SEEP believes that we must tap into the shared expertise and experience of emerging leaders, changemakers, and disruptors for a collaborative ecosystem to work effectively and to empower newcomers in the field.
GenerationNOW is a peer support cohort for and by practitioners who are starting out in international development and are eager to change the landscape of the field. The cohort builds on the meaningful relationships of peers whereby power is shared, resources are exchanged, and existing ideas, skills, and strengths are leveraged.
Creates Connections
The GenerationNOW cohort co-creates spaces to gather, connect, share experiences, and forge supportive relationships. Cohort gatherings may include monthly
meetups, office hours, drop-in chats, and shared learning experiences from "speed dating" to master-classes.
Builds a Reservoir of Expertise
The GenerationNOW cohort is a resource unto itself. Each member of the cohort is an expert about something -- from gender-sensitive programming to facilitation, metrics to blockchain and graphic
design to crafting the perfect tweet. The cohort supports each other to share their knowledge, exchange resources, and grow together.
Takes Advantage of Visibility & Opportunities in the Network
We invest in the GenerationNOW cohort’s skills, promote their expertise
with our global network, and include its members in SEEP’s first roster of international development
practitioners. Members of the
cohort will be frequently highlighted across SEEP’s communications channels – newsletters, social media, Marketplace - and will have priority on leading network learning experiences.
My name is Donal Connolly and I'm from Dublin, Ireland.
I studied Psychology in University College Dublin and then did further postgraduate studies in International Business in the Smurfit School of Business and an MSc in Behavioural Science at University of Warwick.
I work at ENGIE Energy Access where I am the Credit Innovations Manager. We are a next generation energy company bringing decentralized renewable energy and financial solutions to the 50% of those living in Sub-Saharan Africa without access to electricity. My role is focused on delivering a more customer-centric experience. I design, prototype, pilot, test and ultimately scale-up new ways to improve our services to our over 1 million customers as they complete their Pay-As-You-Go solar loans so that as many as possible own their solar home systems. I work from our African HQ in Kampala, Uganda and support the operations of our country teams across nine countries.
I am impatient to see real improvements in the lives of those living in the least developed countries of the world. Any business, political, social or religious leader that is similarly dedicated to advancing this goal earns my admiration and respect, while those that I see unlocking exciting new innovations as they do so inspire me. I'm particularly interested in the combination of ambitious socially-minded missions with commercial businesses. I want to spend my career applying the advantages of rapidly advancing technology to the benefit of those left behind by economic prosperity.
Outside of work, I will never get tired of exploring the natural wonders of Uganda and spend much of my free time in nature with friends.
Nandini Tanya Lallmon is a social justice activist adopting a decolonial perspective on LGBTQIA+ rights as African Union Youth Charter Hustler for Mauritius. In her role of legal lead of the #Reform53 campaign, she lobbies against discriminatory laws on behalf of the Commonwealth Youth Gender and Equality Network under the Royal Commonwealth Society. As Fellow at OutRight Action International, she advocates for LGBTQIA+ rights at the United Nations and harnesses the international law system to protect LGBTQIA+ people from religiously-motivated violence. With a focus on freedom of speech, right to information and access to technology, she seeks to empower minority groups to protect their rights to privacy and security in the virtual and physical worlds, through her engagement as Community Leader for Internet Health at Digital Grassroots. As part of the Youth Sounding Board for International Partnerships at the European Commission, she endeavors to explore cross-continental collaboration opportunities to create digital learning, dialogue and development spaces that are respectful, inclusive and transformative. She has just completed her tenure as country lead of the local chapters of the Commonwealth Youth Peace Ambassadors Network, Youth Advocacy Council, International Youth Council, International Youth Society, International Youth Development Society, Grand Africa Initiative, Thought for Food and African Network of Youth Policy Experts.
Her numerous awards include the Mauritius National Youth Excellence Award, Promising Indian African Award, Panache Woman of Wonder Award, The International Alliance for Women World of Difference Award, National Youth Awardees Federation of India International Youth Award, India's Youth Development Board Shining Star Award, Mauritius Woman of the Year Award, Project 100 Trust Noble Citizen Award, IGLYO Supreme Activist Academy Trophy and Mobiles for Education Alliance Youth Digital Champion Gold Medalist.
Lynn is an economist and gender professional based in Haiti, whose work focuses on advancing gender equality through gender mainstreaming and social inclusion, women's empowerment, and key stakeholder engagement. She has experience as a gender analyst, gender capacity building consultant and trainer in various aspects of her field.
She currently works at Mennonite Economics Development Associates (MEDA) as the Gender, Social Inclusion (GESI) and Monitoring, Evaluation Research and Learning (MERL) Manager.
Lynn uses her positive attitude and energy in a cause that is close to her heart. She enjoys working in rural areas, where she feels at one with nature and close to the people.
Lynn aspires to become a feminist researcher whose works contribute to removing unequal representations and deconstructing stereotypes.
Sombul Munshi works an Assistant Manager at MicroSave Consulting (MSC) (India, Asia) in the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) Domain, Youth Practice, and Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Practice. She is an International Development professional with over 3 years of experience gained by working at International Organizations, non-profits, and private corporations in India, Lao PDR, the US, and the UAE.
Outside of MSC, she currently serves as a World Economic Forum Global Shaper in the Global Shapers Mumbai Hub (India). She is also a Future Sustainability Leader at Masdar, a global leader in renewable energy and sustainability based in the UAE.
Her areas of expertise include project management and monitoring, program design, policy analysis, and reporting and communications for Sustainable and International Development projects. She specialises in strategy and analysis on gender, economic development and inequality, financial inclusion, and poverty reduction.
She holds a Master of International Affairs degree with a specialisation in Economic and Political Development and Communications from Columbia University, New York. She is originally from Mumbai, India, and is fluent in English and Hindi.
I'm passionate about the potential of inclusive market systems development and enthralled by the conjunction of economic development and environmental protection. I've designed and managed sustainable livelihoods programmes in Kenya, Madagascar, Tanzania, The Maldives, Nepal, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, working with donors including DFID, The Darwin Initiative, USAID, VISA and UNDP-GEF. As Programme Manager at Hand in Hand International, I work closely with delivery country teams to ensure our programmes create the greatest impact possible for the people we serve.
I'm passionate about disrupting the development sector so that it is more equitable, less top-down, and more inclusive. I recognise the privilege and power I have, and want to be active in applying it so that the privilege and power of others increases.
I hold a Master's degree in International Politics from Newcastle University. Outside of work I'm a keen runner and surfer, I love good music and thick books, and I'm a huge Newcastle United fan.
Chidinma Ottah is a Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) expert with 10 years' post-graduation professional experience overseeing the design and implementation of gender-sensitive, results-based monitoring, evaluation and learning systems. Until recently, she led the MEL team at Mercy Corps on the USAID-funded, US$30 million Feed the Future Nigeria Rural Resilience Activity, an Activity that uses a resilience-focused market systems development approach to facilitate economic recovery and growth in conflict affected areas of Northeast Nigeria.
Her expertise includes conducting research and establishing robust MEL systems for market systems, resilience, food security, agriculture, nutrition and WASH.
Currently, she is pursuing her graduate studies in International Development while providing short-term MEL and research-related independent consulting services.
Hello! I am Mohaiminul Raqib from Bangladesh. I am a young development worker and an activist. I studied Economics at the University of Dhaka. Belonging from a group of populations affected by several social problems, I found the necessity in my work. I understand the suffering of people around us, which motivates me to take steps to bring justice, peace, and harmony to our society. I believe with my capabilities we can work together to bring change to our society.
I am focusing on solving problems regarding SDG goals in the coming days with my diverse skills in project development, content creation, research, and strategic intelligence. I believe in the integration of several ideas in a working model which reflects the needs of diverse communities and from that determination, I founded the organization named BIHDP (Bangladesh Integrated Human Development Program) in Bangladesh. I am a born leader & empath with a problem-solving mindset, am highly aware of time, and concentrates on the creation of values in human lives. I believe a genuine approach towards life, heartfelt communication, and devotion towards making a better society can lead us to bliss points. Being a youth leader I am encouraged to work on global platforms with multiple stakeholders from various regions of the world to promote my work.
I also work as a Content Developer for Economics & Business students on local educational platforms and am motivated to develop global educational infrastructure through e-learning. I think it is important to promote lifelong opportunities for young people to get ready for the labor force & involve in economics activities. We need to improve access to education and skills opportunities for those that may be left behind by the rapidly changing global economy and accelerate entrepreneurial skills and develop a new generation of job creators.
Abdul Mufeez Shaheed
Program Officer (LGBTIQA+ Rights and Equality, Health and Wellbeing)
Rainbow Pride Foundation.
I am 29 years old from Fiji in the Pacific. I have a Bachelors in Public Health from the Fiji National University. I am currently studying for my post-graduate in Social Policy and Administration at the University of the South Pacific. I have been part of civil society for the past 11 years focussing mostly on youth empowerment and cross-cutting issues. My interest lies in governance and accountability frameworks for movement building, diversity and inclusion, human rights, student and youth movement. I currently manage LGBTIQA+ rights and health programs at the Rainbow Pride Foundation in Fiji, a LGBTIQA+ rights CSO. My inspiration are everyday Fijians who persevere in their lives. I enjoy reading or spending time on Netflix in my spare time. I need music in the background when I am working. I am on the extreme ends of working ethics spectrum where I can be cool calm and collected or be spontaneous in my approach on how I work. Pacific politics interests me. I believe the personal is political and the political is personal. Travelling is another hobby.
Bhavya Shrivastava, Research Associate, Financial Inclusion at LEAD at Krea University, India
MA in International Development, University of Warwick
BA (hons.) in Economics, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi, India
As a RA in FI, I extensively work in most of the areas of Financial Health i.e financial security, resilience, freedom and control. I currently work on 2 projects - one of which in the backdrop of Randomized Controlled Trial focusses on assessing the impact of innovative low cost flexible credit products for female microentrepreneurs in Inda, while the other focusses on spousal financial decision making under varied conditions in an experimental laboratory set up.
My everyday work truly inspires me to do better the next day. However, my mentors at work and otherwise are the rocks that keep giving me the strength to move forward in life!
I enjoy reading fiction in my free time - sometimes I dread coming back to reality after reading a fiction novel. My fav is A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman
My personal goal is to make a meaningful impact in the lives of "less" privileged
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