YALI10 Competition, Semi-Finalist: Civic Engagement – Volunteerism
In celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), the U.S. Department of State, in partnership with the Wilson Center, opened a competition under the theme“YALI at 10: My Life, My Community, and My World.” Selected submissions were showcased at the YALI tenth anniversary virtual summit in May 2021, where a decade of YALI change-makers and their achievements were celebrated. Submissions included a variety of media, including videos, short essays, poems, songs, spoken word, and sketches.
We’re proud that several Fellowship Alumni were among the finalists and semi-finalists in the contest, including 2016 Fellowship Alumnus Elysée Koumtebaye from Chad who studied Leadership in Business at Clark Atlanta University.
Elysée currently serves as a senior manager of the service of Pharmacopoeia at the Department of Pharmacy, Medicines, and Laboratories for the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) of Chad. In honor of Mandela Day, Elysée organized a blood donation campaign in N’Djamena to raise awareness about the importance of humanitarianism in his community. Read more and view pictures from the event.
Please note that competition entries reflect the thoughts and opinions of Fellowship Alumni and may not reflect views of the U.S. Government.
Blood Drive to raise awareness about the importance of humanitarianism
Elysée Koumtebaye, an Alumnus of the 2016 Mandela Washington Fellowship, is one of the dedicated YALI Network members making a true difference in his community and his country.
On July 18, 2017, in celebration of Mandela Day, Elysée Koumtebaye worked with other YALI Network members to plan and organize a blood drive in N’Djamena to “Raise awareness about the importance of humanitarianism.” Koumtebaye Elysée hopes that his efforts, inspired by the spirit of Nelson Mandela, will encourage others to create positive change in their communities through public service.
Beyond the blood drive, Koumtebaye Elysée had also hosted a YALI Learns event where he taught youth in his community about the importance of civic engagement and volunteering.
Learn more about the other YALI 10 Competition winners.
Next Story
John Zimba
2018 Fellowship Alumnus, Zambia