Born and raised in Dar es Salaam, Godfrey moved to Morogoro in 2005 to study Rural Development and completed his bachelor’s studies in 2009 at Sokoine University of Agriculture. Godfrey was student body president, and he conducted field research in rural villages of eastern Tanzania researching the effectiveness of different types of health and community development education. With the GSE sponsoring his college fees, Godfrey is now pursuing his masters in Rural Development at the Sokoine University of Agriculture. Facilitating GSE workshops and expansion is his primary fieldwork for his degree. Godfrey speaks Swahili and English.

Tomás Ruiz López was born in the Andean town of Zurite. He cares for three children aged 11 to 17, raises cattle, and cultivates vegetables and grains in the fields around Zurite. He is also the director of the religious studies program for all high schools in the Cusco Region. He speaks Quechua, the language of the Incas. His open mind and his passion to understand new cultures stimulated his interested to work as a GSE coordinator in Zurite. Tomás was instrumental in convincing the Municipality, the Commission of water users, and the Public to support our canal project in the Zurite in 2009.

Yasha Mokaram is originally from Sebastopol. He graduated from the University of California Santa Barbara in 2007 with a degree in Sociology. He also studied Global Studies and Environmental Studies at UCSB. He spent a semester studying abroad in Paris, France. Since the age of 18 he has been working with youth in Sebastopol, Santa Rosa, and San Diego for various educational programs, both during and after school. His interest in different societies and cultures, and his commitment to working together with other people to create positive social change has motivated him to dedicate his time and take his leadership with the Global Student Embassy. Yasha has been friends with co-directors Lucas and Jasper all his life. Yasha speaks English and conversational Farsi.

Originally from Sebastopol California, Lucas graduated from University of California Santa Cruz in 2007 with degrees in Community Studies and Politics with a focus on International Relations. During his studies he interned at Global Kids in NYC, where he learned about the importance of discussion workshop based education, and international relations education for high school students. He has traveled extensively in South East Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Central and South America. Grateful for having had the opportunity to experience different cultures, and to travel internationally, Lucas believes strongly in providing travel, immersion and grassroots organizing experience to young people. Lucas speaks English and conversational Spanish.

Jasper Oshun was born in Sebastopol, California. He studied geology and international relations at Brown University, graduating in 2005. In the fall of 2003, he took a leave of absence from his studies to become a volunteer in Zurite Peru. Here, Jasper realized the power and potential of youth participation in international volunteer exchange programs. Since 2003, he has built a strong friendship with Tomás and Uriel. Currently he is pursuing a Ph.D. in groundwater hydrology with a focus on developing water resources in developing regions of the world. Jasper speaks English and Spanish.

A native to Santa Fe Argentina, Virginia is an English teacher at the ISDI English academy. She has lived in the United States, and has been teaching English for 5 years. She has been involved in GSE since the beginning. Virginia works hard to strengthen the Santa Fe branch of GSE through long volunteer hours, and weekend workshops with local high school students. Virginia is a committed educator who works with students to develop ideas for improving the Santa Fe community. She speaks English and Spanish.

A Morogoro Native, Rogers recently completed his bachelors in Rural Development studies from Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA). Rogers was nicknamed “Cambridge” by his classmates for his ability to achieve high marks at university while maintaining his extensive social network. Rogers seems to know everyone in Morogoro; he has lived there since his birth. GSE is now sponsoring Roger’s masters in Rural Development, and he facilitates weekly discussion workshops at Morogoro’s 4 participating high schools. Rogers speaks Swahili, Enlgish, and some Japanese.

Uriel Copa Villena was born in the Amazonian city of Quillabamba. He moved to Cusco to study orthodontics at the Universiad Andina. He has also worked as a chef in Chinese restaurants and for the volunteer organization Projects Abroad. Now, he owns and operates a Chinese restaurant while continuing his studies. He is the director of a student-led campaign to build oral hygiene amongst elementary school students in the pueblos surrounding Cusco. He is very excited to be coordinating GSE’s efforts in the region and facilitating our expansion to the city of Cusco. Uriel speaks Spanish and Quechua.