The Future Africa Leaders Awards 2017 was a grand event which held on the 31st of December 2017. It was an event witnessed by millions around the world through television, radio, satellite and online live broadcast. Leading up to the glorious night, the humanitarian efforts of 31 young and high impact individuals from 16 African countries were screened. 10 of these individuals, recognized for their laudable efforts from their localities and on to global platforms were nominated and received the Future Africa Leaders Awards with the prize of $10,000 (ten thousand US dollars) each.

The highly coveted FALA Star prize for the year 2017 was meritoriously awarded to NAOMI EKPOKI ALIYU, a social activist from NIGERIA, for her admirable and far-reaching feats locally and internationally, in helping at-risk youths. Miss Naomi Ekpoki Aliyu was handed this award by the highly esteemed President, Believers’ Loveworld, Rev. Dr. Chris Oyakhilome DSc, D.D.

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  NAOMI EKPOKI ALIYU FROM - NIGERIA
  (STAR PRIZE WINNER 2017)

  Naomi Ekpoki Aliyu is a 20 year old inspiring and innovative social activist with a passion for helping disadvantaged and at risk youth across different communities in Northern Nigeria. She started several youth groups across several high schools where she organized motivational booth camps, arts and crafts workshops as well as tutorial services for Mathematics and other relevant topics, to enable them to pass their exams with flying colors. Moved by the plight of at financially challenged, orphans and other at risk youth, she started a foundation and organized several campaigns to raise sponsors to pay for scholarships and other school amenities, for determined not to let them fall through the cracks into a life of crime or delinquency. Over 1700 high school students are currently beneficiaries of this laudable initiative.

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  TSHEPISO MASILONYANE  -  BOTSWANA

  Tshepiso Masilonyane from Botswana is a 19-year old child’s rights advocate with a key interest of personal development, esteem building and leadership training. As Vice president of the National Children’s Consultation forum, he has advocated for the amendment of the legislation to protect the welfare of children living with special needs. He is an activist against the exploitation of children, having converted instances of early childhood marriages in his home town. He has also addressed other community gatherings on society practices that hinder the welfare of the child in the community. He empowers students on rights awareness and in solving issues affecting them in their community.

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  SHARON SAMBAZA FROM -  ZIMBABWE

  Sharon is a youth leader with a strong passion for youth development and empowerment. She started over 16 youth groups across different communities, high schools and universities, organizing motivational and academic excellence workshops, an initiative which impacted over 2000 students. Moved by the plight of youth living with diseases, she started several campaigns such as the kids with cancer project which raised over 500 sponsors to pay for medical bills and tuition for these beneficiaries. She also organized an epilepsy awareness across 16 high schools for 2500 students educating them on how to deal with epileptic emergencies. She also campaigned for and raised sponsors to distribute female hygienic products for 3000 financially challenged female students in rural areas to enable them attend school without disruptions.

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  MUKETE DAVIDSON DIOH  - CAMEROON

  Mukete Davidson Dioh is an exceptional  23 year old youth leader who is waxing stronger with each passing day, regardless of varying threats and undesirable circumstances that are prevalent in his immediate environment. Passionate about community and entrepreneurship development, Mukete established a Non-governmental Organization (N.G.O) called Varl Association of Community Development and Entrepreneurship (VACODEVE).   The organization provides portable pipe-borne water for 2 villages, with 8 youths employed. The organization also distributed 24 packets of agricultural seeds to youths and local farmers.His zeal for youth empowerment caused him to organize 18 seminars and 6 workshops, which impacted over 28,000 young people cumulatively.

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  EVELYN OPOKU APPIAH  - GHANA

  Evelyn Opoku Appiah is a 23 year old dynamic youth leader who has risen to the challenge of raising more leaders and inspiring the next generation for better exploits. Evelyn’s motivation propelled her to establish the New Africa Initiative – a nongovernmental organization that has championed several laudable projects and impacted thousands of lives.   Seeking to improve leadership potential amongst young people, Evelyn initiated ‘Youth In Governance’ – a forum for awakening youth to prevalent issues in the society, and provoking change through youth development. This opened more doors for Evelyn, and she is recognized as an ambassador for democracy in West Africa. She was also invited to the Future World Center’s ‘Reinventing Democracy Conference’ in Nairobi, Kenya and has been opportune to make a difference through tours to Rwanda, Cyprus and Kenya.

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  BRENDA MWALE - MALAWI

  Brenda Mwale is a youth  leader  from  Malawi  who  is  involved  in various community building projects. After identifying the needs of her community, she decided to embark on several projects to inspire and empower the youth. She started a farming project to raise funds to assist less privileged children with school fees, as well as their basic upkeep. She has been able to send 87 children back to school.   Brenda voluntarily takes out time to teach primary and secondary school students who cannot afford paid classes. Apart from helping them with their school work, she also teaches them on positive attitude, computer lessons and personal hygiene. She currently has 57 students in her class.   In partnership with a private company, she organized a cleaning day for her community with over 300 youths in attendance. She went further to establish the Mponela Cleaning Campaign with 45 members who took time to cleanup the community. This has inspired other residents and vendors at the flea market to join the campaign on Saturdays to help clean the community.

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  SAMUEL MIRADY KWAMAKA - CONGO BRAZZAVILLE

  From one of Africa’s Francophone nations hails amazing 21-year-old Samuel Mirady Kamwaka who displays exemplary leadership by virtue of his total commitment in service to humanity. With a clear cut vision of his power to lead, and with unwavering commitment to serve, he runs very successful initiatives which cut across health, education, sports and other spheres of human interest. Driving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 (i.e. quality education), Samuel saw the need to aid several students who faced difficulties with their studies. He founded the Success Club, where he successfully impacted over 500 youths, and distributed Christian materials to help their spiritual and intellectual development. Several of these young people improved with the benefit of receiving lessons in Chemistry, Physics and English lessons and are performing well in their respective schools. As a coordinator for the Volunteer Medical Corps chapter in Congo, Samuel and his team of medical officers and medics, reached out to an Old Peoples’ Home in the town of Caritas, where the residents became beneficiaries of donations such as drugs, mosquito nets, and toiletries, and were also treated to free health services.  

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  JULIET AMINA MOSES- FROM NIGERIA

  Juliet Amina Moses is a 23 year old inspiring youth leader youth leader who has motivated empowered hundreds of youth in her community   She obtained the consent of her state government and started several youth groups across 3 high schools in Kano, Northern Nigeria and organized motivational and educational workshops, directly impacting over 500 students. She also distributed over 500 copies  of  motivational  and  educational  materials  to  the  study.  This  feat  was especially commendable given the historic resistance to female and non-Islamic initiatives in the city. Combating the societal ill of early child marriages in her community, she specially engaged the young women, encouraging them to   to transcend cultural barriers and societal pressure to marry early and commit to finishing high school. Her efforts yielded significant results commended by the governors of the Schools as well as the state government.

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  THEOPHILE LASSEY-ASSIAKOLEY - TOGO

  Theophile Lassey-Assiakoley is a young and inspiring leader who has caused changes in the lives of many youth in his city and in many localities in his native Togo.   He has organized several success motivation programs, as well as Back to School campaigns for indigent children. As an astute leader, Theopile coordinates purpose-driven youth groups in Togo and Senegal.   Recognizing the need of proper education and mentorship of young people, Theophile regularly gives success motivation and inspiration speeches at one of the most-listened-to radio stations in Lome with over 15,000 young listeners.  

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  SMINA KHALEED -  EGYPT

  Mina is a 20 year old exceptional leader whose many initiatives and programs have changed the lives of thousands of young people in his country, and has caused many to join the Global Youth Leaders’ Forum (GYLF). Passionate about making a change in the nation of Egypt, Mina has organized 3 major leadership conferences, success seminars, and hundreds of outreaches to youths in his country. Moved by the poor state of refugees in his country, Mina set up a Refugee relief camp to aid and improve the standard of living of these refugees, and supplies them daily with required necessities. Mina also has a training school where he trains young leaders to be effective and productive citizens.