The ICFP Grassroots Action Leaders Award celebrates young innovators aged 18–35 who are pioneering inclusive, community-driven family planning and sexual and reproductive health and rights (FP/SRHR) solutions in their local contexts.
This award spotlights leaders who work directly with marginalized groups like young mothers, HIV-positive youth, and communities facing persistent SRHR barriers. These leaders champion gender-sensitive and equity-centered approaches.
Unlike traditional ICFP award pathways, these leaders are selected through their participation in ICFP drumbeat events, ensuring broader access for grassroots actors whose work often goes unrecognized.
Awardees will receive mentorship, networking opportunities, and a global platform to amplify their impact. Selection prioritizes demonstrated community impact, innovative and context-responsive methods, and strong alignment with the ICFP 2025 theme, Equity Through Action.
Please join us in congratulating this year’s ICFP Grassroots Action Leader awardees, Awolola Busayo and Idrisa Mchilowa Amri!
Awolola Busayo
Nigeria
Awolola is a Public Health Professional and Program Manager with experience in Research and Social Development. She holds a BSc degree in Human Physiology and an MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine; Bachelor of Surgery) Degree from Bowen University, Nigeria. She is an Alumnus of the Aspire Institute, an initiative of the Harvard Business School, USA.
She is the Founder and Team Lead of WEDFORUM, where she has led projects focused on SRHR, menstrual health and hygiene, mental health, and literacy, impacting over 5700 children, adolescents, and women since 2018.
Additionally, Awolola has been invited by several local and international organizations like Population Service International (PSI), Wateraid, and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs to review policies and contribute to the menstrual health and hygiene management of girls and women in Nigeria.
She is the author of “Bloom Girl,” an adolescent girl self-guide on SRH. Her book has been freely donated to over 100 girls in Oyo state Busayo. She was recently nominated by PSI Nigeria to participate in a two-day workshop in recognition of her strides in the Menstrual Health and Hygiene workspace. In her free time, she enjoys reading.
Idrisa Mchilowa Amri Tanzania
Idrisa is a dedicated youth advocate and aspiring public health leader from Tanzania who won the Grassroots Action Leader during the Young and Alive (YAI) Summit 2024 in Tanzania.
He holds a Diploma in Human Resource Management from the Tanzania Public Service College, Mtwara Campus. Idrisa works with Generation Action Africa (GenACt Africa) where he focuses on youth health, equity, and community engagement.
Through his volunteer work with TRADEAiD Mikindani and McoHAS Sexual Health Club in Mtwara, he has facilitated community trainings and led initiatives that promote youth leadership and accountability, and has reached more than 2000 young people annually.
Passionate about education, social justice, and sustainable development, Idrisa is committed to amplifying the voices of marginalized youth and ensuring equitable access to health services, leadership opportunities, and quality education. He believes that inclusive systems are essential for building resilient and empowered communities.
In his free time, Idrisa enjoys storytelling, mentoring young changemakers, and conducting community-based research.
