Cohort 1
Pre-Fellowship Report 2026
80 young leaders. 16 countries. 14 thematic tracks. A foundation for action.
Executive Summary
The Global Youth Action Fellowship (GYAF) 2026 received over 250 applications from young leaders across the globe. Of these, 80 exceptional candidates enrolled and successfully completed the Pre-Fellowship Week 0 activities - a foundational onboarding phase designed to prepare them for the full fellowship journey ahead.
During this phase, fellows strengthened their professional branding on LinkedIn, submitted 80 community projects spanning 14 thematic areas, and built professional networks across 16 countries. The cohort represents a diverse range of expertise including climate action, menstrual health, disability inclusion, mental health, STEM education, food security, and youth empowerment.
All 80 fellows and other applicants will now progress into the Actual Fellowship, where they will receive mentorship, technical support, and structured guidance to refine their project designs, develop implementation plans, and begin community action. Remarkably, 98.8% of fellows committed to implementing their projects even without external funding - demonstrating their dedication and readiness.
Key Achievements
What Week 0 accomplished
Professional Profile Strengthening
- 70 fellows (87.5%) optimized LinkedIn profiles
- 68 fellows (85%) connected with GYAF LinkedIn platform
- 77 fellows (96.3%) invited 10+ peers to follow the fellowship
- 1,000+ new professional connections initiated
Community Project Identification
- 80 community project ideas submitted
- 14 thematic tracks represented
- 79 fellows (98.8%) committed to implementation without funding
- Projects span health, education, climate, gender, governance, disability inclusion, technology, entrepreneurship
Thematic Focus Areas
Distribution of community project proposals across SDG-aligned tracks
Project Distribution by Theme
Participant Demographics
80 young leaders from 16 countries
By Country
Regional Breakdown
Commitment to Action
98.8% of fellows committed to implementing their community projects without funding
Committed to implementation without funding
Community projects submitted
LinkedIn profiles optimized
"Would I start it even without funding? Absolutely yes. I would begin with free offline meetups in schools or community halls, volunteer facilitation, peer-to-peer learning sessions, and simple action challenges. Real impact starts with commitment and people coming together, not money."
— Mwangi Emmah Njeri, Kenya (Youth Action Labs)
What Fellows Said
Reflections from Week 0
"During Week 0, I learned how to use LinkedIn professionally for networking and career development. I updated my profile, connected with new professionals, and introduced myself through professional messages. This experience helped me understand the importance of building a professional online presence and networking with people from different backgrounds and fields."
Leonard Ha-au, Papua New Guinea
"During Week 0, I learned how powerful professional networking tools can be when used with purpose. For the first time, I set up my LinkedIn profile in a way that truly reflects my work and began sending personalized connection notes. The highlight of my week was realizing that building a professional presence online is not only about visibility, but also about creating meaningful relationships that strengthen my work in youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, and community advocacy."
Teresia Musyoka, Kenya
"I gained a new perspective on how fellowships value not just skills, but clarity of purpose, consistency in communication, and the ability to present one's work in a professional and impact-driven way. This helped me realize that storytelling is not only about creative content, but also about how I present my identity, work, and vision to the world in a structured and strategic manner."
Joshua Muthama, Kenya
"During Week 0, I experienced using LinkedIn to start conversations. I was not usually active on LinkedIn, but the task where I had to reach out to 5 new connections was a great milestone for me. I learnt to be bold to make new friends in order to broaden my network and horizon."
Kirsten Sarpong, Ghana
"During Week 0, I learned how to start a professional conversation for the first time. Although I already used LinkedIn, I had never initiated a professional conversation before. This experience helped me build more confidence in how to approach others, introduce myself clearly, and maintain more appropriate and objective communication in a professional context."
Marta Zicuimo Zacarias, Mozambique
"For the first time I joined an international platform with young global peers passionate about change. Through the Pre-fellowship, I successfully activated my profile with a professional outlook."
Joseh Mbithi Nguli, Kenya
"I just feel proud of myself for taking this step to try and initiate change, using myself as an example not out of criticism but because I understood where I went wrong before and I hope to make a positive impact to others and help them shape themselves and prepare for their future boldly."
FAITH MUTHEU, Kenya
"During Week 0, I experienced using LinkedIn for proactive professional networking and initiating structured, professional outreach conversations for the first time. This completely changed how I view social media, transforming it from a casual platform into a powerful tool for collaborative public health leadership and professional growth."
Nneze Ezeonwuka, Nigeria
"One new perspective I learned during Week 0/Pre-Fellowship was the importance of youth-led action in creating sustainable change. I realized that young people are not just beneficiaries of development programs but can also be leaders and decision makers in addressing community challenges."
Mary Sian meleji, Kenya
All 80 Fellows & Their Projects
Click any card to view the fellow's LinkedIn profile
Veronica Sirima
Mental Health, A Foundation for Well Being
KenyaLeonard Ha-au
Resilient Communities PNG: Climate-Smart Agriculture and Livelihoods
Papua New GuineaB.Hinneh Teegwiah
The Change Maker Initiative: Empowering Seniors to Lead Community Transformation
LiberiaLinda Ndeta
Mental Health for Cancer Patients in Vulnerable Communities
KenyaSitati Gloria
NutriGrow: Climate-Smart Kitchen Gardens and Value Addition
KenyaCapacity Development
Skills and competencies gained during Week 0
Professional Profile Development
Networking
Community Project Identification
Communication Skills
Platform Engagement
Recommendations for the Actual Fellowship
Building on the foundation established during Week 0
Project Design & Theory of Change
Fellows will develop detailed project designs, articulate their Theory of Change, and define measurable outcomes.
Stakeholder Mapping & Partnerships
Identify and engage key stakeholders, build partnerships with local organizations, and secure community buy-in.
Project Planning Workshops
Participate in guided workshops to refine implementation plans, set timelines, and allocate resources effectively.
Community Needs Validation
Conduct field visits, community consultations, and needs assessments to validate project relevance and ensure community ownership.
Monitoring & Evaluation Planning
Develop M&E frameworks, define indicators, and establish data collection methods to track progress and impact.
Implementation Readiness
Finalize implementation plans, secure necessary resources, and prepare for community-level execution.
A Foundation for Action
Week 0 successfully established professional readiness, community commitment, network building, shared purpose, project identification, and motivation for implementation.
The Actual Fellowship will now guide participants through project refinement, stakeholder mapping, implementation planning, monitoring, community engagement, and impact measurement.