Aviwe Funani is the Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer at United for Global Mental Health, a global leading mental health organisation, and is currently leading youth mental health Advocacy for Ecosystem change work in the Being initiative, the second largest youth mental health funder globally. Between 2019 and 2020, she served as a Youth Advisory Council member for Orygen, a global youth mental health organization. Leveraging her ten years of experience in community-based work and advocacy focused on children and youth in South Africa. Aviwe is a passionate advocate and communicator on youth mental health. Her contributions have been recognized through participation in projects by the World Economic Forum, UNICEF, the African Union, and the South African Presidency G20.
A 2025 Mail & Guardian South Africa, Young 200 for her championing of youth mental health. Acknowledged by Daily Maverick as one of South Africa’s ‘Activists to watch’ due to her work with youth in South Africa, which has garnered attention and driven change across different social communities. Her ultimate goal is to be a part of a positive transformation, exemplified by policy changes and improved access to mental health services for youth and women in the African continent by 2030.