To commemorate the United Nations International Youth Day 2019, Youthhubafrica shortlists 10 Young African Changemakers making an exceptional impact, using their varying skills and talent in shaping their spheres into the future they wish to see.
Bogolo Kenewendo: Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry.
Botswana. 32
Instagram: @bogolojoy19
Twitter: @BogoloKenewendo
Bogolo Kenewendo is a graduate of International Economics, a Media Commentator and Policy analyst who hails from Motopi Village, Boteti area in Botswana.
After her post-graduate studies in England, for a period of time, Ms. Kenewendo worked as a trade Economist at the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Ghana.
In 2016, she was nominated as a member of the Botswana parliament by the then president of Botswana, Ian Khama where she served in her full capacity. On the 4th of April 2018, she was further appointed as the new Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry by the incoming president, Mokgweetsi Masisi. In the same year, she was appointed by the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres to the High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation.
Ms. Kenewendo is an exceptional leader, as she not only focuses on politics but has been an active adviser on socioeconomic issues.
On African Youth Day ( November 1, 2018) the African Union announced Aya Chebbi as its first AU Youth Envoy. While many were surprised by the pick, several pundits applauded the choice of Aya because of her activism, her role as a pan-African connector as well as her reputation in the youth movement. Aya is also a Peace activist and a graduate of international relations from the Higher Institute of Human Sciences in Tunis. Asides being a globally renowned Blogger gaining great relevance during ’Tunisia’s Revolution’, Aya began taking leadership roles, first by mentoring Children during summer camps with the National Organization for Tunisian Children and was soon appointed the Secretary-General.
Aya is the founder of several Youth-focused platforms such as Youth Program of Holistic Empowerment Mentoring (Y-PHEM), Afrika Youth Movement (AYM) and Afresist, she has also trained and been a source of inspiration to young people across the African continent.
She was awarded by Women4Africa as the 2016 Inspirational Woman of the year, In 2016 and 2018 Aya was recognized among 100 under 40 most influential Africans around the world, 2018 Young Talent of the year by UNLEASH Festival amongst several other recognitions.
When you hear of Somalia, many people immediately conjure up the images of a war-weary country. All that is beginning to change, thanks to a committed band of young people who are driving positive changes in Somalia. A leader of that pack is Abdighani Diriye who has established Somalia’s first Tech incubator and Start-up accelerator.
Diriye has given Somalia’s nascent tech space a significant boost by training and investing in young entrepreneurs and innovators. By supporting digital entrepreneurship, Diriye hopes to solve some of the challenges facing Somalia, such as unemployment and high poverty levels. Through his works, investors have opened Somalia’s first fully-fledged innovation hub in Mogadishu.
David Moinina Sengeh. Chief Innovation Officer, Directorate of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Government of Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone. 32
Twitter: @dsengeh
David Moinina Sengeh is Sierra Leone’s first-ever chief innovation officer. David was born and raised in Sierra Leone and received his Ph.D. at the MIT Media Lab, where his research in the biomechatronics group focused on the design of comfortable prosthetic sockets and wearable interfaces. Don’t be carried away by the big grammar, just think comfy prosthetics for individuals who have lost a limb.
When David Sengeh introduces himself as Chief Innovation Officer, you’ll think he works for one of those fancy tech companies in Lagos or Nairobi. He is not, he is the Chief Innovation Officer of the Government of Sierra Leone and an adviser to the president.
He is the president and co-founder of the international NGO Global Minimum (GMin). Currently, GMin’s main project is Innovate Challenges; the first-ever competition created to foster a culture of innovation among high-school students in Sierra Leone, Kenya, and South Africa. Innovate Challenges is a mentorship program and set of workshops where youth can get help in transforming their ideas into tangible solutions. GMin was one of three winners out of 1,000 nominees for the Rockefeller Foundation Next Century Innovators Awards in 2013. Previously, GMin led the distribution of over 16,000 mosquito nets to cover over 28,000 people in Sahn Malen chiefdom in Sierra Leone.
Ameer Sherif is the chief executive officer and co-founder of WUZZUF and Forasna.com – Egypt’s leading online recruitment platforms for white-collar professionals and blue-collar workers respectively. Collectively, both platforms helped more than 25,000 companies hire more than 250,000 people over the past few years. Since co-founding the start-up 9 years ago, Sherif managed it for three years during the Egypt revolution years until reaching profitability and then successfully raising funds from top US and European venture capitalists, including 500 Startups, Endure Capital, Vostok New Ventures (Sweden), Piton Capital (UK) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). He raised a total of $8 million along the way and built a team of 250 employees, mostly in Egypt but expanding into new markets.
He is passionate about entrepreneurship, technology (internet and AI), and youth employment -, especially in emerging markets.
Alaa Salah made headlines on the evening of April 8, 2019, after taking to the streets of Khartoum, the capital of Sudan leading a demonstration to demand that President Omar al-Bashir steps down.
For Hala Al-Karib, a Sudanese women’s rights activist with the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa sums up “this moment we have been waiting for the past 30 years.”
The 22year old says when she’s not protesting the government, she is a student studying Engineering and Architecture. Alaa’s iconic image of her standing on a car rooftop and her hands raised has become the global symbol for women leading the movement for change in Sudan. President Omar Al-Bashir’s government has collapsed but the movement who is led by mostly women and young people like Alaa continue to demand change, inclusiveness, and respect for human rights.
Many Nigerians and indeed Africans didn’t know there was a sport called Skeleton at the Olympics until 2018 when Simidele Adeagbo, popularly known as ‘Simi Sleighs’ qualified to represent her country, Nigeria as the first Nigerian Winter Olympian and the first African woman to compete in the sport of Skeleton at the Winter Olympics. Simi has over 15 years experience as a marketing executive with one of the well known global brands (NIKE Inc.). Simidele’s concern for the well being of Women and Youth has led to her collaboration with Non-profit Organisations and Foundations towards building the skills and capacity of Young Women and Girls through sports. She launched her Leadership and Sports masterclass programs in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, and Morocco.
Simi is an ambassador for Malala Fund, an organization that focuses on Girls’ Education globally and was also selected for the inaugural Obama Foundation Leaders: Africa Program in 2018.
Simi aims to break the Religious, social and cultural barriers that hinder young Women’s access to sports.
Delphine Konda. Founder ‘Girls Excel’ Cameroon.
Cameroon. 32
Instagram: @delphine.konda
Twitter: @delphinekonda
Delphine Konda is a Cameroonian with a relentless passion in promoting equal rights to opportunities for Women and Girls within communities in Cameroon. She has documented the untold stories of refugees in several refugee camps in Cameroon, promoted the UN sustainable development goals and Youth-friendly policies in Africa and Europe. In 2015, Delphine founded ‘Girls Excel’, a social impact organization that provides health and reproductive education for Adolescent Girls, empowering them to be peers educators.
Delphine has received several Global awards and recognition. She received the Crans Montana Leaders of Tomorrow Award for her work with girls in rural communities of Cameroon. She is also a 2019 Echoing Green Fellow.
Delphine believes that education is the most powerful tool in unlocking the potentials of Women and Girls and a doorway for a positive and lasting transformation.
Speciosa Mbula Nguku, popularly known as Specky, is an anaesthesiologist & a pain specialist working in an orthopaedics clinic in Machakos, Lower Eastern Kenya. She is the CEO of a social enterprise called Machakos Orthopaedics, with a Bachelors degree in Medicine and Surgery and MSc in Anaesthesiology.
Machakos Orthopaedics is the first network of surgical hospitals in Kenya, a model surgical facility aimed at offering quality affordable ethical care in Kenya. The primary aim of founding this surgical network is to ensure low-income families get access to quality and affordable surgery and medical services in good time.
Specky’s desire is to ensure function is restored to people living with disabilities, Kids with disabilities are able to learn freely without stigma and to prevent families from running into poverty in a bid to access quality treatment.
Japhet Omojuwa, JJ as he is popularly called among his numerous friends is the king of Social Media in Africa. He recently sealed his top spot with the publication of his first book, titled: Digital: the new code of Wealth. JJ asides been a social media expert and blogger has been a columnist to several news platforms including The Punch Newspapers, Metropole Magazine, and Naij.com
JJ Omojuwa is a highly sought after speaker, panelist and thought leader and he recently won a Chevening Scholarship to complete his Masters in the UK
