International Working Group
Our International Working Group (IWG) brings together around 30 young advocates and young people who use drugs from around the world. The group works together to represent their local and regional communities of young people who use drugs and other young key populations in the international drug policy arena, promoting evidence-based drug policies for youth, and contributing their skills and knowledge to network strengthening.
How does the IWG work?
IWG members work from their home country and represent Youth RISE and the needs of young people who use drugs and are affected by drug policy in their region. IWG members, along with the coordinators, take major decisions regarding work plans such as advocacy messages, campaigns, and strategic planning for the network.
In order to better represent young people who use drugs, Youth RISE depends on the International Working Group members to communicate the realities and needs of the most affected young people and articulate how to support them better.
How to become an IWG member?
If you are interested in becoming a member, keep an eye out on our social media for the next opportunity to join our International Working Group (we usually open up applications at the start of the year). A likely candidate should be able to dedicate time and energy to teamwork, have some knowledge and experience in the drug policy field, and implement tasks independently. More information on the role of an IWG member can be found in the IWG Terms of Reference, and get in contact with us if you are interest by emailing us at carolina@youthrise.org and ruby@youthrise.org.
Youth RISE membership around the world
Meet our International Working Group members
Teresa Castro
Portugal
teresa.almeidacastro@gmail.com
Amine Gahfez
Algeria
m.amine.gahfez@gmail.com
Estefania Villamizar
Colombia
evillamizarm99@gmail.com
Walter Osigai
Uganda
etepswalter@gmail.com
Aggie Dennett Harmon
Uganda
aggiedennettharmon@gmail.com
Dinah Kate Macmillan
Italy
dy95@live.com
Kamogelo Moleane
South Africa
moleanekamogelo@gmail.com
Prince Frimpong
Ghana, based in the Netherlands
prince@youthinitiativef.org
Ain Zainal
Singapore
ainzainal222@gmail.com
Maruf Islam Purnima
Bangladesh
marufaes2019@gmail.com
Jeremy Nathanael Dihardja
Indonesia
nathanaeljeremy6@gmail.com
Camila Brizuela Cisneros
Peru
camila.brizuela.cisneros@gmail.com
Sergio Pérez
Colombia
sergioperez016@gmail.com
Jamani LaShawn
United States of America
jamani.lashawn@gmail.com
Claire Perry
Canada
claire.perry@mail.utoronto.ca
Diego Jimenez
Mexico
–
Anna Erickson (AJ)
United Kingdom
–
Emily Brundson
United Kingdom
em.brunsdon@gmail.com
Maria Vlagkopoulou
The Netherlands
mariavl02@yahoo.com
Cerys Tudor
United Kingdom
–
Balázs Maczkó
The Netherlands & Hungary
balazsmaczko13@gmail.com
Saidy Brown
South Africa
–
Vincentius Azvian
Indonesia
vincentiusazvian@gmail.com
Atika Juristia
Canada
atika@j-initiative.org
Beatrix Vas
Europe
–
João Barbosa
Brazil, based in Canada
joaobarbosa587@gmail.com
Gibrilla Henry
Sierra Leone
henrygibrilla@gmail.com
Grace Mmesomachi Oji
Nigeria
gracemmesomachioji@gmail.com
Juliana Shoko
Zimbabwe
gracemmesomachioji@gmail.com
Simileoluwa Liyele
Nigeria
similiyele@gmail.com
Jalal Uddin
Bangladesh
mia.chyjalal@gmail.com
Mihir Mumlesh
Pakistan
mihirlakhani61@gmail.com
Sofía Alpízar Román
Costa Rica
alpizarroman09@gmail.com
Pedro Ivo Oliveira
Brazil
pedro.oliveira@graduateinstitute.ch
Hunter Jess
United States of America
hunterj@pdx.edu
Sofia Posada Bernal
Colombia
sofiaposadabernal@gmail.com
Carolina Arredondo
Mexico, based in USA
carredondo@allianceor.org
Antonio Romero
Colombia
Antonioromerom144@gmail.com
Santiago Camarra
The Netherlands
–
Fiona Murray
United Kingdom
–
Inês Armelim
Portugal
ines.mr.armelim@gmail.com
Grigore Rînja
Republic of Moldova
rinjagrigore@gmail.com
Paulina Jastrzebska
Poland, based in UK
–
Hristina Todorovska
North Macedonia
htodorovska3@gmail.com
Elena Keller
United States, based in Switzerland
elenam.keller@gmail.com
Brayan Noel Alvarado Lopez
Puerto Rico
b.lopez@housingworks.org
Sara Monsalvo
Mexico
programa.internocturna1@gmail.com
Claire Nassolo
Uganda
nassoloclaires@gmail.com
Claire Nyawira Thuku
Kenya
chloe10021996@gmail.com
Aimé Robert Nkamicaniye
Burundi
–
Molly Ogbodum
Nigeria
–
Sia Das
India
s_rdas06@yahoo.com
Aden McCracken
US, based in Thailand
ajmccrac@stanford.edu
Matias Gálvez Balseca
Ecuador
matias16galvez@gmail.com
Isaac Acher Melamed
Panama, based in Colombia
–
Camilo Obregón
Chile
camilo@reduciendodano.cl
Deepika Baskar
United States of America
deepikabaskar50@gmail.com
Paulina Sánchez
Mexico
pausancas@gmail.com
Jeremiah F. Navarra
Philippines
jeremiahfn1998@gmail.com
Noor Vissram
The Netherlands
vissramnoor@gmail.com
Emil Belgau
Norway
emilbelgau@rusreform.no
Joris Gstöhl
Liechtenstein
–
Djordje Volarevic
Serbia
–
Anna Bentley
Czech Republic
Annalexbentley@gmail.com
Caterina Zampieri
Italy
zampiericaterina2001@gmail.com