Together with 84 young people across Southeast Asia, Kriz Heart Agillon took part in the 2022 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Regional Workshop hosted by the United States Embassy held from May 4 to July 9, 2022. Carrying the theme “Guardians of Good Governance”, workshops were divided into virtual and face-to-face sessions aimed to improve the capabilities of young leaders and culminate in to project proposal.

The virtual sessions discussed community engagement, action planning, and models for community changes while onsite formal sessions were composed of recaps, project-based learning, design thinking, and an introduction to a community toolkit. There were topics specifically guiding participants in identifying issues, setting goals, strategizing feasible solutions, and applying a community toolbox. The teams were also given ample time to gather and formulate their post-workshop activities.

Aside from the sessions, there were small group dialogues with facilitators and members of other organizations where Kriz met diverse group of people. During one of the sessions on young public servants, Kriz was very ecstatic to meet Aya Tamayo, an MC IS alumna, who shared about her initiatives on good governance and democratic citizenship.

According to Kriz, “these cultural exchanges are truly important in addressing the Southeast Asian region’s mutually common, pressing issues. Despite the seas and borders separating each Southeast Asian country, there is solidarity to end suffering, deceit, and inequality within the region.”