Meet the Team

CO-FOUNDER

Simona Letizia is devoted to helping empower and provide economic opportunities for women across the world through international collaboration. While living in Accra, Ghana for three years, Simona joined a peer-to-peer mentoring program, where she met Kayayei who shared their story and expressed that they wanted change. Since then, Simona has advocated internationally to expand access to quality education for all, worked with government officials, been published by Westermann and been awarded the 2022 Filippas Engel prize.

CO-FOUNDER

Samantha Jayasundera is a social entrepreneur, co-founder of Sankofa Empowering Women in Ghana, and a sophomore at the University of Michigan. She is committed to ensuring that everyone — no matter race, gender, income status, or background — has the chance to succeed without barriers. Having reached thousands of people as a proponent of equity, peace, and accessible education, she has spoken on the local, national, and international stage, hosted large-scale conferences, and connected with Nobel Peace Laureates and government officials worldwide. In 2022, she was named Montgomery County, Maryland’s Youth Volunteer of the Year — the county’s highest recognition for service and volunteerism — and the winner of the Deo Kujirabwindja Memorial Scholarship for emerging leaders.

CO-FOUNDER

Queen Balina is a PeaceJam Mid-Atlantic Youth Advisory Councilmember, dedicated student advocate for equity, and rising second-year at Harvard University. She uses her platform to highlight the experiences and voices of young people in her local and global community. Her passion in helping the marginalized and engaging in equity work has resulted in her winning the Princeton Prize in Race Relations and the Oberlin Award for Achievement in Social Justice. As co-founder of SEWING, she aims to collaborate with PeaceJam Ghana to create a secure, safe, and sustainable future for these young Ghanian women, regardless of background or socioeconomic status.

CO-FOUNDER

Zehra Syeda is a U.S. Mid-Atlantic Councilwoman for PeaceJam and a student in the Global Ecology Studies Program at Poolesville High School. Dedicated to advancing an equitable and sustainable future, she has conducted environmental field studies and research, led rallies and volunteer initiatives throughout Montgomery County, and reached international audiences while working towards providing sustainable employment opportunities for Ghanaian girls and reducing the environmental burden of fast fashion. Through SEWING, she takes a global approach at promoting sustainable environmental practices and elevating women to further a future of collective empowerment.

Kate Duker is in her final year at the university of Ghana and she is passionate about making a positive change in any community in which she finds herself.

Ivy Tawiah Teiko is a 22 year old student at the University of Ghana (Legon) level 300 studying Sociology. She is very passionate about children and for the advocacy of children's well being.

Vasco Ayere Avoka is an Assistant Director at the Legal Affairs Unit of the Ministry of Health, Ghana. Being inspired as a Volunteer and Mentor with Peacejam Ghana, Vasco founded the Centre for Generational Leaders, CEGEL. CEGEL is an NGO that aims to inspire, train and empower rural youth and women for sustainable development.

ADVISOR

ADVISOR

Wisdom Addo is a Rotary Peace Fellow and the Executive Director at the West Africa Centre for Peace Foundation, an NGO that serves the youth in schools and communities through education on human rights, leadership training, and peacebuilding in Ghana. Wisdom also serves as Africa Coordinator for the PeaceJam Foundation, USA. His work aims to provide peace education to the youth and focus on acquiring and advancing capacities, skills, values, and knowledge, thus establishing a global and sustainable peace culture. He has helped launch the PeaceJam chapters in Liberia and Nigeria. Wisdom has a background in peace and conflict studies, including conflict resolution, human rights, gender, mediation, negotiation, and peacebuilding.

NORTHERN GHANA LIAISON

Peter Anaba Awingosira is from the Upper East Region of Ghana, specifically Bawku West District, Zebilla. Growing up as an orphan from a poor home, he underwent several struggles to defy the odds and go to school. Having tasted core poverty and maltreatment while growing up, he has cultivated a compassionate and zealous attitude towards helping the poor, especially young women, to develop and have a sustainable life through skills training. When he learned about SEWING, he was particularly enthused and ready to support by coordinating the activities of the project to ensure that the vision and mission of the SEWING project become a reality in his district and beyond.

Kobby Reagan Ohene is Maritime Professional and TPG Fellow committed to building a more sustainable society where others thrive irrespective of gender, creed, or background with humanity at heart. He holds BSc Port and Shipping Administration-First Class from the Regional Maritime University, Accra–Ghana where he aims to leverage on academic experience and research to contribute ideals and policies to the maritime industry of Ghana and Africa. In 2016 he became the first TPG Youth Fellow of the West Africa Center for Peace Foundation. He has over the years volunteered in various youth-centered programs that propel young individuals especially those in deprived communities to better their lives and communities. He is passionate about all levels of discussion about children and women empowerment.