Part 3: The 30 Most Notable Africans of 2013

Part 3: The 30 Most Notable Africans of 2013
03 Feb 2014

Kelvin Doe 30 Notable Africans of 2013
#8. KELVIN DOE
Country of Origin: SIERRA LEONE
What: The youngest person on this year’s list, this 18-year-old self-taught innovator has already made his mark on the world of science and technology. By the tender age of 13, Kelvin Doe had built transmitters, batteries, and even his own radio station from discarded scrap metal. On his radio station, he broadcast his music under the name “DJ Focus.” Why DJ Focus? Because he believes that if you focus, you can do invention perfectly. He gained widespread acclaim in Sierra Leone during an innovation competition where he built a generator from scrap metal. In 2012, with the help of his mentor and fellow Sierra Leonean innovator, David Sengeh, he was invited to the U.S. to participate as the youngest person ever in MIT’s Visiting Practitioner’s Program. Last year, he was named on Fast Company’s list of the 100 Most Creative People in Business of 2013.

Why I’m Inspired: In this TEDxTeen video, Doe has some words of wisdom that transcend age: “If I am asked to summarize the lessons of my life so far, there is one thing that I would say: creativity is universal and can be found in places where one does not expect to find it. And perseverance and passion are essential to nurturing that creative ability. Now that you know my story, I urge you to look for young people with talent, creative abilities and passion in all places. Not just in places that you would expect to find it. And I ask you to support these young people just as so many people have supported me. You never know, you might find the next ‘DJ Focus.’” Indeed innovation is alive and well in Africa.

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Julian B. Kiganda

I hope you enjoyed this post! A little about me: I’m the founder of Bold & Fearless and a Transformational Brand Strategist. My gifting is in helping purpose-driven women transform and build million-dollar brands. I’m also an author, transformational speaker and multi-passionate entrepreneur. In 2014, I published my first highly-acclaimed book co-authored with my sister: Whose Shoes Are You Wearing? 12 Steps to Uncovering the Woman You Really Want to Be available on Barnes & Noble and Amazon. To learn more about how you can connect or work with me, visit www.julianbkiganda.com.




Comments

  1. […] legend, Coretta Scott King in 2014’s Academy Award nominated Selma. Featuring a stellar cast with David Oyelewo (a 2013 #BFNA30 lister), Oprah Winfrey, Tim Roth, and savvy director, Ava Duvernay, Selma tells the […]

  2. […] Coretta Scott King in 2014’s Academy Award nominated Selma. Featuring a stellar cast with David Oyelewo (a 2013 #BFNA30 lister), Oprah Winfrey, Tim Roth, and savvy director, Ava Duvernay, Selma tells the […]

  3. […] the same time helping to change the perception of Africa. I have written about organizations like Shea Yeleen and Bambi Uganda Orphans before, as they are both organizations that not only work to provide a […]

  4. […] Technology. In my series on the 30 Most Notable Africans from earlier this year (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), I highlight people like Kelvin Doe from Sierra Leone who at 13 built his own radio station using […]

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