The Future Africa Leaders Award winners are simply overwhelmed and overjoyed by their nomination and eventual awards. They were going about their functions with no expectation from anybody or even to hope that someone would notice. Their joy knew no bounds after the Award ceremony took place during the 31st night service at the Loveworld Convocation Arena (LCA). The event which attracted who is who in the Ministry also had in attendance, representatives of both federal and state authorities. Over 20,000 people were physically present at the event which was equally beamed live on over 500 terrestrial and cable television stations across 100 countries of the world. This year, 30 individuals from 15 African countries have been nominated for the highly-coveted global recognition awards, which will produce a Star Award Winner with a token of $25,000 as a show of encouragement and $10,000 each for other nominees from the founder and chief motivator of the Future Africa Leaders ‘Awards, Rev. Chris Oyakhilome.

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  Babiene Heline Eweni From Cameroon
  (STAR PRIZE WINNER 2019)

  Babiene Heline Eweni is a 23-year-old activist who is passionate about seeing young people fulfil their potentials. Her zeal for youth empowerment triggered her to host a 6-week skill acquisition workshop under the “Leadership Initiative Award”, attended by hundreds of young people who developed skills in catering, fashion design, soap making, carpentry, and hairdressing. Similarly, she organized a 1-week skills acquisition program designed to equip the disabled for a life of self—reliance, development, and independence, themed, Disability is of the mind. This program trained over 200 physically challenged persons on manicure and pedicure, phone repairs, make-up, and computer maintenance and awarded the top 3 candidates in each category with capital (in cash and kind) worth over $2,000. She organized free medical check-up campaigns, where over 420 children were examined and currently runs the biggest medical campaign in Cameroon, a campaign that has provided antenatal care to over 800 internally displaced women and vaccination for 1,860 children against poliomyelitis, measles and hepatitis B. The campaign helped to mitigate illness and the death rate of internally displaced children and women living in the urban areas as a result of the austere Anglophone crisis. She collaborated with ‘Doctors Without Borders’ to pay for surgery for two orphans who were blind due to cataract, and they regained their sight after the surgery. Babiene took steps to improve the living condition of Cameroonian refugees in Nigeria who were victims of the Anglophone crisis, by visiting 35 refugee communities and reached 8,000 refugees, distributing food, personal hygiene items, and school materials. She provided them with drugs worth over $700 (U.S) to treat common ailments suffered by the children and strategically established a communication line between the refugee communities, the Cameroon government, and the civil society, for continued food and medical supplies. Despite the current Anglophone crisis that is rated as the worst socio-political conflict Cameroon has ever witnessed (and one of the worst in Africa), she started an NGO called “Exceptional Youth Initiative” which convened 14 Conferences and 11 Seminars that directly motivated over 48,000 young people.

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  Hanson Hanson From Nigeria

  Hanson Hanson is a 20-year-old dynamic leader and is the founder of Experteens – a distinction-driven organization raising a generation of successful entrepreneurial leaders. He has transformed over 400,000 youths through skills acquisition programs and leadership seminars in several African countries including Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, and Cameroon through exceptional mentoring and networking programs. He contributed significantly to enhancing youth economic awareness and financial literacy through the following initiatives; the introduction of a collaborative pick-and-save system for school students and their parents, the organization of exhibitions for young people to market their products and through his 15,000 – customer base novel online platform, Connect Market. Through monthly radio and TV programs tagged, “Your Potentials are Assets’ on HIT FM, CRBC FM, and MABILA TV, over 15 million youths were taught how to develop their potentials into assets for the society. He co-hosted the 2019 Future of Jobs Conference, where thousands of young people were taught by top international business personalities on how to become employable and marketable. His organization strategically responded to plastic pollution by starting up an initiative called Value Restored, and through this, facilitated the recycling of worn-out plastics and tires into chairs, mats, and chandeliers, to generate funds for student tuition fees covering all exams, uniforms, and academic materials. He is also the programs director of Street Priests Inc., and in 4 years, has organized 197 programs for free, including award ceremonies, food drives, cloth drives, success seminars, medical campaigns, summer camps, and many more, reaching and transforming the lives of over 50,000 street children and sending over 2,000 back to school. Hanson has been recognized globally and locally and is a mentor on the Ikapture Youth Leadership Program. His accolades include the following: 1. Award for the Most Innovative Young Person in Cross Rivers State by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth Affairs, through the Leaders Den Initiative. 2. National Representative at the 2019 African Leadership Institute Pakati Project For these laudable and exemplary leadership efforts, we celebrate Hanson Hanson.

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  Xavier Mendes Issazo Tambiavula From Angola

  Xavier Mendes Issazo Tambiavula is a 23-year-old innovative sociopreneur, leader and humanitarian diplomat with a strong passion for helping the children and young people in Angola. He spearheads social projects related to health, education, welfare, vocational training and counseling for the reintegration of young people in his society. He is the founder and president of LIFT YOUTH FORUM, a youth organization established in 2017 for youth development which aims to raise goal-driven youths who are solution- providers in their communities. He leads a team of twenty young volunteers who work with him in schools and on various community projects. He motivated members of the organization to contribute 20% of their income to procure gas stoves, cylinders, food items, and clothing distributed to more than 40 families and an orphanage home with 250 boys which was affected by the Angola disaster of 2014. Xavier’s team executed a charity program at the Viana Municipal Hospital in Luanda, where they provided food, personal hygiene items, and other supplies for 150 patients and staff. Also, the team distributed food items, clothing, and footwear to selected families in celebration of International Charity and 100 people benefitted from this project. Contributing substantially to the Malaria Combat Program in Northern Angola, he partnered with international organizations to distribute more than 3,000,000 mosquito nets to 2,500 families. To commemorate Angola’s Peace Day, Xavier and his team renovated the home of a 70-year-old woman, gifting her with a new mattress, beddings, a gas cooker, clothes, toiletries, and food items. On this day, he held a conference titled, ‘Hope of the Future’, where over 1400 teenagers were taught the importance of peace. Devoted to elevating the mindset of young people in his country to think possibilities, Xavier organized 17 youth empowerment and development programs, sharing on topics such as the Power of Ideas, the Importance of Personal Investment, How To Recreate Your World, the Power of Your Mind, The Power of Hope, and many more that inspired 1,874 youths from several schools, institutes, and communities in Angola.

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  Daniel Johnson From Benin Republic

  Daniel Johnson is a passionate youth leader from the Benin Republic whose vision and desire is to build a better Africa through education and youth empowerment. He founded an organization named “Future Africa Entrepreneurs’ Network” (FAEN) whose vision is to provide solutions to communities and social problems through entrepreneurship, inventions, technology, and innovation. His organization also identifies, promotes, empowers and finances young people who are making a difference through inventions, innovations, and technology throughout Africa and the world. One of the technological innovations of the youth from the FAEN group is the Gesecole app that allows teachers and administrative staff, to edit, view, print, and modify the information of their students. Through this app, parents can pay school fees for their children and have access to information such as attendance, grades, behaviors, and many more about their children irrespective of location. This is currently being used in 10 schools, improving the educational process for more than 10,000 students and his goal is to have it available in over 1,000 schools by the end of 2020. In partnership with a non-governmental organization and other institutions, Daniel mobilized 200 youths to raise 2,985,000Cfa (the equivalent of $5,000 [US]) for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of a classroom and a library in DJEGAN DAHO School in Porto-Novo. This reconstruction was actualized within 3 months, from July to September 2019. In pursuit of his objective to build Africa through youth empowerment, he organized several youth-development programs and seminars in various secondary schools. He partnered with an Institution called “VIP WORLD” to organize a youth empowerment campaign, “Birth of Champions”. This campaign influenced over 1,000 students from 10 schools, deterring them from peer pressure and early pregnancy. Another youth empowerment program tagged, “I Know You Can”, was attended by over 200 medical students in the National School of Medicine, and more than 2,000 students in Secondary Schools, leading to an upgrade in academic performance and reduction of substance addiction amongst them. He initiated a program titled “Zero to Hero” where he trained more than 100 youth in web writing, entrepreneurship, and trading, thereby making them self-sufficient.

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  Christian Appiah From Togo

  Christian Appiah is a 23-year old, self-driven leader with an earnest desire to provide sustainable solutions in Togo. Compelled by this passion, Christian organized several seminars where thousands of youths were inspired to take action by solving challenges in Togo. Twice every week, he took on personal tutorship of hundreds of children in Katanga, one of the poorest areas in Togo notorious for juvenile delinquency, thereby reducing the consequences of poor school performance and enhanced opportunities for quality education. In his vision for national impact, he created an app named Mon Repetiteur, which connects qualified home teachers to students in need of support in any subject. The app incorporates online learning and helps the students plan in the course of the academic year. This innovative app has had a massive impact in thousands of young people and gained the attention of the Vice Counsellor of the French Embassy, a Dutch Cooperation (GIZ), the Ministry of Education and several companies, all of whom have become active supporters of the initiative, which further created over 300 jobs for young people. Christian’s astute philosophy in technology and digital solutions as main factors for development led to the organization of an innovative capacity – development Technology and App Development Training. Through this training, he empowered young people to become stakeholders in proffering digital, numerical and technological solutions. He capitalized on collaborations with several organizations to combat rising concerns for good health and a healthy environment. Some of the organizations include LET’S DO IT, YALI, YMCA, AIESEC, and OJEDD; all engaged in organizing an outstanding community clean-up project. This project championed the provision of over 100 garbage bins across several locations in his country, contributing significantly to the sustainable goal of clean sanitation. Indeed, Christian Appiah is a distinguished leader ranking among world-changers and an agent of hope for Africa.

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  Rufaro Mutyamaenza From Zimbabwe

  Rufaro Mutyamaenza is a 20-year-old visionary from Zimbabwe, who has displayed unparalleled passion in improving the socio-economic conditions of the people in communities across her nation. Through several Rural Sanitation Projects for promoting safe water, sanitation and hygienic practices, she provided resources and enhanced access to clean water, which went a long way in reducing the incidence of water and sanitation-related diseases amongst the underprivileged groups in hard-to-reach areas in her country. Demonstrating commitment to promoting good health and socioeconomic development, Rufaro provided solutions to poor sanitation challenges by establishing the Rural-Urban Sanitation Project, an initiative that caters to the sanitation needs of more than 3,000 people through the purchase of sanitation items for Budiroro High School and the Beatrice Road Infectious Diseases Hospital in Harare. She also mobilized a team of youth to clean the play areas of this hospital periodically. Compassionate and ever-ready to help, Rufaro volunteered as a response operator in the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRSC), as her contribution to relief efforts for over 60,000 persons who were displaced following the Cyclone Idai in Zimbabwe, where she assisted in distributing food to affected families. As sensitive as she is proactive, Rufaro helped residents in Gimboki area of Manicaland when there was suspicion of possible cholera outbreak in cyclone-affected areas by providing 200 bottles of Water Guard (a chlorine-based water treatment) to 57 households to make their water safe for consumption. Through her laudable projects and initiatives, Rufaro has reached over 5,000 people, and she is full of more dreams for bettering the lives of people in and beyond. Let’s give a round of applause for Rufaro.

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  Edgar Mwila From Zambia

  Edgar Mwila is a 21-year-old youth leader from Zambia. He is driven with passion to help the needy and has inspired thousands to become as agents of change. He has helped improve the health and welfare of the underprivileged, and empowered young people through his campaigns. Edgar started a health sensitization campaign called Health Is Wealth, which trained over 200 medical students and 152 women on how to reduce the incidence of spina bifida with the use of folic acid. Additionally, Edgar featured on radio programs for this cause. To create a conducive environment for expectant mothers and other patients admitted in the Kayama First Level Hospital and University Teaching Hospital, Edgar raised funds for the renovation of wards and donated 1,000 blankets, a Smart TV and a LoveWorld SAT decoder to both hospitals. He raised (US)$35,000 to sponsor tuition for 13 medical students, and donated a generator to Kamwala South Health Post. He donated first aid kits to schools and trained pupils on first aid techniques like CPR. To combat the cholera outbreak of 2018 in some parts of Zambia, Edgar partnered with the Kanyama Water Trust to construct 3 Water Kiosks in the community for the supply clean water and donated chlorine to thousands of homes, providing potable water for over 5,000 people. Edgar partnered with the Zambian Police to organize a special sensitization drive, which encouraged Zambians to report criminal cases to the police. Many responded to this initiative, so much that the Zambian Police had to expand their communication services to accommodate the increased number of calls. Edgar improved the academic performance in his nation, by partnering with Hope Worldwide Chawama NGO, to donate school materials. He set up a computer skills lab and English reading club to conduct free computer and English lessons, and also initiated an anti-drugs movement campaign. Indeed, Edgar Mwila is an impactful leader whose vision of transforming his world has changed many lives.

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  Ibrahim Byakika From Uganda

  Ibrahim is a 22-year-old who demonstrates leadership through community service. He is the coordinator of the Eastern Region Youth Volunteer Network and was appointed to sit on the Committee of National Youth Volunteer Network in Uganda. Ibrahim created the World for Life Foundation that recruited and inspired 300 young leaders to help with projects and outreaches to tackle various issues in Iganga, his local community. In collaboration with institutions and organizations such as Youth Achievers Forum Africa, Nation Youth SDGs Fellowship, National Youth Volunteers Network, Office of the mayor of Iganga Municipality, and Iganga University Students Association, Ibrahim implemented programs and projects, such as; My Education, My Job – a sensitization campaign that champions the importance of education for every child, and has reached 400 teachers, 300 parents/guardians, 50 local officers and 1,000 school children, and the Talent Development Initiative – An empowerment program that inspires young athletes to use their abilities for impact through advocacy. This initiative helped prepare a children’s academy football tournament with 6 teams. Ibrahim’s Back-to-School Campaigns benefited 1,000 indigent children in Iganga with the donation of thousands of school materials and food items. His school campaigns championed the construction of a three-classroom structure for Iganga Community Primary School. which entails the distribution of special academic packages to 100 kids during the summer holiday, and arranged summer classes for them. Feed-the-Hungry Initiative – A food drive that provides for 500 families monthly, feeding about 2,000 people. Ibrahim reached out to local farmers and other stakeholders through 10 workshops on modern agricultural methods that enhanced crop yield. This program benefited well over 3,000 local farmers and stakeholders. Menstrual Hygiene Management – an outreach that sensitized 200 young girls and 100 women on menstruation and hygiene management, and trained them on making reusable sanitary pads for themselves. Village SDGs Club Project – Supported by the Uganda National Youth SDGs Fellowship, Ibrahim reached out to 100 young people and encouraged active youth participation in the actualization of sustainable development goals. 8 village SDGs Club have been launched, and presently have 208 members. Ibrahim Byakika is an exceptional young leader, and we appreciate his remarkable contributions to the progress of Africa.

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  Vera Kissiedu From Ghana

  23-year-old Vera Kissiedu is a young lady from Ghana who has a strong passion for agriculture and aspires to be one of the foremost agricultural entrepreneurs in the world. Vera tackled the challenge of hunger by creating the Feed Africa Fund (FAF), through which she distributes foodstuff to the less-privileged every month. She collaborated with affluent individuals to acquire 15 acres of farmland, where she employed 70 youth whom she trained and inspired to start up their own farms. Some of these youth are back to school, supported through proceeds from the sales of farm produce. She empowered families to practice backyard farming and fish farming, and this has led to more people being able to grow their own food while creating additional revenue streams. Vera organized special training sessions for farmers on the culture of Safe Farming, technology in agriculture, and agricultural innovation, to promote all-year round farming and maintain high yield. Then, she extended training to more farmers through the “i-gric Online Platform”, through which she trained 100 farmers in different African countries, including Togo and Zambia, and created the “Easy-Connect Farmer App”, which connects farmers to consumers who want to buy fresh farm produce directly from the farms. She inspired young people to go into agriculture by organizing career development trainings in secondary schools for over 5,500 participants. An advocate for women empowerment, Vera organized workshops geared at raising female agricultural entrepreneurs, and this led to 25 ladies starting up new farms. Vera started Ladies’ Clubs in 2 High Schools where she educates them on breast cancer and the dangers of drug abuse. Over 200 underprivileged girls benefitted from distribution of free sanitary materials during the 2019 International Day of the Girl-Child. She also promoted tree planting for environmental preservation and beautification, demonstrating by planting trees in schools. To tackle poor academic performance amongst the underprivileged children in rural communities, Vera pioneered the ‘Pencil Movement’, a platform that provided academic aid by distributing free study materials to 750 students in 10 schools. She organized Leadership Training and Skill Development boot camps in schools and small communities in Ghana, impacting over 2500 students. Indeed, Vera is a vibrant African Youth who stands out as a true leader.

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  Kennedy Wesonga From Kenya

  Next, please give a resounding ovation to Kennedy Wesonga from Kenya! Kennedy is a young visionary who has distinguished himself by looking out for needs and meeting them. He improved health and well-being for many by starting an Anti-Jiggers campaign, to combat the menace of jiggers – a parasitic insect that causes an inflammatory skin disease known as tungiasis. This campaign offered medical aid to those affected and created awareness on pest control, as well as how to prevent and treat the infection. Kennedy carried out fumigation in 50 affected homes, too. Working with friends in other African countries, he contributed to the research on wiping out jiggers. Still on health, Kennedy reached out to over 5000 kids in 20 schools by introducing health clubs and supplying medical kits to help students take responsibility for their personal hygiene. Kennedy is a transformational leader who has influenced over 20,000 young people for academic excellence and leadership through several school initiatives. He raised funds for uniforms and shoes for over 200 pupils in 20 schools, and started the Big Brother/Big Sister initiative in these schools to provide mentorship. To deal with the issue of substance abuse, Kennedy organized a football tournament in Kayole, Nairobi, affecting over 500 youths and driving them to expend their energies productively. Kennedy now sponsors a football team for various activities. He established the Ken Makarios School of leadership to nurture young talents and help them harness their gifts for the good of the society. Thirty youths learned plumbing, masonry and computer skills as a result, and are now income earners. Kennedy works with 3 orphanages that cater to over 50 children, mentoring them, and giving them hope for a brighter future. He is a host for The Spotlight – a program that celebrates young Africans leaders who are making a difference the world. We applaud Kennedy Wesonga for his visionary leadership, and we celebrate him as Future Africa Leader.