We are pleased to announce the Top 12 Finalists for the OD Impact Challenge 2022! The OD Impact Challenge seeks to recognize and support the efforts of young change-makers working to bring positive change to their communities while projecting and highlighting the impact opportunitydesk.org is making in the lives of people worldwide.
Each of these finalists represent leaders and entrepreneurs who are taking great steps to solve real problems and add significant value to the lives of people in the communities.
Our judges were highly impressed with the quality of entries received this year. While many of the entries are great, we are only able to shortlist 12 finalists to advance to the next stage of the competition.
The application videos of the Top 12 finalists are now live on OD YouTube Channel. Three winners will emerge from these finalists and we are inviting you to be part of the process. Vote for them by liking and commenting on their videos.
Meet the ODIC 2022 Top 12 (in no particular order)
1. Grace Amuzie (Nigeria)
Founder, Isrina Schools
Grace Amuzie is a 22-year-old graduate of Economics from Crawford University, an SDG4 advocate a social entrepreneur and founder of Isrina School. She started teaching children in her community at the age of 15. Through the support of a kind sponsor, she was able to complete her secondary and tertiary education. She made an unwavering decision to promote access to quality education for every child in 2015 through Isrina School to ensure that children from low-income households in her community receive educational support as she did.
Since inception, over 160 children have received termly scholarships, school supplies, vocational training and feeding support. The school runs a recycles pay parents bring plastic bottles to pay their ward(s) tuition thereby ensuring that their children get an education as well as contributing to environmental sustainability. Grace is a certified Microsoft Educator and has attended workshops for personal and professional development
Vote for Grace Amuzie on YouTube
2. Ahmed Paasewe (Liberia)
Deputy Director, Orphans Concern
Ahmed Paasewe is a graduate of the African Methodist Episcopal University – AMEU, studied Management, Major and Accounting, Minor. He’s a Humanitarian, an acclaimed Human Right Activist, certified Global Change-Maker and an Action Developer; he has earned several certificates in Computer Science and Leadership Training both Nationally and Internationally; He’s the lead campaigner for the campaign “March4thMind,” a campaign against illegal substance abuse. He’s one of the lead advocates for Orphan in Liberia; He’s has published several article highlighting problems affecting orphan across Liberia; and as such, he’s a passionate and dedicated public servant with an exemplary attitude that inspires young people.
Vote for Ahmed Paasewe on YouTube
3. Kasoki Gisèle (Democratic Republic of Congo)
Director, Gorilla Ambassadors Program
Kasoki Kahatane Gisèle is passionate about traveling and nature, she finished her university studies in Tourism and Environmental Management in Goma (East of the DRC) since 2019. Ambitious young girl, motivated and committed to the conservation and protection of nature, since June 2019 she works within the organization Congo Tourism Gate where she is in charge of an environmental education program named “Gorilla Ambassadors”. Being an actress in the fight against climate change, within this program, she has trained more than 2000 young schoolchildren from schools bordering the protected areas on the protection and conservation of nature; the fight against climate change through reforestation activities since 2020 more than 500 plane trees have been planted in some degraded areas of the park and others around schools bordering the park. The purpose of this program is to bring young students to know and become aware of the risks and realities of climate change that their community and the world is facing and lead them to a positive action through activities that contribute to the improvement of the climate conditions.
Vote for Kasoki Gisèle on YouTube
4. Clinton Okechukwu (Nigeria)
Project Lead, H.E.A.L The World/Retina Initiative
Okechukwu Clinton is an Optometry student at the University of Benin, Nigeria. He is the Social media director of The RETINA initiative and the project Lead in the H.E.A.L the world campaign where he focuses on helping underserved communities become free from preventable blindness by implementing sustainable eye care innovations, community outreach programmes and advocacy campaigns.
He has volunteered in 10 projects impacting over 4500 beneficiaries in 15 communities in Lagos, Ogun and Edo State, He is a united Nations SDG Campus Ambassador under the Millennium Fellowship. An alumnus of the Clinton Global Initiative University founded by former US President, Bill Clinton. A Pollination Project $1,000 seed grant awardee. A Peace first mini-grant awardee and a Global youth mobilization grant awardee. Clinton served in the Global admission committee of the Millennium fellowship, helping in the selection of change makers to pass on core values to the next generation. He is a change maker with the goal of providing better vision, one eye at a time.
Vote for Clinton Okechukwu on YouTube
5. Anne Obize (Nigeria)
Founder, Teens Connect Africa
Anne Obize is a changemaker who is actively involved in proffering solutions to social vices prevalent among teenagers and youth through mentorship and personal development projects She grew up in Zuba community, an environment where 7 out of 10 teenagers stand the risk of dropping out of high school, joining a cult group, becoming pregnant, or being involved in social vices.
In 2020, she founded Teens Connect Africa, a platform that provides mentorship and opportunities for teenagers to develop their talent and become productive members of society. She has consistently hosted monthly mentorships since 2020, reaching out to over 800 teenagers and featuring over 35 guest mentors in Zuba community. She has also implemented two editions of the Talent Development Project and a community development service project in the community.
Within the past 4 years, Anne has led several projects reaching over 10000 young adults within 4 communities in north-central Nigeria including the federal capital city Abuja and online media. Anne Obize, is a Transformational Speaker, Author, Media, and Personal Development Strategist with numerous awards and recognitions to her name. She is the author of “Flip the switch; How to Move from Confusion to Clarity”, “Emerge; the Rising of a Star”, and co-author “Beyond the Classroom”. She is committed to empowering the next generation of for purposeful living through quality Education and Media.
Vote for Anne Obize on YouTube
6. Rokunda Lukoto (South Africa)
Chairperson/Project Manager, Bright Young Leaders Initiative
Rokunda Lukoto is a 22 year old young man from Thohoyandou, South Africa. He has always had a passion for charity and being influential ever since he stumbled upon the Ellen Degeneres show. In 2019 he joined Bright Young Leaders Initiative as a volunteer, after one his first assignment, was offered the position of Project Manager, handled some campaigns and tasks of the organization until he was awarded position of Chairperson for exceptional service in the organization.
Rokunda Lukoto is about to graduate with a BSc degree in Biochemistry and Microbiology with the hopes of using this knowledge to further advocate for science as a tool for improvement and motivation in minority communities. His core values are love, kindness, generosity and patience above all else and these ground him to keep striving in his duty as a community leader and a young man with big dreams and goals to achieve.
Vote for Rokunda Lukoto on YouTube
7. Ojirot John Paul (Uganda)
Assistant Director, Dream House Uganda
John Paul Ojirot is a visual artist, community builder, creative facilitator, event organizer and a founding member of Dream House Uganda. They are working to reduce unemployment, and lack of life skills while preserving the environment. They provide a safe space and equal access to education and humanitarian aid for vulnerable kids and young people to improve their lives through offering school sponsorships, free art, music, dance, skateboarding, and recycling classes and health education for the young people in Namatala slum.
By doing this they are enabling them to be a part of the learning and implementation process in the developing society. Hence nurturing selfless residents and leaders.
Vote for Ojirot John Paul on YouTube
8. Anna Von Wendorff (USA)
Founder and CEO, Scopi Medical
Anna Von Wendorff is a mechanical engineer and health economist with a deep passion for improving healthcare around the globe. She previously led a team within Stanford University’s Electrical Engineering optics lab which received numerous grants.
As the founder of Scopi, Anna leads a team revolutionizing endoscopy systems by removing the need for a surgical tower. She is inspired by technology which enables long-lasting positive change and enables millions of patients to live their full lives.
Vote for Anna Von Wendorff on YouTube
9. Augustine Macarthy (Sierra Leone)
Executive Director, Movement towards Education and Youth Empowerment – Sierra Leone
Augustine Macarthy is a youth activist who has led many programmes that help promote peace, educational support, social and economic approaches towards children and youth empowerment and poverty reduction. He has also helped to develop and advocate for programmes that foster an environment where future entrepreneurial and community leaders can thrive and create jobs and community projects that wage peace in their communities.
The impact of Augustine’s roles and interventions have helped in seeing major shift in the dominant method of addressing contemporary issues dealing with access to education for underprivileged children, youth unemployment, leadership, and security issues amongst young people in Sierra Leone. His aspiration is to change the negative stereotypes of youths, by breaking the cycle of barriers between policy makers and young people, enhance their self-confidence and belief in a democratic system that guarantees their meaningful participation and involvement.
Vote for Augustine Macarthy on YouTube
10. Zurainnizah Omar (Malaysia)
Leader, Bubble Back
Zurainnizah Omar is an electrical technology student at Keningau Vocational College, Sabah, Malaysia.
She is the Leader of Bubble Back, a team that has presented at conferences and competed in innovation competitions in and outside Malaysia with their projects on sustainable community and technology.
Vote for Zurainnizah Omar on YouTube
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11. Nyake Elem Yvette Cathy (Cameroon)
Vice Chairperson Plastic Tide Turners/ Scouts of Cameroon
Cathy Yvette Nyake Elem is a young leader of scouts of Cameroon, an activist in plastic advocacy and a student of organizational communication. She believes in the power of the youths and think that all actions matter to create a better world. She has focused her curiosity and creativity in projects that highlight participatory leadership, collective intelligence in an entrepreneurial concept conducive to reality of communities, by impacting and influencing the achievement of the 17 sustainable development goals. Rigorous and passionate, she enjoys educating through the Scout method and global nature protection and youth development programs. These projects have enabled her to reposition herself in obtaining a master’s degree in environmental sciences and organizational communication.
Vote for Nyeke Elem Yvette on YouTube
12. Robert Kunzmann (United Kingdom)
COO, Circulite
Robert Kunzmann, MPhil is the COO of Circulite. Robert is an experienced engineer and entrepreneur passionate about the environment.
Robert is an Msc Student in Engineering at the University of Cambridge specializing in commercialising research. Robert holds an MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development.
Vote for Robert Kunzmann on YouTube
Congratulations to the Finalists.
Next Step:
- We invite you to view, like and comment on your favorite video to show your support.
- Deadline: You have between 12th December and 16th December, 2022 to like, comment, and share your favorite video.
- Winners: The top 3 winners will be announced on Wednesday, 21st December 2022.
Important Note
Please note that voting contributes only about 10% to your final scores. We will NOT automatically choose winners based on the highest number of likes and comments. The essence is not to make this process competitive. We are more concerned about helping our Finalists spread the word about the work they do and getting friends like you to support their work.
Keen on Voting? Get started now: https://bit.ly/ODIC2022Vote