building and facilitation.
Confidence and Leadership
Participants reported increased confidence, stronger leadership identity, and a greater sense of readiness to take initiative.
Application
Reported translation of learning into structured project design and, in some cases, into early project activity.
Networks
Cross-country peer relationships, expert engagement, and 1,000+ institutions identified for potential future collaboration.
Next-Step Readiness
45 fellows completed the programme with structured project concepts and documented next steps toward implementation.
Participant Experience and Reflections
The following reflections are drawn from verified participant submissions and represent a deliberately diverse selection by country, thematic area and project stage.
“Before this fellowship, I could build a project idea. Now I can build a proposal that funders would actually take seriously, using Theory of Change, results frameworks and logframes, stakeholder mapping, and a human rights-based, safeguarding-conscious approach to designing community programs.”
Amara Kallon, Sierra Leone
Digital Inclusion
“My biggest achievement was mastering the Theory of Change framework to transform my raw passion into a structured, measurable project. This skill allowed me to launch a localized community action plan, secure critical stakeholder partnerships, and lead my team with the strategic confidence needed to create verifiable, long-term impact.”
Benedict Wambua Munywoki, Kenya
Financial Inclusion
“My biggest achievement was turning Project Utkarsha from an idea into a structured, community-informed project. It gave me the confidence to see myself not only as a student interested in social issues, but as someone capable of designing and leading a community intervention.”
Aditya Banerjee, India
Girls' Education & Disability
“The GYAF Fellowship has strengthened my confidence, leadership skills and understanding of community participation and inclusion. Most importantly, I have learned that my Disability does not limit my Ability to lead or contribute meaningful solutions to my community.”
Cynthia Kituku, Kenya
Disability Inclusion
“GYAF has shifted me from emotional reactions to strategic thinking. I now ask: why has this problem stayed this long? What is the root cause? Who is affected, and what are the mitigation measures? Now I work with a plan, monitor progress, and document it.”
Rose Mkawajomba Mwasi, Kenya
Young Mothers & Livelihoods
“I entered with an idea and have progressed to developing a structured project proposal, implementation plan, results framework and theory of change. I have learned to begin with the needs of the community, design intentionally, and take action even when I do not have everything figured out.”
Thokozani Mofolo, Malawi
Girls' Education
“My biggest achievement from the fellowship was growing from having an idea for community change to becoming a more confident and purposeful young leader who can turn that idea into action. I am now able to speak confidently about my community project in front of different audiences.”
Samantha King'oo, Kenya
Young Mothers & Empowerment
“Learning how to transform my passion for STEM and technology into a more evidence-based approach to addressing community challenges. I have learned to use primary data, engage with others, and critically assess a problem before proposing a solution.”
Katie Khethiwe Mtambo, Malawi
STEM & Digital Literacy
“The fellowship strengthened my confidence as a young disability advocate and leader. I am committed to using the knowledge and skills gained to advance inclusion, accessibility, and economic empowerment for Deaf youth, particularly through my DYDLEP project in Migori County.”
Gladis Achieng, Kenya
Deaf Youth Inclusion
“Overall, this was a wonderful experience. I improved my research skills on realistic community problems and solutions. I learnt that participants are so important in any project as they provide actual problems they experience, hence they have to be treated with utmost respect and be involved even more.”
Nkhwachi Ndhlovu, Malawi
Digital Access & Education
“Their dedication to ensure that we understood everything they taught us throughout their sessions stood out. I gained skills on how to go about any problems in the community. My mindset has changed. I now work with a plan and monitor progress.”
Hazel Muhonja, Kenya
Menstrual Health
“Before this time I had the passion to change my community, but I lacked the skills and professionalism to accomplish it. But now I can boldly take up the leadership mantle and start from somewhere. My way of thinking has changed, and my leadership mentality has changed.”
Rosaline Amadu, Sierra Leone
Gender-Based Violence & Disability
Fellow Project Portfolio and Readiness Assessment
In August 2026, the Fellow Leadership Council and GYAF team conducted a structured gap assessment across projects submitted by fellows who completed the full Fellowship. The portfolio below documents 45 unique fellow projects, deduplicated by fellow. Projects are at different stages of readiness.
Project Stage Distribution
Most Urgent Support Identified
Project Portfolio, 45 projects (deduplicated by fellow)
| # | Fellow | Country | Project | Stage | Support Identified | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gladis Achieng | Kenya | Deaf Youth Digital & Livelihood Empowerment Project (DYDLEP) | Early Implementation | Funding | Profile |
| 2 | Syeda Elmunnahar Takiya | Bangladesh | Empowering Rural Girls through Digital Literacy | Idea / Planning | Funding | Profile |
| 3 | Walter Henry Ochieng | Kenya | Janam Experience – Community Leadership | Early Implementation | Funding | Profile |
| 4 | Diana Awuor | Kenya | EMPOWERHER – Young Women & Mothers | Prototype / Pilot | Funding | — |
| 5 | Faith Egbuka | Nigeria | Clear Skin, Clear Mind: Self-Esteem & Skin Health | Prototype / Pilot | Funding | Profile |
| 6 | Cynthia Kituku | Kenya | Empowering Young Persons with Disabilities | Early Implementation | Funding | Profile |
| 7 | Daniel David | Kenya | Community Voices: Priority Needs for Sustainable Action | Early Implementation | Funding | Profile |
| 8 | Magdaline Nzula Kalewa | Kenya | Caring Hands – Street-Connected Children & Youth | Growth / Expansion | Funding | Profile |
| 9 | Naomi Pinky Wea | Liberia | Community Voices for Positive Change | Idea / Planning | Funding | Profile |
| 10 | Hazel Muhonja | Kenya | Menstrual Health & Hygiene for Adolescent Girls in Kakamega | Early Implementation | Funding | Profile |
| 11 | Nkhwachi Ndhlovu | Malawi | Effects of Poor Internet Connectivity on Students' Learning | Idea / Planning | Funding | Profile |
| 12 | Aditya Banerjee | India | Project Utkarsha: Learning Beyond Limits | Idea / Planning | Funding | Profile |
| 13 | Niyonambaza Emmanuel | Rwanda | One Game, One Tree – Road Tennis for Ecosystem Services Literacy | Early Implementation | Funding | Profile |
| 14 | Nicole Harriet | Kenya | Safe Minds Strong Future – Youth Mental Health | Prototype / Pilot | Funding | Profile |
| 15 | Chekwemboi Milcah Risper | Uganda | SWAMPS – Sustainable Menstrual Waste Management | Prototype / Pilot | Funding | Profile |
| 16 | Eunice Mbula Wambua | Kenya | WellnessWorks: Peer-Led Mental Health Support | Idea / Planning | Funding | Profile |
| 17 | Damaris Mbaika King'oo | Kenya | Girls Read, Girls Lead | Idea / Planning | Strategic Partnership | Profile |
| 18 | June Wangeci Mwangi | Kenya | AfyaConnect Kenya – Digital Health Platform | Prototype / Pilot | Technical Expertise | Profile |
| 19 | Thokozani Mofolo | Malawi | Her Candle: Girls Education Empowerment & Mentorship | Idea / Planning | Funding | Profile |
| 20 | Mohamed Sesay | Sierra Leone | Enhancing Food Security & School Retention in Bombali | Early Implementation | Funding | Profile |
| 21 | Benedict Wambua Munywoki | Kenya | ChamaLedger: Digital Record-Keeping for Informal Savings Groups | Early Implementation | Funding | Profile |
| 22 | Karachu Philomen Kwechep | Cameroon | Youth Champions for Peace and Inclusive Communities | Idea / Planning | Funding | Profile |
| 23 | Mafeng Hannah Nelson-Gyang | Nigeria | Equip Her – Women & Youth Empowerment | Idea / Planning | Funding | Profile |
| 24 | Zagabe Remy | Uganda | Rehabilitation & Reintegration of Refugee Street-Connected Children | Early Implementation | Funding | Profile |
| 25 | Rose Mkawajomba Mwasi | Kenya | Empowering Young Mothers in Mwatate | Prototype / Pilot | Funding | Profile |
| 26 | Helen F. Alabi | Nigeria | Project PadHer – Menstrual Health for 500 Schools | Growth / Expansion | Funding | Profile |
| 27 | Athwanzire Edgar | Uganda | MamaTomorrow Safe Spaces Initiative | Idea / Planning | Strategic Partnership | Profile |
| 28 | Gregory Ithei Kising'u | Kenya | Green Safe – Sustainable Avocado Nursery & Youth Livelihoods | Idea / Planning | Funding | Profile |
| 29 | Moses Agwora Obegi | Kenya | Substance Use & Mental Health Awareness (Nyamira) | Early Implementation | Funding | Profile |
| 30 | Scholah Cheyech Loparatum | Kenya | Pokot Indigenous Trees and Seed Guardians | Idea / Planning | Funding | Profile |
| 31 | Obedi Ombasa Ondieki | Kenya | Disability Inclusion & SRHR Education in Kisii County | Prototype / Pilot | Strategic Partnership | Profile |
| 32 | Naomi Kavuli Muisyo | Kenya | Emerging Leaders Programme | Idea / Planning | Funding | Profile |
| 33 | Golith Jasho | Kenya | Improving Access to SRH Services for Teens & Young Adolescents | Early Implementation | Funding | Profile |
| 34 | Ajuma Favour Rasowa | Kenya | Caregiver Support for Families of Children with Cerebral Palsy | Prototype / Pilot | Funding | Profile |
| 35 | Dereje Wakuma Boke | Ethiopia | Improving Menstrual Hygiene for Female Workers, Addis Ababa | Idea / Planning | Funding | Profile |
| 36 | Amara Kallon | Sierra Leone | Digital Initiative Pathway Sierra Leone (DIP-SL) | Early Implementation | Funding | Profile |
| 37 | Samantha King'oo | Kenya | She Thrives – Vulnerable Girls & Young Mothers | Prototype / Pilot | Funding | Profile |
| 38 | Katie Khethiwe Mtambo | Malawi | CREATE.CODE.LEAD – STEM & Digital Literacy | Early Implementation | Funding | Profile |
| 39 | Mercy Mui | Kenya | Mavuno Boost Community Recycling Project | Early Implementation | Funding | Profile |
| 40 | Nneze Nnenna Ezeonwuka | Nigeria | Community Mental Health Awareness & Education Initiative | Early Implementation | Funding | Profile |
| 41 | Harrison Makuya | Malawi | Talk to a Friend – Youth & Men's Mental Health | Early Implementation | Funding | Profile |
| 42 | Rosaline Amadu | Sierra Leone | Fambul Tok – Safe Space for Survivors | Early Implementation | Strategic Partnership | Profile |
| 43 | Ada Zo'o Vanessa Lucie | Cameroon | STEM HER FUTURE | Early Implementation | Funding | Profile |
| 44 | Kelvin Momo | Liberia | Empowering Wein-Town Youth for a Cleaner, Healthier and More Sustainable Community | Early Implementation | Funding | Profile |
| 45 | Peninah Odhiambo | Kenya | Sustainable Agriculture for Food Security | Idea / Planning | Funding | — |
Youth Leadership, Representation and Governance
In August 2026, Cohort 1 fellows elected a five-member Fellow Leadership Council to provide fellow representation and structured peer leadership in the post-fellowship phase.
Helen F. Alabi
President – Fellow Community & Impact Lead
Nigeria
Fellow representation, community engagement and pipeline coordination for post-fellowship support.
Vanessa Lucie ADA ZO'O
Vice President – Partnerships & Community Impact
Cameroon
Partnership development and community impact coordination across the fellow network.
Katie Khethiwe Mtambo
Innovation, Advocacy & Engagement Lead
Malawi
Innovation, digital advocacy, and fellow engagement across thematic tracks.
Nneze Nnenna Ezeonwuka
Fellow Mobilisation & Cohort Development Lead
Nigeria
Fellow mobilisation, cohort cohesion, and alumni community development.
Nicole Harriet
Resource Mobilisation & Fundraising Lead
Kenya
Resource mobilisation, funder relationship management, and accountability stewardship.
Composition, Mandate and Boundaries
Council Responsibilities
- Fellow representation
- Community engagement
- Partnership development
- Resource mobilisation
- Cohort development
- Innovation and advocacy
- Project pipeline coordination
Governance Boundaries
The Council operates as a fellow-led representation and coordination mechanism. It does not replace institutional governance, fiduciary oversight or programme management. All financial, legal and safeguarding responsibilities remain with the host institution and are exercised under its governance framework.
Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
The table below presents the results framework applied to Cohort 1. Where targets were not established at programme inception, this is stated explicitly rather than retrofitted.
| Result level | Indicator | Target | Achieved | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Output | Fellows enrolled | Not established at inception | 80 | Achieved |
| Output | Fellows completing full Fellowship | Not established at inception | 45 | Achieved |
| Output | Unique fellow project submissions | Not established at inception | 45 | Achieved |
| Output | Countries represented (Pre-Fellowship phase) | Not established at inception | 16 | Achieved |
| Output | Countries represented (full Fellowship completers) | Not established at inception | 11 | Achieved |
| Output | Gender of full Fellowship completers | Not established at inception | 30 F / 15 M | Achieved |
| Output | Thematic tracks covered | Not established at inception | 14 | Achieved |
| Outcome | Reported substantial / significant learning | Not established at inception | 98% | Achieved |
| Outcome | Applied learning to a live project | Not established at inception | 93% | Achieved |
| Outcome | Facilitator effectiveness (avg.) | Not established at inception | 4.7 / 5 | Achieved |
| Outcome | Would recommend GYAF to a peer | Not established at inception | 100% | Achieved |
| Output | Institutions mapped (prospects) | Not established at inception | 1,000+ | Achieved |
| Impact | Community-level impact | Not applicable for this report | Not yet established | Beyond scope |
Notes on Participant Feedback Methodology
The 98%, 93%, 100% and 4.7/5 figures are derived from a post-fellowship participant self-assessment instrument. Reported learning and application outcomes are participant-reported. Individual respondent identities are not disclosed. Aggregate responses are reported in this document; individual low ratings are not published in order to protect respondent anonymity. A full methodology annex is available on request.
Challenges, Risks and Mitigation
Challenges Observed in Cohort 1
Retention and completion
80 fellows completed the Pre-Fellowship; 45 completed the full six-week Fellowship. Balancing academic, professional and family commitments alongside the Fellowship proved difficult for some fellows.
Programme financing
The Fellowship was self-funded and organised by My Safepad International, with expert facilitators volunteering their time. No standard programme budget was established at inception, and this led to some qualified facilitators declining to participate because they required compensation for their time. This constrained programme delivery capacity.
Scheduling and accessibility
Cross-country time zones and academic/work commitments created participation pressures for some fellows.
Digital and connectivity barriers
Fellows in some locations experienced intermittent connectivity affecting live session participation.
Project readiness differences
Completing fellows submitted projects at very different stages, from idea and planning to growth and expansion, requiring differentiated support.
Documentation burden
Structured project documentation was a significant time commitment alongside other fellow responsibilities.
Post-fellowship support
Fellows consistently identified the need for structured support after fellowship completion, an area requiring dedicated design.
Retrospective Risk Review
| Risk | Observed in Cohort 1? | Effect | Response / Lesson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retention and completion gaps | Yes | 80 enrolled, 45 completed | Introduce milestone-based completion support in Cohort 2 |
| Programme financing constraints | Yes | Host institution self-funded; expert facilitators volunteered; some qualified facilitators declined due to no compensation | Establish a standard programme budget and facilitator engagement framework before Cohort 2 |
| Connectivity barriers | Partially | Some fellows unable to attend all live sessions | Provide session recordings and asynchronous alternatives |
| Project readiness varies | Yes | Wide spread across Idea, Prototype, Early and Growth stages | Apply staged project selection criteria in post-fellowship support |
| Documentation burden | Partially | Reported by some fellows | Streamline templates and provide clearer guidance |
| Safeguarding concerns | Yes, one incident | A fellow posted an inappropriate comment in a fellow chat, referring to a female fellow in a local language | The incident was immediately investigated and found to be intentional. The fellow deleted the message and apologised, but was removed from all sessions and from the programme. All fellows were notified of the safeguarding protocol and the matter was reported under the human rights framework. A specialist training session on ethics and human rights-based approaches was also delivered during the Fellowship. |
| Post-fellowship support gap | Yes | Fellows consistently identified this need | Design Cohort 2 with post-fellowship stage embedded from the outset |
| Resource concentration | Not yet applicable | Not yet applicable | Adopt portfolio-based selection in any future support mechanism |
Lessons Learned
Ten lessons emerged from the design, delivery and evaluation of Cohort 1. Each is drawn directly from programme records, fellow feedback, expert contributions and the post-fellowship gap assessment.
Demand for structured youth leadership opportunities is high.
260+ applications within three weeks from 20+ countries demonstrates that the appetite for rigorous, implementation-focused programmes is significant.
Training alone is insufficient for implementation.
The capacity gap can be meaningfully closed through training, but the resource gap that follows requires a separate, coordinated mechanism.
Applied assignments produce stronger learning than passive participation.
Fellows who engaged with project-level assignments consistently reported the strongest learning and application outcomes.
Project readiness varies significantly even among completing fellows.
Projects ranged from Idea/Planning to Growth/Expansion, requiring differentiated support rather than uniform intervention.
Expert contributions add value when directly connected to participant projects.
Sessions tied to live fellow projects produced more reported application than abstract sessions. Expert credibility and direct relevance to fellow work was a key driver of engagement.
Post-fellowship support must be designed from the beginning.
Fellows consistently identified a gap between fellowship completion and next steps. Support mechanisms should be designed alongside the fellowship, not added afterward.
Fellow-led governance strengthens ownership but requires clear institutional boundaries.
The Leadership Council strengthened fellow voice and peer accountability. Its relationship with fiduciary governance was documented to preserve clarity.
Cross-country peer learning is a programme asset.
Fellows repeatedly cited cross-country exchange as a defining value of the programme. Peer learning across borders is a scalable differentiator.
Evidence collection must be built into programme delivery, not added at the end.
Structured data collection during delivery produces more reliable reporting and reduces the burden on fellows and staff during reporting.
Differentiated completion support improves retention.
A significant portion of enrolled fellows faced academic, professional or personal pressures that structured milestone-based support could have reduced.
Thematic Insights from the Cohort
Across the 45 projects in the portfolio, several recurring thematic patterns emerged that should inform future programme design and follow-up support:
Mental Health
Mental health emerged as the largest single thematic cluster, with projects focused on youth mental health awareness, peer support, men’s mental health, and mental health among vulnerable groups. This signals a rising priority across the fellows’ communities.
Menstrual Health
Menstrual health remained a strong cluster with projects spanning product access, hygiene education, waste management, and dignity for girls and women, including one project addressing menstrual hygiene for factory workers.
Disability Inclusion
Several projects focused on inclusion of persons with disabilities, including Deaf youth, and disability inclusion in sexual and reproductive health. Accessibility and dignity emerged as consistent threads.
Climate and Environment
Environmental projects appeared at multiple scales, from community recycling and indigenous tree restoration to climate-smart agriculture and road tennis-based ecosystem literacy.
Youth Empowerment and Livelihoods
A recurring cluster of projects focused on youth employment, digital literacy, entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, and young mothers’ economic empowerment.
Digital and Technology
Digital literacy, digital health, digital record-keeping and AI-adjacent initiatives appeared across multiple countries, reflecting both opportunity and inequality in digital access.
These thematic insights are drawn directly from the 45-project portfolio and are intended to inform thematic prioritisation, mentorship matching and future partnership design.
Recommendations for Cohort 2 and Post-Fellowship Support
| Recommendation | Evidence / Lesson | Action | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strengthen retention and completion support | 80 enrolled; 45 completed | Introduce milestone-based tracking, early follow-up, and structured completion support | High |
| Establish a standard programme budget and facilitator framework | Host institution self-funded; some facilitators declined due to no compensation | Define a standard budget and compensation framework before Cohort 2 launch | High |
| Assign dedicated thematic mentors | Fellow feedback and reviewer recommendation | Recruit track-specific mentors for each thematic area | High |
| Extend practical project-development sessions | Consistent fellow request | Add hands-on workshops on fundraising, proposal review and pitching | High |
| Design post-fellowship support from the outset | Documented support gap after completion | Embed post-fellowship stage into Cohort 2 design | High |
| Apply staged readiness criteria to project portfolio | Wide variation in project readiness | Use documented readiness criteria in any post-fellowship support | High |
| Embed evidence collection into delivery | Documentation burden on fellows | Standardise data collection within live sessions | Medium |
| Establish target baselines at inception | Targets not established at Cohort 1 inception | Define programme targets before Cohort 2 launch | Medium |
| Publish a methodology annex | Feedback methodology transparency | Include full methodology and response rates in Cohort 2 report | Medium |
Sustainability and Future Direction
Cohort 1 made one thing clear: the pipeline exists. What is needed now is the coordinated support required to move it forward.
The opportunity
Cohort 1 produced a portfolio of 45 community-focused projects at different stages of readiness, from idea and planning through to growth and expansion. Fellows have completed community needs assessments, developed Theory of Change documents, built stakeholder maps, produced budgets, and, in many cases, already taken first actions in their communities. Fellows have also mapped over 1,000 potential institutional partners across the world. This is not a starting point. This is an existing, well-documented pipeline.
The mechanism
In response to the demonstrated demand from Cohort 1, GYAF is actively mobilising resources for the Community Impact Fund (CIF). The CIF is designed as the post-fellowship implementation and resource-mobilisation mechanism of GYAF, a coordinating and funding structure that connects eligible fellow-led initiatives to the appropriate mix of grants, technical assistance, mentorship, technology, partnerships, referrals and networks required to progress toward implementation and scale.
What we are mobilising
Where we are
At the time of this report, the Community Impact Fund is in its resource-mobilisation and partnership-development stage. We have not yet disbursed funds because the resources are still being mobilised. This report is part of that effort: it documents what Cohort 1 achieved, presents the pipeline of ready fellow-led projects, and invites funders, institutions, corporates, foundations, and government partners to join us in closing the resource gap.
How partners can engage
Funders
Provide catalytic grants for projects ready for implementation, or portfolio-level support across thematic areas.
Technical partners
Provide expertise where fellows are actively developing and implementing solutions.
Corporate & CSR partners
Align CSR, ESG or brand objectives with measurable youth-led community outcomes.
Institutional partners
Refer fellows to existing funding, mentorship or implementation programmes, or co-host follow-up initiatives.
Our commitment: Any future support mechanism will be established with transparent project selection, due diligence, disbursement, monitoring and reporting mechanisms appropriate to the resources and partners involved. We will not promise impact before it exists. We will document what is achieved, learn from what does not work, and use evidence to improve the model. Partners will receive structured reporting on the projects and initiatives they support.
A separate CIF overview and partnership framework will be published as they are finalised. In the meantime, we invite you to reach out directly to discuss how your support can be deployed against the Cohort 1 pipeline.
Conclusion
What Cohort 1 demonstrated. More than 260 young people applied within three weeks. Eighty fellows from 16 countries completed the Pre-Fellowship phase, and 45 fellows from 11 countries completed the full six-week Fellowship. The post-fellowship portfolio documents 45 unique fellow submissions across 14 thematic areas. Of the 45 fellows who completed the full Fellowship, 30 were female and 15 were male. Completing fellows strengthened their project-development capabilities, engaged a distributed network of institutional and individual experts, and mapped over 1,000 potential institutions for future collaboration. Reported learning outcomes were consistently strong across the cohort that completed the programme.
What remains unresolved. The completion gap (80 enrolled; 45 completing the full Fellowship), the wide variation in project readiness across the portfolio, the operational constraint of a self-funded delivery model, and the absence of independently verified community-level impact evidence all remain open. These are documented transparently and addressed in the recommendations. No external impact evaluation was conducted for Cohort 1, and the reported learning and application outcomes are participant-reported.
What GYAF will do differently. Cohort 2 design will incorporate stronger retention and completion support, a standard programme budget and facilitator framework established from inception, dedicated thematic mentors, expanded practical project-development sessions, embedded evidence collection from programme launch, and a post-fellowship support stage designed from the outset rather than added at the end.
The invitation. Cohort 1 has already produced what many first-cohort programmes do not: a documented pipeline of community-focused projects at different stages of readiness, with trained fellows behind each one, and a partner network of over 1,000 identified institutions. The Community Impact Fund is the mechanism we are building to connect this pipeline to capital, expertise, partnerships and opportunities. We invite you to join us as a funder, partner, mentor, or institutional collaborator, and help turn learning into lasting community action.
This report closes the documentation cycle for Cohort 1 while establishing the evidence base for the next stage of programme development.
Related resources
The Global Youth Action Fellowship Cohort 1 is hosted by My Safepad International and delivered in partnership with AYDA, CIMP (India), My Skin Global, and Geinnova, alongside a network of independent expert facilitators.