Category: Alumni Stories
Hein Oo ALP ‘22, Refugee from Myanmar, Found a Community at Aspire
Hein Oo fled Myanmar in 2021 and settled in the U.S. As he works to find community here, he continues to support his home community and the planet as a young leader and environmental advocate.
2022 Community Action Awards: Alumni-Led Social Impact
18 Aspire Leaders Program alumni pitched their social impact projects to a panel of entrepreneurs. Ten projects across nine countries will receive this award of up to $10,000 and begin their social impact journey. Projects solve problems from preserving post-harvest crops to providing awareness and greater service to those with disabilities.
India Alumni Field Day: Community Building Across Generations of Leaders
30 Aspire Leaders Program alumn gathered in New Delhi for the first ever India Field Day on January 24. Alumni and professionals from across generations came together as a community to share their ideas, experiences, opinions, and advice. Aspire Country Affiliate, Anil Nair, organized this exciting community-building event.
Peruvian Alumni Meet Aspire Programs Manager, Erika Sologuren
Alumni from Peru gathered in Lima with Programs Manager, Erika Sologuren, and discuss how their life has changed since finishing stage 5.
Nepali Alumni Gather at Nepal Leadership Academy
Alumni gathered at Nepal Leadership Academy and met Dr. Pukar Malla, Harvard Kennedy School graduate and nonprofit leader.
Alumni in Pakistan Connect and Learn From Industry Leaders
Aspire alumni in Pakistan met with industry leaders to network and open up doors for internships and other opportunities.
Jameson Pierre-Louis ALP ’21 from Haiti Feels Sense of Belonging after Aspire Leaders Program
Jameson Pierre-Louis learned that he is not alone in the difficulties he faces as a low-income student after the Aspire Leaders Program in 2021. Today, he works to make an impact and inspire other young leaders.
Şeyma Kara ALP ‘20 from Turkey Values Cross-Cultural Collaboration in Solving Community Problems
Turkish Aspire alumna and Aspire Alumni Ambassador values cross-cultural collaboration and research-backed solutions to community problems.
Shushanna Arakelyan ALP ’21 from Armenia Perseveres to Gain Valuable Experiences
With her zest for knowledge and desire to impact her community, ALP alumna from Armenia exemplifies the impact of perseverance.
Mariam Mohammad ALP ’20 Impacts Refugees and Street Children
Mariam Mohammad, a graduate student and Palestinian refugee living in Lebanon, gained the ability to think outside the box through ALP. This drives her success in mentoring youth and impacting the field of public health among low-income communities.
Turkish Aspire Leaders Alumni Gather in Istanbul
Nine Turkish alumni gathered in Istanbul with Regional Faculty Advisor, Can Erbil, to share their experiences and takeaways from the Aspire Leaders Program. These alumni feel proud to represent Aspire in Turkey and address community challenges together
Ronaldo Raposo ALP ’21 Gains Confidence in Becoming a Change Agent
Ronaldo Raposo ALP '21, a university student from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil pursuing a degree in international relations with a focus on finance, credits the Aspire Leaders Program as the catalyst for his confidence in leading the change he wants to see in Latin America.
Inaugural In-Person Aspire Leaders Alumni Gathering in India Hosted by Mittal Institute
Professor Tarun Khanna hosted Aspire alumni at the Mittal Institute, Harvard University at their New Delhi office. They gathered to discuss how to close the opportunity and education gap among underserved young adults across India to uncover their full potential.
Lebanese and Nigerian Aspire Alumni Receive the Diana Award for Youth Driving Social Change
The Diana Award, given to 9-25 year olds, recognizes that youth have the ability to drive social change around the world. This year, the Aspire Institute proudly congratulates two alumni who have received this honor, Mariam Mohammad from Lebanon and Goodness Odey from Nigeria.
Zarek Martínez Learns to Love Learning and Provides Training to the Teachers of the Next Generation in Mexico
Zarek Martínez is a university student from Nuevo León, Mexico and alumnus of the Aspire Leaders Program 2021. After being awarded a Community Action Award grant from Aspire to train public school teachers in relevant digital tools, he feels like anything is possible if he believes in his talent and potential.
Faith Nchotu Ndinyanka ALP ’21 Shares Her Experience as a Female Leader in Cameroon
Faith grew up learning that "the backbone of the Cameroon economy is agriculture." With funding from the Aspire Community Action Award grant, Faith, as a young woman, is spearheading a project that brings experiential learning of agriculture to youth across Cameroon.
Abdallah Elsheikh Elmagzob ALP ’21 Reflects on Global Exposure Through the Aspire Leaders Program
Abdallah is passionate about opening his mind to new cultures and not feeling constrained by his geography. The Aspire Leaders Program allowed him to understand the quality of education he can pursue and the dreams he can achieve. He was recently awarded an Extended Leadership Opportunity grant to pay for an English proficiency exam.
Alumni Spotlight: Maria Gorret Nabuwembo ’21
Through our Community Action Award, Maria Gorret Nabuwembo '21 is gathering Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to determine neighborhoods in her home city of Kampala where new water and sanitation facilities need to be constructed.
