Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE                       MicrosoftInternetExplorer4                       /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}Gabonese-bornsupermodel Gloria Mika is a celebrity in the Diaspora. She's committed to making a difference in Africanpolitics. The 29-year old lives in Parisand is a model for the cosmetics company L'Oreal.

Shefounded an organization called "The Guardian Angels of Gabon" hoping to fosterelectoral credibility in her country's last presidential election, held August30. Mika says Africans must fight politicalapathy in order to bring about the desired political change, "I had to fightthe defeatism, resignation and the passivity of the citizens who shrug…theirshoulders," she says.

Whatbegan as a small initiative grew and drew considerable international mediaattention. Mikagenerated large support through web-based social networking sites such asFacebook, MySpace, and Twitter.

Hermessage also inspired other Africans to push for political freedom in their owncountries. "I was very happy to see that I was not alone...," she said," some people from other countries (are) requesting that TheGuardian Angels take part in the conduction of the forthcoming presidentialelections in their country, I realized how big the impact we had on otherpeople."

Mika believes that Gabonese youth areimportant to the future of her country's politics. "First, in terms of their duty as citizens(to) vote again..., " says the Gabonese model, "in the past years, before welost our president, there was considerable abstention in the vote. The mobilization that we see today is veryimportant and can be representative of the engagement of people in the future."

Mika says she is committed to advancedemocracy in her country. She encouragesmembers of her social networking sites to actively search for ways to improvethe political environment in their countries.  

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