Announcing the 2018 World Bank #Blog4Dev contest winners!

Each year, the World Bank offices in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda host a Blog4Dev contest, inviting young people throughout the country to share their views on a topic of our choosing.
 
This year, we asked citizens between the ages of 18-28 to tell us what it would take to end gender-based violence (GBV) in their countries. Hundreds of posts poured in from all three countries with great ideas for how to tackle GBV, many of them sharing their own very personal experiences. I was very moved by their stories, and the outpouring of innovative, feasible solutions from young men and women who want to end this human rights crisis.
 
After reading each submission and potential winners participating in interviews, eight bloggers were chosen as the winners of the 2018 #Blog4Dev contest. Hearty congratulations to:

1. Benazir Mohamed Yussuf, 22, is a Bachelor of Education student at Mt Kenya University. She runs a Community Based Organization called Silver Lining that advocates for the rights of young women in the northern region for Kenya, especially against Female Genital Mutilation, of which she is a survivor.
2. Patrick Githinji Muhoro 25, is a holder of Bachelors of Science in Agribusiness and Trade from Kenyatta University. He is passionate about writing, blogging and issues of social justice.
3. Janes Amondi Owuor, 23, is a student of Journalism at the United States International University – Africa. Janes, who is a survivor of sexual violence, shares her pain to help victims heal and get on with life. Her passion is broadcast journalism and she loves music. Read her blog.
4. Rudasingwa Messi Therese, 27, holds a bachelor’s degree in Development Studies and a Master of Arts degree in Gender, Peace and Security. She works with International Service Rwanda, a British international NGO that aims at reducing inequalities and combating poverty through empowering marginalized and vulnerable groups. Messi is passionate about social justice and gender development issues. Read her blog.
5. Prince Arsene MUHOZA, 22, is a third-year student at University of Rwanda College of Education doing Bachelor of Education Honors in Physics. He is an active member of the Rwanda Scouts Association and an alumni of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). Prince is passionate about enhancing people’s lives through community teaching and advocacy.
6. Namata Tendo, 26, works as a Community Outreach Fellow at Building Tomorrow which helps school drop outs to return to school. She is also a founder of Embimbo Gender based initiative in Kamwenge district, which sensitizes Schools and communities against GBV. Read her blog.
7. Douglas Dubois Sebamala, 26, is an actor on NTV’s Second Chance series, and works as a Public Relations Officers and Marketing Manager for Silent Voices Uganda. He is passionate about using creative and performance arts to bring attention to GBV – inspired by his own journey helping his mother to recover from similar trauma.
8. Helda Mary Akongo, 24, works as an Operations and Programs Manager with Zimba Women, an organization that uses technology to empower Ugandan women. A survivor of gender-based violence, she hopes to inspire other young women (and men) to speak out and break the silence against GBV.

The winners are invited to join me at the 2018 World Bank Spring Meetings, taking place April 16-22, 2018, in Washington, D.C. After the Spring Meetings, the winners and two finalists will be invited for a conversation with senior government officials for an opportunity to share their thoughts on preventing GBV in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.
 
Each of their winning blogs will also be posted on Nasikiliza throughout the next few weeks; please check back to read them and don’t forget to comment and share!