After a rigorous selection process seven (7) fellows from seven (7) African countries have been selected for the Second ORA A cohort. Omega Resilience Awards and Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), is very pleased to announce the commencement of ORA-A Second Cohort Fellowship program. The fellows passed through an extensive application and interview process to emerge as a cohort of exceptional individuals who have demonstrated outstanding achievements, unique perspectives, and a strong commitment to address the issues embedded in the faulty global system that promotes the polycrisis.
This fellowship program is designed to support and inspire a generation of movement leaders, organisers, activists and advocates in diverse fields across the African continent and by extension the whole world. Throughout the program, fellows will have the opportunity to engage in insightful conversations with experts, receive mentorship and guidance, and gain access to valuable resources to help them achieve their goals.
We received a quite a number of applications from across the continent, which made the selection process highly competitive. We were impressed with the diversity in backgrounds, perspectives, knowledge, passion and experiences of the applicants.
ORA-A is proud to announce the following outstanding fellows and to welcome them into our second cohort to join the inspiring ORA family.
- Adivhaho Nengwekhulu, is a young South African from Matangari Tshiawelo.She is passionate about using African intergenerational learning and indegenious knowledge to unravel and proffer solutions to the Polycrisis. Adivhaho believes that Indigenous knowledge holds keys in tackling polycrisis issues, and the knowledge is better transmitted from generation to generation through co-learning and integrating Indigenous Knowledge and contemporary knowledge for sustainable livelihood
- Balach Bakundane , a fierce climate justice advocate from Uganda, He has been actively involed in struggles and movements which are championing the STOPEACOP campaign.
- Gloria K. Adeyiga, a researcher, gender and land rights advocate from Ghana challenging the patriachal system of land rights allocation in Northen Ghana and providing women with knowledge to oppose and build resistance to expliotation and disposcession.
- Innocent MWENDO,is a human and Climate Activist from the Democratic Republic of Congo. He tackles the multidimensional crisis of hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity by providing organic and ecologically safe fertilizers to smallholder farmers and households. As the founder of CultivaHub, he transforms food waste into organic fertilizers to boost agricultural productivity in North Kivu, a region severely affected by soil fertility agravated by climate change. His initiative also addresses the famine affecting thousands of refugee families displaced by the ongoing conflict in Kivu.
- Morgan Adera is a charismatic young Kenyan from Kibera who is blazing the trail for environmental and human rights advocacy. He’s the founder of Voices of Tomorrow, an inspiring youth-led initiative empowering young people with the knowledge, tools, and support they need to create positive change in their communities and the world. As a champion for youth empowerment, Morgan inspires us to use our voices to build a more just and sustainable world and future.
- Ndayizeye Emery is a young refugee from Burundi but now domiciled in Cameroon, As one who has experienced first hand the horrors of being a Refugee,he now channels his activism into movements, struggles which champion migrants rights and empowers refugees via social entrepreneurship and skills development training. His advocacy does not only help refugees to survive but thrive.
- Prince Eze, is an energetic researcher and social crusader from Nigeria, He is passionate about unravelling the polycrisis nexus around climate change, environmental degradation, gender disparities and migration. He hopes to develop a comprehensive body of work that enhances understanding, informs policy, and inspires transformative action. Through his work, he aims to contribute meaningfully to the global discourse on sustainable development, climate change, social justice, and human rights.
Speaking about the Fellows, Ifeoma Malo, one of the ORA-A Advisory board members expressed great optimism about the calibre of the Fellows. She said, ‘’Choosing the Fellows this year was much tougher than the previous year and while that is a testament to the depth of the rot of the world, it was truly inspiring to also see the innovative and multidimensional approaches these fellows bring to the table of solutions and we are truly excited to see them succeed in this journey’’
The Polycrisis is ever expanding but if we focus only on that we will definitely miss the ways in which the solutions and processes are also expanding, we are inspired to have young activists who are not overwhelmed or paralyzed with fear but are ready to tackle these issues through multipronged approaches. says Ken Henshaw, another member of the Advisory Board.
“In these polycrisis ridden times, It gives me a lot of hope to have such an amazing group of organizers whose passion and commitment ensures that they will bring about transformations in the interest of justice, dignity and human emancipation,” said Firoze Manji from Daraja Press.
Nnimmo Bassey, Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation, commenting on the selection of fellows said,
‘’One of our key struggles has been to gain an understanding of the mindset that permits inequalities in our societies. The mindset that elevates might over care and love. The mindset that promotes the individual rather than the community. The mindset that refuses to understand that we are relatives. These Fellows are tasked with a huge responsibility which we believe that by recognizing our shared humanity, acknowledging that we are all relatives, related even to species that are not our own, we can in solidarity work toward solutions that benefit all living beings”
Throughout the program, fellows will engage with insightful mentors, receive one-on-one mentorship and guidance from thought leaders, and participate in workshops and seminars on various topics. They will also have opportunities to collaborate with each other and engage with a broader network of the ORA community in other regions of the world.
To stay updated with the fellows and their interesting journeys visit our websites and follow us on various platforms.
