Chouchou Namegabe, 38, graduated in 2002 from the Institut Superieur Pedagogique de Bukavu with a degree in English and African Culture Studies. She started her carrier as a radio journalist and producer for the renowned community station Radio Maendeleo, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where she remained for 10 years. In parallel, in 2003 she co-founded the South Kivu Women’s Media Association (“Association des Femmes des Médias du Sud-Kivu”, AFEM), a NGO that trains Congolese women journalists to use radio as a tool for promoting and defending women’s rights. She managed AFEM until she moved to the US in 2015.  Namegabe’s fight against sexual and gender based violence led her in 2007 to plead the cause of Kivu women at the International Court of Justice at The Hague. In 2009, she received the Fern Holland Award from the Vital Voices Global Partnership for her work in building awareness of sexual violence against women and was asked to testify about the plight of women in the DRC before the American Senate. She received many award from 2009 and was named one of the “Top 100 Most Inspiring People Delivering for Women and Girls” by the advocacy group, Women Deliver. In 2012 she won the DVF Award for Women Leading Change and in 2013, she received the Premio Anna Politkovoskaya Award from Internazionale Italian news magazine. She is the 2009 Nominee for the Knight Award for Journalism by The International Center for Journalists for promoting high-quality, independent media—and training young female journalists–in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Additionally, Chouchou is an International Advisor board member of ” Press Start”, a Network of experienced journalists, social media experts and free press advocates to respond to reporter’s needs who are struggling against repression. She travels the world speaking at universities and global forums about conflict and peace-building, human rights, sexual violence and women’s empowerment.