The Saleema Youth Victorious Ambassadors

The Saleema Youth Victorious Ambassadors programme was launched in 2020, as a collaboration between the AUC Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development Department and the AU Office of the Envoy on Youth. Through a continental contest, 6 young women were selected, out of over 2000 applications, to be the Youth spokes persons for the Saleema Initiative in each of the six African Union regions including the Diaspora.

Saleema Youth Victorious Ambassadors ensure that voices of young girls and women, and survivors of female genital mutilation feature prominently in programmes and work to eliminate the harmful practice. As part of their work, SYVA's convene an Annual High Level Accountability Platform on Harmful Practices, as part of the African Union Commission's commemoration of the International Day on Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation - convened every year on 6th February.

Meet our current SYVAs

> Basma Kamel from Egypt SYVA for the Diaspora
> Dickel Dia from Mauritania SYVA for North Africa
> Abimbola Aladejare from Nigeria SYVA for West Africa
> Saada Djadia Mahamat from Tchad SYVA for Central Africa > Kwasar Muuse from Somalia SYVA for East Africa
> Palesa Mashao from South Africa SYVA for Southern Africa