Andrea Narváez, Fundación Great Leaf

Andrea Narváez is a biologist with a PhD in Zoology from La Trobe University and over a decade of experience in scientific research, university teaching, and conservation leadership. Her work focuses on conservation biology, community ecology, ecological restoration, and animal behaviour. She has led collaborative initiatives to protect threatened ecosystems and strengthen local capacities. She is the Co-Founder and President of Fundación Great Leaf, where she leads the organization’s strategic vision, institutional partnerships, and overall positioning. In parallel, she teaches at the Universidad Central del Ecuador.

Geeta Dangol, Women Empowerment Centre

Geeta Dangol has over seven years of experience in the development sector, specializing in project leadership, mentorship, and social entrepreneurship. She is the founding president of the Women Empowerment Centre, leading initiatives to strengthen women’s livelihoods. She mentors youth change-makers with Aakar Nepal and has held roles at Bridging Gaps and NEOC. Geeta has received the Global Changemaker Summit Award (2023) and a Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women fellowship. Skilled in fundraising and resource mobilization, she drives sustainable impact and inclusive growth.

Kumbirai Kahiya, Girls and Women Empowerment Network (GWEN)

Kumbirai L. Kahiya is a Zimbabwean gender justice advocate and social entrepreneur, and Founder and Team Leader of the Girls and Women Empowerment Network (GWEN), established in 2015. Under her leadership, GWEN has reached over 10,000 adolescent girls and young women through programs on education, sexual and reproductive health, civic engagement, and livelihoods, while creating safe spaces for survivors of gender-based violence and promoting gender-responsive policies. Kumbirai holds advanced qualifications in Social Development, International Relations, and Leadership and Corporate Governance, and emphasizes youth-led, community-driven change in Zimbabwe.

Lara Rowland, Women Against Violence and Expediency Handling Initiative

Lara Rowland is the Founder and Coordinator of WAVEHI, a Nigeria-based NGO promoting gender justice, women’s empowerment, and protection of vulnerable populations. She leads programs on education, advocacy, and entrepreneurship, including support for gender-nonconforming and LGBTQI individuals. Under her leadership, WAVEHI has been recognized as the Best Gender-Based Violence Advocacy & Youth Empowerment NPO (2025). The organization runs school-based sexual health programs, community initiatives, such as the “Festac Community” project, and offers entrepreneurship and digital marketing training for women.

Lizette N. Bewekedi, For Earth’s Sake

Lizette N. Bewekedi is the Founder and Lead Coordinator of For Earth’s Sake (FES), a community-based environmental nonprofit in Cameroon. FES educates, inspires, and mobilizes communities to foster cleaner, healthier environments through coastal and neighbourhood cleanups, environmental education for children and youth, and public awareness campaigns. Under her leadership, FES engages volunteers, schools, and local partners to tackle plastic pollution and improve waste management, promoting community ownership and practical action. Lizette focuses on community engagement, partnership building, and developing sustainable, community-led solutions to environmental challenges.

Mercy Annapoorani, Blossom Trust

Mercy Annapoorani is the founder and director of Blossom Trust, a grassroots NGO in Tamil Nadu, India, advancing women’s rights and addressing HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis since 1993. She also founded the Rainbow TB Forum (RTBF) and serves on the boards of the Partnership for Tuberculosis Care and Control (PTCC) and the Global Coalition of TB Activists (GCTA). Additionally, she has served on the boards of the World Health Organization (WHO) and Unitaid. Mercy has received the International Prize for Women’s Creativity in Rural Life from the World Women’s Summit Foundation in 2002 and was recognized as an On-Ground Hero for Tuberculosis Eradication by the Apollo Tyres Foundation in 2022.

Nadine Aurelia Zoro, DigiFemmes Cote d’Ivoire

Nadine Zoro is a bilingual project manager and social entrepreneur with 10 years of experience and serves as president and program director of DigiFemmes, a Côte d’Ivoire-based initiative empowering women and youth through digital skills, entrepreneurship, and economic opportunities across West Africa. Under her leadership, DigiFemmes has supported 25,000+ beneficiaries, trained 1,000+ women entrepreneurs, delivered nearly 78,000 online certifications, and prepared 319 women software developers for the tech workforce. The initiative has also reached 6,000+ youth through partnerships, the DigiFemmes Caravane, and early robotics and entrepreneurship programs for children and adolescents.

Namkeen Peshawri, Trans Support Group

Namkeen Peshawri is a transgender rights activist and community organizer in Pakistan. She leads a grassroots, trans-led collective supporting transgender, intersex, and Khwajasira communities. Her work focuses on education, digital literacy, and community empowerment, using creative approaches such as storytelling and theatre to raise awareness and promote inclusion. Through community-led initiatives, she expands access to learning, strengthens confidence and leadership, and advocates for the dignity and safety of gender-diverse communities in Pakistan.

Okeoghene Jane Akpaeva, Inclusive Voice for Women and Youth Initiative

Okeoghene Jane Akpaeva is the Executive Director of Inclusive Voice for Women and Youth Initiative (IVWYI), where she leads programs advancing disability inclusion, gender equity, and youth empowerment in Nigeria. With expertise in community development, disability rights, and gender advocacy, she drives initiatives addressing challenges faced by marginalized groups. IVWYI, founded in 2017, implements programs in education, health, advocacy, and social empowerment, reaching 40 students through inclusive clubs, 200 via advocacy programs, training 10 caregivers, engaging 100 communities, distributing sanitary pads to girls with disabilities, providing sun protection for adolescents with albinism, and sensitizing healthcare workers.

Olive Y. Hounkponou, Fondation Jeunesse Unie

Olive Y. Hounkponou is a community development practitioner and President of Fondation Jeunesse Unie (FJU), a women-led grassroots organization in Benin. She works on girls’ education, women and youth empowerment, community health, environmental protection, and digital inclusion, and founded CRAPER-BENIN Telecenter to promote digital literacy and AI skills. Under her leadership, FJU has supported 2,000+ girls, reached 7,000+ adolescents, trained 2,500+ women and girls in reproductive health, restored 15 hectares of mangroves, promoted agroecology for 1,200+ households, engaged 5,000+ community members in conservation, and trained 400+ youth and women in digital skills.

Shoghik Mikayelyan, Nor Luyce Mentoring Center for Youth

Shoghik Mikayelyan is a Harvard graduate, psychologist, educator, and social impact leader with over 15 years of experience in education, youth development, and women’s empowerment. She is the co-founder and CEO of Nor Luyce Mentoring Center for Youth, Armenia’s first mentoring organization for adolescent girls from vulnerable backgrounds. She was among the first in Armenia to raise awareness about bullying in schools, helping bring the issue into the national dialogue, and is the author of two books on its psychological impact and guidance for educators, parents, and policymakers. Her work emphasizes trauma-informed practice, leadership development, and building systems that enable young women to thrive and lead change.

Zulfiya Urunova, Take Care Mom

Zulfiya Urunova is the Founder and CEO of Take Care Mom, a digital health and social impact organization improving maternal mental health, early childhood development, and family wellbeing. Her work combines public health, technology, and social innovation, focusing on underserved and hard-to-reach communities. Take Care Mom provides evidence-based digital support for mothers and families, covering postpartum depression, child development, and active father involvement. Since its launch, the initiative has reached over 5 million people in 83 countries, built an active community of 25,000 users, and received recognition from UNFPA, UN Women, and UNMGCY for its impact on women’s health and social wellbeing.