Dan Joshua Oduor, Founder and Director Stawisha Africa Initiative

Background: ICT and Business, Social Development advocate, Farmer, Environment Champion

Dan Joshua Oduor is the Principal Founder of Stawisha Africa Initiative with passion for grassroots development and growth, particularly among youth. Dan has over fifteen years of dedicated experience in non-profit organizations in Western Kenya. Stawisha Africa Initiative, an NGO that works with vulnerable children and youth between the ages of 10 and 35 years. Stawisha operates in the following thematic areas:

• Education and skills training (Job creation, Job access, Apprenticeship - In collaboration with established artisans, young people get trained in real environment and get absorbed in the job market with great experience. Library access, Sports for social growth. Dignity restoration project – Making school uniforms for needy pupils to keep them in school and build their confidence.
• Agriculture and Environment (Food security, Agribusiness, financial literacy - Training on proper resource management, VSL and the discipline of wealth creation) Environment conservation- Establishment of environment awareness campaign groups in partnership with 15 primary & secondary schools. Creation and support of environment clubs in schools, growing of fruit trees and vegetables, bee keeping, chicken value chain
• Health and wellness (Mental wellness support, Sexual Reproductive Health Rights, Dignity restoration project for girls and boys providing sanitary towels and boxers, Teen mothers return to school engagement, advocacy, Nutrition) Distribution of dry foods during the pandemic and during the election period

Social media @stawishaafricainitiative M: stawishaafrica@gmail.com Website:www.stawishaafricainitiative.org Postal

James Herbert Williams, PhD., is the Arizona Centennial Professor of Social Welfare and Director of the Center for Child Well-Being at the School of Social Work at Arizona State University. Dr. Williams is Dean Emeritus at the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver and previous Director of the School of Social Work at Arizona State University.

Dr. Williams has published several books, articles, book chapters, and research reports on human security and economic sustainability, health promotion and disease prevention, behavioral health disparities and health equity, sustainable development, one health paradigm, adolescent violence and substance use, intimate partner violence, academic achievement, African American children in urban schools, and community strategies for positive youth development. Dr. Williams has worked extensively with communities and organizations in the United States, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and Botswana family and child well-being, disease prevention, health equities, economic development, youth development and sustainable development. He has received grant funding of more than 20 million to support his research and training projects nationally and internationally.

Dr. Williams is a Fellow in the American Academy for Social Work & Social Welfare and the Society for Social Work and Research. He served on the Executive Committee and Leadership Board of the Grand Challenges for Social Work Initiative. He served as President of the Society for Social Work and Research and the National Association of Deans and Directors of Schools of Social Work. He is the former Editor-in-Chief of Social Work Research.

Jane Njuguna works for the Kirinyaga County government as a livestock production officer and an animal welfare advisor. Jane has worked in the field of animal welfare and health for more than five years. She works to improve the welfare of working donkeys by providing high-quality veterinary care, engaging the community, and advocating on their behalf. She also has previous experience working on environmental conservation and animal welfare with the Mwea Rotary Club where she is the club secretary.

She holds an AHITI NDOMBA certificate in artificial insemination as well as a certificate in animal health and production. She is committed to improving livelihood of communities through improved agricultural and husbandly practices to enhance food security in rural areas. Social media has played a big role in disseminating targeted messages to animal owners on animal health and welfare and how they relate to human livelihood considering most of my work she document on her social media platform that has been gathering a large audience. She has been advising farmers far and wide beyond her current geographical region.

Her life motto is that a person's treatment of animals reveals a lot about their heart, and that a person's soul is never fully awakened until they have loved an animal. The world would be a better place if everyone took the time to care for the environment and the animals in it. All animals deserve to have their lives valued.

Karin Siegmund is the director of WTS Welttierschutzstiftung, Berlin, Germany.

Karin has worked for national and international non-profit organisations, with a special focus on global environmental issues and sustainability. With her long-term expertise in development cooperation, she strives to implement a holistic approach into the programmes and projects, serving animals and society alike. Under her leadership WTS has developed into a knowledge organisation providing resources to the global animal welfare community, such as teaching materials, guidelines and an expanding database

Humane innovations and replacement: Case studies to illustrate the curriculum of an ideal veterinary degree

Nick Jukes

InterNICHE, United Kingdom

A growing number of departments within veterinary colleges across the world use only non-animal tools within student practical classes. These tools may be developed in-college through interdisciplinary partnerships, or may be purchased from producers. Increasingly they are employed within dedicated clinical and surgical skills labs. Most colleges also have diverse clinical rotations that provide patient care while presenting learning opportunities for students, and some have established body donation programs to source animal cadavers ethically, including from clinics. This presentation will follow the trajectory of an ideal, fully humane veterinary degree by using case studies of humane innovation and replacement that feature in the InterNICHE documentary film series ‘DVM: Training the Animal Doctor’. The evolving film series explores knowledge and skills acquisition within all disciplines and from diverse colleges across the world, including Africa. It features interviews, demonstrations of ‘alternatives’ of all types, and student labs and rotations. These ethical and effective methods have been implemented in courses from the pre-clinical years up to graduation and beyond, and are considered the norm in the departments featured. The case studies will demonstrate the feasibility of a fully humane veterinary education, the sustainability goals that can be supported, and the associated need for an expeditious transition.

Ulf Björnholm has served as Deputy Secretary of Governing Bodies and Deputy Director for the UNEP Governance Affairs Office since December 2017, and is responsible for UNEP´s policy-making organs such as the United Nations Environment Assembly and the Committee of Permanent Representatives, and for UNEP´s engagement with major groups and stakeholders. He is also Head of the Governing Bodies Unit and Officer in Charge of the Civil Society Unit. 

Ulf joined UNEP in April in 2014 as Head of the UNEP Brussels Office, responsible for promoting and facilitating partnership-building between UNEP and the EU institutions as well as EU stakeholders in Brussels. He was also member of the Heads of Agencies Team of the United Nations Offices in Brussels, and he chaired the UN Brussels Policy Group on Sustainable Development and led efforts to green the UN House in Brussels.

Prior to joining UNEP, Ulf served in the European Commission, where he contributed to developing and negotiating a new clean air policy and legislation and represented the EU in international UN negotiations relating to air pollution.

A national of Sweden, Ulf has also held several positions as a representative and diplomat for the Swedish Government, both in Stockholm and abroad. In his role as a political advisor and negotiator on international environmental affairs for Sweden, he chaired and represented the EU at several UN/EU environmental negotiations during two EU Presidencies – in New York (2001) and in Brussels (2009). For almost 8 years he served as Environment and Climate Counsellor at the Swedish Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels. In early 2000, he was appointed Second Secretary at the Swedish UN Mission in New York, responsible for the preparations of Rio + 10 in Johannesburg where Sweden served as Vice Chair in the Bureau. During the period 1996-99 he was the Swedish National Focal Point for UNEP, attending several UNEP Governing Council and Bureau meetings. Before joining the Swedish Government, he worked for local municipalities and for a youth network under the Swedish UN Association to promote the implementation of the outcomes of the 1992 Rio conference and Agenda 21 in Sweden, and in 1995-96 he represented Swedish youth before the UN Commission on Sustainable Development in New York.

Dr. Abdelkader is a Programme management officer for the land and biodiversity branch. He is responsible for UNEP's work on sustainable pastoralism and rangeland conservation. He is UNEP's focal point forUNEA5- Res1 Animal Welfare and sustainable development Nexus. He has a background in forestry with extensive experience in biodiversity conservation and protected areas management.

Abdelkader holds a PhD in forest ecology and conservation from University of Padova in Italy.

Abdelkader is a true blend of diverse culture and experiences coupled with a perfect polyglot (Arabic, French, English, Italian).

He brings almost 25 years' experience leading and advising on biodiversity conservation, particularly on drylands, protected area management and integrated forest conservation.

Mr. Isaiah Otieno holds a master’s degree in information technology from Strathmore University and a bachelor’s degree in information system technology from United States International University (USIU). Isaiah have worked in the Information and Technology field for a period of 10 year before following his passion in environment and joining UNEP in 2014. At UNEP Isaiah has been the focal point for organization from the Africa region by ensuring that Major Groups and Stakeholders are engaged meaningful in the work of UN Environment’s Governing Bodies. Isaiah oversaw the signing of MOUs with a number of accredited organizations from Africa to enhance collaboration between UNEP and these organizations. Such MOU saw UNEP and Africa Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW) organize annual conference named Animal Welfare Conference. The first and the Second conference took place in Nairobi Kenya. The third conference took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia while the fourth conference that was to take place in Accra Ghana had to be held virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tennyson J. C. Williams is currently the Director for Africa, World Animal Protection based in Nairobi, Kenya. In addition to his overall management and leadership responsibilities, he is also a member of the Global Senior Leadership Team.

As an international development specialist, with over Twenty-five years of experience with International Livestock Research Institute Nairobi, ActionAid International and World Animal Protection, Tennyson has held several senior management positions directing Africa-wide regional programmes.

Originally from Sierra Leone, he was the ActionAid Kenya Country Director responsible for directing programmes, and shaping the development of the organization in the country. Prior to that, he was ActionAid International Director for West and Central Africa, responsible for providing leadership and management support to nine countries in West and Central Africa, and promoting the causes targeted by ActionAid International.

Before that, he was Country Director for ActionAid in Sierra Leone focusing on poverty reduction and humanitarian interventions. While in Sierra Leone, Tennyson led the development process of the country strategy paper and contributed to the positioning of Sierra Leone’s development agenda at national and international levels.

Tennyson was also involved in several research and consultancy projects and contributed to the design of civil society programmes, undertook evaluation of various programmes and served on the boards of ActionAid International UK and Open Society Initiative for West Africa.

Tennyson holds an MSC. in Zoology, BSC in Agriculture, Diploma in Epidemiology and control of Human Vector- Borne diseases and a certificate in Human Resources and Industrial Relations Management.

Dr. Patrick Muinde is a Research Manager at World Animal Protection, an animal welfare organization envisioned in inspiring and moving the world to safeguard the welfare of animals. As a Research Manager, he collaborates with colleagues and institutions on a local, regional and global scale to provide credible evidence that informs delivery of evidence-based campaigns aimed at realizing the organization’s vision of a world free of cruelty and suffering for animals.

Before joining World Animal Protection, Patrick spent six years at the International Livestock Research Institute where he worked on a variety of multidisciplinary research projects ranging from emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases, to mapping and understanding livestock value chains and associated food safety risks.

Dr. Patrick works with key stakeholders in wildlife and livestock to catalyze policy and socio-economic change that benefits animals, people and the planet, and believes that what is good for animals is good for the people and the world. Patrick envisions a world in which mankind recognizes the importance of high animal welfare in sustainable food systems and where wildlife is protected from all forms of cruel exploitation, for a healthy environment and climate-safe future.

Dr. Jean Claude Masengesho is a Rwandan veterinary surgeon with extensive experience in veterinary medicine, animal welfare advocacy, and One Health. He is the founder and Executive Director of the Rwanda Animal Welfare Organization (RAWO) and serves as the National Focal Point for Animal Welfare and the ambassador of World Animal Day in Rwanda. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Rwanda and has completed advanced training in veterinary laboratory diagnostics and animal welfare at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Austria. In 2018, he earned an MBA with a focus on Project Management.

Dr. Jean Claude has significantly contributed to various animal welfare and One Health projects in Rwanda and the region. He played a key role at New Vision Veterinary Hospital and as a project manager for WTS-VETS UNITED in Rwanda, advancing animal welfare through continuous professional development of vets and para-vets. Jean Claude have served as a consultant for ANAW in assessing chicken battery cage adoption in Rwanda and worked with CAAWO and Brighter Green in evaluating the country’s industrial animal-agriculture farming situation. He is well-connected in the animal welfare field, participating in international conferences and served as a co-moderator for the 7th Africa Animal Welfare Conference held Kigali-Rwanda-2023 His career and contributions have made a significant impact in advancing animal welfare and One Health in Rwanda and he is continuing to be a driving force in promoting those causes.

Dr Dennis Bahati is a Program Manager at Africa Network for Animal Welfare and an accomplished Veterinarian and Programme, Research and Advocacy Specialist with over 9 years of experience in leading animal welfare and conservation initiatives. Adept in managing and executing projects spanning across Africa, with a strong commitment to the well-being of animals, wildlife conservation, and community engagement. He has been engaged in orchestrating multifaceted campaigns, conducting impactful research, and fostering collaborative partnerships to drive positive change. He possesses a deep understanding of the complexities of animal welfare and conservation issues in various African contexts, seeking opportunities to leverage expertise in program management, research, and community outreach to advance the cause of animal welfare and environmental conservation.

In addition to undertaking several animal welfare programs, Dr Bahati is currently engaged in Cage-Free Campaigns and Research in Africa focused on establishing the extent of adoption of caged farming in East, West and Southern Africa. This has been combined with assessing the gaps within the legal and policy frameworks governing the poultry industry as well as consumers’ perception on chicken caged farming and its influence on their purchasing characteristics. Dr Bahati was involved in the planning and execution of the first Chicken Cage Free Conferences in East Africa that was held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in May 2022 and in Accra, Ghana in April 2023 that highlighted on key recommendations to tackle caged farming in the regions as well as the whole continent.

With a high regard for life, Dr Bahati accentuates key sentiments of The Dalai Lama who believed that at the most fundamental level, our nature is compassionate, and that cooperation, not conflict, lies at the heart of the basic principles that govern our human existence. By living a way of life that expresses our basic goodness, we fulfill our humanity and give our actions dignity, worth, and meaning.

Trish Sewe is a seasoned communications and development professional with over two decades of experience in steering complex projects. Currently serving as the Chief of Party for National Geographic’s Team Sayari & Nature Positive Kids Outreach Program at WildlifeDirect, Trish is a driving force behind the project implementation and management. Beyond her managerial role, she is an ardent advocate for storytelling for conservation and leadership.

Trish is dedicated to instigating behavioral change that leaves a lasting impact on the conservation of species-rich landscapes. Simultaneously, she strives to create meaningful economic opportunities for communities across East Africa. She passionately champions the empowerment of young minds, actively working towards equipping the youth with knowledge and skills, which enable them to make informed choices that contribute to a sustainable and harmonious coexistence with our natural world.

Dr. Musiime Victor is a dedicated Zoo and Wildlife Veterinarian with five years of professional service focused on promoting animal health and welfare standards for wildlife in both in-situ and ex-situ environments. He actively participates in wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and release programs, with a strong commitment to biodiversity conservation, One Health approaches, animal welfare, and environmental protection.

Dr. Musiime is also a member of UWEC's research committee and Occupational Health and Safety Committee.

Dr. Musiime holds a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine from Makerere University and is currently pursuing a Master of Wildlife Health and Management: Wildlife Medicine track, at the same institution.

Dr Kahema is the Executive Director of Tanzania Animal Welfare Society (TAWESO), an organization that works to improve the welfare of all animals and livelihood of the people in Tanzania. TAWESO runs a variety of programmes throughout the country including Donkey Welfare, Veterinary Outreach, Farm Animal Welfare, Community Animal Hospital, Humane Education, Policy and Advocacy.

He has about 30 years in the veterinary profession and is among the people who drafted the Animal Welfare Act of Tanzania, which came into effect in the year 2008, the legislation and is regarded as one of the best in the Continent.

Currently, He is appointed by the Minister of Livestock and Fisheries as one of the members of the National Animal Welfare Advisory Council that works to advise the Minister on all matters related to Animals Welfare in the Country.

He also leads a special collaborative programme that brings together veterinary graduates, veterinary students and diploma students through TAWESO team capacity building involving the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS-SUA) and the International Veterinary Outreach (IVO) from USA.

Abdul Rahman is a dedicated and passionate animal welfare and behavior practitioner with extensive experience in animal welfare advocacy, education, and the implementation of humane practices in livestock management. As the Executive Director of the West Africa Centre for the Protection of Animal Welfare (WACPAW), He has successfully led innovative techniques to enhance the welfare of animals during transportation and slaughter in rural Ghana. His commitment to improving animal welfare is reinforced by a strong educational foundation, including a B.Sc. in Business Administration from the University of Ghana, Legon, with specializations in public administration, business management, and policy planning, as well as a Diploma in Basic Education from Bagabaga College of Education, with concentrations in English language, mathematics, and integrated sciences.

Abdul's professional development in areas such as animal behavior and welfare, equine welfare, and humane slaughter has equipped him with the knowledge and skills to lead and manage complex programs. As the Programs Manager at United Force For Development (UF4D), He was responsible for managing annual project planning and scheduling, ensuring the effective execution of animal welfare programs. His leadership skills are further demonstrated through his role as a founding member and Executive Director of WACPAW, where he has advocated for animal welfare practices since 2015. Additionally, as the President of the Animal Welfare Forum Ghana (AWFG), he actively engages in national discussions on animal welfare policies.

Beyond his professional achievements, Abdul is deeply involved in community outreach programs, establishing school animal welfare clubs, educating the public on wildlife protection, animal care, and promoting plant-based diets and environmental sustainability. His organizational skills, adaptability, and ability to work collaboratively within diverse teams, combined with his innovative and open-minded approach, have been instrumental in advancing animal welfare initiatives in various settings.

Veterinarian graduated in Milan and policy official at the European Commission since February 1999. Andrea is now leading the Unit responsible for Animal Welfare policies in DG Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE). The Unit is currently dedicated to the implementation and the reform of the EU legislation on animal welfare.

In his career, Andrea has been dealing with several strategic initiatives around animal health and welfare both at European and global level. He started his career at the Ministry of Health in Rome as official veterinarian till 1999 when moved to the EU Commission. He has covered different roles in international organisations such as the Council of Europe where he was Chair of the working group of the Council of Europe “Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for Farming purposes” and at the World Animal Health Organisation (former OIE) as member of the “Animal Welfare Working Group” from its creation in 2005 till its end in 2015. Furthermore, he is actively involved in several initiatives related to animal welfare organised by FAO with different collaborations. In connection with with the ONE-Health approach Andrea has been also responsible for the coordination of DG SANTE policies to fight Anti-Microbial resistance for 2 years.

For a five years period until September 2020, he also supervised the Unit in charge of the eradication of animal diseases such as Avian Influenza or African Swine Fever, and he has coordinated the implementation of the European Regulation on official controls in the food, and feed area.

Andrea wrote and contributed to numerous scientific and technical articles on animal welfare and several papers on the relationships between animals and the society that have been published at international level.

David Obiero Oduori is a dedicated and results-driven professional with over 17 years of experience in animal welfare, livestock development, and veterinary public health. He holds a BVM from the University of Nairobi, an MSc in International Animal Health from the University of Edinburgh and is a PhD fellow in Veterinary Public Health. His career is marked by notable contributions to the development of Kenya’s Animal Welfare and Protection Bill and the welfare of working equines through leadership roles at various organizations.

David’s work spans program management, research, and capacity-building initiatives in animal health and welfare, including his role as a lecturer at Maasai Mara University, where he contributes to research, curriculum development, and community outreach. He has managed projects funded by international organizations focusing on welfare assessments, epidemiological studies, and policy development.

Mr. David Ombisi is a Programme Management Officer at the Civil Society Unit, Governance Affairs Office, UNEP. He has over 18 years’ experience on issues related to environmental governance, policy and strategy development, environmental impact assessment, health and environment linkages, solid waste management and environmental education.

Between 2011 and 2023, Mr. Ombisi was the Coordinator of the Secretariat of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) in UNEP’s Regional Office for Africa (ROA). He has over the years worked with African Ministers in charge of the Environment to promote regional cooperation in addressing environmental issues, advancing African interests on environment and sustainable development, setting environmental agenda in Africa, developing relevant regional frameworks/ mechanisms, as well as deliberating and crafting common positions on important issues for the region.

In addition to that, he was worked with African member states to ensure their active engagement in the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) process, and other relevant UNEP activities. He has previously supported the One UN pilots in Africa, Common Country Assessments/United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks (CCA/UNDAFs) and other common country programming processes. He has also previously worked towards strengthening the engagement of the African Civil Society Organizations and major groups in the work of UNEP through organization of regional civil society meetings.

A Kenyan national, Mr. Ombisi holds a master’s degree in environmental planning and management from the University of Nairobi. He has a Diploma in Environmental Planning and Management from Galilee College, Israel, and a Certificate in Integrated Environmental Management from Bath University, UK.

Dr. Huyam Salih possesses a distinguished Ph.D. in Veterinary Epidemiology, and Master's Degree in Tropical Animal Health. She has professional record spanning over two decades, spearheaded numerous in the domains of livestock development, disease prevention, and animal health interventions at national, regional and global level.

• Risk assessment and early warning for Transboundary animal diseases
• Expanding livestock value chains, ensuring the linkage to small holder Producers
• Ensuring compliance with international sanitary measures
• Strengthen capacities for antimicrobial resistance’s Monitoring and Evaluation, and supporting monitoring of Global Action plan on AMR (GAP) and FAO AMR Action Plan.

Additionally, Dr. Salih has played a pivotal role in championing the adoption of a One Health approach and facilitating extensive collaboration among various sectors to effectively tackle the pressing issues of Antimicrobial Resistance and zoonotic diseases.

Dr. Hiver Boussini, a National from Burkina Faso, has a BSc in Biology and Biochemistry, Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) and a Master in Biotechnology concentration in Microbiology and Biochemistry. He has certificate of specialization in Epidemiology and sanitary emergency interventions and laboratory diagnosis.  He has worked for over 16 years at the African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) as Animal Health Officer. 

 From September 2018 to December 2019 Dr. Hiver joined FAO-ECTAD as Country Team Leader in Nigeria before coming back to serve again AU-IBAR as Senior Animal Health Officer in charge of Animal Health Policy, strategy and program development and implementation as well as One Health Approach and animal welfare.

Currently Dr. Boussini is the Head of Animal Health Unit and Ag. Coordinator of the Pan African PPR Secretariat and Team Leader PPR eradication in Africa, Animal welfare and One Health.

Dr. Elynn Njeri is an animal welfare expert with a strong foundation in veterinary medicine, having graduated in 2020. She is currently pursuing a master’s in wildlife health and management, reflecting on her ongoing commitment to expanding her expertise in the field. Dr. Njeri is deeply passionate about animals and is dedicated to increasing awareness and knowledge about their care, as well as addressing the various issues that affect them.

Her professional journey includes significant experience with the Africa Network for Animal Welfare, where she has engaged in advocacy and the sensitization of good animal welfare practices. Dr. Njeri has expertise in wildlife interventions, particularly in response to human-wildlife conflict-inflicted injuries and has been instrumental in promoting and coordinating clinical care and disease control for both domestic and wild animals. Her work is characterized by a deep commitment to improving the well-being of animals across diverse environments.

Dr. Kikiope Oluwarore is a veterinarian with over 13 years of experience in cross-cutting fields of One Health and Animal Welfare programming, research, and interventions. In the field of Animal Welfare, she has expertise in animal welfare integration into food production systems, advancing Afro-centric animal welfare knowledge and innovations through research, developing and establishing educational tools in animal welfare for stakeholder training and capacity building, leading field interventions to promote implementation of on-farm welfare practices, and policy advocacy.

Dr Paul Kariuki Ndang’ang’a is the current Regional Director for Africa at BirdLife International. BirdLife’s mission is to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people toward sustainability in the use of natural resources. Dr Ndang’ang’a has worked in the field of bird and biodiversity research and conservation for over 25 years and has published widely on the subject. His current leadership role involves coordination of BirdLife Partnership’s work in Africa across >27 countries. Previously he used to be a research scientist at the National Museums of Kenya. He has a PhD in Landscape conservation and planning, an MSc in Conservation Biology and a BSc in Wildlife Management. He also has an interest in mentoring and training of upcoming conservation biologists and leaders.

Gabriella Mutiso is a passionate and dedicated conservationist with a strong commitment to wildlife preservation. At the young age of 19, she has already amassed significant experience in the field, making notable contributions to various conservation efforts across Kenya.

Since 2019, Gabriella has been a volunteer with the Kenya Wildlife Service's Mobile Veterinary Unit in Nanyuki, where she has been actively involved in wildlife care and rescue operations. Her dedication to the cause extends to her work with the Lewa Conservancy, where she volunteered in 2022, and her participation in the Mpala Wild Dog Research project in 2023, showcasing her deep interest in wildlife research and conservation.

In recognition of her outstanding efforts, Gabriella became the first Kenyan student to join the prestigious Young Conservationist Program by Honeyguide Safaris. Her leadership skills are evident in her roles as the former President of the Wildlife Club at Precious Blood Kilungu, former Chair of the Wildlife Club at Mount Kenya Senior School, and her current position as the President of the Wildlife Club at Oshwal Senior High School.

Gabriella's journey in conservation is marked by her unwavering commitment to protecting Kenya's wildlife and her aspiration to inspire others to join her in this vital mission.

Radhika Ochalik has more than 20 years of experience working at the United Nations, mostly supporting intergovernmental meetings, including the meetings of the General Assembly and its Main Committees, the Economic and Social Council and its subsidiary bodies as well as many international conferences convened under the auspices of the General Assembly.

Prior to joining UNEP, she worked as a Senior Intergovernmental Affairs Officer in the General Assembly Affairs Branch in the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management. She was also the Deputy Chief of the NGO Branch in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and had field experience as a Best Practices and Planning Officer at the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste. She holds a master’s in business administration.

Melissa is a young professional specializing in monitoring and evaluation, with a solid background in Business Information Technology. With nearly three years of experience in UNEP accreditation processes, she has a strong commitment to sustainable development and environmental governance. Her role involves actively facilitating engagement with civil society organizations, ensuring they meet the necessary standards for accreditation. Melissa's dedication to fostering collaboration between these organizations and UNEP highlights her passion for driving impactful environmental initiatives and promoting global sustainability efforts.