Meet the 2022 Gather Reporters
June 13, 2022
We’re thrilled to welcome the third cohort of Gather Reporters!
Gather Reporters serve as global alumni leaders and international storytellers, crafting pieces in video and writing about inspiring individuals and entrepreneurs, initiatives, social movements, and more.
Meet the 2022 Gather Reporters
Abdelghani Bekkouche, Algeria: An electrical engineering student in Algeria, Abdelghani is an alumnus of INJAZ El Djazair. The cofounder of JA student company ITdrops—named Algeria’s best startup in 2022 and winner of INJAZ Al-Arab’s Best Innovative Product award—he is also a content creator for LinkedIn. Abdelghani said his experience in the JA Company Program “changed how I embrace life and its challenges, and I’m grateful that I’m a part of this organization.” He credits his success in the JA Company Program to the good people who surrounded him, which “fostered a spirit of team work” and “helped us win the competition.” He looks forward to developing video editing skills as a Gather Reporter. And his vision for the world? “I would end wars all over the world,” he said. “And build a peaceful world where freedom is respected and mutual respect among people and nations is fostered.”
Clint Cadio, Canada: Ambitious, business-savvy Clint has a passion for innovation and technology that pushes him to keep exploring and trying new things. Clint’s first experience with JA began in his junior year of high school when he joined the JA Company Program at his school. He led his student company’s finance team and served as head of human resources, roles he takes pride in. “We learned how to handle a successful business from scratch and how to continue to developing it,” he said. “Overall, I loved my experience in JA because it e me to not only grow as a person, but also connect with and meet many individuals I would not have met otherwise.” In JA, Clint learned persistence and the importance of continuously pushing himself out of his comfort zone. If he could change anything in the world, Clint would like everyone to have kindness and love in their lives.
Dana Khairallah, Lebanon: Dana Khairallah loves to make an impact on people. A graduate student in nutritional sciences, with a minor in public health and development sciences, Dana believes lifelong learning, dedication, and passion are the keys to enacting change in any community. The self-described “loyal member of INJAZ programs” has built a strong community among the INJAZ Lebanon students and alumni. “Developing a network of people whom you can brainstorm and come up with plans with, while always targeting people’s rights and global goodness as our end goal is truly fulfilling,” she said. She also credits her INJAZ experience with helping her determine how to express herself and find her passion. Her time as an INJAZ student allowed her opportunities to hold many conversations with people from different and varied backgrounds, which, she said, helped her “discover layers of myself that I truly didn’t know I had, and ambitions and interests that I wasn’t aware of.” As a Gather Reporter, Dana looks forward to strengthening her time management skills and seek new opportunities.
Dimas Prima Yoga, Indonesia: Joining JA in 2017 turned out to be an excellent challenge for Dimas Prima, who said, “I am obsessed with challenging myself.” Learning about building a company, imagining products, and creating and executing business plans sparked a lifelong love for entrepreneurship. Despite the challenges he and his team faced in the JA Company Program, their student company won several awards at the JA Regional Batam Student Company of the Year competition, including Best President, Best Marketing, and Best Human Resources. Throughout the JA journey, Dimas Prima strengthened his leadership, time management, and communications skills, among others. As a Gather Reporter, Dimas Prima hopes to strengthen more skills, specifically public speaking, as well as continue to improve communications and leadership skills.
Israa Obeid, Lebanon: A passionate young woman looking to make a positive impact on society and her country, Israa joined INJAZ Lebanon’s Bridges of Opportunity program to enhance her work skills. With INJAZ, Israa learned how to open her mind to new learning opportunities and to turn struggles into opportunities. As a Gather Reporter, Israa hopes to strengthen her leadership skills so she can make a positive impact in the world. “My number one goal it to help heal humanity’s wounds,” she said. “Any small change can enrich this big goal. I am ready to start! From the power of education for everyone to health rights and equality, I’m an advocate for human rights.”
Okechukwu Uche, Nigeria: Okechukwu found JA when he was helping a colleague organize books. The JA Company Program handbook he found that day started him on a path to entrepreneurship, which allows him to explore his interests in leadership, technology, and media, as well as education and community building. A JA Nigeria alumnus, Okechukwu is a Mastercard Foundation Scholar and he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business management at African Leadership University in Mauritius. A self-decribed “limitless learner” who’s always on the hunt for growth opportunities, he’s also on a mission to become an ethical and entrepreneurial leader, innovator, and changemaker. As a Gather Reporter, he looks forward to improving his communications skills and being bolder in front of audiences, especially when behind a camera. Okechukwu dreams of creating a platform and program for teenagers and young adults that helps them unleash their creativity and entrepreneurial spirits.
Wanghley Soares Martins, Brazil: A creative problem-solver, Wanghley’s combined passion for computer science, electrical and biomedical engineering, quantum computing, and entrepreneurship has led him to Duke University in the United States. Hailing from Brazil, Wanghley was introduced to JA programs in 2019 through an innovation camp with JA Brazil. This experience led him to the National Flight Academy + Delta Airlines Summer Program some months later, followed by the Future of Work program in both 2020 and 2021. As the National Coordinator for Digital Transformation for JA Alumni Brazil, Wanghley heads up all tech and innovation projects for the group. He credits JA with developing his interpersonal communication skills, and he looks forward to further develop his active listening skills as a Gather Reporter.