Youth Vision for the Early Years
Act For Early Years Champions building a collective youth vision for the early years.
A Youth Vision Statement that tells the story of what's needed for the world's youngest children.
The Act For Early Years Youth Champions is a group of 13 Theirworld Global Youth Ambassadors, who are young experts in early years. In 2026, they will run consultations with young people in their communities about the future of early childhood development they want to see. Their findings will be shared in a Youth Vision Statement and presented to leaders at the upcoming International Finance Summit for Early Years in 2027.
Are you 18-30 years old? Help us create a Youth Vision Statement by sharing the future you want to see for every child.
Meet the Youth Champions:
Sub-Saharan Africa
Alwande Moyo
Zimbabwe
Pan-African activist and founder of Thuma Mina, a grassroots initiative advancing early childhood development, social justice and climate action, impacting 10,000+ children and youth. He currently studies Law with International Relations.
Claude Niyibizi
Rwanda
A Burundian refugee who channels his lived experience of insecurity into education advocacy. He is the co-founder of Light4Refugee, empowering refugee children from their early years through education.
Linessie Phiri
Malawi
The Founder of Together We Rise Foundation, who supported thousands of children in their early years to access education through rights-based advocacy.
Munnir Adams
Nigeria
An education and climate justice activist. As co-founder of the Wavewise Climate Resilience Project, he advocates for climate-resilient infrastructure for early childhood centres and primary schools in Nigeria.
Racheal Kalinaki
Uganda
A disability rights advocate and medical doctor championing disability inclusion. An The Education Issue journalist, she advances inclusive education and early childhood development.
Middle East and North Africa
Kenzy Hisham Ismail
Egypt
An incoming doctor and children’s rights advocate working at the intersection of health and education. Aspiring to become a pediatric cardiac surgeon, she champions family planning and children’s health.
Rushdan Firdous
Saudi Arabia
A medical student and an advocate for education equity and mental health. Shaped by his experience as a Sri Lankan student in Saudi Arabia, he leads school-based mental health outreach to strengthen early support systems for migrant children and families.
The Americas
João Davi de Morais
Brazil
A young journalist and education advocate. Through his piece “A Duty of Care” in The Education Issue, telling the story of the first early childhood centre in a major favela, João’s advocacy helped secure a commitment for 30 new early years centres in Ceará.
Laura Alejandra Morales
Colombia
An Early Childhood Specialist at Red Papaz, Colombia. Laura analyses the behaviours of young children and identifies opportunities for policy change by advocating for a transparent public investment that delivers real outcomes for young children and families in Colombia.
Asia and Australasia
Alexis Jean
Australia
An early years advocate whose work focuses on breaking intergenerational cycles of inequality through early learning and care. She engages in youth advisory groups, refugee tutoring, and gender-based violence prevention initiatives.
Jana Reynaldo
Philippines
An educator and youth advocate with experience in early childhood and primary education, community youth engagement, and literacy outreach. Her work focuses on early childhood development, family life education, and equitable access to quality learning.
Europe
Anna Luiza Huth
Belgium
An education advocate with a background in teaching, research, and legal work. Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Educational Studies, she focuses on the early years, migration, cultural attitudes, and disability inclusion.
Danielle Gray
Scotland
Danielle is an International Security Studies master’s student and youth advocate working to advance social justice and early years education. Based in inner-city Glasgow, she champions access to nutrition, safe spaces, and learning opportunities for refugee and migrant children.
