Top 30 Inspirational Young People In Africa 2014
Patrick Mbowi – Tanzania
The energy in Africa seems to be a thorny issue; a 28 year old Tanzanian Patrick Mbowi saw the opportunity and capitalized on it and has built an estimated eight million US dollars worth solar energy company. At his age he is the CEO of Helvetic Solar Contractor which installs, maintains and supplies the country with solar systems.
Lorna Rutto – Kenya
Used material which is considered trash has made Lorna Rutto the envy among her peers and the world as a whole. The 28 year old from Kenya who quit her day job as bank personnel with a stable salary to start her own company recycling plastic and that has not only benefitted her but multiple people with jobs. Her company is Ecopost which uses plastic waste to produce post for fencing instead of timber due to depletion in the forest.
Verone Mankou – Congo
Verone Mankou (28) is a tech savvy who designed what is termed African tablet for the consumers who cannot afford to purchase Apple’s ipad. Coming Congo which is deemed the hardest place to conduct a business Mankou never allowed that factor to bar him accomplishing his goal. His invention is called Way-C and it has gone on sale in the early 2012. Way-C is the term in one of the local dialects in Congo which literally means light of the stars and it seems like Mankou has just walked into the light because his company VMK is a success story in this day and age of technology.
Arthur Zang – Cameroon
Africans refuse to lag behind and watch their counterparts showcasing their inventions; they are the integral part of solution providers to the world. Health is vital and it needs to be maintained positively; a 26 year old Arthur Zang has just invented a medical breakthrough in 2012 with a touch screen medical tablet which is used to monitor heart state for patients with heart problems.
Dr Ola Orekunrin – Nigeria
It’s is a rare occurrence to find a qualified doctor at the age of 24, Dr Ola Orekunrin is the exception and is the sole owner of Flying Doctors in Lagos Nigeria. Flying Doctors is the first air ambulance which is utilised to fly patients from one point to the other for treatment which is convenient to avoid traffic and bad roads condition which affect the land transport to be efficient.
Sizwe Nzima – South Africa
After completing his six-month intensive entrepreneurship course at the Raymond Ackerman Academy, the 22-year-old founded Iyeza Express, a business that collects chronic medication from public health facilities and delivers it by bicycle to the doorsteps of clients, most of whom are too busy or too sick to collect it themselves. Since the inception of the business last year the number of clients has grown to more than 120. Nzima employs three people and has been provided with seed funding by the South African Breweries Innovation Awards.
Lillian Nkosazana Moremi – Botswana
Lilian is the founder of Botswana Student Network Society which is mandated to bridge the gap between students, corporates and government and to drive leadership, social responsibility and career advancement. She is also the Coordinator of D?cere Foundation. It is an advancing School Improvement Programs in partnership with the Botswana Ministry of Education and Skills Development. Lastly, she is also a Member of Toastmasters Gaborone Club which nurtures leadership and public speaking skills for its members and she also writes career development articles for Kutlwano Magazine.
Eric Muthomi – Kenya
Agriculture is the primary source of food, many young people tend to turn a blind eye on pursuing this path when considering a career; Eric Muthomi’s contribution to food supply chain in Kenya is vital to the economy of the country. At the age of 27 he owns a company Stawi Foods which process a banana to produce a meal that is familiar in the country.
Stella Sata – Zambia
Stella Mutale Sata is a solid example of why empowering the youth is important and urgent. Stella helped set up the Model United Nations Movement at her campus. At 20, Stella has an MSc in Management and Development of International Financial Systems from the University of South Wales which got her to attend the IMF/Republic of Mozambique Africa Rising high level conference in Maputo. Stella owns an events management and car hire business in Lusaka, Zambia and is setting up a social initiative to appreciate and support changemakers called theStellaProject. She is also the Business Development Strategist at Friends of Monze (a start up Charity based in the UK but working in Zambia) and the Project Leader of the Rebuild Lushomo Community School project, a project aimed at rebuilding a community school in Monze, Zambia. She launched this project in Monze in the 20th of January 2014 and the project has raised over £30,000 as of June 2014.
Douglas Owino – Kenya
Douglas Owino, 25years old, is an International Business Consultant, a Writer, Global Changemaker, Youth Peer Educator, Peace Ambassador, Scholarship Advisor and a Mentor. Douglas is a graduate of BSc. International Business Administration- Finance from United States International University-Africa, and is currently pursuing MBA- International Business and CIM at SolBridge International School of Business, South Korea. Douglas is also a member of Kenya-Korea Professional & Business Association and an official of Kenyan Community in Korea. He has presented about Kenya in different occasions latest being at Korea Advance Institute of Science & technology [KAIST]. Douglas has a working experience from Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), I Choose Life- Africa and was the youngest National Judge during the inaugural National Environmental Trust Fund’s ‘Presidential Green Awards in Kenya. His articles about Unemployment, Scholarships, and Education have been featured on various newspapers and websites. He has received various awards in Kenya, South Korea and Belgium.
Andrew Mupuya – Uganda
The story of Andrew Mupuya (21) captivates one’s mind and affords the mind a field day to think more about achieving goals regardless of the obstacles. After his both parents lost their jobs in 2008 Andrew had to derive a meaning to make ends meet (he was 16 then), the government had just announced the ban of plastic bags to curb the impact garbage could have in hampering the environment, without any further delay the youngster sought for solutions to eliminate the problem and as they say the rest is history that is how he started his company Youth Entrepreneurial Link Investments ( YELI) which supplies supermarkets, restaurants and medical centres around Kampala with paper bags.
Gossy Ukanwoke – Nigeria
He is dubbed Nigeria’s budding Mark Zuckerberg; Gossy Ukanwoke (26) felt the urge to improve the education curriculum founded Students Circle Network which is the academic network for students, teachers and institutions that brings academic resources from over 200 universities and shares it free for students and teachers. Gossy possesses Bsc in Management Information Systems from Girne University in America.
Mazen Helmy – Egypt
Egypt is one of the most developed countries in the African continent; in 2011 Mazen Helmy founded The District which provides the working space for corporate world. At 27 Mazen has made a breakthrough into the industry which not many budding entrepreneurs tend to explore. After a period of three years of trial and error Mazen finally made a breakthrough which could serve as a firm foundation for upcoming projects The District could spearhead.
Mawuenana Ami Yomekpe- Ghana
Mawuenana Ami Yomekpe – from Accra, Ghana. An architect with a BA and Postgraduate degree in Architecture from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. She is a founder and Chief Executive officer of AfroMod trends, a luxurious clothing brand. Her business has partnered with Utopia wishlist organization in Accra, Ghana.
Saba Birat- Ethiopia
Saba Birat from Addis Ababa,Ethiopia. A 26years old member of the YALI Network. Saba has a bachelor‘s degree in Construction technology and management from Addis Ababa University, she founded a construction company after graduating. She works for Revo construction and TKM Maestro Technology PLC and volunteers with AIESEC, an international student-run leadership group.
Isaac Oboth – Uganda
Many entrepreneurs dream to see their businesses having a partnership with well established corporate which are well known worldwide. Media 256 has clients such as Coca cola, African Leadership Academy and Marie Stopes International to name a few; the founder is Isaac Oboth from Uganda.
Sangu Delle – Ghana
Sangu Delle is one youth whom Zambia is proud of, at 27 he co-founded Golden Palm Investments which is a holding company that invests in early stage venture and growth financing across Africa, especially real estate, healthcare, agribusiness and technology.
Khaled Shady – Egypt
Technology has advanced and it serves as a bridge to fill the gap of challenges the world is facing. From Egypt, A 22 year old Khaled Shady’s invention Mubser is a wearable belt with Bluetooth-connected headset that leverages RGB imaging and infrared depth data captured by a 3D-depth camera that allows blind and visually impaired people to navigate around in a safe and easy way.
Zainab Abdallah Issa- Tanzania
Zainab Abdallah Issa is a 21 year old from Tanzania, she holds a degree in customs and Tax management from the Institute of Tax Administration in Tanzania. A youth representative of the United Nations and an ambassador for several governmental and non-governmental organizations in Tanzania. She is also a member of the Tanzania Women Chambers Association, a media presenter and a poet currently working with Feint & Margin magazine and Oxford university press. With her experience as a Junior Achievement graduate with focus on entrepreneurship and financial literacy, she serves as a Managing Director of Creative and Classic 1 company. Zainab is a co-founder of Safer Safe Company and the founder of the Zainab Poetry foundation.
Issam Chleuh – Mali
Issam Chleuh a 27 year-old Malian national and former Ernst & Young Senior Associate is the founder of the Africa Impact Group. His company offers services include data and research, news, advisory services, and start-up incubation.
Khahliso Khama – Lesotho
Khahliso Khama – from Lesotho, 22 years of age is a young and self motivated social entrepreneur, journalist, TV Producer and a change agent. At the age of 17 she joined a national newspaper in Lesotho called Public eye as a junior reporter. Khahliso has served as a leader in youth organizations such as Lesotho Blood transfusion services. She initiated the Rotary club which funds to provide financial to the underprivileged learners in her school.
Eddy Balina – Uganda
Eddy Matagala Balina, 21 is a Ugandan Motivational speaker and social entrepreneur He is the Executive Director of The Nonviolence Project Uganda and East Africa regional coordinator. In 2012, he was selected as the National Youth Start ambassador for United Nations Capital Development Fund & Finance trust bank. He represents Uganda in the youth think tank of The MasterCard Foundation based in Toronto – Canada. His passion of inspiring young people has led him around Africa, U.S.A and Europe. Eddy believes that young people deserve a window of opportunity to spearhead positive social change and development.
Gabriel Obodai Torgbor-Ashong – Ghana
Gabriel Obodai Torgbor-Ashong a 23 years old and from Ghana. Who is now the Google Student Ambassador for his University. He has been a child and youth rights activist for the past seven years with Curious Minds – a youth-led advocacy organisation. He is the co-founder and Executive Chairperson of KetekeGh, a newsletter publication and student advocacy organisation. He has been closely involved with institutions such as UNICEF, UNFPA, ILO, and the then Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs, contributing to youth-related programmes and policies. He loves reading and being in the midst of children.
Payindwende Nadembega – Burkina Faso
Frankline Nadembega is the first young woman from Burkina Faso to be selected as one of Africa Most Outstanding Emerging Women Leaders by Moremi Initiative for Women Leadership in Africa. She holds a bachelor degree in American Cultural Studies and is passionate about community service, women empowerment, education, youth development, leadership and politics. Frankline has occupied several leadership roles including as Vice-President of the University of Ouagadougou (UO ) English club, where she promoted the use of English language in schools in rural areas. She established Women Find Their Voice in partnership with the US Embassy and the UO English Club to promote the holistic well-being and education of women and girls in society. She is a member of the US Embassy Youth Council where she supports efforts to enhance opportunities for youth. She is the current Country Director for the Global Alliance for Development Foundation (GAdeF/Burkina Faso) Frankline recently represented her country at the African Youth Amani Fellowship in Thaïland. She is a hard working, dynamic and motivated young woman who speaks six languages : English, French, Twi (Ashanti ), Mooré, Bissa and Yana.
Kingsley Ezeani – Nigeria
Kingsley Ezeani is Founder of Information Nigeria, a news portal that has become one of the most popular websites most popular websites in Nigeria with over 1 million Facebook fans. It is one of the most visited Nigerian websites with over 30 million monthly visitors. Kingsley Ezeani’s passion for development led to the founding of Crowd Sourced Education, a project which earned him the 2011 International Telecommunication Union (I.T.U) fellowship. He was also a finalist in the I.T.U Young Innovators Contest in Geneva, Switzerland and one of Nigeria’s delegates to the World Business Dialogue, the largest student conference in the world.
Bekezela Nsingo – Zimbabwe
Bekezela Nsingo is a Multi Award winner and the Founder/ CEO of African Mothers Foundation International. Born and raised in Zimbabwe married at 21 widowed at 27 experienced human trafficking but education and determination got her where she is today. She is a simple village girl who has inspired and touched lives in Zimbabwe and world over.
Christian Noah – Tanzania
Christian Noah aged 25, a professional Sociologist working with Kivulini Youth engagement program based in Mwanza region-Tanzania. Currently I was employed as a Program Officer by Kivulini Women’s Rights Organization to implement The Social Accountability Project. The project that aims to increase the voice Young people in negotiation abilities and decision processes.
Simon Ssenkaayi – Uganda
Simon Ssenkaayi Ugandan born, from a small village of Sseguku, a Rotarian, a youth advocate, a passionate leader and motivational and inspirational speaker. Professionally qualified as an educationist with concentration on economics and computer science, he has had an advanced training in advocacy from Turkey, sustainable youth-led development from UAE, SME management from China. He’s a graduate with an MBA with great focus on marketing management and strategy.
Tanyarandzwa Daringo – Namibia
Tanyaradzwa Daringo is a 22 year old woman of essence, Journalist and Law student at the University of Namibia, raised in the beautiful capital city of Namibia, Windhoek. One of the Founders of Her Liberty Namibia (HLN) a young feminist organization aimed at empowering young girls and women working towards gender equality in Namibia.
Khulekani Msweni – Swaziland
Khulekani Msweli completed a Diploma in Art and Design at Southport College, UK. He then went on to study towards a BA (Hons.) degree in Fashion Design and Technology at Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK. In 2007, he was awarded with the Fashion Designers and Crafters (FDC) Avant-Garde Young Designer of the Year Award. In 2009 he launched his own fashion label, JEREMPAUL, which has been showcased during London Fashion Week and now operates from the Art Centre, SwazilanSuper- talented fashion designer Khulekani Msweli from Swaziland, has been selected to participate in the first ever Washington Fellowship of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI).Khulekani was born 1984 in the farming town of Vuvulane. He completed his high school education at Waterford Kamhlaba, Swaziland. Passionate about the arts, he studied art and fashion design in England under the leadership of leading luxury women’s wear designer, Marios Schwab. Khulekani traveled to Paris, New York, Amsterdam, Germany, the Middle East, and West and Southern Africa.
