We are proud and excited to announce that co-founder and CEO, Sellah Bogonko was appointed this July to be part of the Inaugural IDA Youth Champions Circle, a prestigious platform convened by the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA). This initiative spotlights bold, young leaders who are reimagining the future of global development.
IDA is the World Bank arm that provides concessional financing to the world’s 75 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa, and plays a vital role in advancing global efforts to end poverty and promote sustainable development. As the world enters the IDA21 cycle (2025–2027), the focus is on building resilience to climate change, creating jobs, and strengthening human capital. The IDA Youth Champions Circle brings together influential young leaders from around the world to ensure that youth voices are at the heart of these global priorities.
Sellah’s appointment is both a recognition of her leadership and a powerful signal that young African voices belong in global decision-making spaces. Through her work at Jacob’s Ladder Africa, equipping youth for green jobs and building scalable solutions to Africa’s climate and employment crises, Sellah embodies the kind of grassroots innovation and systems thinking needed to shape inclusive, future-ready development.
She joins a diverse and accomplished cohort including:
- Hassana Maina, a lawyer, writer, and gender consultant,
- Chimwemwe John Paul Manyozo, a communications expert and development strategist,
- Cynthia Nafula Nyongesa, an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and youth education advocate,
- Ajay Yadav from Nepal, a youth leader focused on inclusive development and entrepreneurship.
As a Kenyan and an African, Sellah’s voice adds vital regional perspective to a global conversation, ensuring that development funding, policy, and partnerships center the experiences and aspirations of Africa’s young people.
