Two young leaders from Guyana have captured global attention, having been prominently featured in the 2023 ‘One Young World Impact Report.’
Akola Thompson and Bradley Downer
This annual publication highlights the achievements and initiatives of exceptional young people from around the globe.
SPOTLIGHTING GLOBAL CHANGEMAKERS
‘One Young World,’ an organisation renowned for empowering young leaders, brings delegates from 196 countries together to inspire impactful change.
The 2023 Impact Report underscores the influence of these young leaders in various sectors, including climate action.
AKOLA THOMPSON – CHAMPION OF SOCIAL IMPACT
Beginning as an advocacy passion project aimed at sharing accessible information on women’s issues, Akola founded Tamùkke Feminists in 2017.
Akola Thompson
Tamùkke Feminists has grown into a public education group focusing on sexual reproductive health rights, abortion rights, LBTQ rights, and mental health in the Caribbean region through an intersectional feminist perspective.
Tamùkke Feminists’ approach is collaboratively designed with the organisation’s beneficiaries to ensure that its proposed solutions directly target the issues women in Guyana are most affected by.
Akola attended the One Young World Summit in Manchester in 2022. She was a delegate speaker for the Gender Equality plenary challenge. She spoke about using lived experiences to fight for gender equality. Akola believes that attending the Summit helped increase the visibility of her work and Tamùkke Feminists.
Being a One Young World Ambassador has connected me with incredible change leaders from across the world who are involved in important development work. Being connected to a community of individuals who are really making progress on the SDGs has been an inspiring experience.
Tamùkke Feminists has supported 71 women with four sessions of therapy services as part of its Mind Fund programme. This programme aims to challenge the stigma around mental illness in Guyana and provide access to mental health care.
Its Work Ready programme has provided 50 women with job preparedness training, career mentoring, and labour rights. The organisation has also reached 90 women through its clothing drives in two regions in Guyana.
Tamùkke Feminists has contributed to enhanced public education on intersectional feminist issues. It also co-created the iMatter app with UNFPA Guyana. This app provides survivors of violence with information on how to access relevant services in their regions.
BRADLEY DOWNER – ONE TO WATCH
Bradley Downer is the Co-Founder of the Obby’s Humanitarian Foundation, a non-governmental organisation. It was launched in memory of his late mother. This organisation provides educational resources for underprivileged young people and promotes work based on SDG 4, Quality Education.
For me, being featured in the One Young World impact report is a validation of my efforts and contributions to solving global issues. I am grateful for the recognition and humbled to be acknowledged alongside other inspiring young leaders who are making significant contributions to their communities and around the world. This recognition will motivate me to continue working on my initiatives. I would also like to thank the people who have assisted, supported, and/or collaborated with me.
Bradley, along with a vibrant and dynamic trio of young professionals in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT) fields, founded and hosted the STEMMY Conversations Podcast.
Bradley Downer
STEMMY Conversations Podcast is an audiovisual podcast that provides a space to talk about all things STEM and ICT, with the aim of encouraging its listeners to become involved in these fields.
Throughout Bradley’s projects and work, he ensures that the core action is giving back to the community around him. The report stated that his effective and creative approach to problem-solving and his compassion have driven him to help many people across the globe.
According to the report, Bradley’s work has impacted over 600 young people since its creation, and he has plans to expand across Guyana. He has received many awards for his work, including the prestigious Diana Award and Ignite Caribbean 30 Under 30 Award.
