We invite you to come meet and mingle with young leaders visiting from African nations (Djibouti, Guinea-Bissau, and more!) that will share more about their countries, the work they are doing to impact their communities and hear from them how you can make a difference in your community and the world!
City Councilmember Lauren Tolmachoff of Glendale will welcome everyone and join us for the event.
We hope that you will join us to put the diplomacy skills you learned in June into action once again and help represent Arizona with our visitors from Africa! Light refreshments will be provided. This is a free event!
This event is for 10th-12th grade students from high schools across The Valley
Meet the Fellows!
Aua Jau
Aua Jau is a Social and Human Rights Advocate in Guinea-Bissau - West Africa as well as a Co-Founder and the Executive Secretary of the Guinean Association for Fighting Irregular Migration and Human Trafficking – AGLUCOMI-TSH.
Graduated in International Relations, Aua is currently the Head of the Political Section and Social & Charity Actions at the South African Embassy in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau. Before that, she worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in her Home Country. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Aua plans to create a Foundation that will promote children's development and fulfill their rights and carries out actions with a direct impact on children and their communities.
Souhaib Ali Youssouf
Souhaib Ali Youssouf is a young African leader from Djibouti focused on education literacy. At age twenty-five, Souhaib is also a poet and translator in 4 languages. He aspires to explore the power of inclusion and diversity within his community as an author of poems. He believes that social entrepreneurship skills play a pivotal role in solving social problems in his community.
As the founder of a literary organization, Souhaib has accumulated over seven years of experience in literature and culture. He has actively contributed to the promotion of literature and the nurturing of cultural activities in his community by authoring two books and co-founding two literary associations in Djibouti. Additionally, he works as a trainer and is employed at Tamini Insurance. Souhaib holds a master's degree in English Literature which was earned through the desire to serve and make a lasting impact on the Djiboutian community. Souhaib's passion for literature, dedication to promoting education literacy, and commitment to social entrepreneurship exemplify his drive to create positive change in Djibouti. By harnessing the power of words and cultural activities, he seeks to uplift his community and tackle social issues effectively.
Jeremiah Thoronka
Jeremiah Thoronka is an innovator, Entrepreneur, and Scholar with intimate knowledge of energy, climate change, environment, sustainability, and development. In 2021, he was laureate of the inaugural Global Student Prize, Africa Youth, and Young Innovator of the Year. He is also a laureate of the Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work - Africa and was listed among the 100 Most Influential Africans. He is cited for demonstrating outstanding excellence in innovating Clean Energy Systems, promoting Locally Sustainable Solutions, and Youth involvement in Sustainable Development Goals. He holds a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Sustainability, Energy, and Development from Durham University as a Commonwealth Shared Scholar and a Bachelor's (BA Hons) degree in Global Challenges from the African Leadership University.