Our Founders
Two young leaders who started it all
Neil Soria
Danille Fritzgerald O. Soria or Neil Soria is a multi-awarded young leader and activist from the Philippines. He is a non-profit visionary and a pioneer of several initiatives that promote participation of young people in civic engagements. On 2017, he was distinguished as one of the 17 Filipino Youth Champions for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals in the Philippines. At the age of 19, he co-founded a non-profit organization called AYLA or also known as the ASEAN Youth Leaders Association.
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Through AYLA, Neil was able to reach out to more than 500,000 young people across Southeast Asia, the greater Asia, Europe, the African Continent, Australia and North America. Currently, AYLA has membership presence in 10 countries in Southeast Asia, with strong demographics of 45,000 young individuals contributing towards ASEAN Community Building. As a citizen lobbyist, he has worked with the brightest minds of Southeast Asia which includes HRH Prince Norodom Siurivudh of Cambodia, Tan Sri Rastam Mohd Isa of Malaysia, Youth Empowerment Advocate and Masbate Province Vice Governor Kaye Revil from the Philippines and several other dignified government officials, ministers and parliamentarians from the Philippines, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia.
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With the support of Team AYLA, Neil led the inspiring project entitled Colors of Hope Education and Enrichment Program which was recognized by the World Bank Group for its compelling approach to community development and youth education in the Philippines.
Thi Minh Nguyen
Thi Minh is the incumbent National Director of the ASEAN Youth Leaders Association in Vietnam. On 2016, she became the youngest board member to the International Board of AYLA, representing Vietnam in the regional platform. An award-winning start up innovator, Thi Minh, together with her team, was recognized as the Most Innovative Start-up idea in Saigon during the 'Start with the A' Competition by Think in a Box.
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With her Mental Health Advocacy, Thi believes that young people can not solve problems of the society if they can not solve problems within their own backyard. She uses Theater Arts as a strong tool and weapon to pass information with powerful messages to promote social change. Thi's passion to serve is driven by her vision to produce allegorical works that will empower young Vietnamese to become agents of change.
Thi served as the project Co-head of YSEALI Unified Education Fair - a project under the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative, commissioned by the US Department of State, which connects both local and foreign Vietnamese Students in a platform to share information and opportunities. The project enabled Vietnamese students to receive first hand information to study abroad with a condition that after their studies, they come back to Vietnam to serve the flag and country.
