kanthari Course Alumni 2018

Bharat Wankhade

Country: India
Theme: Education
mudita school
Bharat Wankhade was born in a very small village called Kathora Gandhi in the Dalit community. Despite the law that forbids caste-based discrimination, caste divide is still a reality in India where Dalit and Tribal children are caught in the cycle of social exclusion, poor education, and poverty. “With the vision that no child in India shall be deprived of education because of social stigma and poverty, Bharat established mudita school in Amravati, Maharashtra, a school that empowers children from Dalit and Tribal community to break the cycle of caste discrimination and generational poverty through quality education, leadership, and compassion. mudita school is a unique educational model school that operates from Early Childhood Education to Primary level exclusively for children born into India’s lowest social and economic class. Gradually mudita school will extend to secondary and higher secondary levels.
http://www.muditaschool.org/
Watch Bharat's speech at http://youtu.be/OECzBADB8bQ

Brian Galabuzi Kakembo

Country: Uganda
Theme: Skill development - Environment
WEYE
Brian started WEYE - Waste to Energy Youth Project to support low-income families access clean energy for cooking, and tackle youth unemployment in Uganda. Young people are equipped with practical skills to produce briquettes from organic waste, which reduce the harmful effects of commonly-used firewood and charcoal. They also acquire entrepreneurial skills to start their own business.
http://www.ecorehabafrica.org/
Watch Brian's speech at http://youtu.be/i6P9kvNfnps

Cavin Odera

Country: Kenya
Theme: Training-skill-development
WaWa Kenya
When Cavin’s parents and oldest sister died of HIV/AIDS, his own community discriminated against him. This experience eventually gave him the passion to start Wa-Wa, an organisation that empowers girls and young women, equips them with skills to earn sustainable livelihoods without falling victim to “sex for fish”, which is rampant along the Lake Victoria region. Today, 365 women and 65 girls are equipped with skills such as carpentry, artwork, value addition on papyrus reeds, soap and detergent making, tailoring among others.
In 5 years to come, WaWa wants to see a community where everyone contributes to Sustainable Development Goals in equal measures.
http://www.wawakenya.org/
Watch Cavin's speech at http://youtu.be/KcfQcL9o4ng

Dave Oduor

Country: Kenya
Theme: Training - Environment
NAAM Festival
Dave is an artist and environment activist. His mission is to lead the communities on the shoreline to restore Lake Victoria. The lake is threatened by illegal sand harvesting, Hyacinths, pollution, and cross border fishermen’s conflicts. He founded the NAAM Festival, where young people use arts to promote the conservation, break down scientific jargon for real time awareness and influence action towards restoration of the Lake through the creative #JusticeforLakeVictoria Campaigns. NAAM also offers skill training for young people to find alternative means of income to ease pressure on the water resource.
http://www.naamfestival.co.ke/
Watch Dave's speech at http://youtu.be/7EKFslWRgwg

Gikufu Francis Ndungu

Country: Kenya
Theme: Education
Mukuru Angaza Film Academy
Gikufu‘s story is not uncommon among those who grow up in the slums in Nairobi, Kenya. Many are denied access to formal education, live in poverty and end up indulging in drugs, crimes and living on the streets. Having overcome stigmatization and now empowered, Gikufu started Mukura Angaza Film Academy, that provides mentorship, media and film training for children and youth from the Mukuru slums. They are now able to tell their stories in creative ways, and develop a positive mindset on life.
http://www.mukuruangaza.org/
Watch Gikufu's speech at http://youtu.be/aHkuNG2OUpM

Ichhya KC

Country: Nepal
Theme: Education/ Skill development
pahichan
Ichhya has been active in advocating for the disabled in Nepal. She sees the need to empower single women with disabilities like herself. Her organisation Pahichan-Nepal offers a safe space that offers psycho-social, skill development, health, employment, legal and rehabilitative support mechanisms for single and marginalized women with disabilities. This will help them overcome discrimination, find their own voice in society and to live respected and dignified life with self-identity.
http://www.pahichan.org/
Watch Ichhya's speech at http://youtu.be/Yy3nBm9AHDk

Nurul Kabir

Country: Bangladesh
Theme: Disability/ Human Rights
Oniruddah Bangladesh
Kabir’s dream is that his brother, and all persons with intellectual disabilities and their siblings will not be sidelined at playgrounds because of stigmatization and inadequate sports facilities. Through his organisation, Oniruddah Bangladesh, Kabir's vision is to create a Bangladeshi society that thrives on solidarity and empathy towards people with disability and their family members.
Watch Kabir's speech at http://youtu.be/LPiQhaJyDxw

Kerlinda War

Country: India
Theme: Alternative Education
Marvelling Roots

Being bullied and marginalized in her childhood, while working as a hostel warden at Bethany Society, Kerlinda could relate to the experiences of children with disabilities. After a specialized course in rehabilitation therapy she found her purpose in life. Kerlinda found joy and satisfaction in her years of work in rehabilitation for children with slow growth and physical impairment. Her organisation Marveling roots in Meghalaya, India provides training on early identification, early intervention of children with cerebral palsy, referral services, and prepares children for schooling and socialization.
http://www.facebook.com/marvelling.org/
Watch Kerlinda's speech at http://youtu.be/G1gZDuabUH4

Limbi Blessing Tata

Country: Cameroon
Theme: Training-skill-development
Ecobalances
Limbi addresses the negative effects of over-timber-harvesting of the forest in Cameroon. To reduce dependency on timber-selling, she trains local women to add value to and/or process forest products like seeds, fruits, barks and leaves to finished/semi-finished goods. This increases profit margins by up to 400% leading to significant increase in family incomes and hence an incentive for forest conservation. This in turn decreases the rates of deforestation and provides opportunities for girls from forest dependent communities to get quality education. Her organization is also actively regenerating forests and training local farmers to incorporate forest trees into existing farms (forest gardening) so as to reduce total dependence on the forest. For posterity, she is building a network of the next generation of forest rewilders for Cameroon and the Congo Basin.
http://www.ecobalances.org/
Watch Limbi's speech at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQkhOOW49ow

 

 

Lorena Julio

Country: Argentina
Theme: Human Rights/ Disability
Comparlante
Lorena is the founder of Fundación Comparlante, a nonprofit committed to building a more equitable and accesible world for persons with disabilities through social tech, art and advocacy. Her vision is to bring a positive change in Latin Amarica where persons with disabilities are often excluded, vulnerable and invisible.
http://comparlante.com/
Watch Lorena's speech at http://youtu.be/euC31Kw-92Q

Marlyse Ashu Egbe

Country: Cameroon
Theme: Education
Wokome
Marlyse lost interest in learning when she constantly received low grades at school. This gave her a feeling of worthlessness. After regaining her self-esteem, she founded Wokome, an organization that supports children and young people in Cameroon who face similar struggles. Marlyse believes that low graders also deserve scholarships and good job opportunities. Through her organization Wokome, Marlyse is on a mission to practically engage parents of this category of children, to accompany their children in discovering their passions and realize that their dreams are Valid, so far 30 families and 120 children have directly benefitted from Wokome.
www.wokome.org
Watch Marlyse's speech at http://youtu.be/PHFzTaDQR1c

Navina Gyawali

Country: Nepal
Theme: Education/ Human Rights
Sath Nepal
Navina was born blind, and her experience of inequality probed her to work to reducing the gap between people with and without disabilities. She believes that sensitizing the public about equality and human rights will lead to more equal opportunities for the disabled in education and employment. Navina founded Sath-Nepal to empower blind people through the creation of a cooking and catering service named Tick Tick-Bites.
http://www.sath-nepal.org/
Watch Navina's speech at http://youtu.be/-6ESRjoIQSg

Odunayo Aliu

Country: Nigeria
Theme: Education
Bramble Network
Facing a difficult and very challenging childhood inspired Odunayo to start "Love Letters Child Support Initiative", an organisation that  provides free and quality education to children from socially and economically marginalized communities in Nigeria. In addition, she wants to start an alternative learning platform that promotes creative and critical thinking in rural children, and empower them to become agents of transformation in their own circles.
http://bramblenetwork.org/
Watch Odunayo's speech at http://youtu.be/U3wjm6tqQsY

Omona Innocent

Country: Uganda
Theme: Health
Lighta
Omona’s father passed away due to HIV/AIDS when he was a child. His mum was accused of bewitching his father and was chased out of the community. Omona understands the discrimination and lack of access to healthcare and education that orphaned children and youth in rural Uganda are facing. His dream is to start a social entrepreneurship centre that provides skill training for orphans to generate income. He also wants to provide scholarships and medical services for his beneficiaries.
http://www.lighta.org/
Watch Omona's speech at http://youtu.be/MsgqS66djgM

Opiyo Peter

Country: Uganda
Theme: Education/ Human Rights
Opiyo is an experienced radio producer and presenter in Uganda who wants to use his skills to mentor persons with disabilities and help them build a career in the media field. He founded Attitude Africa Media Space, a radio academy in which he will enable blind and partially sighted to use radio as a tool to advocate for the rights of the disabled and to fight stigmatization

Pragya Raut

Country: Nepal
Theme: Training - entrepreneurship
aankura
Pragya was trained as an architect, but sees the limitations of the current architectural practices in Nepal. Her vision is that architecture should not only be a commercial tool, but a tool for creating socio-economic impact. She will focus on earthquake-hit areas where many become homeless and unemployed, and offer training in youth entrepreneurship.
http://www.aankura.org/
Watch Pragya's speech at http://youtu.be/-SO_vLHI6SI

Priyanka Singh

Country: India
Theme: Skill development - self realisation
Baya India
Priyanka has extensively traveled and worked across a number of states in India. Her journey started with an internship opportunity in the Himalayas in 2014 which later proved to be the first step towards her passion for experiential learning through travel. “Like many young women, my first-time experience of traveling and living alone was full of fear and anxiety. We are conditioned to believe that the outside world is dangerous and we are safer in our houses. This mindset has kept us dependent on our families. I seek to build confidence and a sense of independence for women like me by providing experiential learning exposure opportunities”, she says.
http://www.bayaindia.org/
Watch Priyanka's speech at http://youtu.be/GyebvwcsNxc

Ranya Trabelsi

Country: Tunisia
Theme: Education - Training
Dandelion
Lacking resources and exposure, children from Tunisia’s rural areas often have no choice but follow a set path determined by societal norms and pressures. Through experiencing the Arab Spring first hand, Ranya recognized a need for open debates. Through starting a human library, children have a chance to become intellectually independent so they can choose their own path and create their own future.

Ruangtup Kaeokamechun

Country: Thailand
Theme: Alternative education
HingHoyNoy
Inspired by childhood experiences, Ruangtup  founded Hinghoy Noy, an organisation that shines a light on topics that are not openly addressed. When her father died, nobody in her family explained her about death.
Growing up, she learnt that many children in Thailand are facing challenges related to mental health, because topics like death, divorce ,sex ,being LGBTIQ+ as well as any personal opinions can’t be talk about openly at home and/or in schools. Hence, Hinghoy Noy functions as a friend in the darkness of taboos when children want to talk about their concerns. Hinghoy Noy provides a child friendly safe-space empowering children to know about their rights and to be able to comfortably talk about any sensitive topics and taboos.
http://www.hinghoynoy.org/
Watch Ruang's speech at http://youtu.be/PRmpOUtStp0

Satya Illa

Country: India
Theme: Education - training
kaanthi
Witnessing his friend being electrocuted when his kite got stuck in overhead power lines, traumatized Satya for many years. India has one of the world’s highest number of fatalities due to electrical accidents, especially among farmers. Satya founded KAANTHI, a social enterprise that addresses the lack of awareness and response preparedness among villages in Telangana. Through practical training on safety, Satya has been able to save the lives of many farmers and prevent unnecessary accidents. He was the youngest kanthari participant of the 2018 batch.
http://www.kaanthi.org/
Watch Satya's speech at http://youtu.be/o6fyDU0Qkjc

Selassie Tay

Country: Ghana
Theme: Vocational skills and Entrepreneurship
Eyata
Selassie comes from a community that offers little opportunity for women to live their lives to their fullest potentials and achieve self-actualization. They encounter challenges such as the “Trokosi system” a spiritual servitude system and other socio-cultural practices that keep them down the socioeconomic ladder. Most women earn their livelihood doing menial and odd jobs in the informal sector where work conditions are bad. Consequently, women are poorer and have fewer or no assets. Women are not allowed to own lands. Eyata provides vocational skills, access to finance through Village Saving and Loan Groups, and enterprise development services to enable women in his community to start formalized microenterprises as a path to decent livelihoods and socio-economic independence. Selassie’s drive and motivation for this social change emanates from childhood experiences.
http://www.eyata.org/
Watch Selassie's speech at http://youtu.be/BFfIPfhr878

Sohibjamol Rakamova

Country: Tajikistan
Theme: Education/ Skill development
Vilka Chess Club
While working with marginalized rural communities in Tajikistan, Sohibjamol realized the lack of facilities for disabled children to access sports and games. Being a professional chess champion herself, she started VILKA CHESS CLUB for physically disabled children. She provides training and facilities, and prepares them to enter professional competition.
http://www.vilkachessclub.org/