MIRUS PONON
PHILLIPINES, 19
Project: ASEAN Youth Advocates Network
Basic Human Needs: Education, Environment, Food, Health, Safety, Shelter, Water
Mirus experienced and witnessed poverty while growing up in Paco, a community surrounded by slum areas in Manila in the Philippines. Even though they were trying to lift themselves out of poverty, Mirus’s family frequently collected and donated items to those who were less fortunate. Similarly, Mirus’s poverty did not hinder him, but instead motivated him to advocate for disadvantaged communities. His service journey led him to numerous opportunities, leadership roles, and eventually he was selected as one of three Filipino students to participate in the ASEAN Youth Conference and elected as the Philippine Officer of the ASEAN University Student Council Union. He was determined to use his platform to empower other young people to take the same journey. In October 2019, Mirus established Youth Advocates for the Philippines that ascended to the the ASEAN Youth Advocates Network (AYAN) in 2020 – a nonprofit organization that paves the way for Southeast Asian youth to experience socio-civic involvement, while exploring their ASEAN identity. Their mission is to instill a passion for service and a sense of initiative in Southeast Asia's youth to collectively create impact. AYAN has inspired 20,000+ youth advocates that impacted 100,000+ lives through service. They are currently present in 8 Southeast Asian countries, and will soon scale globally with the launch of the Global Youth Advocates Network in August of this year. In September 2020, AYAN led a two-week conference educating youth on United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals and provided relief to 1,500+ families impacted by the November 15 Typhoon Ulysses in the Philippines. In the future, Mirus hopes to craft policy that encourages advocacy as a lifestyle for youth around the world.