“The Emergency Department is a microcosm of the community it serves and the frontlines of our country’s health disparities. I believe it is the enthusiasm and creativity of the next generation that is up for this challenge to address these disparities. We need to lift up traditionally unheard voices to reimagine a healthcare system that serves all” – says Allison.

From a young age, Allison knew she wanted to devote her life to serving others. She was immediately drawn to nursing because of its’ emphasis on science and humanity. Working in the Emergency Department motivated her to vocalize the injustices she saw in our current health care system and inspired her to lead a hospital-wide council focused on Healthcare Advocacy and Legislation. The council educates and advocates for patients in local and state governments as well as on Capitol Hill. In addition to meeting with multiple elected officials, she has briefed Congress on the critical role nurses play in the future of America’s healthcare. She believes that spreading awareness about the broader societal impacts on our health is the first place to start changing the health of patients and social injustices.

Allison obtained a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Gonzaga University, US. She holds multiple certifications in Advanced Cardiac Life Saving and Adult/Pediatric Trauma Nursing.

“I love working with diverse populations, always having a multicultural perspective, considering the emotional bonds a person has to their community, place of origin, culture, family, identity and their personal view of the world” – says Alexandra.

The Las Claras Program by Vital Voices Panama specializes in providing an integral care to teen mothers from impoverished and high-risk communities. Besides from helping them achieve their high school diploma and help them gain a formal job, they work from a holistic perspective that includes a team of social workers, early stimulators that work with their babies in this joint mother-child program, and a team of psychologists who specializes in providing psychological care for teen mothers,including training in soft skills as well as individual and group therapy. They do this by creating a safe environment where these girls can work in their education, their emotional well-being.

Alexandra joined Vital Voices in early 2018 and since has directly impacted more than 40 teen mothers, 30 girls, both by providing psychological care and prevention workshops; about 15 men (their partners), and more than 30 families.

“I envision a society where people, especially women and girls, can enjoy their sexual and reproductive health and rights as outlined by the human rights policy” – says Durga.

Karma Health is building a prototype of the public-sector primary health system in rural Nepal that can be a model for dignified health care for all. The basic structure of the health system is a unique community- driven integrated system comprising comprehensive clinical care and proactive community-based care.

“Every human deserves to live a wholesome and productive life. My ambition is to help make cities smarter, fairer and healthier to support growing urban populations fulfil their potential” – says Faheem.

As a founding director of the international NGO, Selfless, Faheem has improved access to healthcare for over 50,000 people worldwide over the past decade. The NGO is led by millennials from the diaspora, working to empower their own communities in the UK and overseas. With over 50 lead-author publications and presentations, Faheem’s innovative approach to healthcare financing, delivery and technology has received recognition from Stanford to the World Economic Forum.

“I dream of a future where everyone regardless of their age, ethnicity, gender, geographical location or financial status can access and afford preventive and curative health services” – says Rayan.

Rayan founded Courses Cross Borders in October 2018; a social enterprise that aims to empower health workers living in rural and conflict settings in Sudan, like Darfur.

As the founder and CEO of Courses Cross Borders, she managed to lead her team to provide affordable and in-place contextualised courses and training sessions to 1,000 health workers and students living in rural and conflict settings in Sudan. She represented Sudan in the Young African Leaders Initiative, is a global delegate in the American Middle Eastern Network for Dialogue at Stanford University and finally a research presenter in the Oxford International Health Congress. She was also the head of Health Education in Patient Support Organization and head of Medical Mission in Mada Organization in Sudan, focusing on providing free and accessible preventive and curative health services to underserved communities in rural and conflict settings in Sudan.

“It is my aspiration in life is to make sure that the next generations will be provided with an adequate health care system and up to date emergency protocols, affordable and applicable to all” – says Rahat.

During the last four years, Rahat has been working with his team at the front lines in emergency cases, treating patients and coordinate the First Aiders in bigger emergency events. He has conducted over 60 training sessions for first aiders and health care consulting, working not only in Dhaka but also in rural areas of Bangladesh like Cox’s Bazar and Rohingya.

With the overall goal to eventually integrate all privately-run ambulances into the EmX dispatching system. EmX is an online app that locates and connects patients to the nearest ambulance, whilst at the same time ambulances obtain information about the patient and type of emergency. EmX’s mission is to serve 5,000-6,000 calls on a monthly basis for ambulances in Bangladesh.

“I envision a country where every person can wield their right to make decisions, can access to medical service in any level for there are health policies that allow them to do so” – says Silvia.

Before Silvia joined Marie Stopes International, she worked for 5 years as a volunteer on the “Tu decides” program that empowered young leaders within the reproductive and sexual health arena.

During 2016 and 2017, in rural areas of Potosi Department (South Bolivia) Marie Stopes reached around 6,000 women with contraception information and informed choice, granted access to subdermal implants for 2,000 women, provided IUD’s (intrauterine contraceptive devices) to 250 women and almost 200 women went through a tubal ligation procedure (permanent contraception).

Silvia works with medics and nurses of six outreach units, five consulting units exclusively for adolescents, and seven clinics that provide short and long-term contraception. She received her medical degree from Universidad Mayor de San Andres, located in Bolivia.

“My vision for the future of healthcare is universal access to safe, affordable, non-judgemental, equitable and inclusive healthcare services to all” – says Shubham.

Launched in 2018, Safe Access works at the interaction of health and technology to enable equitable healthcare for the LGBTQ community across India. Shubham’s organization, so far impacted 1,000 individuals, and works to sensitize and equip healthcare providers to serve the needs of the LGBTQ community in the most effective and compassionate way. In addition, his team connects these healthcare providers with the LGBTQ community through an online platform where the community can find, rate and review the healthcare providers based on their personal experiences.

As a Gandhi Fellow, he worked on transforming public education systems in rural Rajasthan, India. He initiated “Mahavari se Yaari”, a grassroots-level campaign to educate women and girls on menstrual health and hygiene. Shubham has a Bachelors of Arts from the Delhi University, a Diploma in Women and Gender Studies from Indira Gandhi National Open University and is a certified Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights trainer.

“I believe that if carers, family, friends and communities are equipped with basic psychological support skills, it will facilitate more health seeking behaviour among people living with mental illness and increase their capacity to cope. Caregiver mental health education will go a long way in alleviating mental stigma” – says Sharon.

Sharon is an open, approachable young change maker, with a strong interest in helping people cope and rebuild their lives after traumatic experiences. Alongside serving in the humanitarian setting, Sharon is the founder of Selvedge Psychology, a behavioural health social enterprise that teaches on how to support loved ones seek professional help and cope with mental health illness.

“I envision a world where every country has a fair and reliable National Health Insurance Scheme whose monthly subscription is not dependant on one’s monthly income” – says Tracy.

In the past, Tracy worked in the development sector and in health programming. She co-founded Community Health Movement Uganda (CHMU) which aims to increase access to health care for last mile communities in her country. In 2018, CHMU designed and implemented a program aimed at increasing Voluntary Male Medical Circumcision (VVMC). Using the female health promoter model, over 500 men accessed free voluntary safe male circumcision. The project complimented the Ministry of Health’s ongoing drive to scale up prevention strategies for HIV, especially for VMMC in Uganda.

Named as a “40-under-40 influential leader” in Uganda (2013, New Vision) Tracy is driven by the need to create innovative sustainable health solutions at both policy and service delivery level in East Africa. A facilitator at heart, Tracy is crazy about Community Engagement and of course Community Driven Development.

“It is my goal to create a world in which everyone can live healthy and have productive and fulfilling lives, regardless of who they are or where they live” – says Wesam.

In his role as Head of Programs, Wesam oversees a multitude of health and nutrition projects in Syria, including primary health care centres, mobile health units and community-based health programs providing primary health care and nutrition services.in addition to Secondary and Tertiary health services.

The conflict in Syria has devastated the lives of 6.2 million people currently internally displaced in Syria and 5.6 million Syrian refugees with no place to call home. Wesam is contributing in his own meaningful way to support these vulnerable populations by developing and deploying fixed and community-based health programs, providing them with integrated health and nutrition basic services obstetric. In 2018, AHS positively impacted 320,000 people in the Health and Nutrition sector.

“I look forward to continuing my presence at the bedside and striving to improve my clinical skills because having a pulse on what patients experience daily is a great way to stay in touch and understand the workings of the often complex healthcare system” – says Yuliya

Yuliya Labko is a certified nurse / midwife and a public health nurse from the United States of America. She provides midwifery services in the state of New York as well as holds home visits to at risk moms and babies in her spare time. Yuliya is passionate about maternal health advocacy, addressing maternal mortality, and advancement of midwives in the US.

Yuliya Labko is a certified nurse / midwife and a public health nurse from the United States of America. She provides midwifery services in the state of New York as well as holds home visits to at risk moms and babies in her spare time. Yuliya is passionate about maternal health advocacy, addressing maternal mortality, and advancement of midwives in the US.