Noel Ifeanyi Alumona (Emmanuel Alumona) (born October 1, 1992) is a special education expert working with Metro Nashville Public Schools, Tennessee.[1][2] He is the founder of Hope for African Children, and also the Boys Champions, a nonprofit boy-child advocacy organization that partners with the UN Women and Nigeria's Ministry of Gender and Women Affairs.[3][4] Alumona's work with his organization led to his being the first African recipient of the $10,000 American Field Service (AFS) Award for Young Global Citizens at the 2022 AFS Youth Assembly, part of the AFS Intercultural Programs.[5][6][7] He is an Obama Foundation Fellow, United States Institute of Peace Fellow, and United Nations Youth Assembly Delegate. He was also shortlisted for the $100,000 Global Student Prize.[8][9]

Noel Ifeanyi Alumona
Organization(s)Boys Champions; Hope for African Children
AwardsAFS Award for Young Global Citizens, $10, 000 (first African to win the Award), New York, August 2022

Early life and education

edit

Alumona was born on October 1, 1992, to Mr. Godwin and Mrs. Felicita Alumona. He is a native of Udenu LGA, Enugu State, Nigeria. A rape incident he witnessed as a child defined his resolve to impact positively on youths.[1][2] He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy (Philosophy of Education) from the Pontificia Universitas Urbaniana, Rome, Italy.[2] He received a certificate of completion from the social entrepreneurship summer program at the University of Connecticut, USA.[10] He then proceeded to Peabody College of education and human development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, for a master's degree programme.[11] He earned a Master of Special Education & Teaching (M.Ed.) from Vanderbilt University.[1][2]

Career

edit
 
Alumona with the Dalai Lama

From June 2012 to May 2014, Alumona was the Head of School and 5th Grade Class Teacher at Madonna Primary School in Enugu.[2] From July 2013 to August 2014, he volunteered as Community Event Co-Lead for UNICEF in Enugu. In October 2013, he established Hope for African Children in Abuja, Nigeria, and ran the organization until 2018, providing mentorship to vulnerable children and organizing teacher development programs.[2] He participated in the Obama Foundation, African Leaders Training Program, Johannesburg, South Africa, July 2018.[10] Through this, he met Barack Obama in Johannesburg, South Africa. This encounter inspired him to create the Boys Champions initiative on October 1, 2018. He was selected for the Clinton Foundation, Clinton Global Initiative for Young Leaders, Nashville, United States, March 2023; AFS Intercultural Programs, Youth Advisory Council Member, New York, September 2022 to September 2023; United States Institute of Peace, Fellowship with Dalai Lama, Dharamshala, India, September 2022;[12][11] British Council Partner Schools Global Network, Training Facilitator, Oakland, Enugu, May 2019; The Youth Assembly Delegate; and Global Young Leaders Conference, New York, August 2022. He read an address on the effects of climate change to youths from 103 countries at the UN International Youth Day, 2023.[13]

Recognition

edit

He is a recipient of the AFS Award for Young Global Citizens at the 2022 AFS Youth Assembly,[14][15] becoming the first African to win the award.[16][17][18] He received commendations from the former president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari and the Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa.[19][20][21] The government of Enugu State also began plans to partner with him on community services.[22][23] Alumona also received the African Youth Award; the Nigerian Goodwill Ambassador Award; Volunteer of the Year Award by Appreciate Africa Network, Beijing, China.[1]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d "Curriculum Vitae of Emmanuel Alumona.pdf". Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Emmanuel Alumona Profile.pdf". Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  3. ^ "ITREALMS: Ifeanyi Alumona: First African to win $10,000 AFS Award in US - ITREALMS". www.itrealms.com.ng. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  4. ^ roseline (2023-05-16). "Men Picking Up The Gauntlet 11!!! – Noel Alumona". Roseline Adewuyi. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  5. ^ "Noel Ifeanyi Alumona : What to know about di Nigerian wey become first African to win AFS award for Young Global Citizens". BBC News Pidgin. 2022-08-23. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  6. ^ Cyril (2022-09-30). "Group partners US varsity to train 100 teachers in Nigeria". The Sun Nigeria. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  7. ^ Odunsi, Wale (2022-08-22). "Buhari congratulates US-based Noel Alumona, first African to win AFS Award". Daily Post Nigeria. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  8. ^ "Nigerian Student, Noel Alumona, Shortlisted For $100,000 Global Student Prize – Independent Newspaper Nigeria". 2023-07-22. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  9. ^ "Nigerian Student among Finalists for $100,000 Global Prize – THISDAYLIVE". www.thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  10. ^ a b Foundation, Obama. "Leader Emmanuel Alumona from 2018 Leaders Africa". Obama Foundation. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  11. ^ a b Sevier, Jane (October 7, 2022). "Peabody student meets with the Dalai Lama, wins international award". Vanderbilt University. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  12. ^ "Archive | Noel Alumona | Vanderbilt University". news.vanderbilt.edu. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  13. ^ Usulor, Israel (2023-08-14). "Nigerian student gets accolades after addressing 1000 youths at United Nations". Legit.ng - Nigeria news. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  14. ^ Assembly, The AFS Youth; milena (2023-07-17). "Noel Ifeanyi Alumona, Boys Champions". The AFS Youth Assembly. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
  15. ^ Assembly, The AFS Youth; milena (2022-09-05). "AFS Award Helps Young Changemakers Advance Their Work". The AFS Youth Assembly. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
  16. ^ Oyemolade, Eniola (2022-08-27). "Noel Ifeanyi Alumona becomes first African to win 108-year-old AFS Award for Young Global Citizens". Nigerian Tribune. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  17. ^ Ugwueze, Emmanuel (2022-11-22). "Gov Ugwuanyi receives Alumona, first African winner of AFS Award for Young Global Citizens". Daily Post Nigeria. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  18. ^ "Obi hails Noel Alumona, first African to win AFS Prize for Young Global Citizens - Starconnect Media". 2022-08-29. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  19. ^ Kanu, Peace Piak (2022-08-22). "President Buhari hails Nigeria's Alumona for winning global award". Voice of Nigeria. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  20. ^ "Nigerian student becomes first African to win 108-year-old award, gets $10,000". Vanguard (Nigeria). August 22, 2022.
  21. ^ "DABIRI-EREWA HAILS AFS AWARD WINNER FOR YOUNG GLOBAL CITIZENS". Nigerians in Diaspora Commission. December 9, 2022. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  22. ^ Journalist101 (2022-08-22). "Enugu Govt To Partner With Noel Ifeanyi Alumona; First African To Win AFS Award For Young Global Citizens - Journalist101.com". journalist101.com. Retrieved 2024-07-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ "Ugwuanyi receives first African winner of AFS award Alumona". The Nation. November 22, 2022.