Edith Esinam Asamani

Edith is passionate about volunteering and advocating for youth and women’s rights. The founder of KNITWEB, an umbrella of support networks to mentor girls and empower young people, she feels strongly that she can help change the world with and for young people.

Edith’s childhood in the slums of Ghana wasn’t easy. She witnessed firsthand how the lack of access to basic education can have a profound negative effect in the lives of young people. Today she continues to advocate to empower young people, in particular through sexual and health education, which is crucial to ensure today’s adolescents and young adults can have agency over their own lives and thrive.

Read Edith’s blogs:

• A youth perspective on the Pan African Conference on Education
• Losing out on school and childhood – Why comprehensive sexuality education could reverse the trend
• Education investments are key to giving Africa’s youth a better future

Salimatou Fatty

Salimatou is the founder of the Salimatou Foundation for Education (SaFE), an organization that calls for quality education and gender equality for all. A trained peace educator, she is globally recognized as an education and gender advocate. 

Born in The Gambia, Salimatou faced several obstacles in pursuing her education, but thanks to her efforts and perseverance, she is now able to pursue a law degree.

Salimatou is convinced that education is the only way to gender equality and sustainable development. She believes in the power of young people to influence policies and ensure that the laws in place to support girls’ and women’s rights are applied.

Read Salimatou’s blogs:

• Every day is International Women’s Day
• The power of youth to create change and achieve education for all girls

Mohamed Sidibay

A former child soldier left orphaned at 5 during Sierra Leone’s brutal civil war, Mohamed Sidibay is a passionate and vivid example of the power of education to turn a life around.

In the midst of enormous adversity, education gave him hope and allowed him to move past the horrors of the conflict.

Now Mohamed uses his voice to advocate for more investments in education to ensure young people can acquire the skills they need to enter the workforce, and have a chance to succeed in life.

Read Mohamed’s blogs and op ed:

• Education’s gradual awakening: my reflections from GESF
• Why access to quality education is not a poor country issue
• Education saved my life

You can read from other young African education advocates and activists who through their advocacy have collaborated on the GPE platform. These young advocates are doing their part to influence policy and decision-makers to increase political will and financing for education, as well as  seek to bring about policy change and accountability on education: Gideon Olanrewaju, Kenneth Gyamerah, Vivian Adhiambo Onano, Aline Nizigama, Wadi Ben-Hirki, Victoria Ibiwoye, Monique Guenoune, Jacopo Bencini and  Nondumiso Hlophe, Amina Yusuf, Brian Mutebi, and Peace Ayo Adegbola.

Available here is The Youth Solidarity Statement from the GPE Financing Conference in Dakar created by over 40+ you from across Africa and beyond.