Part 2: 30 Most Notable Africans of 2013
18 Jan 2014
This next installment of The 30 Most Notable Africans of 2013 brings you names that may be new to you and others which are better known. In either case, they are names you should know if you want to know where the changemakers are. If you missed Part 1, you can catch it here. I hope these individuals inspire you to live boldly and fearlessly and make a positive impact in whatever you do.
#1. FRED SWANIKER
Country of Origin: Ghana
What: Based on a 2012 study by the Brookings Institution (a US-based think tank), of Sub-Saharan Africa's nearly 128 million school-aged children, 17 million will never attend school. Another 37 million children will learn so little while in they are in school that they will not be much better off than those who never attend school. These dire statistics are in large part what motivated Fred Swaniker to put his frustrations with the educational system in Africa into tangible action when he co-founded the African Leadership Academy in 2008. The Academy’s mission is to identify young people throughout the continent that have the potential to develop and implement important new ideas that can transform Africa.
Why I’m Inspired: As someone who lived and grew up in various parts of the continent, Fred recognized the impact of education in transforming society and chose to follow the examples of educational entrepreneurs in his family. This powerful changemaker first had the idea for the African Leadership Academy while living in Nigeria in 2003 and realizing the dearth of effective and ethical leadership in Africa. His goal is to educate and develop 6000 leaders for Africa over the next 50 years—a goal he is well on his way to achieving.
As he so aptly stated in this CNBC interview: “[As Africans] We must stop blaming the rest of the world for our problems and take ownership of our own destiny.” Accountability anyone?
Click below for the next profile.
Julian B. Kiganda
Julian B. Kiganda is a passionate creative, expert brand builder, published author and founder of Bold & Fearless. A native of Uganda and Rwanda, she has 15+ years of experience as a multicultural design and communications expert. She’s created powerful brands for clients such as the African Union, Turner Construction, and the Freedom House Museum. Julian and her work have been featured in numerous media including: The Washington Post, ABC News, NBC4, FOX5, Associated Press, Communication Arts, Huffington Post, NPR, and ARISE Magazine. In 2014, she co-authored and published her first highly-acclaimed book, “Whose Shoes Are You Wearing? 12 Steps to Uncovering the Woman You Really Want to Be,” and is on a mission to empower women to walk boldly and fearlessly in the shoes God made just for them!
Agreed. This is all so true. Awesome chap. This one
Beau, Thanks for stopping by! Fred, and all the other Notable Africans on this list are indeed Changemakers to watch. Can you think of anyone else that should be added to this list? Drop me a note and let me know.
[…] Pingback: 30 Most Notable Africans of 2013 — Part 2 – Bold and Fearless | Bold and Fearless […]
[…] of the 30 Most Notable Africans of 2013 is here! If you missed the first two, click here and here for more profiles of Changemakers doing amazing things around the world. And drop me an e-mail if […]
[…] you very much Ms Julian B. Kiganda. To see who else made the list, follow these links for part 1, part 2 and part 3 of the […]
[…] & 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 […]