ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM FELLOWSHIP - CLASS OF 2025
United Nations Academic Impact and MCN are proud to partner on the Millennium Fellowship. This year, 60,000+ young leaders applied to join the Class of 2025 on 7,000+ campuses across 170 nations. 290+ campuses worldwide (less than 5%) were selected to host the 4,500+ Millennium Fellows.
UNITED NATIONS ACADEMIC IMPACT AND MCN PROUDLY PRESENT RIYA MANISH PATEL, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW FOR THE CLASS OF 2025.
University of Nairobi KNH Campus | Nairobi, Kenya | Advancing SDG 5 & UNAI 3
" Empowered women transform societies. Through my medical journey, I have seen how access to healthcare and equity enables women to stand up for themselves and lead changes. Women's self defense equips them to protect themselves physically and defend their rights in every sphere. The Millennium Fellowship is my platform to bridge healthcare gaps, amplify women's voices and inspire a generation of women to lead with strength. "
Millennium Fellowship Project: UnbreakaBelle
UnbreakaBelle - she saves herself is a student led personal protection and self defense initiative aimed to empower young women and girls with practical self defense skills so they can protect themselves in unsafe situations. In response to the raising cases of femicide in Kenya-with victims mostly being university students, UnbreakaBelle provides affordable,accessible and high impact training within academic institutions.The program integrates physical techniques, psychological preparedness, and preventive safety strategies, delivered in partnership with certified trainers. The pilot session successfully trained 35 participants, marking a meaningful first step toward building a safer campus environment. The long-term vision is to host regular trainings throughout the academic year, expand to multiple universities, and eventually include secondary school students, ensuring girls and young women across Kenya have the tools, knowledge, and confidence to stay safe.
UnbreakaBelle ultimately seeks to create a culture of empowerment, awareness, and resilience ,because every woman deserves to feel safe, strong, and UnbreakaBelle.
About the Millennium Fellow
Driven by passion for equity and community health, Riya Patel is a fourth year medical student from The University of Nairobi,Kenya.Volunteering at various medical camps across the region, she has gained first hand insight into the barriers faced in low resource settings. Passionate about public health, she is committed to bridging the gap between health care access and communities, while advocating for women's rights and ensuring equity in the medical field and beyond, across social,professional and interpersonal spheres. Her initiatives focus on creating inclusive,sustainable solutions that empower underserved populations to lead healthier,more equitable lives.
