#AEIF2018
Theme: Building Civic Participation, Good Governance, and Resilient Communities
“What is your vision for Madagascar?” That was the main question posed to the 30 participants of Civics 2.0, an #AEIF2018 project that promotes responsible citizenship and civic education for Malagasy youth. During the final months of 2018, 30 young people (aged 18-23) from all over the island nation of Madagascar honed their leadership skills in the program’s camp, country tour, and closing conference. The three #ExchangeAlumni team members working on the project are alumni of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, where they each expanded their expertise on community engagement, youth empowerment, and civic activism.
The Civics 2.0 journey began when participants hopped on a bus heading from their homes to Toliara, a coastal region on the Mozambique Channel. The weeklong leadership camp provided a unique interactive, hands-on education that the majority of students had never experienced in the prescribed educational system in Madagascar. Each morning, the students dove into “setting a vision for Madagascar.” Through educational games, simulations, problem solving, and quizzes, campers learned about democracy, elections, and fundamental rights. Afternoons at camp were dedicated to community outreach and visits. The campers took initiative to clean up the “Jardin de la mer (Garden of the Sea),” one of the most popular beaches in the area for local youth. The locals congratulated and thanked the campers for their commitment to serve the community, especially since they were newcomers to the region.
The participants also explored the diversity of Madagascar, a culturally rich country influenced over the centuries by cultures ranging from East Africa, Southeast Asia, Arabs, British, French and Chinese. Each student performed a cultural act from their respective region for a local audience. The campers learned about Malagasy heroes and met local activists, and they finished off the camp with a meeting with a high counselor from the Atsimo Atsianana region. The campers utilized this meeting to discuss some of the issues that they witnessed while in Toliara, such as poverty and environmental concerns.
After the weeklong camp, the students continued on the Civics 2.0 Tour, where the bus made its way over to the east coast of the island. During the tour, the students met with locals at Isalo National Park to discuss issues with bushfires, sang the national anthem in the public square of Ranomafana Town, cleaned up the playground of a local high school, and visited the tropical rainforest in Ranomafana National Park. The students met with several organizations that were dedicated to protecting the rainforest, but they were surprised to find out that foreigners ran most of these initiatives. The students were eager to encourage members of their own community to get involved with ecotourism and conservation.
The Civics 2.0 project wrapped up in late December with a closing conference that brought together the lessons of the camp and the country tour. After spending 16 days together, the students made a pledge use the new tools and concepts back in their home regions and communities. Each of the students are continuing on their journeys of becoming active citizens.
Are you feeling inspired by the Civics 2.0 project? Now is the perfect time to sign in to your alumni.state.gov account, find your AEIF team and submit a project on Building Civic Participation, Good Governance, and Resilient Communities. Don’t wait! Submit your application starting on February 1.
The Professional Fellows Program (PFP) is pleased to announce the Fall 2018 Alumni Impact Award winners. These exchange alumni are from different parts of the world, and each has managed to make a lasting impact on their communities after participating in the Professional Development Program. Read on for more about their outstanding achievements!
Patrick “Patch” Dulay, Philippines U.S. Program Partner: American Councils for International Education (2016)
U.S. Fellowship Host Organization: Center for International Development at Point Loma Nazarene University
Patch Dulay is the Founder and CEO of Spark Machine Innovations, Inc. Patch built The Spark Project, an online community and crowdfunding platform, to support and connect Filipino entrepreneurs. Since its founding in 2013, The Spark Project has raised over $100,000 to support over 60 projects. In the past two years, Patch has gained significant recognition in the global community for his leadership, business development, advocacy, and mentorship.
During his placement at the Center for International Development, Patch used his creative eye and technical expertise to lead the development of an online platform dedicated to eradicating poverty. This experience allowed Patch to connect with other young leaders from all over the world and broaden his worldview. “The world seems a lot smaller now knowing that I have friends across the globe,” Patch says.
After PFP, Patch continues to reshape the entrepreneurship landscape in the Philippines by developing new policy with the Filipino Securities and Exchange Commission. He is also expanding The Spark Project offline through annual Spark Fest conferences that connect creative entrepreneurs and change makers.
Jamshid Sultanzada, Afghanistan
U.S. Program Partner: Business Council for Peace aka BPeace (2012)
U.S. Fellowship Host Organizations: Three Ships; HighPoint Solutions; Gartner
Jamshid Sultanzada is the founder and CEO of PomTech ICT Solutions, a company dedicated to bringing tech jobs and services to Afghanistan. Jamshid spent 10 years working for Afghanistan’s first Telecom Company, which inspired him to start a company of his own: Afghan Host.
Jamshid spent time at three U.S. tech companies through PFP: Gartner (data center), Three Ships (digital marketing firm), and HighPoint Solutions (IT research and consulting). During these placements, he learned how to use client data and web activity to maximize his own tech business.
Jamshid believes that creating jobs can reduce violence in Afghanistan, and he founded PomTech in 2015 with the dream of employing 1,000 Afghans. Outside of his business, Jamshid helped found the first Rotary Club in Afghanistan, serving the city of Herat. He also created a non-profit called “Education for Afghanistan”. The organization, funded through grants from the U.S. Consulate in Herat, focuses on empowering Afghan school principals and female university students through specialized tools and trainings.
Zeinab Abdelhamed, Egypt
U.S. Program Partner: Legacy International (2015)
U.S. Fellowship Host Organization: Washington Parks & People
Zeinab Abdelhamed uses her creative storytelling to generate a greater sense of pride and identity in her community through her work with the Heritage Lab. She is passionate about historic preservation, and has 7 years of experience in the nonprofit sector.
During her placement at Washington Parks & People, Zeinab focused on engaging children in under-served communities. Through creative storytelling that explained the historic significance of the community, she encouraged the children to help her develop monuments and historic site markers that preserve their heritage for future generations
Zeinab recreated this project upon her return to Cairo. The “Arabesque” project encourages youth to appreciate the beauty and heritage of their communities, and it promotes civic engagement through powerful lessons and stories. She continues to collaborate with her colleagues from Washington Parks & People in order to expand the mission of her project.
Steve Coleman, Washington D.C.U.S. Program Partner: Legacy International (2017)
International Placement Location: Egypt
Steve Coleman is the leader of Washington Parks & People, a citywide park partnership that has mobilized over 250,000 volunteers and transformed 230 green spaces across the capital. Born in India, Steve has lived in DC for 36 years. He spent three decades in non-profit service that focuses on community engagement and environmental advocacy.
Steve has worked as a mentor for four Professional Fellows from Egypt and Morocco since 2015, including fellow AIA winner Zeinab Abdelhamad. He traveled to Egypt in March of 2017 to continue to grow his relationships with fellows and to support their projects to strengthen civil society.
Steve feels that “PFP lifts up civic power, leadership, and innovation in ways that profoundly strengthen communities… The program showed me how simple people-to-people exchanges can knit our world together in ways that nothing else can.
