Adinkra Christian Yaw
Ghana
Public Services Management

Christian Adinkra Yaw trained teacher and journalist, as a teacher, he teaches at the Junior and Senior High School. He is the founder of Teach and Lead Consult, a training consulting firm and he has about 702 teachers in leadership and empowered them to take up leadership role in the community they teach. As a journalist, he uses media for advocacy and helps in the fight for child education at all levels and his publications influenced the municipal Assembly to provide school buildings and a build walls around various schools within the municipality in Accra. He is a youth Coordinator for the Ghana National Association of Teachers. He is currently the Municipal Teachers Welfare Secretary. Christian also holds a Degree in Communication Studies and Diploma in Basic Education.

Agbata Prince Kwame
Ghana
Business & Entrepreneurship

Mr Prince Agbata is the Founder and CEO of iDEA Africa, a non-profit organization in Accra and Lagos that focuses on providing access to quality education to children and youth in both urban local and rural communities. He is also an entrepreneur with startups in waste management, education and agriculture and most importantly ‘’CODE4KIDS ‘’ a project that teach kids how to create software applications and robotics. He is a fellow of the Ampion venture tour West Africa; a tour that gathers tech entrepreneurs from across Africa and equip them with the needed skills in sustaining their startups, and a winner of startup fellowship awards, mentorships and grants.

Atibilla Linda Lariba
Ghana
Business & Entrepreneurship

Linda is an entrepreneur from the Northern part of Ghana currently working with the local community to venture into Shea butter processing. She works with Hope Givers, a social enterprise company that she is registered with. She is working together with the local women to birth a new creative technology in the Shea industry.

Attise Seyram Harmony
Ghana
Business & Entrepreneurship

Harmony Attise is the Founder and CEO of Commec Ghana Ltd, a Marketing, Project and Business Development and Management company providing exclusive Small Business Solutions to youth businesses and startups in Accra, Ghana. Harmony is also the Editor-in-chief of the FOCUS African Youth Magazine a Bi-annual magazine that showcases youth businesses and recognizes their achievements. Harmony affiliates with other youth organizations such as SproutC Multimedia and Chemphe Change Foundation that advocate ending violence against women.

Bakpa Emily Patience
Ghana
Public Services Management

Miss Bakpa Emily Patience is a post harvest technologist and a researcher in agriculture in her own way with a year experience. She is currently doing greenhouse management as her national service at the department of horticulture at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi. Emily holds a bachelor's degree in Post harvest technology in agriculture from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi.

Benjamin Addo-Mensah
Ghana
Business & Entrepreneurship

Mr. Benjamin Addo-Mensah is a Project Delivery Consultant for I-MAS Communications, a telecommunications company that is involved in the deployment, upgrade and maintenance of telecommunications equipment and radio cell sites. He worked with Vodafone Ghana and Huawei as a Transmissions Engineer at their Network Operations Center (NOC). Mr. Addo-Mensah is in the process of setting up a company that will produce fiber-glass satellite dishes to compliment the efforts of the National Communications Authority (NCA) in its drive for a smooth digital television migration. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Telecommunications Engineering from the Ghana Technology University College and is the second Assistant Martial Arts Instructor for the Kyokushin Karate Ghana. He teaches both children and adults the principles of karate to enforce discipline, promote respect and improve self-confidence across the ages. He is also a health and fitness instructor and an advocate of good healthy living lifestyles.

Elizabeth Akowuge
Ghana
Business & Entrepreneurship

Ms. Elizabeth Akowuge is a Business Strategist and a Social Entrepreneur with commitment towards promoting sustainable livelihoods, empowering women, youth entrepreneurship as well as consulting innovative business techniques and ideas. She is the Founder of Umbrella Ghana and Accounts and Operations Manager for Royal City Company limited, importers of Royal Lady sanitary pad. She is Director of Research RYC Ghana and Co-founder of Wechiau Community Library, the first ever Mobile Library Service in the Upper West Region of Ghana to improve literacy among rural children with support from Plan Ghana and MTN. Ms Elizabeth holds Bachelors and Masters Degree in Accounting.

Emelia Owusu-Prempeh
Ghana
Civil Society Leadership

Emelia Ewurafua Owusu-Prempeh founded Prempeh Legal Foundation. At the Foundation we are convinced that the rule of law is fundamental to the citizenry. Specialties include human rights, conflict and dispute resolution, advocacy and mentorship. She volunteer at ‘’Justice for All the foundation ‘’ where fight for social justice and real change is priority. Ewurafua also engages in volunteer services at International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA) by promoting human rights awareness, abuses and educate citizens about their basic rights. She is the project coordinator at Esther’s Foundation a non-profit organization that supports brilliant but needy children in school.

Emmanuel Antwi Akoto
Ghana
Business & Entrepreneurship

Emmanuel Antwi Akoto (aka Akoto DerGross) is Founder & CEO of Fat2Fit Ghana, a weight management organization committed to fighting obesity in Ghana and beyond. Having gone from 130kg to 65kg, DerGross has developed a passion to motivate others achieve their health and weight loss goals. He is author of "7 Simple Steps to Losing Weight", a book that shows how he overcame obesity and how others too can overcome. He blogs about the dangers of obesity and the importance of a healthy-active lifestyle on www.fat2fitghana.com. He has appeared on several media platforms including radio and TV to share his inspiring weight loss story. DerGross is a Hesselbein fellow, an alumnus of Go Africa, Go Germany and holds a masters in international Law & Business from Germany.

Ivy Appiah
Ghana
Business & Entrepreneurship

Ivy Appiah is the founder of Tiwajo foundation and CEO of Tiwajo Industry Limited. She is a biochemist with 10 years’ experience in organic food formulation, organic cosmetic manufacturing and product development. She empowers women and youth by providing them with hands-on skill training in product development and bead designing and supports them with further mentorship and motivation to start their own businesses. She collaborates with churches, women organizations and individuals to improve their livelihood making them financially independent through building a business or adding value to an existing business. She holds MPhil. in Food Science from the University of Ghana.

John Kojo Bode Williams
Ghana
Business & Entrepreneurship

Kojo Williams is a Communications Specialist with over thirteen years’ experience. He is the CEO of Integrity PR, a public relations and media agency. He founded the Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), West Africa, and the sub-region’s leading advocacy organization in social responsibility and sustainability. He collaborates with the Association of Ghana Industries, Chamber of Commerce, Ministry of Trade, Plan International and the media to advocate on issues regarding greening, sustainability, environmental protection and social responsibility. His flagship national and media-studded events are compelling companies in Ghana to be responsive to sustainability issues as contained in the Sustainable Development Goals.

Josephine Afriyie Acheampong
Ghana
Civil Society Leadership

Josephine Acheampong is a Co-Mentor with STEM bees (www.stembees.org), a non-profit organization empowering young African Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). She has mentored and taught over 100 young girls in STEM. In collaboration with FreeLunch GH, she has and continues to feed and teach children in rural areas in the Greater Accra and Eastern Regions of Ghana. She seeks to reach more young African girls across the country, teaching and mentoring them to be actively involved in STEM for nation building and continental impact. She is currently the Quality Assurance Officer of Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Ghana Limited.

King Moses Attrams
Ghana
Business & Entrepreneurship

King Moses Attrams is the Founder and President of Campus Entrepreneurs Organization, a youth entrepreneurial network with the mission of empowering Africa’s youth for job creation and reducing unemployment. He also affiliates with Touching Lives Foundation (www.tloin.org), an Ngo promoting education, health care and capacity building for the underprivileged in Ghana. King also helps to empower and promote the works of street children on the streets of Osu, Accra in bracelets and necklaces making. In his capacity, King assists students on campuses with their CV writing, business ideas and business plan development.

Laar Philemon Zaa-nyeya
Ghana
Public Services Management

Philemon Laar is a second year law student of Wisconsin University. His core values are Integrity, Justice and equity and these have urged his want for a more inclusive society where children freely explore their talents and skills. He is an experienced Youth Leader that served as President of the Students’ Representative Council of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. He also holds a Master’s Degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy at the University of Ghana. He mentors Student Leaders from the University of Ghana and KNUST.

Lucy Amrago
Ghana
Civil Society Leadership

Lucy Amrago has been in the educational sector for five years; she teaches Geography and Government in a private Senior high school in Accra, Ghana and also teaches English Language and Social Studies In a remedial school.

To exert her leadership prowess; Lucy carries out civic education in senior high schools and advocacy towards promoting quality basic education in urban poor communities all in Accra, Ghana. She is also the President of the youth ministry in her Church.

Margaret Davids
Ghana
Civil Society Leadership

Margaret Agyeman is an agronomist and a youth development expert with ten years experience on agriculture and youth developmental issues such as women education and women entrepreneurship. Currently she is the senior project manager for AG DAVIS Youth Development Network. In her capacity, she provides aid to persons and communities on developmental issues. She works with stakeholders such as Ghana Ministry of Education, Community schools, farmers and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Margaret holds a bachelor's degree in science and an MPHIL in Crop Science both from the University of Ghana.

Mohammed Abdulsalam
Ghana
Business & Entrepreneurship

Mr. Abdulsalam Mohammed is a nursing officer with 3 years professional working experience at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana. He is committed to providing community based medical screening services and health education to households, schools, market places, religious bodies and institutions. Mohammed is currently the founder of Corporate Health Ghana Ltd, a mobile clinic outfit which provides health services at the door steps of corporate institutions. He was also a member of ‘2014 Ghana National Hajj Medical Team' to Saudi Arabia and since then he has been working with some Hajj travel and tours in Ghana to educate and prepare Ghanaian pilgrims on how to prevent diseases with public health concerns during Hajj.

Owusu Irene Amoakoh
Ghana
Civil Society Leadership

Irene Amoakoh Owusu is a founding member of OAK foundation (formerly PAMGAD), an NGO that aims at ensuring young women stay in school and excel, by mentoring and empowering them through institutionalized girls’ clubs in Senior High Schools. She is in charge of these High School programs and currently coaches young women on self-identification and etiquettes. Irene volunteers as an integrated science teacher at Presbyterian Vocational Institute in Accra. As a postgraduate student, Ms Owusu is working towards being a researcher and activist in the areas of infectious diseases and environmental sanitation.

Portia Oppong Baffour
Ghana
Public Services Management

Portia Oppong Baffour is the Founder and CEO of Dream Hunt, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that works in sustainable development and alternative source of Livelihood, as well as youth inclusion for development and social welfare. She is an activist on Climate Change in Ghana. She is the secretary of coalition of NGO’s in Tema. Portia affiliates with 350.org, Water Aid Ghana, Friends of the Earth US, Abibiman Foundation, Ghana Reducing Our Carbon (GROC) and Strategic Youth Network.

Selassie Freeman Tay
Ghana
Civil Society Leadership

Selassie Tay is the founder and executive director of Tongu Youth Agenda for Development, a non-governmental organization that works at developing and empowering youth, young women and children in the three Tongu Districts of Ghana by focusing on education, entrepreneurship and health. In September 2015, the International Literacy Association named Mr. Tay in the 30under30 list for his effort in improving the reading and numeracy skills of over 200 pupils through his mobile library program. He also works as a micro finance consultant and volunteers with A World At School, Landmark Development Initiative (LDI) Africa and United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth (UN MGCY).

Victor Adjei Mframah
Ghana
Public Services Management

Victor Adjei Mframah is an Environmentalist, Community Service Leader and a Co founder of CATE GHANA, (Changing Attitudes towards the Environment), an NGO that has embarked on several environmental campaigns in Tertiary and second cycle schools in Ghana and has also distributed several waste bins across Ghana. Victor also works with the Local Government Service as Assistant Director. Victor through CATE GHANA engages the Community, Peers and Students on Waste segregation, recycling of waste and climate change. CATE GHANA has the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Environment and the Coalition of Environmental NGO’s as its Stakeholders. Victor holds a Master of Arts in Local Governance and Administration from the Institute of Local Government.

Wilson Shine Anku
Ghana
Civil Society Leadership

Wilson Shine Anku is a Project Officer with special interest in Food Security and Economic Development. Currently, he works with World Vision Ghana serving eleven communities of vulnerable people to improve household food security, resilience, agribusiness and commerce for about 21,000 beneficiaries. Wilson holds a Bachelor of Science in General Agriculture from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. He equally holds certificates in Project Management, Disaster Risk Reduction, Monitoring and Evaluation as well as Proposal and Grant Writing. He is currently preparing towards the Project Management Professional (PMP) Examination. When Wilson is not writing Most Significant Change (MSC) stories in project success, he is either developing a project concept paper or providing career guidance to youths in his community.

Yakubu Fatimata
Ghana
Civil Society Leadership

Fatimata Yakubu is a professional nurse in the Savelugu Municipal Hospital. She is a beneficiary of the Campaign for female education (CAMFED), a financial literacy and entrepreneurship peer educator, who has trained over 500 senior and junior high students. She is an advocate on health-related issues like teenage pregnancy, maternal mortality, Hepatitis B, Epilepsy, HIV/AIDS etc. In October 2014, Fatima initiated and spearheaded a project called "Safe Delivery: Priority for All" in her community to reduce the high rate of maternal mortality and morbidity. This initiative has helped increase the number of pregnant mothers who go to the hospital for antenatal and prenatal care from 30% to 80%. She also mentors senior high school students and is the main facilitator for CAMFED Leadership Camp. Fatima holds a Certificate in Enrolled Nursing from the Yendi College of Health Sciences in the Northern part of Ghana.

Sandra Brew
Ghana
Civil Society Leadership

Sandra Brew is a peer educator and learner guide who facilitates modules to senior high school students in her district (Gomoa West). Her aim is for the girl-child to stay in school and learn. As the district chairperson and national secretary for the CAMFED Association (CAMA), a network of young women reinvesting the benefits of their education into their various communities through outreach programs, Sandra has guided 360 students who now have access to quality education. She is a volunteer teacher at Abrekum primary and junior high school in Central Ghana. Sandra is a senior high school graduate.

Lucy Apeajei
Ghana
Civil Society Leadership

Ms. Lucy Apeajei is the founder and CEO of Just Care Foundation, a non-profit organization promoting adolescent girl’s education, health awareness and adolescent girl’s empowerment on entrepreneurial and vocational skills in the Central Region of Ghana. Ms. Apeajei is a counselor in community consultation on girl child development. She affiliates with the Coalition of NGOs associated with the UN-DPI, Coalition of NGOs in Health and the Coalition for Adolescent Girls.

Sahada Sayibu
Ghana
Civil Society Leadership

Sahada Sayibu is a social advocate, a trainer and an ambassador of Camfed Ghana in the Northern Region, an NGO that supports girl child education and women empowerment. As a peer educator on Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship, she has empowered about 200 students and 300 businesswomen. Sahada through "My Better World Program" helps student build aptitude for learning. About 2400 students have benefited from her graduates learner guides. She has helped to form study groups to over 1200 learners in three secondary schools for academic excellence in Ghana. Sahada is an advocate of the disable, good parenting and girls and women empowerment.

Mohammed Rashida Maltiti
Ghana
Civil Society Leadership

Rashida Maltiti Mohammed is a community social advocate and a core trainer in the CAMFED Ghana Alumni CAMA, Campaign For Female Education Association which was form as tool for members to empower women folks in deprived communities. She trains young ladies and communities members on financial literacy and entrepreneurship programs. She is a lead facilitator for Dance for life Ghana, and life planning skills facilitator with Plan parenthood association of Ghana, Maltiti works with Purim African youth development girls network in the northern region of Ghana as a programs coordinator Mohammed Rashida Maltiti is a Senior High School graduate.

Adam Humu-Hani
Ghana
Civil Society Leadership

Miss Adam is the CEO/Founder of Ambassadors for positive change Ghana, a non-governmental organization that seeks to empower and challenge the youth, most especially women to take up leadership roles in the northern region of Ghana. Miss Adam is an ambassador for Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) and also the coordinator for financial literacy and entrepreneurship at CAMFED in the Savelugu municipality of northern Ghana. In this role, she has trained over 33 peer educators who have gone one to collectively equip over 2400 young people from the northern region on financial literacy and entrepreneurship.

Ameyaw Baah Harrison
Ghana
Business & Entrepreneurship

Mr Harrison Baah Ameyaw is a graduate scholar in African Indigenous Knowledge Systems and the CEO & Founder of Split Gallery, an organization of professional African photographers that seek to tell the African story through photography. He is also the founder of Strong Touch Africa, an Accra based NGO that promotes education through school specific entertainment programs. He is currently the online marketing strategist for Viasat 1 Ghana and a member of Help Save Africa campaign.

Eseenam Ama Agbagedy
Ghana
Business & Entrepreneurship

Eseenam Agbagedy is a social entrepreneur focusing on basic and secondary education in Ghana. She is the co-founder/project officer at the Charles Nypson Foundation, an NGO that seeks to make education more pleasurable and meaningful to students in the deprived regions. In that capacity, she initiated the Pre-BECE, Pre-SHS, Pre-tertiary programs for students to equip them for the next stage, then is the reading project for teachers as well. Eseenam is a board member of her community library and was instrumental in the acquisition of 3000 books for it in 2014. She is also the co-founder/administrator of 'Transforming the Self' Remedial Center.

Agyemang Pokuaa Mina
Ghana
Civil Society Leadership

Ms. Agyemang Pokuaa Mina is a co- founder of Agenda Project, a social venture that seeks the holistic education of the orphan child and the underprivileged child. She is working with such school children from the University Staff Village JHS in the Greater Accra region. She is an award winner of the Resolution Social Venture Challenge organized at the Harvard National Model UN (HNMUN) 2015 conference in USA, thus in the pipeline of becoming a Resolution Fellow. Ms Agyemang is the University of Ghana Women Entrepreneurship Day (WED) org. based in New York student ambassador. With this, she seeks the empowerment of women in not only her academic community. She is a MUNer (HNMUN 2015 participant) who serves as a volunteer of Life-link Friendship Schools as a conference staff and a Model United Nations (MUN) trainer. She is a Political Science major and English minor level 300 student of University of Ghana.

Corban Samuel Matekole
Ghana
Business & Entrepreneurship

Mr. Corban Matekole is the Founder and CEO of Corban Photography, a registered company that serves small and medium-sized businesses and non-profits organizations for all of their photography needs. He was the Official photographer for Ghana’s Constitution Review Commission. He also works with other stakeholders such as Ethica Ghana in training the Youth with vocational skills such as photography. Mr. Matekole is also the country representative for Adopt One Village (AOV), a United State’s based Charity Organization helping to improve and educate the less privilege in the Abetifi-Kwahu municipality, Eastern Region. In his capacity as the Youth Leader of his community, he mobilizes the youth in community cleaning, health forums and the need to develop and grow as a community.

Ibrahim Kamal-Deen Mbanba
Ghana
Civil Society Leadership

Kamal-Deen is a first degree holder from the University of Ghana-Legon, in Social Work with Psychology. He is also a Certificate holder in Local Government Administration from the Institute of Local Government Studies, Accra, Ghana. Kamal-Deen is the founder and Executive Director of Green Northern Ghana (GNG), an initiative to promote environmental sustainability and improvement in rural livelihood in the Northern Region of Ghana. He is also a Local Government practitioner for the past four years and has served in the capacity of a Community Development Officer and as an administrator in the rank of an Assistant Director in two Districts. Prior to his engagement in the Local Government Service, he had also worked in the NGO circles as a Field Officer and a Research Assistant in his early working life.

Priscilla Naa Aklerh Okantey
Ghana
Civil Society Leadership

Priscilla Naa Aklerh Okantey is the Founder and Executive Director of ReachOut World Mission an NGO in Ghana, an organization that provides shelter to and trains under privileged homeless youth in employable and entrepreneurial skills. She believes in impacting the World by empowering passionate youth to stand out and make a difference in their communities. With a degree in Earth Science (Petroleum Geoscience), she has worked as a Logistics Director, a Free-lance Marketer, a Project analyst and the Head of Operations for Broadview Trust. She is the brain behind THE LOVE FAIR an annual event uniting Non-profit organizations, charity homes and the general public on one platform for fundraising and with social impact activities.

Acheneje Magdalene Ojonogecha
Nigeria
Public Services Management

Magdalene O. Acheneje is a broadcaster; she works with Nigeria Info FM radio station in Lagos. She presently works as an intern on a radio show called Morning Crossfire where she discusses topical and headline issues affecting her community. She is the social media lead for domestic and sexual violence response team in Lagos. She volunteers for Hope Inspired Foundation where she empowers young girls through education, capacity building, self-determination for productive living and equal participation in all aspects of community. She mentors teenage visually impaired girls and is also a member of Daystar Path-finder Unit in her church where she trains young people.

Adamu Cecilia John
Nigeria
Business & Entrepreneurship

Cecilia John Adamu is a social entrepreneur with over 5 years of working experience in the development sector, specifically in the area of widow empowerment and orphan education. Cecilia has rendered humanitarian aid to about 60 female refugees displaced by the insurgence in the Northeastern region of Nigeria for a period of about two months. Currently, Cecilia is a member of the Network for African Youth Development, and volunteers for the Centre for Integrated Health Programs. She also serves as a youth leader in Latterhouse Christian Center. Cecilia holds a Bachelors degree in Food Science and Technology from University of Maiduguri.

Adedeji Adedoyin Oluwarotimi
Nigeria
Business & Entrepreneurship

Adedoyin Adedoyin is the Managing Partner of CliqEdge Limited, an online media company, we work with early stage businesses and SME's to grow their business using online tools. He is the Co-founder of multiple Nigerian Internet companies, which include: Audiotitan.com, Exclusivedeals.com.ng, Mailcliq.com, AdCabal.com. He volunteers for International Center for Leadership Development, Nigeria where he works as the media director. He is an advocate against cybercrime and Internet fraud in Lagos, Nigeria. For him, advocacy is not enough he believes in empowering young people with the adequate tech skills needed to channel their thinking into building dynamic and sustainable Internet companies in Nigeria, which is the best way to combat cybercrime.

Adewoye Olumide Adekola
Nigeria
Business & Entrepreneurship

Olumide Adewoye is a Chemical Engineer by training. He bootstrapped Versacorp Global Concept Ltd (www.versacorpglobal.com.ng)- a manufacturing company which focuses on sustainable production of personal, home and laundry care products. Olumide worked as a Regional Risk Management Officer at Access Bank Plc., managing credit risk assets in excess of 50 billion Naira across 52 bank branches in South West Nigeria. He was an ExxonMobil undergraduate scholar, an Alumnus of the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program (TEEP) and World Entrepreneurship Forum (WEF). He volunteers as an entrepreneurship trainer at a local secondary school where he teaches high school students how to turn societal challenges into viable businesses.

Agho Princess Blessing
Nigeria
Business & Entrepreneurship

Agho Princess Blessing is an agronomist, an expert with three years experience in agriculture. She is the founder of EarthTab Services, an organization that trains and empowers women and youth on how to transform their businesses into profitable entrepreneurial activities. She is currently a student studying Entrepreneurship at National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). Blessing is the co-founder of the Spelling Competition Nigeria. She is also the assistant Public Relation Officer to National Youth Council of Nigeria, Edo State Chapter, and the State Secretary to Patriots Nigeria, a Non-Governmental Organization involved in enhancing participation of youth in leadership and development.

Ajayi Oluwole Olakunle
Nigeria
Business & Entrepreneurship

Ajayi Oluwole Olakunle, is social entrepreneur passionate about tackling and eradicating unemployment all over the world. He is the managing director of Diamond Coin Consulting Services. He is the team leader at Global Entrepreneurship Platform, a not-for-profit organization and also Global Entrepreneurship Academy, which creates a forum whereby intending and existing entrepreneurs come together to synergize. Ajayi, belongs to the following professional bodies: the Nigerian institute of Management (NIM), Institute of Strategic Management of Nigeria (ISMN), Project management professional (PMP), Health, safety and environment (HSE), Daystar Leadership Academy (DLA), and Advanced certificate in Leadership (ACL).

Akinde Halimat Afolasade
Nigeria
Business & Entrepreneurship

Akinde Halimat Afolasade has been actively involved in community service for the past eight years. She is the founder of "Ability-in-Disability", a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the physically challenged with income generating activities, through vocational and entrepreneurial training. Sade has strong negotiation and advocacy skills, which have helped her to secure scholarships for tuition fee and feeding intervention program for indigent physically challenged students. Sade holds a Master of Science degree in Food Processing and Storage Technology, and presently, she is a Research Fellow at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, (IITA), in Ibadan.

Akinola Emmanuella Mercy 
Nigeria
Civil Society Leadership

Mrs. Akinola Emmanuella is the founder of Disability Awareness and Development Initiative, a non-profit organization providing access to information to persons with disability and increasing awareness on disability in order to promote inclusive policies and practices in Nigeria. She is a Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability & Professionalism (LEAP) Africa Social Innovators Fellow, 2015. Emmanuella authored the "Disability Reporting Manual: A guide towards an inclusive journalism and media advocacy" with which she has trained members of Nigerian Union of Journalist, Lagos Council. She is a volunteer teacher at a community School in Ikorodu, Lagos where she teaches computer studies to over 600 students in the junior secondary school.

Amujo Emmanuel Temitope
Nigeria
Business & Entrepreneurship

Temitope Amujo is the Chairman of amuGOLD Group (www.amugoldgroup.com), a company that developed an award winning ultra-modern Shea butter Plant in Nigeria to improve the quality of the product and empower rural-women. He also established a mechanized pepper processing plant to reduce post-harvest losses. As a backward integration, he started the largest herbal-based essential oils plantation in Nigeria. He received several awards and grants as a result from the Federal Government of Nigeria’s Youth-Enterprise With Innovation in Nigeria (YOUWIN), Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program (TEEP) Award, and the Federal Government Technology Incubation Award. Temitope is a professional financial analyst, certified manager and agriculture revolutionist.

Babatunde Folashade Titilope
Nigeria
Civil Society Leadership

Ms. Folashade Babatunde is the Founder of NUTRIBEEPER, a non-profit organization that provides food aid to vulnerable individuals and disadvantaged communities. She is a member of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria and also an active volunteer for iCARE Foundation, a Foundation that provides free health services for rural communities. Folashade holds a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Nigeria.

Bakare Abdulfatai Abidemi
Nigeria
Civil Society Leadership

Mr. Abidemi Abdulfatai Bakare is the Founder of Sub-Zero Foods Networking company (www.sub-zerofoods.com), a platform concerned with food shelf-life extension as a means to reduce the high levels of food waste going on in Africa. He mentors and provides practical technological techniques to preserve food for safe exportation & utilization, which will bring about lasting solution to food insecurity on the continent & the world at large. Presently he is a Youth Enterprise With Innovation in Nigeria (YOUWIN) alumni as well as Tony Elumelu Enterprise Program (TEEP) alumni.

Daniel Chinedu Nwodi
Nigeria
Civil Society Leadership

Nwodi Daniel is the Founder and Executive Director of Students without Borders International (2006). He was formerly Personnel and Recruitment Manager at Hensmor Nigeria Limited, an Oil and Gas downstream company (2015) and the President of Nigeria Youth Association in Republic of Benin (2009). Daniel is a graduate from Universite D'Abomey Calavi, Republic of Benin. He is member of Nigeria Institute of Training and Development (2014) and is an award winner of Rotary Leadership Award and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) award.

Ehirim Chiudo Jessy
Nigeria
Business & Entrepreneurship

Chiudo Ehirim is an environmental consultant with more than six years experience. He has undertaken three research projects on sustainable waste management, including design of landfills for electricity generation purpose. He is a member of Nigeria Environmental Society, volunteering in different roles for the organization’s Rivers State Chapter. In 2014, he set up Rumines Nigeria Limited, an environmental engineering and management company and currently serves as its Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and Head of Projects. Chiudo holds a bachelor’s degree in Pure & Industrial Chemistry and a master’s degree in Environmental Technology & Management.

Eleche Louis Anone
Nigeria
Public Services Management

Dr. Eleche Louis Anone is a Medical Doctor from Nigeria. He was a House Officer at Jos University Teaching Hospital and Medical Officer at Marist Hospital, Abia State. He offers free medical outreach with incorporated health education to people living in rural communities. He works with the Abia State Ministry of Health and is involved in drafting policies and creating new innovative solutions that will improve the quality of life of the average Nigerian.

Emmanuel Egwu Acha
Nigeria
Civil Society Leadership

Emmanuel Acha is an entrepreneur, award-winning youth development expert, founder and Executive Director of Entrepreneurship Initiative for African Youth (EIFAY), a non-governmental organization promoting youth entrepreneurship development, youth empowerment, economic development and democratic governance in Nigeria and Africa at large. In March 2013, Mr. Emmanuel successfully organized and hosted the Southeast Youth Entrepreneurship Summits, which brought together over 200 young entrepreneurs for equipping and training in Enugu Nigeria. His online platform, African Young Entrepreneurs Network (www.facebook.com/youthenterpiseafrica.) reaches to over 18,000 young enterprisers from across Africa. He has over 7 years of experience working with stakeholders such as Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), IRI Abuja, Youngstars Foundation Abuja, URI, DFID, GIZ Ethiopia, US Embassy Ghana, A4AI, Poverty in Africa Alternative among others in different social engagement and community services. Emmanuel is a fellow of GAYL, MWYM, TechCamp WA. Emmanuel holds a diploma graduate in Computer science from the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Enugu, Nigeria.

Hameed Muritala Opeyemi
Nigeria
Civil Society Leadership

Muritala Hameed is a media practitioner and currently works as a Media Assistant at the Kwara State Government House. He is a Climate Justice advocate who educates members of his community on the causes, effects of and solutions to climate crisis. With support from Plant-for-the-Planet Children’s initiative, he has organized training on climate change for over 1000 children within his community. He’s also the Director of media of Building Bridges, a Nigerian NGO that creates awareness about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and also promotes youth involvement in the implementation of the international goals.

Ijoma Blessing Okereke
Nigeria
Business & Entrepreneurship

Blessing Ijoma is a Computer Scientist and Founder of It's Me Foundation, focused on training talented local youth on how to program a computer. Her primary focus is on the development of critical thinkers. Blessing Ijoma is one of the 2014 #meetTheExecutive fellow and the CEO of HoursSpent. She is a 300 level Student of Michael Okpara University, Umudike.

Jeff Okoroafor
Nigeria
Public Services Management

Jeff Okoroafor is the Founder and President of Opinion Nigeria (www.opinionnigeria.com), a platform that addresses today's topical issues, which won the 2013 United Nations World Summit Award (UN-WSA). He is a good governance advocate and civil rights activist engaged in coalition building, shaping and advancing responses to critical issues in Nigeria. Mr Okoroafor is one of the Strategic Team (ST) Members for the 'Bring Back Our Girls' (BBOG) Movement. The ST is responsible for managing the global activities of BBOG. He's also the Managing Director of a multimedia development company, SetFron Limited (www.setfron.com) and a member of the Internet Society.

Jennifer Soba Pearse
Nigeria
Public Services Management

Ms.Jennifer Soba Pearse is the Founder of GiveBackNigeria a Social Responsibility Enterprise focused on getting Nigerian youth more involved in their communities through community service and education. Ms. Pearse is a 2015 Royal Commonwealth Associate Fellow and a recipient of the National Youth Service Corps Award for her sick bay community project in Lagos, Nigeria. Additionally, she is a contributing member to the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, where she assists in drafting policy recommendations and initiating projects for youth and education Government Parastatals.

Kassim Kamal-Deen
Nigeria
Business & Entrepreneurship

Mr. Kassim Kamal-deen is the Lead Technical Officer/Intern at Project Gaia Inc., a non-profit organization promoting the awareness of the use of clean, safe, affordable and sustainable energy as fuel for cooking in households. At Project Gaia, he participated in the installation of bioethanol plant in Oyo, Nigeria, aimed at supplying fuel for people in the community. Currently, he formed a team working on design and construction of 1,000 liters a day bio-ethanol producing plant using locally sourced materials aimed at cost reduction but same standard quality. He is also a Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability & Professionalism (LEAP) Africa alumnus and involved in volunteering activities that focus on educating youths on becoming effective and inclusive leaders. Kassim holds a bachelor degree in chemical engineering and developed an interest in biofuel production and youth empowerment activist. Kassim has written three research projects on biofuel, enjoys traveling and networking.

Mumuni Adebusola Modinat
Nigeria
Public Services Management

Adebusola A. Mumuni is the CEO of Total Impact Services, a social enterprise aimed at empowering and providing free legal services to disadvantaged women and youth. She has trained over seven hundred women and youth in entrepreneurship skills and helped them to 'kick-start' small scale businesses in her project tagged "Operation Break the Poverty Circle". A lawyer by training, she is an activist who speaks and fights against the violation of women and children’s rights. Adebusola is an alumnus of the Goldman Sachs 10KW initiative for women entrepreneurs and a Fellow of the African Leadership Foundation.

Nwankwo Prince Nonso
Nigeria
Business & Entrepreneurship

Nwankwo Prince is the CEO of Prince Tech Foundation, a non-profit organization known for technological innovations, facilitating change and empowering people. He is also the CEO of Honey-Pot Republic, a fast-food joint. Prince holds First class/Distinction in Computer Engineering and currently a Lecturer in Federal Polytechnic, Oko-Anambra state, Nigeria. He is a high-performing, strategic-thinking professional/leader with twelve years experience gained from executing community development based projects with direct impact on over 25,000 Nigerians. Prince is committed in tackling global challenges and he's regarded as one of the young global best, with over 50 technological innovations and over 60 business ideas.

Nwibe Ikechukwu David
Nigeria
Civil Society Leadership

Kechukwu Nwibe is the Founder of Centre for Leadership and Social Enterprise Development, where he works to improve leadership and social enterprise management skills of young people and emerging social entrepreneurs. He initiated the New Arising Project, which is an after school program that has served over 280 secondary school students. As a criminal justice activist, he works with inmates in Nigerian prisons to prepare them for life after leaving prison. Ikechukwu is a fellow of Dekeyser and Friends Foundation 'DO' School (2010) and an Associate Member of the Association of Business Executives UK (2015).

Obiakoeze Ifechukwude Destiny Ruth
Nigeria
Business & Entrepreneurship

A Television and Radio Host offering over seven years professional experience, Destiny R. Obiakoeze is the CEO of Elbativeni Impressions and Consult a media outfit that offers tailored services in integrated marketing communications, Media consultancy, event management and public relations. She holds a B.Sc in Mass communications and a Diploma in Public relations. Destiny is a certified registered practitioner in Advertising with the Advertising Practitioners’ Council of Nigeria (APCON). She is the convener of The Generation Next youth empowerment summit borne with the vision to inform, reform, sensitize and empower youths on philosophies of life that are crucial and strategic to achieving outstanding success, in their various endeavors in life.

Ogadinma Isreal Isreal
Nigeria
Civil Society Leadership

Ogadinma Israel Ukazu is a social scientist with expertise on community health system strengthening and community health program development and implementation. He has 7 years cognate experience in applied and operational research especially as it has to do with diseases of public health importance. Currently, he is the Program Director of Human Development and Public Health Initiative, a non-profit organization based in Lagos, Nigeria. Ukazu is also the Lagos State Coordinator of Coalition of CSOs against TB Disease in Nigeria. In addition, he is a member of several national and international bodies such as Lagos State TB Control Program Management Committee, Stop TB Partnership, International Union Against TB, African Union, just to mention a few. Ukazu runs a leadership mentorship program for in-school youths in Nigeria.

Ogbonnaya Joy Chinwendu
Nigeria
Civil Society Leadership

Joy Ogbonnaya is a social entrepreneur focused on Education, Women and Children. She founded To’Kallos Life Academy, a capacity building and life enhancement non-profit organization in 2010 and has since organized training and mentoring programs in Lagos, Ogun and Imo states, Nigeria reaching over 3,000 women and girls. She is the Director of Joytoria School, a social enterprise based in Ijegun-Imore Satellite Town, Lagos where she provides affordable education to nursery and primary children from low-income homes. Joytoria School gave birth to Joytoria ‘Turn On The Light Initiative’, a community development initiative that empowers women in our local community through skill acquisition, adult education and health programs. Joy has a degree in education from Olabisi Onabanjo University, is an alumnus of Pan-Atlantic University’s Social Sector Management Program and a 2015 recipient of the Africa-America Institute’s Transformational Leadership Scholarship.

Ogunbodede Mary Oluwabukola
Nigeria
Civil Society Leadership

Ms. Mary Oluwabukola Ogunbodede is a Legal Practitioner and an Advocate against Domestic Violence on Women and Children; particularly, Marital Rape in Nigeria. She volunteered in outreaches to less developed (rural) areas in the Southwestern parts of Nigeria from 2009-2013. She has equally participated in the visitation to a Home of Disabled Individuals, where several items were donated, in Abuja, North-Central Nigeria in 2014. Mary holds a Bachelor of Law (L.L.B) Degree from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. She is currently, through her network, promoting public awareness against Marital Rape and eradicating Gender Based Violence in Nigeria.

Ogunyale Ademola Francis
Nigeria
Business & Entrepreneurship

Ademola Adebowale is a Keynote Speaker, and IT Professional. Founder of Kowafresh; a model to reduce post-harvest losses in agricultural Perishable Trade through Good Handling Training and ICT Support for Traditional Markets. His recently launched market support center serves 93 Perishable Trade Traditional markets in Lagos. In 2014 He launched an ICT Project "OjAOBA"; Nigeria’s first community E-commerce Platform for Traditional market women, serving Lagos Mainland Metropolis. As a GHP Master Trainer; Trained by DFID GEMS4 Project (www.gems4nigeria.com), His market Intervention project Covers southwestern states in Nigeria. More about his initiatives can be found at www.kowafresh.com

Onyekachi John-Paul Chidera
Nigeria
Business & Entrepreneurship

Mr. Onyekachi John-Paul is the CEO of MegaBoost Corporation (www.megaboostng.com) an Integrated Marketing Communication firm that offer services in website design, online promotion, advertising, media relations, branding and IT consulting providing clients with increased patronage and innovation in service delivery. He is also a Senior Partner at SEL Platform (www.selplatform.org) a Self-discovery, Leadership and Entrepreneur training organization that has trained over 150 youths in these areas aimed towards their self-sufficiency as well as the founder of IdeaHubs International (www.ideahubs.org) a Non-governmental Organization that seeks to promote synergy among young people in creating innovative products/services aimed at minimizing unemployment.

Osuntokun Temitope Tanwa
Nigeria
Business & Entrepreneurship

Temitope Osuntokun is the founder of S & Y Bowel Services Limited, a social enterprise that promotes sanitation and hygiene consciousness through education and service delivery in Southwest Nigeria. The company's core activities focus on saving lives from cholera, typhoid fever and other fecal-related disease infections. Temitope has two certifications in Social Sector Management and Entrepreneurial Management from the Enterprise Development Center of the Pan-Atlantic University, Nigeria. Temitope is also a TEEP (Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program) entrepreneur. He was able to attract funding support through business plan competitions like the Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YOUWIN) and the Diamond bank Building Entrepreneurs Today (BET) initiative. Temitope holds a bachelor’s degree in Microbiology and a post-graduate diploma in Social work.

Ruth Bukar – Haruna
Nigeria
Civil Society Leadership

Mrs Ruth Haruna is the Founder and Executive Director of Inspire Young Minds Foundation dedicated to preparing young women to take up leadership roles in their society. She has implemented several USAID, DFID, EU, UNICEF and UNODC sponsored projects in her community for over seven years creating awareness, rehabilitating and empowering victims of human trafficking, child abuse and labor as well as ensuring access to justice for them. Mrs Haruna has trained over 30 young women in effective leadership and connected them to mentors in various sectors of their choice. She professionally affiliated with Child Protection Network; Abuja, Nigeria Chapter and the National Network of Civil Society Organizations working on Human Trafficking, Child Abuse and Labor in Nigeria.

Chinedu Reuben Agu
Nigeria
Civil Society Leadership

Reuben Agu is a Biotechnologist in the Department of Genetics & Biotechnology, University of Calabar and Founder of Reuben Agu Foundation, a non-profit organization centered on community development and empowerment. He is civically engaged in educational programs and scholarships, skill acquisition training, healthcare outreaches and social inclusion for the disabled, vulnerable and less privileged in the Southern part of Nigeria. Reuben holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Biotechnology from the Federal University of Technology Owerri, Nigeria.

Tom-Chris Emewulu
Ghana
Business & Entrepreneurship

Tom-Chris Emewulu is a social entrepreneur with characteristic track record of pioneering projects that have impacted over 5,000 youths. In late 2013 while a student of Radford University College, Tom-Chris founded Stars From All Nations (SFAN), a youth development organization that helps to bridge the gap between college and career. He is also the regional manager of Future of Ghana, a non-profit organization that connects the world to Ghana. Tom-Chris enjoys focusing on topics of youth entrepreneurship, education and has great passion for youth development.

Ibrahim Dosso
Ivory Coast
Business & Entrepreneurship

Ibrahim Dosso has over 5 years of working experience in the field of youth development and entrepreneurship. In 2009, he successfully coordinated the establishment of Students Entrepreneurs Clubs in Universities. In 2010, as a member of youth network – "Federation des Mouvements et Associations de Jeunesse et d`Enfance de Cote D`ivoire (FEMAJECI)" he become the national coordinator of Youth Employment Initiatives, a project funded by UNDP which was consisting in integrating young graduate in the agriculture field. Currently he manages his own small enterprise "DYNAMIC SERVICES" specialized in food and transportation where he works on the reduction of food prices in his country.

Effi Ange Emmanuelle Rhalissa
Ivory Coast

Ms. Ange Emmanuelle EFFI is an entrepreneur in mobile banking addressing the problem of provides disadvantaged people a way of saving money and acceding to the Primary banking services. She is also involved in youth leadership and self-development program. She serves her community by working with the students to help them find their own professional way by giving them the professional skills necessary for them to attend their own goals by connecting them with the professionals, doing training sessions and finding internship for them with the network. We are also doing sessions on entrepreneurship. And we try to help them work for the community.

Koné Nara Kanigui Idriss
Ivory Coast
Public Services Management

Mr Koné Idriss is a Statistician Economist with two main fields of interest: Education and Financial Inclusion. Within the Ministry of Education, Kone works as a monitoring and evaluating officer of the West Africa Economic and Monetary Union-Budgeting (WAEMU) reform in Ivory Coast. Mr Idriss is also a 2014-2015 Institute for Money, Technology and Financial Inclusion (IMTFI) (http://www.imtfi.uci.edu/) Research Fellow at University of California (Irvine). He served as Principal Investigator and was awarded a grant in the amount of $19,537 USD to carry out the research project "Women, Monetary Practices and Technological Innovation" in Ivory Coast.

Bossombra Kouame Nadege-Parfaite
Ivory Coast
Civil Society Leadership

Ms. Kouame Bossombra is a PhD student at WASCAL (West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use). She attended lectures and international conferences, which increased her knowledge in climate change and the new challenges for Africa, related issues. Based on her leadership experience in Junior Chamber International (JCI) and her fieldwork in local villages surrounding a protected forest in her country, she wants to make a positive change. She commits herself to educate local people to participate in the sustainable conservation of forests through community services.

Baleboè Achille-Marie Octave Bayili
Burkina Faso
Civil Society Leadership

Baleboè Achille-Marie Octave Bayili. Mr Bayili was a delegate of the National Union of students at the University of Ouagadougou, delegate of the Federation of Students Sankaristes of Burkina Faso. It invests for the cause of the students, in their training and civic education of young people. He was teacher and contributed to the training of the youth because he believes that education is a right for all. For Community service, he was the instigator of social education projects and the protection of the environment. As an independent investigator, he has joined Think-Thank 'Africa of ideas'.

Nicaise Sawadogo Hado
Burkina Faso
Business & Entrepreneurship

Hado Nicaise Sawadogo Founded in 2011 "Ecole Pour Tous" which means "School For Everyone" to promote Human Rights in Burkina Faso. This initiative aims to help women, young and minors prison inmates to be reintegrated into society and to reduce the rate of recidivism by offering education and training programs. Hado is a 2014 Innove4Africa Fellow and Winner of the 2015 Ashoka Change-Makers Challenge: Future Forward Innovations For Youth Employment in Africa.

Bernard Joseph Jemeh
Sierra Leone
Business & Entrepreneurship

Bernard Joseph Jemeh is an Electrical Engineer. He’s one of the Founders of the Bansaratay Community Based Organization that mobilizes farmers for increase in productivity. He is also the CEO of Glory Engineering Services, a private Consultant for Electrical installations and maintenance. He currently works in the capacity of Acting Senior Electrical Engineer at the Sierra Leone Airports Authority. He's an executive member of his community in the capacity of project coordinator and also the head of the Bulletin & Projector Department in his church. Bernard Joseph Jemeh holds a bachelor degree in Electrical & Electronic Engineering with handsome years of experience.

Bockarie Sahr Amadu
Sierra Leone
Civil Society Leadership

Bockarie Amadu Sahr is an educationist and a prolific community development worker with five years working experience in community development sector. Currently he is the monitoring and evaluation officer for Muloma Women's Development Association (MUWODA) implementing the Ebola Recovery Consortium (ERC), Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Community Health Centers (CHCs) in Kono district. Mr. Bockarie is the founder for Association for Health, Education, Agriculture and Development (AHEAD) in Sierra Leone.

Kadijatu Conteh
Sierra Leone
Civil Society Leadership

Kadijatu Conteh is a peer educator, accountant and a social activist; she campaigns for girl child education and women’s empowerment in the northern region of Sierra Leone. As part of her community service, she volunteers with Restless Development, a non-governmental organization that sensitizes rural dwellers and school children in providing sexual reproductive health education, public health awareness and promoting peace through sporting activities. As an accountant, She forms part of the team working on the post Ebola recovery period as the Finance and Admin coordinator in North & Eastern region of Sierra Leone with Restless Development.

Mariama Rashidatu Osman
Sierra Leone
Civil Society Leadership

Mariama Rashidatu Osman is a Child Activist, working with Women and Young girls in her Community on the importance of Girl Child Education, the significance of SGBV and also the importance of Early Detection with regards to Breast Cancer. Mariama has worked with Campaign for Good Governance as an intern for a year and a month and also with Catholic Relief Services. Presently, she works with the Thinking Pink Breast Cancer Foundation in Sierra Leone. Mariama holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science 1st Class and Diploma in Cultural Studies both from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone.

Nathasia Marilyn Samuels
Sierra Leone
Civil Society Leadership

Nathasia Marilyn Samuels has a background in social work. As a 2015 graduate of Unity Comprehensive Senior Secondary school, The Gambia, She carried out most of her social community work as the Head Girl of the school. She also served as the president of press union in the school, writing weekly articles on the importance of education for the Today newspaper, The Gambia. She’s very much passionate about child abuse and human right activities in West Africa. He works is now focused on becoming seasoned human rights advocate- a reason for which she’s opted to pursue a Law degree.

Zainab Gibrilnata Kamara
Sierra Leone
Business & Entrepreneurship

Zainab Gibrilnata Kamara is an aviation security expert by profession, and the Founder of Positive Action To Help Women and Youth, a non-governmental organization that seek to fight against Female Genital Mutilation in Sierra Leone. Her organization also works on girl child education where she’s currently sponsoring two girls through school. In her role as the Senior Security Officer at Freetown International Airport, she help stopped an incident of arms smuggling by a passenger. She volunteers in her community by organizing after classes for girls.

Sesay Abass Mamud
Sierra Leone
Civil Society Leadership

Abass Mamud Sesay is the founder and CEO of Active Ambassadors Network Sierra Leone (AANSL), a non-profitable registered organization that is grooming young leaders. Through his organization, he helps to promote girl-child education, youth and women’s empowerment, health awareness, teenage pregnancy, drugs abuse and alcoholism, violence and sexual harassment in Freetown and the northern region of Sierra Leone. He has five years of experience in radio broadcasting. He is a youth advocate working with stakeholders that were mandated by the Government of Sierra Leone to deal with issues of children and youth such as the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Social Welfare Gender and Children Affairs and The Government spokesman in promoting and raising awareness in schools and communities on the above issues. Through AANSL, he’s been conducting several programs on yearly basis in schools and communities, which have benefited over 20,000 children and youths. This has led to the establishment of the organization in different high schools and with a current membership of 500. He has a high school certificate ready for university admission.

Hon. Aaron Aruna Koroma
Sierra Leone
Public Services Management

Hon. Aaron Aruna Koroma, holds a B.Sc (Hons) Accounting and a Master of Business Administration degree in Finance. He was an Accountant at the Tonkolili District Council, a position he held on to until 2013, when he resigned to contest for his local area constituency, which he now represents. Currently, he is a Member of Parliament in the Sierra Leone House of Parliament, representing Constituency 62, Yoni Chiefdom, Tonkolili District.

Binta Jeng
The Gambia
Business & Entrepreneurship

Binta Jeng is a Business Development and Admin Manager at the American Chamber of Commerce, The Gambia where she offers business facilitates trade and investment for Gambian businesses to the United States. She started volunteerism at a tender age in key organizations such as Red Cross the Gambia and has travelled to many parts of the country for peer health education and HIV/AIDS sensitization. She is the Founder of "YOWF", a foundation that empowers young widows and orphans who lack the ability to support themselves in the area of health, education and basic livelihood through self-help initiatives and fundraisings in the Gambia. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of the Gambia.

Gabriel A. Gomez
The Gambia
Business & Entrepreneurship

Gabriel is the Finance and Admin Manager of The Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA) and founder of GAM-MINDS Foundation, an organization that Motivates, Inspires, Nurtures, Develops and Supports (MINDS) underprivileged youth, women and children and Co-owner of Bethel Cleansing Services providing diverse cleansing service. He is a Member of the Parish Council of St Therese Parish, Treasurer of Catholic Charismatic Renewal St Theresa, and Executive Auditor of Association of Church Clan The Gambia a youth Organization that instills development mentality among youths. Gabriel is also contracted by EMPRETEC Gambia a UNDP sponsored project that promotes Entrepreneurship development through Modification of Behaviors as a Business Development Support Adviser. Gabriel is a dynamic, charismatic and self-motivated Chartered Certified Accountant who is passionate about youth empowerment, mentoring, social entrepreneurship, education, Counseling and investing in potential startups.

Lamin K.Saidy
The Gambia
Civil Society Leadership

Lamin K.Saidy is a social worker with keen interest in promoting child rights in The Gambia. Lamin is also a founding member of National Youth Parliament-The Gambia and the Network of Adolescent and Youth on Population and Development, two leading advocacy groups on Youth Health, Child Rights, and Democracy and Good Governance promotion. He serves of the Gambian Committee on Traditional Practices (GAMCOTRAP), a leading Women’s Rights Organization in the Gambia. As Secretary of the WARD Development Committee of his community, Lamin has helped develop a project that gave birth to a Community Health Clinic and A Basic Cycle School with a student population of 500 Children. Mr. Saidy currently works with a National Child Rights Coalition as a Youth Coordinator.

Mariatou Faye
The Gambia
Public Services Management

Ms Mariatou Faye is a state prosecutor working with the Attorney General’s chambers and Ministry of Justice. She is the founder and CEO of Feed The Future a nonprofit organization geared towards helping young women and children in building a better future for themselves through advocacy and enlightenment. Mariatou is also the co founder of the Mamie Ceesay Foundation for young widows. She is a Child’s rights activists and a member of Lend a Hand Society. Mariatou holds an LLB in Law from Igbinedion University Okada, Nigeria.

Yahya Kandeh
The Gambia
Public Services Management

Yahya Kandeh is a Public Health Professional working with youths, and women focusing on health education and promotion. Founder and Secretary general of the Cha Kunda Youth’s Education and Development association that is empowering youths and women through education, mentorship and adult literacy. Yahya is working with Eastern Foni Federation, a community based organization, which is in the forefront of providing clean and safe water supply to communities and facilitating the provision of toilets to hundreds of households as a Program Development Officer. Yahya holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public and Environmental Health from the University of The Gambia.

Adjo Bokon
Togo
Business & Entrepreneurship

Adjo Bokon is an entrepreneur from Togo who works on climate change and environmental issues. As member of the National Youth Parliament for Water (www.pmje.org): NYPW, She champions projects to help her society by providing pure water for free to people in rural areas and villages who suffers from the consequences of climate change: +5000 persons satisfied. Adjo is also a consultant in marketing, communication and project management. She collaborates with France Embassy, Youth, environment and other Ministries and Corporates regarding their CSR.

Emefa Emeyo Kpegba
Togo
Business & Entrepreneurship

Emefa Ameyo Kpegba is a Social Tech-entrepreneur, co-founder of O-MobileFunding a web and mobile crowdfunding platform. She is engaged in Tech activities in her community via Africa Code Week as ambassador and Women TechMakers - Google Developer Group Lead in Togo. Her objective is to motivate African youth especially women for turning to Tech and Social Entrepreneurship to innovate and work for a sustainable development. To achieve her goals, she actively challenges and collaborates with many people and encourages them to be a positive African "Change Maker".

Mawuko Dola Hoglonou
Togo
Business & Entrepreneurship

Mawuko Dola Hoglonou is a young entrepreneur who has been working to address unemployment by building the capacity of university students in entrepreneurship and education. He is a Co-founder of Groupe Xpertiz (www.groupexpertiz.com) and Hysope Editions (www.hysopeeditions.com). The focus of these companies is in providing language assistance (translation, conference interpreting, editing), ICT and publishing services. Mawuko’s interest in educational development has inspired him to sponsor children from the basic education level upwards.

Kodzo Selom Germain Kogbe
Togo
Civil Society Leadership

A senior civil engineering technician by profession, KOGBE Kodzo Selom Germain is the founder and CEO of Prodi Dream, a construction and consultancy business based in Togo. He is also a co-founder and President of African New Generation of Emerging Leaders (ANGEL), a social organization working essentially in the fields of Education, Entrepreneurship, Leadership and ICT. The organization has succeeded in impacting over 200 young people through business coaching and leadership trainings both in Togo and Benin. He is National coordinator of the West African Young Leaders’ Summit (WAYLS).

Gorpudolo Seleweyan,II
Togo
Civil Society Leadership

Gorpudolo Seleweyan II is the Founder and national Director of Reform Youth Network, a youth organization that is engaged in helping Liberian Youths to make informed and responsible decisions of issues which are counterproductive to their livelihood. RYN discusses issues relating to the Environment, Leadership. He is the acting chairman of the Coalition of Woman youth and Students for Sustained peace, a group which promotes peace and youth Empowerment. He holds BSc in Economics and Public Administration from the University of Liberia.

Jonathan Thomas Hilkaiah Rose
Togo
Public Services Management

Jonathan Thomas Hilkiah Rose, II is the Founder and President of the Owensgrove Rescue Committee, a pro-democracy community based organization located in Owensgrove district Grand Bassa County advocating for equal participation of women, youth and non-poro member in the decision making process of the district. He is a Fellow of the Global Mission Fellowship/Generation Transformation of the United Methodist Church/General Board of Global Ministries. Jonathan is also the Founder and President of the Africans In Defense for Israel Sovereignty-ADIS, and an affiliate member of the Christian United for Israel.

Daniel Agbetsi Maxwell, Jr.
Togo
Business & Entrepreneurship

When Ebola struck in Liberia, Daniel A. Maxwell, Jr., mobilized over 300 young persons to volunteer across the country as contact tracers and community mobilizers using his influence as program specialist of the National Youth Service Program (NYSP). He has trained over 1500 young Liberians on personal & transformational leadership, and entrepreneurship skills through his nonprofit initiative, the African Success Project (www.AfricanSuccessOnline.org). He is the President and Lead Strategist at Optimal Impact Strategies, a management consulting practice he started in early 2015 to meet the growing need for highly equipped leaders and managers across many organizations across Africa.

Fatu Tracy Freeman
Togo
Civil Society Leadership

Fatu Tracy Freeman is the planning and communication officer at NAYMOTE-PAD Liberia; where she has worked with hundreds of young people in Liberia on Civic and Voters Education, decentralization as well as Sustainable Development. She attended a regional Youth conference in Nairobi -Kenya on educating adolescents about their Sexual Reproductive Health and Right (SRH/R). She served as a peer educator at the Youth Action Movement (YAM) –Liberia where she trained 300 young girls on sexual and reproductive health. Miss Freeman is the Youth Vice President for Operation at the St Mary Youth Organization, and the Junior Respected President of Our Lady of Lauds, Junior Ladies Auxiliary #79 Knights of St John International.

Pomovah Quirinous Welwean
Togo
Civil Society Leadership

Pomovah Quirinous Welwean is United Nations’ Anti-Corruption Youth Ambassador in Africa and she is currently the Program Coordinator of the Natural Resources Research Initiative, a youth manage non-profit organization campaigning to prevent corrupt and conflict toward Liberia's natural resources. She also serves as a facilitator for the Girly Girls Adolescent Club in Liberia, a girls club which educates adolescent girls in self-esteeming themselves and educating them about the facts and effects of corruption in the society. Ms. Welwean is a junior student of the Mother Patern College of Health Sciences.