Nanor is an Armenian Jerusalemite: born and lived in the United States until the age of six, grew up in Ramallah, and currently lives in Jerusalem, and in between—hence still geographically unstable! She holds a bachelor's degree in Sociology from Bethlehem University and has worked within local and international organizations. She interned in South Africa, living in a small village of Ncunteni and working with local Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Mount Frere, the heart of the isiXhosa region of the Eastern Cape, one of the most underdevelopment provinces in post-apartheid South Africa. She interned with Restless Development, undertaking communications and operations activities in the Towards a More Accountable South Africa (TAMASA) programs, and amplifying change project with the focus of health within the education sector on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) throughout the three provinces of KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and the Eastern Cape. 

South African philosophy that caught my heart is ‘Ubuntu’: I am because we are | Nanor Arakelian 

Restless Development South Africa gave me the chance to enhance and strengthen my skills of leadership and public speaking, challenging important people in my community, and most importantly having a positive influence on other youth.” Young Leader with Restless Development The image of empowerment in this photo speaks louder than words. This event is a youth-led Advocacy campaign, for all age groups, in the community of Mbizana a small town in a rural area of the Eastern Cape (formerly known as Transkei), South Africa. The campaign is about spreading awareness of the challenges faced by youth nowadays. This campaign is being run against the backdrop of some of the highest rates of sexual violence, HIV and AIDS, teenage pregnancy, and crime in the country. The volunteers managed to create a movement of rural youth to voice and promote Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) policies and also succeeded in establishing collaborations with different Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in support of their cause. They were able to partner with a range of local stakeholders, including school principals, health clinics, community leaders, the Department of Health (DoH), the Department of Education (DoE), the municipality, and youth centers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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