In this webinar, three young activists will discuss the strategies and responses of youth-led organizations to the current crises of the "aid" system, focusing on their strengths, lessons learned, and perspectives on the future of aid. They will share their lessons learned in advocating for youth’s rights, especially in recent months; key messages and recommendations for donors; and advice for other youth-led NGOs navigating the crises. 

This webinar is aimed at a general international "aid" audience interested in children's rights and youth-led organizations, including donors and funders, researchers, practitioners, graduate students, community-based and national NGOs, INGOs, and more.

Based on their experiences, three young leaders and activists will discuss:

• Adaptation strategies by youth-led organizations facing funding cuts

• Leveraging entrepreneurship as a tool to sustain youth-led initiatives and community empowerment in the face of funding gaps

• Rise of anti-migrant and anti-refugee narratives, and the effects of displacement on youth-led organizations working with migrant, refugee, and host communities

• Recommendations for international donors and funders on how to better support youth-led organizations

• Suggestions to achieve the meaningful inclusion of youth-led organizations in decision-making processes

Attendees are encouraged to submit questions for the speakers in advance (in English or Spanish) to mara.luna@kuja.org.

This event is co-sponsored by the Collaborative on Global Children's Issues, Georgetown University and Global Fund for Children.

Speakers

 Krista Rivas Gutiérrez Global leader, Tertiary Refugee Student Network (TRSN)

Krista Rivas Gutierrez is a student of architecture and international relations, a DAFI scholarship recipient, and the Global Lead of the Tertiary Refugee Student Network (TRSN), where she works to strengthen youth leadership and advocate for policies that expand opportunities for displaced students. Her work focuses on amplifying the voices of displaced youth and ensuring that their stories, challenges, and contributions are recognized in global decision-making spaces. With a strong background in youth-led initiatives, Krista has actively promoted access to higher education, economic empowerment, and meaningful participation of young refugees and displaced persons. Krista has represented youth at high-level international forums. Through advocacy, public speaking, and media engagement, she helps reshape the narrative around displaced youth—not as victims, but as change-makers leading solutions in their communities.

Wardah Noor - Founder & CEO xWave Pakistan

Wardah Noor is a social entrepreneur and the founder of xWave Pakistan, an initiative that leverages technology to empower marginalized communities. Her work focuses on training underserved youth—especially women in rural areas—in employable IT and soft skills. Under her leadership, xWave has expanded across multiple regions, training over 300 students in technical skills and thousands more in essential workplace competencies. Recognized with the Prime Minister's Youth Excellence Award and honored by international platforms such as Giving Tuesday and the Global Fund for Children, Wardah’s commitment to inclusive digital education is transforming lives. She aims to train and place 10,000 students into the workforce, contributing meaningfully to Pakistan’s digital economy.

Kimberly Barrios - Vice-president Jóvenes Artistas por la Justicia Social (JAxJS), Guatemala

Kimberly is an internationalist, youth leader, and project manager with over five years of experience in volunteer work and political advocacy through citizen participation spaces. She is Vice President and co-founder of Jóvenes Artistas por la Justicia Social (JAxJS), a youth-led NGO, and a member of the UNFPA Youth Advisory Group. She also serves as a Young Peacebuilder with the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC). Her work focuses on youth empowerment, leadership training, and network-building, with a strong emphasis on strategic partnerships to advance social justice and sustainable development goals.

Moderator: Mara Tissera Luna, KujaLearn Content Advisor.

Date and time: June 12, 2025

• Mexico City, Mexico/Guatemala City – 10:00 AM
• New York, USA – 12:00 PM
• Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro – 13:00 
• London, UK – 16:00
• Geneva, Madrid 17:00
• Cape Town, South Africa – 18:00
• Nairobi, Kenya – 19:00
• Islamabad, Pakistan: 21.00 
• Delhi, India – 22:00

Duration: 1 hour and 15 minutes – Language: English and Spanish with live interpretation into both languages.

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As international donors increasingly withdraw from global cooperation, grassroots organizations in the Global South are stepping up with bold, sustainable alternatives. One such organization is FEM Colombia, a community-driven initiative that’s transforming how Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities reclaim land, assert their rights, and shape their own futures.

On the 3rd of June, 2025, Kuja-hosted a webinar where we sat down with Ana Maria Gonzalez, Co-Founder of FEM, for a rich conversation on FEM’s model of inclusive development and their innovative approach to funding diversification. The webinar was a testament to how localized knowledge and community ownership are not just viable paths forward — they are essential.

Centering Land, Identity, and Rights

FEM’s work is deeply rooted in Colombia’s ethnically diverse and environmentally rich Pacific and Caribbean regions, where systemic inequalities persist. These areas experience higher rates of poverty, limited access to healthcare and education, and historic land dispossession. In response, FEM has helped over 20,000 people secure collective land titles, enabling communities to protect their territories and preserve cultural identity — a principle they call "Land Forever."

But FEM’s vision goes far beyond legal victories. They engage communities through ethno-education, ethno-health, and leadership training, especially targeting women and youth. Their work fuses legal advocacy with participatory planning, making development both inclusive and deeply rooted in local realities.

Turning Obstacles into Opportunities

FEM’s journey hasn’t been easy. Many traditional funders deemed the organization “too local,” financially unviable, or geographically inconvenient (being based in Cartagena rather than the capital, Bogotá). And the private sector wasn’t a likely ally, often due to conflicting interests around land ownership.

Rather than shrinking under this pressure, FEM got creative.

• They monetized their own value — calculating the worth of their volunteer contributions, community-owned infrastructure, and unique cultural knowledge.

• They launched social businesses, attracting angel investors and creating jobs for local vendors.

• They secured a U.S.-based fiscal sponsor, crowdfunded within their networks, and pursued South-South grant partnerships with funders who understood their context.

• FEM also transformed its governance, building a tiered support network of honorary members, associates, and friends to sustain community fundraising and outreach.

Lessons for the Global South — and the World

Ana Maria emphasized the importance of lean operations, continuous learning, and mission-aligned entrepreneurship. At FEM, building economic alternatives through community-based enterprises isn’t just about money — it’s about dignity, resilience, and justice.

Watch the recording of the session here. 

Speaker 

Ana Maria Gonzalez-Forero

Cofounder - FEM Colombia

www.femcolombia.org

Ana Maria is Colombian political scientist & mother of 2. Co-founded FEM (2007), securing land rights for 20,000 Afro-Colombians in 17 years via participatory models & social enterprises. Obama Scholar '18. Served Cartagena Gov't, tackling displacement & exploitation. Now with Voces Nuevas, advocating for Global South inclusion & a new world order.