Our passion lies in turning youth energy into leadership, purpose, and action.
Who Are Young Voices of Africa?
Young Voices of Africa is a vibrant, youth-led movement dedicated to empowering young Africans across the continent and diaspora. We nurture leadership, foster creative expression, and champion advocacy to ensure youth voices are heard and drive meaningful social change. United by a shared passion for justice and equity, we connect diverse young leaders to transform ideas into action and create lasting impact. Together, we are shaping Africa’s future, one empowered voice at a time.
Our Background
Young Voices of Africa was founded to create a powerful platform for African youth to express themselves, connect, and lead change. Born from a recognition that young people are often underrepresented in decision-making, we emerged as a dynamic movement committed to shifting this narrative. With roots across the continent and the diaspora, our diverse membership brings together students, activists, creatives, and emerging leaders united by a shared vision: to empower youth through leadership development, advocacy, and creative storytelling. Over the years, we have grown into a thriving network that bridges cultures and communities, inspiring a new generation to boldly shape Africa’s future.
Our Board Members
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Founder/Ceo
Kelvin Akpaloo is a Ghanaian-Irish youth educator, creative facilitator, and spoken word artist passionate about empowering young people through arts, activism, and global education. He is the CEO and founder of Young Voices of Africa (YVA), a pan-African youth network promoting inclusion, civic engagement, and sustainable development. Kelvin has played key roles in European youth policy spaces, including the EU Youth Conferences in Ghent and Budapest (2024) and Lublin (2025), where he served as one of ten official facilitators. He also represented Ireland in the EU Youth Dialogue in Bucharest (2019) and online from Germany (2020). With over a decade of experience, Kelvin has led youth projects across Africa and Europe, integrating storytelling, movement, and human rights education. He is a co-author of We Have a Dream and has worked with organizations such as Eurobug, YMCA, Concern Worldwide, NYCI, Global Education Time, and Culture Goes Europe.
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Co-Founder/Vice President
Alhassan, originally from Sierra Leone, is a youth leader and ambassador passionate about African development and cultural identity. As Co-Founder and Vice President of Young Voices of Africa (YVA), he is committed to amplifying African voices and exploring how diverse perspectives shape global understanding. His work focuses on youth empowerment, pan-African collaboration, and creating platforms that celebrate African heritage and lived experiences.
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President of the Women's Forum
Fatima Elzahra Ismail, is a Sudanese-Irish youth advocate passionate about empowering marginalised communities in Africa and Europe. Fatima is Ireland's current Climate Youth Delegate to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). She began her activism at the age of 13 through youth theatre, later expanding into grassroots education, policy engagement, and international advocacy. Fatima has collaborated with multiple EU Presidencies to deliver the EU Youth Conference, represented Ireland at the European Economic and Social Committee, and is an alumna of the U.S. State Department's Benjamjn Franklin Transatlantic Fellowship.
Fatima has facilitated workshops with UNICEF, was a peer researcher at University College Dublin, and currently sits on the board subcommittee of Spunout. She is also a member of the EU Youth Dialogue Core Group at the National Youth Council of Ireland.
Other members of the team.
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YVA Advocacy OfficerMarwa Zamir is YVA’s Advocacy Officer, leading initiatives that amplify youth voices, promote social justice, and influence policy. An Afghan-born youth advocate and law student at Maynooth University, she overcame language barriers after arriving in Ireland as a refugee to become a leading voice for asylum seekers and refugees. She serves on the UNHCR Refugee Advisory Board, works with the Irish Refugee Council, and co-authored Tight Spaces, part of Ireland’s Junior Cert curriculum addressing racism and bullying. Though not from Africa, Marwa strongly believes in YVA’s mission, seeing parallels between the struggles of African youth and those in her home country, Afghanistan. For her, YVA represents a global network of changemakers creating ripple effects of impact and solidarity across continents.
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YVA Leader of Ambassadors – South AfricaNeo Msimango. An upcoming African star who is passionate about humanity and Africanicity. A strong advocate for climate justice who is winning in Orange Farm, Johannesburg, in a project called Kopano for YVA. Seeing herself as an African queen and leader, she is taking further steps to be the Sarafina of her generation. Neo has a strong desire to leave the world a better place for future generations and is an agent of change. She is very resilient and won’t stop or keep quiet until there is change.
Organisational Structure
At Young Voices of Africa (YVA), our organisational structure reflects our belief in youth-led action, unity, and the power of every voice. Our community is built on passion, collaboration, and purpose, and every member plays a key role in making positive change across Africa and beyond.
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The Board Members serve as the strategic core and guiding force behind Young Voices of Africa. They are responsible for protecting the organisation’s mission, vision, and values, ensuring that we stay true to our purpose while empowering every part of our network to thrive.
They do more than oversee operations; they build bridges. The Board actively works to create and grow a powerful network of youth organisations across the African continent and in the diaspora. They also initiate and drive collaborations on both local and international projects, helping to strengthen partnerships, share resources, and amplify the voices of young people across borders.
They support and uplift our ambassadors and leaders while keeping the broader YVA family united, motivated, and aligned with our African Youth Goals.
Board Member roles include:
Providing strategic leadership and accountability.
Empowering our members, ambassadors and LAs across all regions.
Creating and sustaining networks with other youth organisations (continent-wide and globally).
Initiating, funding, and coordinating international and local collaborations.
Safeguarding the values and long-term vision of YVA.
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The Leaders of Ambassadors (LAs) are trusted youth leaders who support, coordinate, and inspire their fellow ambassadors. They play a vital role in keeping energy high, communication open, and activities aligned across the regions.
Whether it’s preparing meetings, helping manage projects, or checking in with members, LAs are the glue that keeps our community strong, organised, and inspired.
Their responsibilities include
Facilitating communication between ambassadors and leadership.
Encouraging active involvement and positive engagement.
Helping plan and lead meetings and events.
Supporting local and international project implementation.
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
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Members are individuals who align with our vision and want to contribute in meaningful ways even if they can’t be active on the ground. They join discussions, offer ideas, and help where possible. Whether they are students, professionals, creatives, or simply passionate supporters, their presence is always valued.
Members:
Join selected meetings and online discussions.
Contribute suggestions and project ideas.
Support events or activities when able.
Act as ambassadors in their own circles by sharing and uplifting YVA’s mission.
Together, We Rise
100% Volunteer-Powered
A Voluntary Family Powered by Purpose
All positions at Young Voices of Africa are voluntary. No one is paid; we are driven by shared vision and dedication. Every project, event plan, performance, school outreach, radio appearance, writing of project proposals, graphic design, web management, and creation of performances and content is funded by the self-contributions of our board members, ambassadors, LAs, and members.
With no major institutional funding, our impact continues to grow because we believe passionately in our work. Every contribution matters. Every voice counts. Every action contributes to the movement.
Together, we are shaping the future of Africa and the world from the grassroots up, one young voice at a time.
Together, We Rise
Every role in YVA matters. Every voice is vital. Together, we’re building a brighter, stronger, united Africa, one idea, one action, and one young leader at a time.
Read more about us.
Our Mission
To promote the development of Africa by empowering young people with the skills and resources needed to succeed in their personal and professional lives and creating space where their voice will be heard on the local, national and global level.
Our Vision
Our vision is to be in a world where young people in Africa have access to the resources and opportunities they need to achieve their full potential and contribute to the development of the continent.
Our ideas into action
The development and success of Africa is our prime focus, and we believe that promoting empowerment, advocacy, education, and attaining development goals would be a great step towards the overall progress of the continent. The ideas listed are all critical for the development, empowerment, and success of African youth and the continent as a whole.