For outstanding community leadership, global impact: US-based Cameroonian scholar, Guilen Ngongpah, gets prestigious int’l award.

Ngongpah grabbed the award in the category of Diaspora Community Leadership, during the 2026 edition of the Cameroon Diaspora Youth Global Awards ceremony. 

The award ceremony held Saturday, August 16, at the Hilton Washington DC/Rockville Hotel & Executive Meeting Centre in Rockville, Maryland, USA. 

Ngongpah’s award was handed over by Cameroon’s Ambassador to USA, His Excellency Henri Etoundi Essomba.

Diplomats, government representatives, traditional leaders, entrepreneurs, academics, journalists, healthcare professionals, humanitarian leaders, youth advocates, community organisations, emerging young leaders and distinguished members of the Cameroonian diaspora attended the event. 

The award initiative is that of the United Council for Youth Empowerment, UCYE-International, in collaboration with the Cameroon Diaspora Youth Network, CDYN.

The major international gathering was dedicated to recognising Cameroonians and friends of Cameroon for their extraordinary contributions towards building stronger communities, creating opportunities, preserving cultural identity, promoting national unity, and strengthening Cameroon’s international presence.

Why Ngongpah was awarded 

Oganisers said she stood out among over 50 other candidates shortlisted in the Diaspora Community Leadership category. 

They said she was singled out for her leadership, commitment to the Cameroonian diaspora and contributions to promoting unity, collaboration and meaningful engagement among Cameroonians at home and abroad.

It was detailed that for more than 15 years, Ngongpah has been involved in youth development and community-engagement activities in Cameroon and abroad.

With a career engrained in education, equity, leadership, community engagement, and student development, organizers said she has taught and mentored undergraduate students in Africana Studies, supported first-generation college students, and contributed to interdisciplinary research focused on reproductive justice for black women in the US city of Tulsa. 

Her passion for impactful scholarship, they said, is evident in her numerous academic publications, which address digital divides, leadership development, and education reform across the African continent.
She co-founded LOVEHOOD Comrades, a youth-led organisation that empowers underserved communities through civic leadership, peacebuilding, and entrepreneurship. 

Through the initiative, she contributed to activities aimed at encouraging young people to participate actively in community development, leadership, peacebuilding and support for underserved members of society.

As a scholar-practitioner, her work, it was detailed, bridges academia and community, with expertise in participatory research methods, training design, and policy advocacy. 

Enter awardee

Talking to The Guardian Post after receiving the award, Ngongpah said the recognition marks another milestone in her 15-year journey of connecting education, community engagement, conflict resolution and youth development across Cameroon, Europe and the United States. 

“I am deeply honoured to receive the 2026 Outstanding Cameroon Diaspora Global Award in Diaspora Community Leadership. To me, this recognition is more than an award; it affirms years of commitment to community engagement, youth development, education, collaboration, and service across Cameroon and the diaspora,” she said. 

Ngongpah said her journey not only began in university lecture halls or international conferences, but in communities in Cameroon where she worked with young people, schools and local organisations. 

“It encourages me to continue building bridges between people, institutions, and communities and reminds me that meaningful change often begins with consistent service at the local level,” she added. 

Ngongpah confessed that the recognition comes with a renewed motivation to continue using her experience, scholarship, and leadership to strengthen communities and contribute positively to Cameroon and beyond.

Elongated educational journey on three continent

Ngongpah is currently pursuing doctoral studies in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the Oklahoma State University, where she also serves as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in Student Support Campus Life. 

Her academic and professional journey spans across multiple continents, reflecting a deep commitment to global education, leadership development, conflict resolution, and community engagement.
The compatriots already holds three Masters degrees and a Bachelor obtained from renowned institutions including the University of Antwerp, Belgium; Pan-African University of Governance-Yaoundé, and the University of Yaoundé II, respectively, with concentrations in governance, regional integration, strategic conflict management, and law.

Her doctoral research explores the lived experiences of community engagement professionals navigating conflicts in university-community partnerships.

In addition, Ngongpah has over a decade of professional experience across sectors, having served as a Programme Officer for the Inter-regional Coordination Centre for Maritime Security in the Gulf of Guinea, a UN Information Centre intern, and a trainer and consultant in intercultural conflict management. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3884 of Thursday August 20, 2026