AYP in Action
GOYN’s Authentic Youth Partnerships approach ensures that Opportunity Youth shape the decisions that shape their lives.
Youth Innovation Fund
GOYN’s Youth Innovation Fund (YIF) launched in 2021 in collaboration with GOYN partners and Opportunity Youth from GOYN communities. YIF supports youth-created, youth-led projects through micro-grants—engaging OY and adult allies to tell their stories and address local barriers to employment, equity, and environmental sustainability.Grounded in design thinking, equity analysis, and community asset mapping, YIF equips OY to identify structural barriers, prototype solutions, implement civic action projects, measure impact, and advocate for institutional change.
Equity Leadership Program
GOYN’s Equity Leadership Program (ELP) launched in 2023 in collaboration with youth partners to advance equity and structural justice by empowering OY leaders to address systemic barriers.
Designed by young leaders, the peer-developed curriculum is inclusive, accessible, and practical. To date, 1,500+ OY and 100+ adult allies across 14 communities have participated—leading equity-centered initiatives tailored to their local contexts.
Participants have promoted inclusive hiring practices, launched youth-led civic engagement efforts, and stepped into leadership roles. In Tanga, Tanzania and Raichur, India, Equity Leaders have run for local public office—bringing OY perspectives into policymaking and demonstrating community impact.
Launching the AYP Ambassadors
AYP is grounded in a simple but powerful belief: authentic youth partnership goes beyond inclusion. It requires shared power, mutual accountability, and OY leadership at every level of change.
AYP Ambassadors are dynamic OY leaders from GOYN communities who serve as co-creators, connectors, and catalysts across the network. They amplify OY voice, co-lead community initiatives, and collaborate with global peers to strengthen and scale authentic youth partnership in action.
India
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Nishant Kumar
Ramgarh, India – Nishant Kumar is a youth leader and community changemaker dedicated to empowering young people through career guidance, skill development, and mentorship. He engages with students across schools and colleges, delivering career counseling sessions that help learners explore pathways and make informed decisions about their futures. As a participant in the GOYN Youth Read More
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Atiya Yasmeen
Raichur, India – Atiya Yasmeen is a youth leader from Raichur, India, serving as Vice President of the Youth Advisory Group and Engagement Officer at Head Held High Foundation, a GOYN anchor partner. She works closely with Opportunity Youth in rural and tribal communities to support access to hyperlocal employment opportunities and strengthen youth voice Read More
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Satish Waghdare
Pune, India – Satish Waghdare is a social entrepreneur and legal awareness advocate from Maharashtra, India, working to make legal support and public benefits more accessible to everyday citizens. What began as a GOYN Youth Innovation Fund project has grown into his organization, Kayda Mitra Pvt. Ltd., which provides a legal helpline, community awareness initiatives, Read More
Latin America
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Yasmim Perreira
São Paulo, Brazil – Yasmim Loiola Pereira is a Social Sciences student at the University of São Paulo (USP) and a youth leader from São Paulo, Brazil, working at the intersection of youth engagement, popular education, and civic participation. She began organizing in high school as student council president, mobilizing peers around social causes and Read More
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Tania Gayosso
Mexico City, Mexico – Tania Gayosso is a Mexican leader who believes in the collective power to transform reality. With a background in Intercultural Literature from UNAM, she chose to become a web developer and EdTech educator, finding in technology a powerful vehicle for social impact. As a first-generation university graduate, her journey was shaped Read More
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Esteban Fajardo
Bogotá, Colombia – Esteban Bohórquez Fajardo is a youth social leader from Engativá, Bogotá, and a professional in International Relations and Political Studies. He works at Colombia’s Department for Social Prosperity and collaborates with the Secretariat of Security of Bogotá while pursuing a specialization in Government, Management, and Public Affairs. Since the age of 17, Read More
Africa
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Seydou KA
Thiès, Senegal – Seydou KA is a young Senegalese leader from Mbour, a member of the Mbour Youth Advisory Group, a mentor, and a community mobilizer dedicated to expanding opportunities for young people. Having witnessed the systemic barriers facing youth in his community, he works to create safe spaces for leadership, dialogue, and youth-led action. Read More
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Linus Gabriel
Tanga, Tanzania – Linus Gabriel is a youth leader from Tanga, Tanzania, and a Cyber Security graduate from the Arusha Institute of Accountancy, combining technical expertise with a strong commitment to youth advocacy and community engagement. He serves as a Youth Advisory Group (YAG) member at GOYN Tanga and a 2026 Authentic Youth Partnership (AYP) Read More
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Saumu Hussein
Mombasa, Kenya- Saumu Hussein is a youth leader and social impact advocate based in Mombasa, Kenya, dedicated to advancing opportunity, wellbeing, and inclusive growth for young people. She leads the Youth Thrive Project at Pwani Youth Network, supporting health career pathways and strengthening youth advocacy for economic empowerment. A psychosocial support and mental health advocate, Read More
