Isaac Olufadewa – Women Deliver

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2020

Isaac Olufadewa

  • Age: 32
  •    |   He/him/his

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As young leaders, we are a voice for change. We have the power to accelerate the process of bridging the gender gap and building a better world by dismantling toxic masculinity, disrupting inequitable power dynamics, and dismissing widespread beliefs that we are too young to lead.

- Isaac Olufadewa

Bio

Isaac Olufadewa was born and raised in Nigeria. He received a Master of Health Sciences in Reproductive Health from Pan African University of Life and Earth Sciences Institute in 2019. As Executive Director of Slum and Rural Health Initiative, Isaac leads the executive arm of the organization, creates organization-level policy and strategy to reach as many vulnerable communities with sexuality education and services. Isaac also leads the SIMBIHealth team, Africa’s flagship Artificial Intelligence-driven sexuality education mobile application and chatbot. As an Advocacy Associate at International Youth Alliance for Family Planning, Isaac works as a co-team lead to advocate for SRHR policy in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria for a “monthly SRHR day” to increase the awareness about SRHR issues and also drive the SRHR agenda in the state and beyond.

Additionally, Isaac is a Managing Ambassador for Africa and Middle East at One Young World, International Youth Alliance for Family Planning (Nigeria) member, Global Youth Mental Health Awareness board member, Research Academy member at Slum and Rural Health Initiative, and Youths-In-Motion board member.

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What ignited your pursuit for gender equality?

After my teenage cousin had an unwanted pregnancy, she was expelled from school and blamed for her choices. This left an impression on my young teenage mind, as I knew she lacked access to comprehensive sexuality education and services. I then decided to be a voice for change for gender equality.

Please share your biggest wins as an advocate for gender equality.

I co-led the Monthly Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Day policy that engaged over twenty SRHR groups in Calabar, Cross River State to advocate for SRHR to the Cross River State Ministry of Health, Primary Healthcare Centers, and other Public Health Centers in Cross River State, Nigeria. I also launched the artificial intelligence-driven SIMBIHealth Mobile App and Chatbot on International Women's Day (March 8, 2020), which is Africa's first AI-driven mobile application and chatbot that provides comprehensive sexuality, mental, and behavioral health information for young people and has been reaching thousands of young people all over the world and promoting gender equality on a massive scale.

Outside of your gender equality advocacy work, what do you enjoy doing?

I love playing table tennis, playing video games like FIFA, music, swimming, and chess. I love traveling and experiencing different cultures, especially their music, food, and history.

Languages Spoken:

  • English (Advanced/Native)
  • Pidgin English (Advanced/Native)
  • Yoruba (Advanced/Native)
  • French (Elementary)

Publications:

Speaks On:

  • digital health in SRHR
  • meaningful youth engagement in SRHR policy and programs
  • reaching underserved communities with CSE and services

Past Awards, Certifications, or Fellowships:

  • One Young World Managing Ambassador for Africa and Middle East (2020)
  • Grant Award Winner for the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Summit in Healthcare in Africa from Harvard Global Health Institute (2020)
  • Mandela Washington Fellowship (2020)
  • Coordinating Ambassador for West Africa Region (2019-2020)
  • Master's Degree with Distinction in Reproductive Health Sciences at the Pan African University of Life and Earth Sciences Institute (2019)
  • Policy Communication Workshop: Empowering Evidence-Driven Advocacy by Population Reference Bureau and International Youth Alliance for Family Planning funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (2019)
  • ONE Champion Programme Certificate of Appointment and Training by the ONE Campaign (2019)
  • SRHR Policy Advocacy Associate at International Youth Alliance for Family Planning for the Empowering Evidence-Driven Advocacy Project funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (2019)
  • Best Graduating Student Scholarship in MHS Reproductive Health PAULESI (2019)
  • Reckitt Benckiser Scholarship to attend the OYW London Summit (2019)
  • Data Collection Workshop: Empowering Evidence-Driven Advocacy by Population Reference Bureau and International Youth Alliance for Family Planning funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (2018)
  • One Young World Ambassador (2018)
  • Gilead Sciences Scholarship to attend OYW Summit in The Hague, Netherlands (2018)
  • African Union's Pan African University Scholarship Award (2017)
  • Bachelors of Medicine and Bachelors of Surgery from University of Ibadan (2015)
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