Alumni Enrichment Participants

Abdulsalam Aderibigbe -- Nigeria

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Abdulsalam Aderibigbe has more than four years of experience in entrepreneurship and business development. He is the founder of S.A. Leather Works, an enterprise that has leveraged its business process to develop the vocational and entrepreneurship skills of more than 1,000 women and youth. Previously, Abdulsalam worked on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Niger and Nigeria as a management information system officer and advocate for the SDGs. Abdulsalam holds a bachelor's degree in Linguistics and plans to gain his master's degree in Applied Linguistics. Abdulsalam is passionate about creating employment opportunities across his community through vocational and entrepreneurship education. On completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Abdulsalam looks forward to harnessing the knowledge, skills, and networks acquired to establish sustainable partnerships with stakeholders and create a platform for transferring vocational and entrepreneurship skills to more youth in Nigeria and across Africa.

Alice Aryeetey -- Ghana

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Alice Aryeetey is a Ghanaian broadcast journalist who has won multiple awards for her work. She has 10 years of experience reporting on the inclusiveness, development, and well-being of women and girls, especially those with disabilities. Alice is currently deputy news editor of GHOne TV and founder of a volunteer group that supports families with children who have disabilities. The group also visits local basic schools to empower young girls in diverse ways to achieve their dreams while also promoting proper menstrual hygiene in rural and peri-urban areas. Alice holds a bachelor's degree in Communication Studies. On completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Alice aims to use the knowledge and skills she acquires to advocate for more inclusiveness in Ghana's social policies by leveraging her organization and her platform as an influential journalist. She also aims to provide more sustainable services and assistance to many girls with disabilities and their families and to empower them with sustainable livelihoods so they can be independent.

Bridget Kowo -- Liberia

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Bridget Kowo is a planning officer at the Division of Planning and Policy of the Ministry of Agriculture in Liberia. In this role, she supports the formulation and implementation of policies and programs to enhance food security and promote agriculture growth and development by improving the productivity of smallholder farmers in Liberia. She also leads a community gardening initiative that contributes to the fight against food insecurity by increasing household food availability and promoting dietary diversification. Princess holds a Bachelor of Science in General Agriculture from the University of Liberia and has worked for several years as a food security and agriculture development professional, supporting agriculture extension service delivery and providing technical support for the design and implementation of agriculture programs. She is passionate about women's involvement in agriculture and aims to support the development of agriculture programs that provide alternative livelihood opportunities for underprivileged and disadvantaged women and girls. On completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Princess plans to further her studies in food security so she can continue helping Liberia attain food security and self-sufficiency.

Chifuniro Kambauwa -- Malawi

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Chifuniro Kambauwa has more than four years of experience in community development, fish farming, entrepreneurship, and HIV/AIDS management. Currently, Chifuniro is the co-founder and project coordinator at the Open Arms Foundation, where she works with women who are living with HIV/AIDS. She mobilizes women to engage in fish farming as a way to economically and socially empower themselves, and encourages them to include fish in their daily meals, as protein from fish builds antibodies and boosts energy. Chifuniro holds a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Management. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, she intends to use the skills she gains to train women in sustainable fish farming and entrepreneurship.

Chima Meshach Amadi -- Nigeria

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Chima Meshach Amadi has more than four years' experience in e-health, business, and project management. He is the founder of Clemac Digital Health and co-founder of Tide Rx; two health start-ups designed to improve access to healthcare for Nigerians through digital technology. Chima is a Commonwealth Scholar and the global lead on pharmacy workforce policy for the International Pharmaceutical Federation. He won the World Health Organization COVID-19 Hackathon Grant and the Roddenberry Foundation Catalyst Grant, and was a finalist in the Johnson & Johnson African Champions of Science in 2018. Chima holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy from the University of Port Harcourt; certifications in Business Management and Macroeconomics from the University of California, Irvine; and a certification in Global Health Policy from the University of Tokyo. Chima is committed to ensuring that Nigerians and other Africans have adequate access to quality and affordable healthcare and to creating employment for the Nigerian population. On completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Chima intends to lead his organization to ensure that up to 95% of the Nigerian population has access to quality and affordable healthcare within the next five years.

Chipo Zhou -- Zimbabwe

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Chipo Zhou has worked in the arts industry for more than 14 years, with experience in audiovisual. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (with honors) in Motion Picture Medium. Currently, she is the head of programming and curator for the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), the longest-running festival in southern Africa and arguably the largest in Africa. Chipo has deliberately cultivated the development of indigenous talent and facilitated access to both audiences and aspiring filmmakers from previously marginalized communities through various initiatives. As an avid proponent of the inclusion of women in the film industry, she signed the 50/50 by 2020 pledge on behalf of DIFF, having already demonstrated her commitment to the pledge at the time of her signing. Chipo sits on the Short Film Conference board and previously sat on the board of Women Filmmakers of Zimbabwe. She has also served on local and international film festival juries, as well as on project selection panels for several residency programs. On completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Chipo plans to develop various partnerships that will further expand women's access to the film industry and to international co-productions throughout Africa.

Donat N. Mugenga -- Rwanda

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Donat N. Mugenga has experience in transformational change, policy design, operations, and human resources (HR) management. Currently, Donat is the director of recruitment at the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture, where he helps prepare the next generation of leaders in conservation agriculture. Previously, he served as the administration and HR manager at Agaciro Development Fund, and as a quality development officer at the Higher Education Council. Donat is the founder of the Africa Academy for Careers and a youth mentor for the Global Give Back Circle and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. A consultant translator, he sits on the Advisory Board of the Rwanda Association of Professional Translators and Interpreters and was recognized by Google for participating in the first translation of Google web search in Kinyarwanda. Donat holds a Master of Business Administration from the Université Libre de Kigali, a postgraduate diploma in Educational Planning and Policy from the Open University of Tanzania, a Bachelor of Translation from the National University of Rwanda, and a Master of Laws from the University of South Wales. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Donat plans to empower talented youth through education and inspiration.

Emnet Shimber -- Ethiopia

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Emnet Shimber is a physician currently directing the intensive care unit and emergency department at the Hawassa University Hospital. She plans to develop skills in critical care and work with the Ministry of Health on issues related to equity and inclusion. Her professional goals include bringing human and equipment resources into regions, building the capacity of the regional hospitals by establishing centers and campaigning for affordable healthcare, and establishing a health insurance system that is affordable for poor populations. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Emnet hopes to advance the quality of hospitals' critical care systems in remote parts of the country.

Ezechiel Amagoron Douyon -- Mali

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Ezéchiel Amagoron Douyon has 10 years of experience as a community development professional in Mali. He works as a safety and security risk management professional in the Sahel region in Mali and helps rural communities enhance the well-being of vulnerable children by facilitating and advocating for their rights to education, health, nutrition, and protection. Ezéchiel is also a co-founder of the Douyon School Complex and the founder of an education initiative that builds youth capacities in citizenship and social accountability. He has a bachelor's degree in English Literature from the University of Bamako, and has participated in training in project management, communications, and conflict resolution. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Ezéchiel plans to continue helping and advocating for vulnerable populations.

Felix Richard Manyogote -- Tanzania

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Felix Manyogote is a medical doctor and award-winning social entrepreneur who believes in the universal right to healthcare and social protection. He is a co-founder of New Approach Community Empowerment Foundation, a health solution organization that delivers health information to fragile states in Tanzania. After losing his aunt in childbirth, Felix began to work on reducing maternal and newborn mortality rates by launching MaMa Plus, a mobile phone health education service that uses low-cost technologies to improve the healthcare of pregnant women and newborns by providing life-saving health information that is medically accurate, easy to understand, and empowering. In his position as the sexual and reproductive health and rights ambassador for young people, he helped pass the National Health Act, which has resulted in the allocation of more resources to strengthen sexual and reproductive health. Felix received the 2017 United Nations' Leave No One Behind Award, as well as the 120 under 40: The Generation of Family Planning Leaders Award from the Bill & Melinda Gates Institute of Population and Reproductive Health. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, he plans to work with rural communities on health projects and poverty reduction.

Gail Motloung -- South Africa

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Gail Motloung is a transformational speaker and author. She is the managing director at House of Yadah Publications and has written several books, including Believe You Can, Born for a Greater Purpose Journal, and Daddy, I'm Yours. She is also the founder of the Girl with a Purpose Foundation, a South African non-profit organization that empowers, equips, and inspires young women, and runs a casting agency for young upcoming actors and filmmakers. Gail holds a degree in Theology and a diploma in Entrepreneurship from the Vaal University of Technology. A recipient of a 2016 Esther Woman In The Kingdom Award, a 2019 True Shine Award, a 2020 Women of Stature Award, and a 2020 Extraordinary Women Award, Gail was also a Tammy Taylor Mrs. South Africa semifinalist in 2018. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, she plans to fulfill her life's motto: "If you can see the invisible, you can do the impossible."

Jacky Waiharo -- Kenya

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Jackline Waiharo is a teacher with nine years of experience in the public and private sectors. As a young woman living with a disability in Kenya, she volunteers as an ambassador at a gifted community center, where she shares her ideas and creates opportunities for others to grow and learn about inclusion. Jackline also works with the Kiambu County government in the Kinoo Ward as a representative for people with disabilities. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Jackline hopes to leverage her knowledge to work for and with the government to represent people with disabilities and to advocate more for inclusion.

Jireh Bookwa -- Congo

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Jireh Boloy Bookwa is an award-winning social entrepreneur with more than six years of experience in project management, information and communication technology, and youth empowerment through education. He has a strong passion for politics and sustainable development and uses social entrepreneurship and smart technologies to deliver positive change in his community. In May 2019, he was appointed Democratic Republic of the Congo national coordinator of the Youth Action Hub, an initiative that allows youth to share their views on matters within the United Nations (UN) Conference on Trade and Development's mandate. Jireh and his team are game-changers in their communities, setting up projects related to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Jireh has also created TEK'ART, an online platform to sell and promote the works of African artists. Jireh holds a postgraduate diploma in Educational Policy, Leadership, and Management from East China Normal University in Shanghai. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Jireh plans to focus on public policy formulation and analysis, and to champion reforms that will encourage youth commitment to parliament and public enterprises.

Kago Mweemba -- Botswana

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Timothy Kago Mweemba has more than eight years of experience designing, implementing, and evaluating community engagement, skills development, and advocacy programs. Timothy is a business development officer and project manager at Young Africa Botswana, a non-governmental organization that provides skills development in entrepreneurship and the creative industry. He is also the founder of Young Minds Africa, an initiative that provides youth with opportunities in education, entrepreneurship, and employment through various programs. Timothy is committed to improving productivity in Botswana's workforce, reshaping the economy by leveraging and enhancing the skills and talents of youth, and advocating for legislative changes and implementation. He is passionate about learning, exploring new possibilities, and creating opportunities for youth so that they can change the world. Timothy is a Young African Leaders Initiative Regional Leadership Center Alumnus. He holds degrees in Psychology and Economics. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, he intends to scale up his interventions in Young Minds Africa and Young Africa Botswana to create better opportunities for young Africans.

Kayula Chisanga -- Zambia

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Kayula Chisanga is a radio and TV host, blogger, entrepreneur, and philanthropist from Zambia. She is passionate about her work and using it to make a difference in her community and beyond. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Belinda plans to apply her new skills and network to enhance her impact in her community, country, and continent.

Kwame Owusu Ansah -- Ghana

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Kwame Owusu Ansah is a tech evangelist, web developer, and serial entrepreneur with more than nine years' experience in the Ghanaian tech industry, spanning web and mobile development and digital marketing services. Kwame is currently the general manager of Virdge Digital. Previously, he served as the tech and product innovations manager and tech show host at TV3 Ghana, where he developed systems that helped the digital subsidiary achieve over 200% growth in revenue. Kwame is also co-founder and chief operating officer of Wanadryve, a sponsored cloud storage and unlimited file transfer start-up; co-founder of Zami Reports, a news portal that highlights women's achievements and trains journalists in the Northern Region; and founder and president of Techstripped, a tech advocacy network raising Ghana's next generation of influential tech leaders. Kwame is passionate about using technology to drive positive change across the continent, while giving youth opportunities to make an impact through skills training and mentorships. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Kwame plans to use the knowledge acquired to scale up his businesses across the African continent, enhance his business models, and form profitable partnerships with like-minded Fellows and tech leaders around the world.

Landry Sagbo -- Benin

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Landry Sagbo is a public health physician with more than 10 years of experience in health and nutrition programs and sexual and reproductive health programs, including maternal and newborn health and family planning. He oversees a capacity-building project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that aims to improve primary healthcare services in the southwest states of Nigeria. Landry also founded Pan African Humanitarians, a group of pan African consultants. He holds a doctorate degree in Medicine from Saint Christopher College of Medicine in Senegal and a master's degree in Public Health and Reproductive Health Sciences from Pan African University in Nigeria. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Landry plans to run an African hub of consultants to improve the health system, promote innovation, encourage international, regional, and local partnerships with local businesses, and contribute to the development of Africa.

Maribe Mamabolo -- South Africa

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Maribe Mamabolo has more than 17 years of professional experience in sports and recreation, youth development, business and entrepreneurship, and community development. Maribe has worked in senior management in the public sector, civil society, and the private sector. He is executive manager of the North West Provincial Recreation Council, an organization that renders recreational and wellness programs to more than 60,000 individuals annually. Maribe previously served as advisor to South Africa's minister of sports and recreation and deputy minister of public service and administration. Maribe is on the boards of the Young Professionals Network (a body of the African Association for Public Administration and Management), the Youth Network of the African Peer Review Mechanism, and Kunye Services (the largest egg distribution company in South Africa). He is also a trustee of the Mosaic Business Trust, part of the Mosaic Group, which is a sustainable model for the care of orphans and vulnerable children. Maribe obtained his master's degree in Development Policy and Practice from the University of Cape Town, and after completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, he plans to finish his Ph.D. in International Development so he can help partnerships improve participatory governance.

Mhlangeni Chiiko -- Zambia

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Mhlangeni Chiiko is an economist and social entrepreneur who believes business can transform low-income communities. Mhlangeni works at the Zambian Ministry of Finance, and is co-founder and business developer of start-ups that improve maternal and neonatal mortality rates and enhance agriculture finance for smallholder farmers. Mhlangeni leverages digital payments technology to enhance economic growth and financial inclusion of underserved communities. He participated in the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) at the University of South Africa School of Business and was among the Top 100 Young Leaders in Southern Africa at the YALI Alumni Conference. Mhlangeni graduated from the Copperbelt University and from the #FinTech4U accelerator program executed by the United Nations Capital Development Fund and BongoHive. He was first runner-up at the MTN MoMo Hackathon 2020 and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Entrepreneurship Fund. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Mhlangeni wants to help empower the next generation of African youth to take ownership of their nations' economy, which he believes will lead to job creation, curb rural-urban migration, and promote economic cooperation among nations. Youth empowerment also can alleviate the scourge of poverty and unleash the continent's potential to lead the world into the next century.

Prescilla Awino Onyango -- Kenya

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Prescilla Awino Onyango has more than six years of experience in environmentally-friendly enterprises in the Lake Victoria region. Because she strongly believes in human-centered design, she founded Winam Green Ventures, an organization that empowers women and girls in marginalized communities in the wetlands and islands of Kenya to implement socioeconomic projects (involving briquettes, improved energy-saving cookstoves, and organic and hydroponic farming, as well as advocacy, leadership, and mentorship). Before founding Winam Green Ventures, she was the operations director at Women in Sustainable Enterprises. She is an alumna of the Young African Leaders Initiative Regional Leadership Center in East Africa, and of the Young Women in African Power Program. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Prescilla, together with Women's Campaign International, designed a COVID-19 project for reducing adolescent pregnancy and ensuring that more girls return to school after the pandemic. She also successfully implemented a pilot project with 60 girls to make a meaningful impact on her community. On completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, she plans to continue empowering girls and women through collaboration with other Fellows.

Ralph Nyasha Maoneyi -- Zimbabwe

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Ralph Nyasha Maoneyi has more than three years of experience serving the Zimbabwean municipality of Kariba as an elected councilman. He is the municipality's current chamber chief whip and the chair of finance. Ralph has eight years of experience in local governance activism and policy making. He has advocated for good local governance and for establishing resilient, inclusive, and efficiently run urban communities that reflect sound budgeting and good public services. Ralph has helped create broad, inclusive, and engaging platforms on budgeting and planning. He holds a national certificate of apprenticeship in Electrical Engineering and is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Public Management. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Ralph wants to develop an effective network of young leaders in local and national governance that will play a part in establishing resilient urban communities and human habitats in Zimbabwe and in Africa.

Samira Garba Hamidou -- Niger

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Samira Garba Hamidou is a co-founder of the start-up SS Agro, which facilitates the transformation and marketing of cassava into gari and attieke to counter the food insecurity facing Niger and to reduce imports into the country. In addition, Samira works for a Danish organization that helps refugees; she is part of the team that ensures coordination throughout Niger. Samira holds a Master of Business Administration in Banking and Finance from the Centre Africain d'Études Supérieures en Gestion. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Samira hopes to continue work that will positively affect her environment.

Solomon Ateh -- Cameroon

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Solomon Ateh has more than five years of experience in development communications. Currently, Solomon is the founder and publisher of Bantu Voices, a digital media platform that provides visibility and amplifies the voices of civil society organizations in Cameroon. He also volunteers with various groups dealing with human rights, peace, and democracy. He strongly believes that digital communications will make a societal difference in all communities. Solomon holds a bachelor's degree in Conflict Resolution. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Solomon intends to use his new knowledge and resources to advance digital rights and to foster a culture of peace in Cameroon's digital space.

William Marandu -- Tanzania

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William Marandu has more than five years' experience in the fields of refugee resettlement and renewable energy, and more than six years' experience as a volunteer with the Red Cross Society. Currently, William is a field processing supervisor at Church World Service, focusing on providing durable solutions to refugees fleeing persecution through resettlement to the United States. In that position, he has helped resettle more than 10,000 refugees from Tanzania to the United States in search of a better life. William holds a bachelor's degree in Law. He is driven by the words of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said that "every person . . . is a human being and has the right to be treated as such." William co-founded a legal aid clinic that provides pro bono legal assistance and education to refugees. On completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, he plans to advocate for refugee-friendly policies, create a platform to provide free legal education and assistance to refugees, and create a network of survivors who will champion each other's rights.

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