Leslie Fatuma Bayanza is a graduate of the African Leadership University with a BA (Honours) in Global Challenges, where she focused on wildlife conservation, sustainable agriculture, and community engagement. She founded CHIYONA (Children and Youth for Nature), a youth-led initiative in Goma that educates high school students and health practitioners about environmental protection and the impact of plastic waste.

Leslie has contributed to conservation through various volunteer and internship roles, including research on clean and renewable energy, marine challenges, community conservation, and youth engagement. She worked as a Community Development Intern at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and Rights and Community & Conservation Technology intern at WCS.

As a Mandela Rhodes Scholar and a youth leader with the Act4Food initiative, Leslie continues to drive change at the intersection of environmental education, sustainable farming, and youth empowerment. She is currently pursuing a MPhil in Conservation Biology at the University of Cape Town.