Believing that today’s media and new technologies are powerful tools for empowering young people, Delgado launched Brainstorming: An Investigative International View, a youth-driven multi-media magazine. Delgado got the idea for the magazine while studying to be a journalist in Spain. She came to Romania as a volunteer in order to realize her dream. Brainstorming started out as a 40-page print publication and was expanded to an electronic magazine to better meet the needs of youth and appeal to a wider audience. “The publication encourages creativity, constructive opinions, citizenship, democratic values, and freedom of speech,” says Delgado, who also serves as President of Alter Eco – Communicating Through Media.
Tom Dawkins was a university student in 2000 when he created Vibewire as a youth self-expression portal. “Democracy only works if we have open and accessible platforms to discuss the issues we care about,” says Dawkins, who believes new media forms are required to facilitate this discussion. Today, Vibewire has more than 7,500 members. Its website receives 2,000 unique visitors a day. Over the years, young people, ages 15 to 30, have contributed more than 5,000 articles, ranging from political coverage to music reviews to creative writing. Among its accomplishments, Vibewire initiated an ‘electionTracker’ project during the nation’s 2004 Presidential election in which young reporters provided much-needed youth perspectives on issues being debated in the campaign. Vibewire’s Reelife Short Film Festival, the nation’s only issues-based youth film festival, encourages young filmmakers, ages 15 to 25, to explore issues in their communities or lives.
Vanja Hamzic is founder and president of Logos, the only non-patriarchal, inter-faith organization in the Balkans that provides direct support to the LGBTIQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer) community, who struggle with oppression and violence. Its vision: to end violence and oppression based on one’s sexual orientation. Logos pursues its vision through promoting constructive dialogue, a culture of tolerance, and the right to self-determination and integrity. Logos currently reaches more than 400 people in Bosnia-Herzegovina, providing them with a safe space free from prejudice, where they are able to regain hope and address the systematic oppression they face in their daily lives. In 2006, Logos co-created the Muslim Advocacy Initiative, a network of scholars and activists around the world who work on issues related to sexuality, gender, and human rights in Muslim communities. It also participated in preparation of a report for the United Nations exposing acts of violence against LGBTIQ persons in Bosnia Herzegovina. Logos is currently participating in the process of drafting the legislation designed to prevent discrimination in Bosnia-Herzegovina based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Zablon Wagalla
Kenya
Project Trees for Clean Energy Age 28 Site:
An agricultural scientist, Zablon helps increase the incomes of small farmers while reducing greenhouse gas emissions through promoting the cultivation of Jatropha curcas, a clean energy, bio-fuel. Through the project, youth process the Jatropha nuts into diesel fuel. The project thus helps meet local energy needs and generates income when surpluses are available. Jatropha production has the added benefit of transforming degraded land into productive farming areas.
