From Costa Rica to Chad: YLP alumni reconnect through shared action

When Kaira Bake of Chad and María Paula Alvarado Rodríguez of Costa Rica met at the SUN Youth Advocacy Fund Global Onboarding Workshop in Lagos, Nigeria, it was more than a chance reunion. Held from 14 to 16 July 2026, the workshop brought together representatives of eight youth-led initiatives selected globally for support through the SUN Youth Advocacy Fund, which supports activism and action to improve nutrition and food systems.

Their connection began through the UN Food Systems Youth Leadership Programme (YLP), led by the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub with support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Bringing together young professionals from across Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean, the YLP strengthens leadership while building relationships and collaboration across regions. Kaira and María Paula’s paths crossing again in Lagos reflects the value of that network, as alumni continue to exchange ideas, build partnerships and create new opportunities for action in their countries and communities.

Although they work in different regions and disciplines, Kaira and María Paula share a commitment to advancing more sustainable and inclusive food systems through locally led action. In Chad, Kaira, a nutritionist and food advocate, works alongside farmers, livestock keepers, and fishers to strengthen nutrition and local food systems. In Costa Rica, María Paula, a forestry engineer, partners with rural and Indigenous communities to conserve traditional knowledge and integrate local practices into sustainable food systems.

For Kaira, the YLP has helped turn connections into opportunities for action. “The YLP gave me more than knowledge and confidence; it connected me to a global community of young leaders working to transform food systems,” he said. That journey has now contributed to a concrete opportunity in Chad, where his youth-led initiative was selected among eight projects supported globally under the SUN Youth Advocacy Fund. “We will use this opportunity to build the capacity of young facilitators, organize the first Nutrition Dialogues in Chad, generate quality evidence from communities, and translate their priorities into stronger advocacy for nutrition and food systems transformation.”

Despite working in very different contexts, María Paula saw immediate connections between their experiences. “Costa Rica and Chad have different cultures and realities, but when we talked about our communities and food systems, we found many points in common,” she said. “For me, this is one of the most valuable things the YLP has created: the opportunity to learn from different realities while discovering common ground that allows us to collaborate and continue these connections beyond the programme.”

As the first YLP cohort continues its professional journey, Kaira and María Paula’s experience shows what can happen when investment in young leaders extends beyond individual skills. Connections built through the Programme are creating opportunities for alumni to learn across regions, strengthen their work and translate shared experience into action in their own countries.