About Us
Yarlaade is a Canada-based youth-led African organization dedicated to promoting solidarity with vulnerable populations and advancing peace, good governance, and development in the Sahel region of Africa.
Rooted in our African heritage and driven by a shared commitment to justice and dignity, we bring together young leaders, activists, and changemakers across the African diaspora and beyond. Our work is fueled by the belief that real change begins with empowered communities and strong, accountable institutions.
Our Team
Meet our dedicated team, passionate individuals driven by a shared mission to promote peace, good governance, and solidarity across the Sahel. What makes us special is not just our commitment to change, but the spirit with which we work: grounded in trust, fueled by collaboration, and inspired by the resilience of the communities we serve. Our culture is one of inclusivity, where diverse voices shape bold ideas, and compassion guides every decision. Whether we are in the field or brainstorming solutions around a table, we bring energy, empathy, and a deep belief in the power of people working together for a better future.
President/ Founder
AWALOU OUÉDRAOGO
Awalou Ouedraogo is Associate Professor of International Law and Director of the Department of Human Rights and Equity at York University in Toronto, Canada. Professor Ouedraogo holds a Ph.D. in International Law from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. He has published extensively on the theory of international law. Professor Ouedraogo is an Officer of the Order of the Stallion of Burkina Faso.
Vice-President/ Founder
MAMADOU RAMDÉ
Educator and holding a Bachelor’s degree in Education, Master’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s degree in German Studies, Mr. RAMDE has been actively involved in organizing sociocultural activities in the community, fostering cross-cultural understanding among Afro-Canadian descendants communities’ members. He has also contributed to UNESCO projects, educating German students about different cultures worldwide. With a passion for lifelong learning and cultural exchange, he continues to contribute promoting action in international perspectives.
General Secretary/ Founder
ABDOUL BORIS SIDIBÉ
Boris Sidibe is a seasoned business development executive based in Toronto, specializing in strategic account management and enterprise solutions. He has extensive experience working with high-profile clients and leading teams to execute complex, high-impact initiatives.
Outside of his professional life, Boris is passionate about exploring new cultures through travel, staying active through outdoor activities, and finding opportunities to connect with and give back to the community.
Principal Treasurer/ Founder
KADIDJA MONÉ
Kadidja Moné is a gender consultant in Toronto. With a Master's degree in Business Administration, a Certificate in Gender and Human Rights, a Certificate in Business French Translation and vice versa, and a Certificate in ETSN (Ethno-Racial Treatment Support Network) Counseling, Kadidja Moné wears many hats, which allows her to better serve the community.
An activist actively involved in promoting the rights of minorities in Burkina Faso, particularly those of disadvantaged and racialized communities and women, Kadidja Moné has been a member of several human rights associations since 1989, starting with the MBDHP (Burkinabe Movement for Human and Peoples' Rights).
Her exemplary work ethic has earned her recognition through multiple (9 to date in 2025) awards for excellence, dedication to service, and recognition from associations and community organizations in Toronto and Burkina Faso, including Black Women Moving Forward in Toronto in 2015 for Mentorship and Community Services.
Passionate about fashion, Kadidja Moné is also an entrepreneur and fashion designer in Toronto, where she designs, cuts, and sews unique outfits made from African fabrics, both modern and traditional, under her newly registered brand, “By kadi.”
Assistant Treasurer/ Founder
ASSANE TASSEMBEDO
Assane Tassembédo is a Canadian entrepreneur and community activist of Burkinabe origin, who has been living in Canada for several years. A professional in the transportation and logistics sector, he works as a freight forwarder, facilitating the import and export of vehicles and auto parts between Canada and other countries, particularly in West Africa. He also sells vehicles and auto parts, contributing to the development of automotive trade between Canada and Africa.
Since 2017, Assane Tassembédo has been actively involved in community and humanitarian initiatives in Canada. He has served as treasurer and assistant treasurer of the Association of Burkinabe People of Greater Toronto (ABT) and Yarlaade, respectively.
Through his professional and community involvement, Assane Tassembédo actively contributes to strengthening ties between Canada and Africa, particularly in the areas of trade, logistics, and community development.
Our Mission
Our Vision
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Accompany and support youth, communities, and institutions in the Central Sahel and elsewhere in their efforts to foster social and humanitarian solidarity.
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Promote peace, good governance, and cohesion.
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Promote intra- and inter-community peace.
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Organize mutual aid, cultural awareness, and charitable activities for communities in need.
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Produce intellectual works.
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Organize forums for exchange and sporting and cultural events.
Being an organization:
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Credible
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A leading organization among the Central Sahel diasporas for its diverse contributions.
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Bringing together people from different social, geographic, and community backgrounds.
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Recognized for the significant impact of its interventions within communities in the Central Sahel and beyond.
Code of Conduct
As a condition of accessing the Services/Activities, you agree to strictly adhere to the following code of conduct:
1. Comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including but not limited to privacy and anti-spam laws, intellectual property laws, export control laws, tax laws, and regulatory requirements.
2. Provide complete and accurate information to Yarlaade and update it as needed to maintain accuracy, completeness, and compliance with applicable laws.
3. Read and comply with our Privacy Policy.
4. Read and comply with notices sent by Yarlaade regarding the Services/Activities.
5. Use the Services in a professional manner.
6. Protect sensitive personal information by carefully reviewing information entered into your account. Do not share more information than required.
7. Do not act dishonestly or unprofessionally by posting inappropriate, inaccurate, or objectionable content, such as:
a) Falsely stating, impersonating, or misrepresenting your identity or that of registered individuals;
b) Adding content to a field not intended for it (e.g., submitting a phone number in the "title" field, or including personal identifiers where no field is provided);
c) Disclosing information you lack the right to share (e.g., insider, confidential, or proprietary information learned under employment/NDA agreements);
d) Infringing patents, trademarks, trade secrets, copyrights, or other proprietary rights;
e) Using viruses, worms, or code/files/programs that disrupt, destroy, or limit the functionality of Yarlaade’s or users’ software/hardware/telecom equipment;
f) Forging headers or manipulating identifiers to conceal the origin of communications transmitted via the Services/Activities.
8. Do not create false individual or group identities.
9. Do not use the Services for spying or if you do not intend to become a member.
10. Invite nearby individuals, associations, and organizations you wish to include in the network.
11. Do not use or attempt to use another user’s account without authorization.
12. Do not use the Services/Activities (directly/indirectly) to establish or develop networks implementing similar practices.
13. Do not duplicate, transmit, distribute, rebrand, or transfer information obtained through network membership (excluding your own content), unless permitted herein or expressly authorized by Yarlaade. Using Services information to provide competitive services is strictly prohibited.
14. Do not reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, decipher, or attempt to derive source code from any underlying intellectual property used to provide the Services/Activities.
15. Do not imply or state affiliation/endorsement by Yarlaade without a written agreement (including representing yourself as an accredited Yarlaadetrainer without certification).
16. Do not adapt, modify, or create derivative works from Yarlaade, its underlying technology, or other users’ content (except under Yarlaade’sdevelopment program).
17. Do not rent, lend, trade, sell, or monetize access to Yarlaade or its information.
18. Do not sell, sponsor, or monetize any Yarlaadeactivity/service/feature without Yarlaade’s express written authorization.
19. Do not deep-link to the site (i.e., linking to any page other than Yarlaade’shomepage) without Yarlaade’s written permission.
20. Do not remove copyright, trademark, or proprietary rights notices from the Services/Activities.
21. Do not remove, cover, or obscure advertisements included in/on the Services/Activities.
22. Do not collect, use, copy, or transfer information (including personally identifiable data from Yarlaade) unless expressly permitted herein or by the information owner.
23. Do not share information about members/non-members without their explicit consent.
24. Do not misuse Yarlaade’s trademarks/logos, including using "Yarlaade" in business names, emails, or URLs without authorization.
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26. Do not use bots/automated methods to access contacts, add/download contacts, send/redirect messages, or perform activities via Yarlaade unless explicitly permitted.
27. Do not access the Services (via automated/manual means) to monitor availability/performance/functionality for competitive purposes.
28. Do not engage in framing, mirroring, or simulating Yarlaade’s website appearance/functionality.
29. Do not access the Services through unauthorized means (e.g., only via Yarlaade’s interfaces: mobile app or http://www.yarlaade.org). This includes third-party platforms/SaaS aggregating access to the Services.
30. Do not attempt to override any security components embedded in or underlying the Services/Activities.
31. Do not take actions that disrupt functionality or place unreasonable burdens on Yarlaade’s infrastructure (e.g., propagating viruses via the Services).