VICTORIA, Seychelles — Maria Emmanuel, a Seychellois professional working as a senior compliance officer in the home-based child care section of the Institute for Early Childhood Development (IECD), has been featured in the latest edition of ‘The 54 Faces of Africa Magazine’, a publication by the United Nations Volunteers, the United Nations Development Programme and the YouthConnekt Africa Secretariat.
The magazine was launched at the 6th YouthConnekt Africa Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, and profiles 54 young Africans creating positive change in their countries. In her interview, titled ‘A Young Woman’s Journey in Seychelles and Beyond’, Ms Emmanuel speaks openly about her identity as a young African woman and the role she sees herself playing in empowering African women, promoting cultural heritage and bringing visibility to small island states like Seychelles on the world stage.
Ms Emmanuel, the only representative from Seychelles in the publication, is the only Category 5 Early Childhood Institute in Africa. She also addressed the challenges faced by many young Africans, including limited access to mentorship and job opportunities, and the weight of being described as a ‘serious generation’. Despite these, she said, she remains committed to creating meaningful change. ‘Young people, when informed and empowered, can indeed change the world,’ she said.
