Youth Changemakers Initiative

Youth are agents of change. Amplifying the voices of young people and empowering them to take the lead is key to addressing the challenges faced by communities and individuals alike.

The IOM Youth Changemakers Initiative engages young people from across the world who are committed to working on migration issues. The initiative is designed to provide diverse youth with the support they need to boost their impact on the ground.

“Given the right opportunities, young migrants can – and do – make immeasurable contributions to sustainable development and a more inclusive society, for the benefit of all.”

Amy E. Pope, IOM Director General

Initiative Objectives

The initiative aims to create a platform for young people to become effective advocates and agents of change in the field of migration. It is based on four pillars:

Capacity Development

Strengthen the capacity of young people on topics related to migration and leadership skills.

Capacity Development
Advocacy

Create pathways for the inclusion of youth voices in migration discussions and decision-making spaces.

Advocacy
Peer Learning

Provide opportunities for peer-to-peer learning and exchanging with like-minded peers from across the globe.

Peer Learning
Support to Youth Action

Develop a multilevel support mechanism for youth-led action on migration.

Support to Youth Action

Meet the IOM Youth Changemakers

Jürgen Adam Sánchez, from Mexico

Originally from Puebla, Mexico, Jürgen is a physician, specialist in public health with studies in administration, anthropology, and migration. From the early stages of his career, he has addressed issues in global health and human rights, which led him to work at shelters for migrant minors. Additionally, he has dedicated himself to promote migrants’ human rights, both on national and international platforms. Currently, he serves as Director of HIV prevention centers in one of the six border states of Mexico, always working in favor of social justice and sexual and reproductive rights of the population.

Jürgen Adam Sánchez, from Mexico
Kornelius Sembiring, from Indonesia

Kornelious is an advocate for underrepresented voices, standing up for civic engagement and education access for vulnerable populations. After a volcanic eruption forced him to flee his home, he spent six years in an evacuation camp in rural Indonesia. Experiencing severe educational barriers, he became acutely aware of the challenges that forcibly displaced youth face. To address these issues, he founded the community organization Karo Juara and interned with RDI Urban Refugee Research. In 2023, Kornelius' dedication led to his selection to study Refugee and Forced Migration through Oxford University's RSC Pathways online course, where he earned recognition for his excellence in community engagement. Professionally, Kornelious specializes in digital marketing.

Kornelius Sembiring, from Indonesia
Sérgio Murilo Magalhaes Godinho, from Brazil

Sérgio is a climate justice and human rights activist from the Amazon region of Brazil. With a degree in International Relations, Sérgio is an Erasmus Mundus scholar in the Public Policy program (Mundus MAPP). He has volunteered with two local organizations in Brazil that support migrants and refugees, helping them access essential services and integrate into the community. As a member of Brazilian organizations focused on youth involvement in politics, Sérgio is particularly committed to fostering connections between youth and climate change initiatives, with a primary focus on climate mobility.

Sérgio Murilo Magalhaes Godinho, from Brazil
Sheba George, from India

Sheba is a policy consultant and advocate for effective migration policies. In her roles at UNDP, European Commission, and SEEK Development, she has advised on developing public policies and driving change in the humanitarian sector. Drawing from her personal migration experience, Sheba is committed to empowering underrepresented communities. She served as a Youth Ambassador at the Youth Assembly, a Feminist Foreign Policy Ambassador to the G7 at the Women's Forum for the Economy and Society, the World Economic Forum Global Shaper, and an advocate for displaced populations’ education with the Global Partnership for Education. Additionally, Sheba has authored publications on foreign policy, global development, and humanitarian support.

Sheba George, from India
Asha Jhanay Richards, from the United States of America and Jamaica

Asha is an advocate for human development and the Executive Assistant at the Mayors Migration Council. Motivated by her Jamaican migrant upbringing, she works to empower marginalized communities and minimize inequality globally. As Chair of the Global Jamaica Diaspora Youth Council, she led a youth innovation challenge and helped coordinate the 10th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference. Asha won the "Solving For Humanity: Global Youth Challenge for Human Development" in 2023 for her proposal on collective remittances and participated in the 2024 ECOSOC Youth Forum, championing diaspora youth mobilization. She holds an MPA in Development Practice from Columbia University.

Asha Jhanay Richards, from the United States of America and Jamaica
Damilola Adeniran, from Nigeria

Damilola is a policy professional with a focus on migration and digital transformation, serving as the IOM-AU Migration Youth Ambassador since 2023. He co-founded a platform to enhance youth participation in policymaking and is currently launching the Not-Afar-Initiative, aimed at connecting young Africans globally. Advocating for youth priorities in policy dialogues, Damilola has engaged in the Global Compact for Migration reviews, the African Union (AU)-European Union Summit, and other international forums. Damilola was the first Nigerian to win the World Bank Blog4Dev award and is a prize recipient of the Embassy of Ireland’s writing contest. He is also a two-time Salzburg Global Fellow and European Parliament Migrant Youth Delegate.

Damilola Adeniran, from Nigeria
Rose Kobusinge, from Uganda

Rose is a Ugandan advocate on Migration, Environment, and Climate Change (MECC). She holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Change and Management from the University of Oxford and is currently pursuing a doctorate in ‘Sustainable Energy Futures in Displacement Settings’ at Coventry University aiming to ensure displaced people are not left behind in the just energy transition. She also works directly with youth, migrants, refugees, and internally displaced persons, focusing on forging solutions and amplifying voices for inclusive policies and climate and development solutions. Rose initiated the YOUNGO Climate and Migration working group and serves as an IOM-African Union Youth Ambassador.

Rose Kobusinge, from Uganda
Sarah Badr, from Egypt

Sarah Badr embarked on her migration advocacy journey as the MENA Region Focal Point for the Migration Youth and Children Platform, representing young migrants at the first Global Compact on Migration Regional Review (GCM) Conference for the Arab States. She later joined the UN Network on Migration, co-delivering training on migration governance in the MENA region. As the IOM-African Union Migration Youth Ambassador, Sarah actively raises awareness on challenges faced by young migrants and supports the implementation of the GCM. She serves as the General Coordinator at the World Youth Forum, a youth-empowerment and policy advocacy platform, since 2017.

Sarah Badr, from Egypt
Bobuin Jr Valery, from Cameroon

Bobuin Jr Valery is the IOM–Africa Union Migration Youth Ambassador for Central Africa. He advocates for the incorporation of transitional justice tools over militaristic approaches in addressing radicalism and violent extremism on regional, continental, and global platforms. Currently, Bobuin works with the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, where he leads advocacy initiatives and manages projects focused on conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction. Bobuin holds two Master’s degrees in Law and is on the verge of completing his PhD in Constitutional Law at the University of the Free State, South Africa.

Bobuin Jr Valery, from Cameroon
Walter Kasempa, from Zambia

Walter is passionate about systemic change and empowering youth to drive impactful transformation. He serves as the IOM–Africa Union Migration Youth Ambassador, covering the Southern Africa region. As the founder of Youth Unite Zambia, a youth-led organization, Walter is committed to fostering social, economic, and political transformation in Zambia and Africa. He is also the author of the book “A Beacon of Hope: How to unlock Zambia’s Potential” and recipient of the 2021 Visionary Leader award from the Economics Association of Zambia. In 2023, he was honored as one of Zambia’s top 30 under 30 youth leaders by The Dream Factory.

Walter Kasempa, from Zambia