Liliane Fonds Youth Panel
A platform where young people with disabilities shape Liliane Fonds’ work and advocacy.
Who is in the Youth Panel?
A diverse group of young people with disabilities from different countries, working together to strengthen inclusion, influence decision-making and promote equal opportunities. Meet the members of the Liliane Fonds Youth Panel.
Ndi Job
Ndi is a final-year Educational Psychology student at the University of Bamenda in Cameroon. Passionate about inclusion and equal opportunities, Ndi joined the Youth Panel to help create a more accessible and equitable society for persons with disabilities. Through collaboration and shared ideas, Ndi hopes to contribute to meaningful change and break down barriers within communities. Outside of the panel, Ndi enjoys singing gospel music and connecting with people.
Joyce Mukatanga
Joyce is a 23-year-old student from Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe, currently studying at Margaretha Hugo High School. She joined the Liliane Fonds Youth Panel to advocate for the rights and equal opportunities of young people with disabilities, particularly in health and education. Passionate about inclusion and positive change, Joyce hopes to share her lived experiences to help create practical solutions for challenges faced by young people with disabilities. In her free time, she enjoys reading novels, watching movies and participating in debates.
Panashe Mandiopera M.B
Panashe is an 18-year-old student from Zimbabwe currently completing Form 6 with a focus on commercial studies. As a member of the Liliane Fonds Youth Panel and an Adolescent Disability Ambassador, Panashe is passionate about youth activism and advocating for inclusion and equal opportunities for young people with disabilities. Outside of advocacy work, Panashe enjoys reading and staying informed about current affairs.
Rahel Teshome Demeke
Rahel is a disability inclusion advocate from Ethiopia and currently works as a mathematics teacher at a high school for both deaf and hearing students. Alongside her role as a Disability Inclusion Facilitator at Light for the World, she is committed to promoting inclusive education and empowering young people with disabilities. As a Liliane Fonds Youth Panel member, Rahel contributes her lived experience and professional insights to advance meaningful youth participation and SRHR advocacy. In her free time, she enjoys community work, networking and mentoring young people with disabilities.
Phiona Nantaba
Phiona (Nicole) is a disability rights advocate from Uganda with a background in Human Resource Management and professional training in advocacy. As a Programs Officer at Albinism Umbrella and a Liliane Fonds Youth Panel member, she works to promote inclusion, equal opportunities and SRHR advocacy for young people with disabilities. With several years of experience in community-based programmes and youth-led advocacy, Phiona is passionate about challenging stigma, influencing policy and ensuring young voices are included in decision-making.
Ambe Wilta Bihnwi
Ambe is a disability rights advocate from Bamenda in the North West Region of Cameroon. She works as a Data Clerk with the Cameroon Baptist Convention under the Socio-Economic Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SEEPD) Programme. As a member of the Liliane Fonds Youth Panel, Ambe is passionate about amplifying the voices of persons with disabilities and promoting greater inclusion within society. Through her involvement, she hopes to raise awareness, learn from international experiences and strengthen advocacy efforts in her community. In her free time, she enjoys reading novels, watching movies, visiting touristic sites and playing inclusive games.
What do they do?
Panel members contribute in multiple ways:
1. Programmes, coordination and fundraising
- Advising on youth-focused projects, tools, monitoring and evaluation and the design of new projects
- Helping shape initiatives that reflect the needs and priorities of young people with disabilities
- Providing an extra check on tools and activities that are being developed by Liliane Fonds and their partners
2. Sharing insights into how young people use social media for learning, engagement and activism
3. Advocacy
- Supporting the development of lobbying and advocacy messages
- Contributing ideas on disability inclusion
For example, our Youth Panel members contributed to recommendations for the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) on access to justice for women and girls with disabilities.
4. Strategy
- Advising Liliane Fonds’ management team on the organisation’s direction and priorities
How it works in practice
We asked Youth Panel members Rahel, Joyce, together with Liliane Fonds’ Advocacy and SRHR advisor, Daphne, about their experiences so far.