YLAI Professional Fellows Program, Class of 2016

Obed Kanape is a lifelong learner who believes in and shares the ideal of "Knowledge is Freedom". This is the ideal by which he started OKE: Opportunity, Knowledge & Empowerment, a social enterprise with the vision to liberate, expand, and empower individuals and groups by providing opportunities to gain knowledge, skills, coaching, leadership, and support. Obed studies Sociology at the Anton de Kom University of Suriname and Professional Coaching at the Academy for Counseling and Coaching in Suriname. He also volunteers at the Foundation Royal Fiiman Paansu. Additionally, he is a Radio Host, Performance Artist, Spiritualist, Public Speaker, Writer, and a certified Youth2Youth Basic Life Skills Facilitator at the Pan-American Development Foundation's KariYu! Program for school dropouts.