Cohort 2025 – Refugee Education Council (REC)

Meet The Refugee Education Council Members

Cohort 2025-2026

Aldouma Abaker
Role: Climate Change & TVET Specialist

Aldouma Abaker is a driven, ambitious, and resilient young Sudanese. I am a fourth-year undergraduate student in Business Management. Due to the conflict and war in Sudan in 2023, I was displaced to Libya, where I continued my studies virtually while actively engaging in volunteerism and youth leadership. Born in a small village with no schools, I walked two hours daily to attend primary school. These early struggles built resilience and shaped my lifelong commitment to education, youth empowerment, and community development.

I have served as a member of the Youth Advisory Group with UNICEF Libya, advocating for education and youth development, and as part of the Organizing Committee of the Hult Prize at Alfashir University (2024–2025), supporting students in developing social entrepreneurship projects. I also contributed as a UN online volunteer in Iraq, promoting climate and health awareness during the Arbaeen Pilgrimage (August 2025).

As an active member of YOUNGO’s Migration Working Group, I advocate for climate migrants and engage in global policy discussions. I am also an Investment Fellow with ReachSci, building strategic relationships to support startups, and I serve as National Coordinator for the Hult Prize in Sudan (2025–2026), empowering student teams across universities. In addition, I guide students as a Scholarship Consultant, offering strategic support in applications and interviews. I am an alumnus of the cohort 2024 UNICEF MENA Youth Climate Leadership Training Program, where I gained critical skills in leadership, policy negotiations, advocacy, and communications.

Aseel Soboh
Role: Strategic Engagement Lead

I am Aseel, a Palestinian refugee originally from Akka, born and raised in Lebanon. I recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Affairs from the Lebanese American University (LAU), where I consistently ranked on the Dean’s High Distinction List. I am now pursuing a Master’s in Migration Studies at LAU as a Graduate Research Scholar, specializing in international migration and refugee policy. My academic work has focused on issues such as Palestinian studies and gender-based violence in vulnerable areas in the world, with forthcoming publications. Alongside research, I have engaged in policy mentoring with UNRWA and grassroots environmental initiatives, all while maintaining my commitment to human rights advocacy and inclusive global systems.

My passion for change is rooted in my earlier experiences as an UNRWA alumna and student parliament member, where I first represented Palestinian refugee youth on international platforms. At the United Nations General Assembly in New York and the ECOSOC Youth Forum, I advocated for refugee rights before world leaders. At the CATS Conference in Switzerland, I co-led workshops highlighting the daily realities of life in refugee camps, while at the Child’s Rights in Action Conference in France, I delivered a keynote speech on the obstacles facing Palestinian refugees. Beyond conferences, I have actively promoted cultural awareness and dialogue through the International Affairs and Palestinian Cultural Clubs at LAU. From grassroots action to academic research, my journey has always been driven by the belief that every voice matters in building a hopeful future.

Amino Ahmed
Role: Gender Equality Specialist

Amino Abdirahman Ahmed was born in a small village in 2003 and, at the age of two, moved with her family to Kenya, settling in the Dadaab refugee camps. Despite the many challenges of displacement, Amino pursued her education with determination, completing both her primary and secondary schooling in Kenya. Her early experiences shaped a deep commitment to community service and human rights, values that continue to guide her work and studies today.

Amino has gained wide-ranging professional experience with several humanitarian and development organizations. She has served as an enumerator with Care Kenya, worked as a data researcher with The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and Humanity & Inclusion (HI), and taught with Windle International Kenya. In addition, she contributed to Peace Winds Japan as a hygiene provider, reflecting her dedication to public health and community well-being.

Currently, Amino is a student at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, where she continues to excel academically and in leadership. She has held numerous leadership positions throughout primary school, high school, university, and within her broader community, earning respect as a role model for young women. Beyond her academic and humanitarian work, Amino is a gifted writer and the author of Blooming from the Arid and A Kiss Before the Knife & Other Short Stories. She is a passionate advocate for girls’ education, human rights, child safety, and environmental sustainability, using both her voice and her pen to inspire change and empower others.

Daria Meirhut
Role: Communications Lead

Daria is a dynamic and ambitious Ukrainian student passionate about connecting with diverse audiences, especially children and teenagers. She is experienced in social media, digital communication, and youth engagement. For 2 and half years, Daria was working with UNICEF Slovakia RRO as a youth on the Move Fellow in the Education team and later Junior education consultant on strengthening the Ukrainian refugee response.

Her academic background includes a Bachelor’s in Media Relations from the University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Slovakia. Daria’s experience as a television news editor and moderator on TA3 tv channel provided her with communication skills and taught her the importance of clear and engaging delivery.

Drucilla Adah
Role: Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Lead

Drucilla Adah Wilson is a recent graduate of International Relations at the United States International University – Africa, where she is pursuing her studies under the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

She is the founder of Read and Rise South Sudan, an initiative focused on empowering young people in South Sudan through literacy and baking skills. The program has become a platform for young people to engage in reading, improve their educational outcomes, and learn practical life skills, such as baking, that can support their economic independence.

Durucilla has actively participated in several local and international programs. She has been a delegate and leader in Model United Nations debates and represented at the Yale Model African Union. Her dedication to education, empowerment of Refugees, and international dialogue has also seen her take part in the United Nations Fellowship Program, South Sudan, and the Amahoro Fellowship Program, among others.

Drucilla is passionate about leadership, education, and youth development. Through her academic journey and community initiatives, she remains a role model for young people across South Sudan and beyond.

Elisha Byalungwe
Role: Inclusion Specialist

Elisha Byalungwe is a dedicated advocate for inclusive education with a background in teaching, social work, and humanitarian service. He has spent more than six years working to promote education systems that remove barriers and create opportunities for all learners to participate fully.

In his professional journey, Elisha has worked with international organizations including Humanity and Inclusion (Handicap International), Finn Church Aid(FCA), and the AVSI Foundation. In these roles, he has supported children, youth, and families through education-focused coaching, child protection, case management, and community outreach. His work reflects his belief that education is not only about access to classrooms but also about equity, dignity, and belonging for every learner.

Since 2021, Elisha has served as Vice Chairperson of the Association of Refugees with Disabilities (ARD) where he has championed initiatives that strengthen inclusive education for displaced and refugee children and youth in East Africa, ensuring that those who are often left behind are given equal opportunities. His passion lies in building education systems where every child, regardless of ability, identity, or circumstance, can achieve their full potential.

Enam Uddin
Role: Advocacy Lead

Enam Uddin is a dedicated youth activist and an educator based in the Rohingya refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Being a member of the Rohingya community, Enam was forced to flee Myanmar to Bangladesh in August 2017, along with his people led by the genocidal oppression of the Myanmar military.

Enam completed his high school education through a community-based school in the Refugee Camps. Then, he officially earned GED (General Educational Development) — an international high school equivalency diploma . He is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations through Myanmar Nway Oo University — an online institution, and a Diploma in Human Rights from Spring University of Myanmar.

Since 2021, Enam has been a powerful voice for his community, using social media and advocacy to raise global awareness about the plight of the Rohingya people and to champion the right to education for all refugees. Professionally, Enam served as a Child Protection Volunteer with World Vision in 2020 and currently works as a teacher under a UNICEF-supported program in the refugee camps, where he focuses on educating and empowering Rohingya children. Enam is very passionate to bring positive changes in the community and refugees around the world through quality education and to advocate for recognition of refugees’ educational credentials so that every displaced student has the opportunity to achieve their dreams.

Fernanda Morales
Role: Child and Community Engagement Lead

Fernanda is a dedicated youth advisor and professional committed to advancing the rights and well-being of vulnerable and underserved communities worldwide, especially those affected by violence, displacement, and conflict. She has taken on various leadership roles, including serving as a REC member in 2024 as the Child and Community Engagement Lead (Las Americas), Youth Support Worker, Social Service Worker, Facilitator, Youth programmer and Mentor. Additionally, she has contributed to multiple research initiatives aimed at identifying and dismantling systemic barriers faced by refugees and advancing policies and programs that foster inclusion, equity, and opportunity.

Beyond program implementation, she actively engages in dialogue and advocacy to ensure protection, education, and holistic health remain central in humanitarian efforts. She works alongside youth leaders, nonprofits, and international partners to reimagine a future where everyone, regardless of origin or circumstance, can live, dream, and thrive in safety.

Louange Koffi
Role: Chairperson

Louange is a passionate and dedicated nurse, mentor, and advocate for education, health, and gender equality. She served as a UNFPA Youth Leaders Fellow (2022/2023) and is a member of the Amahoro Coalition Fellowship. She also served as a member of the Refugee Education Council in 2023. She represented the Council at the Global Refugee Forum (2023) in Geneva, where she helped amplify Canada’s work in education in crisis.

Louange was an assistant caregiver at Point Hope International (NGO), based in Krisan Camp, Ghana. There, she assisted caregivers in caring for children between the ages of two and four and prepared them for learning. Further, during the COVID-19 lockdown, Louange taught students at Krisan Refugee Camp, recognizing the importance of education in challenging circumstances.

Beyond her work and advocacy in health and education, Louange shines as a mentor to refugees and her fellow nurses. With a special focus on refugee girls and marginalized communities, her dedication is driven by a vision: a world where access to quality healthcare and education is a universal right.

Contact via Email: [email protected]