After reading through the very competitive applications received from all over the world, we are excited to introduce the 10 young adults who have been selected to serve on the CrowdOutAIDS drafting committee!

As was mentioned in the call for application, the next phase of this strategy development is to transform the discussions from different regional forums as well as offline forum report into an actionable strategy.

The drafting committee members will spend the next couple of weeks in a one week training, analyzing the data, and using different online tools to work collaboratively in developing the new UNAIDS Secretariat strategy . This will be done via a GoogleDocs application, and all CrowdOutAIDS participants will be able to comments and inputs into the strategy as it is drafted in real time. In the next days we will also launch an application on CrowdOutAIDS where you can suggest specific actions to be included in the strategy that UNAIDS will implement from 2012-2015.

Also, remember:

The purpose of the drafting committee is to objectively reflect on the various outputs from the CrowdOutAIDS process and put together a clear, concise, actionable plan together with key definitions and principles that UNAIDS should adhere to when working with young people.

Here is the team: 

Tsoarelo Molapo, Lesotho

 Tšoarelo Molapo is a ‘contradiction in terms;’- a lawyer in the making from the mountain kingdom of Lesotho with a weakness for shoes and amusement parks!

She has a keen interest in HIV related issues; humanitarian law, in particular; refugee law and strangely, taxation law. She also enjoys reading and travelling.

She holds a B Soc Sci. in Psychology and Organisational Psychology from the University of Cape Town and an LLB (Law) degree from the University of the Witwatersrand and is hopefully enrolling for a Masters degree in International Tax Law in September of 2012.

Follow her on Twitter: @tsoarelo

Dzhura Alexey, Russia

Twenty four years old Alexey is currently a post-graduate student, studying linguistics. He is very active and has been managing and implementing different activities on HIV prevention among youth for four years. He currently works with an NGO in Russia, as a volunteer and as a staff. His experience also includes interning at UNFPA CO. In March 2011, he participated in Mali Youth Summit. “Now I am representative of my country at Global Youth Peer Education Network (Y-PEER) – focal point in charge, and I attempt to make some changes, to find solutions and to be helpful.” He says.

“My main hobbies are sports (karate) and reading books (not forgetting I am linguist). I adore music and love singing”

Follow on Twitter: @dzhuralex

Folake Soetan, Nigeria

Folake is an aspiring Consultant in Global Health with a drive for improving health systems and making healthcare accessible to all. She received her B.Sc. in Biology from the University of Oregon in 2008 and after graduating, spent time working at the National Institutes of Health, USA.

On returning to Nigeria in 2009, she spent two years organising corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities for two leading healthcare companies while handling numerous public relations and media projects. Folake assisted with the development of ‘Doctors on Air’ the medical radio programme and coordinated the inaugural ‘Doctors on Air’ Medical Mission which mobilised top clinics in Nigeria to provide a variety of medical services to underprivileged populations in Lagos. She is currently pursuing a master’s in Global Health and Development at University College London, UK.

Follow on Twitter: @FolakeSoetan

Patrick Chui, Hong Kong, China 

Patrick received a Master’s Degree in Social Policy and Social development in 2011, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology in 2009. He is currently studying Master of Social Sciences in Social Work. He has experience working in social services for sexual minorities in a Hong Kong-based NGO.

Follow on Twitter: @patrickchui

Benedicte Kouassi Kouassi, Cote d’Ivoire

Benedicte is a young HIV activist from Cote d’Ivoire who works at the Executive Secretariat of the West African Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS. Her work there is focused around project proposal writing, translation, research and liaising with English speaking countries. She focuses on stigma and discrimination against PLHA, Sexual and reproductive health, Human and Children rights, and Education. Benedicte graduated from the University of Abidjan Cocody with a double major in English and linguistics where she studied organizational behavior and management in relation with language use. She also holds a certificate of social Entrepreneurship from the University of Connecticut Global Training and Development Institute. She enjoys reading, researching and networking.

Follow on Twitter: @KouassiNina

Zahra Benyahia, Algeria

Zahra, also called Zaz by friends, is a 23 years old graduate with a major in Hotels management and Spanish. Her favorite hobbies are culinary art, photography and writing.  She lives in Algeria, dedicating a lot of her time (working) on causes in social life in the fields of HIV response, peer education, media, youth activities, programming and advocacy.

“Most of people describe me as a trustworthy and challenging girl. I like to give the best of me to what I believe in and I am always inspired by the small things that everyone holds inside of him. My biggest dream is to see the citizenship spirit in each one’s behavior. “

Follow on Twitter: @zahrabenyahia

John Murray, Canada

John is the 28-year-old coordinator of Youth, the Arts, HIV and AIDS Network (YAHAnet), a global virtual platform for arts-based awareness and advocacy. John works with a team of student interns to produce online HIV awareness campaigns and to hold creative advocacy events in Montréal, Canada. YAHAnet was honoured to host a collage workshop and a photo activity on youth rights related to sexuality and HIV at the 2010 International AIDS Conference in Vienna. John is a graduate of the International Development Studies program at McGill University in Montréal. He has been involved in social justice theatre and has also worked for a Canadian Darfur and Sudan advocacy organisation. John is a part-time copy editor and enjoys web design, sports, community theatre, and making music.

Follow on Twitter:  @murray_je and @YAHAnet

Medha Sharma, Nepal

Medha, 22, a public health graduate from Pokhara University, is currently working as Program Coordinator of YUWA, a youth led and youth run organization in Nepal. She has been working on the issues of adolescent SRHR and HIV in grassroots and national level, particularly in advocacy, along with program design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. She is supporting group of young activists working for policy advocacy in Nepal through YUWA in partnership with Advocates for Youth. She has prepared policy brief on Youth SRHR and HIV policies in Nepal. She has worked in tracking international commitment made by government on SRH and HIV & AIDS like UNGASS, ICPD and MDG. She is also involved in youth activism in Global Fund.

Follow on Twitter: @shmedha

 Manuel Rosas-Vazquez, Mexico

Manuel has as experience working with the government in Mexico, in the State of Puebla, as advisor in International Affairs. Most recently, he worked for the climate change department, as well in the local government. “I am also a Teacher for college students, in the fields of International negotiations, trade and translation.”

Twenty-eight years old Manuel studied International Relations, majoring in International Politics. He says, “I am really excited to be part of this project and make a difference.”

Follow on Twitter: @manuelrvqz

Andre Robb, Jamaica

Twenty-four years old Andre has worked for the government and civil society on Youth Development, HIV programmes and comprehensive sexuality education programmes in Jamaica.

Andre’s advocacy in his country allows him to represent young people on local and international committees and working groups. He is now committed to building social innovation and social entrepreneurship among young Caribbean change makers.

Follow him on Twitter: @robbizle7

 Ps. The drafting committee represents your interest as a community, so make sure you follow them on twitter to exert some e-diplomacy :)