Aisha Tambajang is a dedicated professional with a strong academic background and passion for promoting innovation and sustainable development across Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly West African subregions. She holds a B.A. (Hons) in Sociology and Politics from The University of Manchester and an MSc (Hons) in International Public Administration and Politics. She has spent most of her life living and working between Denmark and the United Kingdom. In 2022, fueled by her unwavering passion, she moved to The Gambia to make a meaningful impact.

In The Gambia, Aisha worked for The National Democratic Institute (NDI) as part of the NDIs technical team supporting the Elections Watch Committee in observing systematic electoral observation. In collaboration with The Independent Electoral Commission, International Organizations, and other civil society organizations, she has supported and encouraged cross-sector partnerships to advocate for electoral reform in The Gambia. Since 2020, Aisha has served as a board member at 'Educate a Generation'; facilitating workshops to train students at the University of the Gambia in soft skills necessary to equip them for the job market.

Prior to moving to The Gambia, Aisha set a remarkable record as one of the most successful fundraisers at UNICEF Denmark. However, her most notable role was at Crossing Borders as an International Project Coordinator, leading governance and sustainability programs across Uganda, Ghana, and Zambia. Through these projects, she addressed the marginalization and limited participation of young people in the UN 2030 agenda in The Global South. Leading as Head of the Educational Outreach Services, she skillfully managed a diverse team of coordinators and effectively organized workshops that benefitted over 4000 students, providing them with valuable knowledge and skills. Aisha currently works at SMD Consultancy as a Policy, Planning & Program Specialist.

IVLP Impact Award Project: Building Bridges: Through Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The key objective of this project was to provide 34 students between the ages of 15-25 from 3 regions with knowledge that would transform how they see the world and themselves in the world. The workshops provided the students with a background on intersectionality, including the topics of gender, class, culture and disability. The workshops focused on teaching the students about the importance of understanding that some people are more discriminated against due to their intersecting identities, and to make them aware of unconscious biases that they may have. Participants learned to be drivers of change in their local communities and to continue sharing and growing from the knowledge gained in this project. Beyond the targeted group, the ripple effect of impact extended further. The workshops were received well by the community, participants (and their parents) and facilitators, who all expressed appreciation and a desire for similar workshops in the future.

"This workshop [taught] us about something we didn't know about by creating awareness about DEIA… I hope we the participants also take this opportunity to sensitize people around us who don’t know about DEIA.” - Project Participants

IVLP Exchange Experience 

Aisha was a participant in the IVLP Project A Global Moment in Time- Reflections on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility, organized by the U.S. Department of State and Meridian International Center.

Aisha's exchange experience led to the development of her IVLP Impact Award Project: "My IVLP experience highlighted to me that DEI (Diversity Equity and Inclusion) is different depending on the context, however fundamentally as humans we all want the same things. Which is for diversity to be accepted, to feel included in society (our communities, political discourses, democratic practices, workforce, etc.) and to be treated in an equitable way that benefits us."

U.S. Communities Visited

San Francisco, CA; Washington, DC; Cleveland, OH

Country: The Gambia 

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