LAYCS Scholarship 2025

Scholars

• Adela Esther Tuy Tuy

  Adela is an Indigenous Maya Kaqchikel communicator from Sololá, Guatemala. She focuses on human rights, climate action, education and gender, using writing and art as tools for expression and social change. A published poet and storyteller, she studies Social Communication Sciences and is committed to creating spaces where Indigenous youth and their stories are seen and heard.

• Deniza Flores Orcko

  Deniza is from the community of Chaquilla Alta in Potosí, Bolivia. She raises awareness of the environmental impacts of mining, water scarcity and food security while supporting forest restoration in Cantumarca. Through writing, murals, videos and educational content, she combines art with environmental advocacy and the protection of her territory.

• Hazel Daniela Muñoz Alpízar

  Hazel is a young leader from Bijagua, Costa Rica. She has worked with international organisations on projects focused on forest conservation, climate adaptation and connecting science with local communities. Her work promotes food security, environmental justice and the active participation of women in climate action.

• Hellen Freitas Ferreira

  Hellen is a psychologist and social activist from the Baixada Fluminense region of Brazil. She researches race, gender, sexuality and the impacts of climate change on historically marginalised communities. She co-founded Mais Por Nós and has collaborated with organisations working on social justice, environmental protection and community wellbeing.

• João Bosco Verçosa

  João is an educator and science communicator from Brazil. He works in teacher training, educational consulting and climate education, helping bring climate justice into classrooms and digital spaces. As founder of Hey Ciência, a network of more than 2,000 teachers, he connects global climate discussions with everyday learning.

• Maricelma Francelino Fialho Cândido

  Maricelma is an Indigenous biomedical scientist from the Terena people in Brazil. Her research focuses on Indigenous health and the environment. As the first Indigenous Brazilian woman selected as a One Young World ambassador, she works to strengthen Indigenous leadership and ensure Indigenous communities shape decisions about their future.

• Martina Bahiana Basgall Sequeira

  Martina is a feminist and climate activist from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Recognised among the top 10 students in the world through the Global Student Prize 2024, she approaches the climate crisis through a human rights lens. She coordinates environmental education projects and works with communities to promote collective climate action.

• María Esther Martínez

  María Esther is an Ayuujk woman from Xaamkëjxp, Mexico. She practises agroecology through traditional milpa farming and contributes to documenting biodiversity in the Ayuujk language. Her work supports forest conservation, ancestral healing and women's wellbeing while defending territory and the rights of Indigenous women and girls.

• Nataly Moscoso Cardenas

  Nataly is a Quechua woman from Andahuaylas, Peru, and a human rights defender. She works with rural communities across southern Peru to encourage sustainable practices and youth participation. Her work values Andean knowledge while strengthening the connections between culture, human rights and environmental protection.

• Pepe Villalobos

  Pepe is a queer climate activist from Chiapas, Mexico, specialising in Loss and Damage, Adaptation and international climate finance. They develop advocacy strategies with trans activists, helping strengthen inclusive climate policy. Their work focuses on ensuring climate justice reflects the experiences of historically excluded communities.

• Starlin Paul Cadete Liranzo

  Starlin is an economist from the Dominican Republic who designs and manages community projects focused on health, disability, disaster risk management and the environment. He works closely with young people to strengthen climate action, promote human rights and support the wellbeing of historically excluded communities.

• Sydney Mishel Males Muenala

  Sydney is a Kichwa Otavalo leader from Ecuador working on Indigenous rights and climate justice. She is an international consultant and founder of the Wallpay Crew Collective, supporting local development and Indigenous leadership. She also represents her community in international spaces, including United Nations forums and climate negotiations.

• Txulunh Natieli Favenh Gakran

  Txulunh is a young Indigenous leader from the Laklanõ Xokleng people in Brazil. She leads the Xokleng youth organisation and works to confront violence against Indigenous women and girls while strengthening community leadership. Her research on natural fibres promotes sustainable alternatives rooted in ancestral knowledge and territorial protection.

• Zharif Alexandra Suárez Rojas

  Zharif is an Afro-Colombian activist from Cesar, Colombia, and a mother committed to advancing educational, environmental and social justice. Her work supports rural and Afro-descendant communities through an Afro-feminist and intersectional approach. She advocates for inclusion, sustainability and equal opportunities for historically excluded communities.

Briefings

No briefings published for this year yet.