The World YWCA is thrilled to announce the Leadership Cohort 2022! The following eleven young women leaders will be engaging with the World YWCA and their host associations to learn and explore the movement’s international community work and reach within a supportive network aligned towards our collective Goal for 2035:
- Julia Van Niekerk from YWCA in Hamilton, New Zealand
- Douce Clementine Ishimwe from YWCA Burundi – hosted by YWCA Uganda
- Brianna Marie-Anne Mulnix from YWCA in Kalamazoo, USA
- Mercy Kendi Muthomi from YWCA Meru, Kenya
- Benter Adhiambo from YWCA Kisumu, Kenya
- Eunice Uwineza from YWCA Rwanda
- Prisca Gabu from YWCA South Sudan
- Elaisha Pomida from YWCA in Iloilo, Philippines – hosted by National YWCA Philippines
- Tendai Nyathi from YWCA in Lusaka, Zambia
- Grace Nachila from YWCA in Lusaka, Zambia
- Sushmita Majhi from YWCA Nepal
This year marks the first time the program has so many young women leaders from local YWCA associations (6), including Iloilo, Philippines; Hamilton, New Zealand; Kisumi and Meru, Kenya; Kalamazoo, USA; and Lusaka, Zambia. Other cohort members represent national associations (4) in Rwanda, South Sudan, Nepal, and Uganda. This demonstrates how gradually the program has expanded its reach, becoming a significant leadership opportunity for young women leaders in the heart of communities and globally.
Supported by the centennial YWCA World Service Council, the Leadership Cohort offers the opportunity for young women leaders to strengthen and sharpen their knowledge and skills on global issues and specific thematic areas such as leadership, advocacy, movement-building, strategic communications, good governance, and accountability.
The program’s hybrid design allows young women from the YWCA movement to engage virtually with the World YWCA at a global level and with a local or national YWCA host association at the community level.
Across time zones across borders, since October 3rd, young women leaders have started engaging and learning from the wisdom of their peers in a World YWCA-facilitated space as part of the co-creation process of the program.
In upcoming weeks until December, cohort leaders will be utilizing and implementing the recently published new version of RiseUp! World YWCA’s Young Women Transformative Leadership Guide, as a tool to refine skills, values, and practices around transformative leadership. In addition, the Feminist Consultation Methodology and the newly launched Safe Spaces manual will be vital to building up their community engagement skills and mobilization for impact on Goal 2035.
The YWCA World Service Council is a major contributor to the World YWCA Cohort Program that mentors and empowers young women for future leadership positions.