We are excited to announce that Vanessa Siliezar, GOJoven’s Country Representative for Honduras, was awarded the Central American Women’s Leadership Fellowship (CAWL) 2011 through iLEAP, The Center for Critical Service. This inspiring young leader traveled to Seattle, Washington in September 2011 for three months to participate in the fellowship’s intensive training program designed to strengthen and expand the leadership capacities of international social change leaders.  Check out this article to learn more about her experience.

While in the United States this fall, this passionate young advocate traveled to Los Angeles on November 4th to present on her work on promoting human rights and sexual and reproductive rights in Honduras at the Western Regional Feminist Campus Leadership Conference hosted by the Feminist Majority Foundation. There, she shared her unique experience working for GOJoven in Latin America. “I spoke with campus leaders about my experience in Honduras,” she said. “I told them that young women in my country can make a difference. Family planning is very important in a region with a lot of violence against women, most of them young, who do not have the same access to education, health or freedom from violence.”

At the conference, Siliezar engaged in a discussion with an audience of over one hundred and forty young feminists from university campuses around California about the reality of being a feminist and a Latina from Honduras. “For me, it was a great opportunity to share with other young women of Latino background,” she said. “Our parents don’t like having a daughter as a feminist, lesbian or women’s rights activist. We share this problem in Honduras, when we dare to name ourselves ‘feminists.’”

Siliezar said that despite the enormous barriers she faces living in a conservative religious nation, she continues advocating for increased access to contraception and HIV/AIDS services, equal rights for women, and a society free of violence against women. It helps that she brings a deep passion, commitment and courage to this mission.

Following her visit to Los Angeles, Siliezar traveled to PHI’s headquarters in Oakland where she presented to PHI staff members on her work. In this presentation, Siliezar also discussed the current situation in Honduras with regard to Human Rights and Sexual and Reproductive Rights and how PHI’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Programs have supported these movements in Honduras. 

 On November 23rd, Vanessa also visited the Oakland office of U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee, where she met with Senior Congressional Aide Daniela Quintanilla. Vanessa described for Quintanilla the critical importance of the work GOJoven fellows do building support for international reproductive health in Latin America, including Honduras. Vanessa also expressed her own admiration for Representative Lee’s advocacy in Congress on support of U.S. Government funding for international reproductive health, as well as global HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment efforts through the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

José Roberto Luna, a 2006 GOJoven graduate, traveled to Santa Cruz, California to present at the Funders Network on Population Reproductive Health and Rights annual meeting in November 2011.  José Roberto participated in a plenary session on youth leadership and engagement, sharing his success working in Reproductive Health and Rights issues in Guatemala, including his work as founder of Incidejoven, a youth network that advocates for comprehensive sexual education, access to sexual health services for youth, and the right to decide.  The California GOJoven office was also excited to host a brown bag forum for José Roberto beforehand, where he could meet Public Health Institute staff, and discuss his latest leadership at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) as a consultant in Education and Youth issues in Guatemala, promoting the youth perspective, sexual and reproductive rights and youth participation in political spaces.

Tracey would like to implement a project for the YES Center and work with teen mothers.

Michael has the drive and determination to make change for the benefit of his country.  He is a strong leader among his peers and always keeps a positive attitude.  Michael is certain that GOJoven will give him the skills necessary to continue growing in the area of SRH. Michael’s longer-term goal is to attain a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration.

Derrick has persevered some difficult life experiences that has made him change his view about life and he is determined to share this vision with his fellow young Belizeans. He is the founder and leader of Ablaze Boys Ministry, which provides counseling and sexual and reproductive health education to a group of 50 young men. He has already seen some success in his leadership via the young men in his Boys Ministry who have made strides in their academic development and leadership.

Derrick hopes to one day lead his own church and complete a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology.

Aeisha has done intensive advocacy through the Youth Advocacy Movement (YAM) youth group and with UNFPA as a member of the youth advocacy group. She has represented Belizean youth in international conferences and is very involved with the youth policy process. Aeisha has been a volunteer with Belize Family Life Association and was president of the YAM group in 2009-2010. She is also an active member of Youth Advocacy Group (YAG) and represents youth with the strategic plans and revisions of youth programs in Belize.

Mia’s advocacy for improving sexual and reproductive health lies in her desire to give a voice to transgender people as well as immigrant sex workers in SRH policies and program implementation. In the future, Mia sees a career for herself in nursing or working media and she hopes that GOJoven will help take her public speaking skills to the next level so that her voice can be heard even more clearly.

She hopes to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree possibly in Environmental Science and hopes to find a stable job where she is fulfilled and can contribute to the health and wellbeing of young people and the environment.

Iris is a very determined person and considers herself a democratic leader and a team player.  She is committed to see a positive change in her community and wants to help other young people behave thoughtfully and have the utmost respect for their sexuality. Iris has also participated in some of GOJoven’s trainings and this has encouraged her to do more work with youth outside of the school setting.