From the 16th to the 18th of August, eight vibrant Education Matters delegates, seven being USAP Alumni, gathered as part of the three-day 29th AFS Youth Assembly in New York City, to learn, network, and create an impact that will advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals. These are Betty Mafemera, Dieudonne Makelele, Menard Simoya, Nyasha Milanzi, Olive Iragena, Peniel Kabeya, Rosemary Moyo and Russell Makopa.
The session’s theme, “Forge Our Shared Future” explored humanitarian crises, future of education, climate action, and food security. On 16 August, the Education Matters delegation celebrated International Youth Day with other Changemakers at the United Nations Headquarters with the theme “Empowering Youth for Peace and Security through Global Citizenship,” making a draft declaration that reaffirms the commitment of young people to the principles of peace, security, and inclusivity.
On August 17, the Education Matters delegation in pairs took turns exhibiting at the Opportunity Fair showcasing the interconnectedness of Education Matters Africa and its various youth programs such as Zimbabwe Career Connect Internship Program, Capstone Fellowship Program, USAP Community School, TWEENS and AFS Intercultural programs. During this same time, the rest of the Education Matters delegates visited other organizations’ booths to learn about their work and how they can engage, source seed funding opportunities to help scale up the delegate’s organizations and individual passion projects. A significant spotlight from the Opportunity Fair was meeting the AFS Global STEM Accelerator Director, Program Development, Sean Reilly who also had a booth at the fair, showcasing Global Up programs. One of the Global Up programs, the AFS Global STEM Accelerator program has since last year provided our six USAP Community School girls with full scholarships to engage in the AFS Global STEM Accelerator program.
August 18 marked the wrap of the 29th AFS Youth Assembly. The day embarked with various sessions and of great significance, the Action and Impact Hub for Youths at the Front Lines where two of our Education Matters delegates from Refugee Tongogara Camp represented TWEENS (Together We Educationally Empower Non Privileged Students) an organization that educationally empowers refugee students, currently at Refugee Tongogara Camp in Zimbabwe. The AFS Youth Assembly on this day concluded with a colourful CultureFest Ceremony which was accompanied by Performances and Cultural Fashion Show from the Youth Assembly Delegates.
Education Matters is grateful to AFS Intercultural Programs and partner organizations for providing two of our Education Matters delegates with full scholarships to the Youth Assembly plus an academy. Dieudonne Makelele (USAP 2022), was awarded the Global Educators Scholarship and Russell Makopa (USAP 2021), was awarded the Climate Entrepreneurship Scholarship.
The 29th AFS Youth Assembly has not only deepened an understanding of global issues but also strengthened the commitment to fostering intercultural dialogue and collaboration. Applications for the 2025 AFS Youth Assembly are now open. Zimbabwean changemakers interested in joining the Zimbabwe Delegation under Education Matters for access to more discounts and preparatory information can reach out to info@edmattersafrica.org.
The AFS Youth Assembly is a global platform that cultivates an international network of young leaders and changemakers through exchange, education, action and impact. The 2024 event agenda focused on the theme Forge Our Shared Future through the following tracks: ● Global Shocks: Tackling Humanitarian Crises ● Future of Education: Leveraging Technology & Innovation ● Transform Our Future: Unite for Climate Action ● Food Security: Strengthen Global Food Systems.
