2022 mandela washington fellows
Molly Akinyi Abende
Kenya
Molly Abende is a food scientist with more than four years of experience in the food industry. Currently, Molly is production manager at a food processing company in Kenya. She oversees processing operations, food safety management systems, and new product development. She holds a first-class honors degree in Food Science and Nutrition. She is passionate about food security'particularly sustainable value addition in the agricultural sector to help provide income to small-scale farmers, reduce food loss and food waste, provide healthy and nutritious foods, and create jobs for youth and women. In 2021, she was awarded Emerging Leader of the Year at the Africa Food Industry Excellence Awards. Molly holds a Bachelor of Food Science and Nutrition from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (Kenya) and a certificate in Business Strategy from the University of Pennsylvania (United States). After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, she plans to use her knowledge, skills, and experience to expand her work and its impact in helping reduce food loss and food waste in the agricultural value chain. Her long-term vision is to alleviate hunger and food insecurity in Africa through value addition.
Aemro Worku Ayalew
Ethiopia
Aemro Worku Ayalew has more than three years of experience in university teaching, research, and community service. Currently, Aemro is working on a collaborative research project at Injibara University aiming to improve the nutritional status of communities, especially children. His research interest centers on increasing the profit margin of agricultural commodity producers by training them to solve marketing problems and linking them to industry. Aemro is also co-founder of Sutana Trading and Consulting Enterprise, a firm that develops business incubation centers and creates employment opportunities for university graduates. Aemro holds a bachelor's degree in Management from Addis Ababa University and a master's degree in Marketing Management from Aksum University. He is committed to addressing Ethiopia's major socioeconomic problems by working to develop the agricultural sector so that it can accommodate Ethiopia's unemployed youth. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Aemro plans to start his own platform for establishing new business incubation centers in Ethiopian higher educational institutions and improving the functionality of existing centers.
William Banda
Malawi
William Banda has more than four years of experience in various aspects of youth economic empowerment (especially entrepreneurship) in Malawi. Currently, William is founder and executive director of Agritech Enterprise, a social enterprise that works to develop technological products that help farmers increase productivity and also trains young farmers to identify economic opportunities in various agriculture value chains. William is a professional business coach and trainer. He works with governmental parastatals and non-governmental organizations on business development programs that empower young entrepreneurs. William holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, William plans to continue developing the youth into successful entrepreneurs to create jobs for thousands of Malawians.
Alioune Abi Talib Beye
Senegal
Alioune Beye is a seasoned entrepreneur. After completing his education in management sciences and international trade, he founded Ali Agro Tropical, a start-up that promotes local know-how and the use of advanced technology in agriculture. Currently, Alioune is involved in precision agriculture to optimize production yields. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Ali aims to reduce unemployment in Senegal by setting up structured projects and to encourage young people to become entrepreneurs.
Fatou Juka Darboe
The Gambia
Fatou Juka Darboe is an entrepreneur with three years of experience in 3D printing. Currently, she is the managing director of Make3D Company Ltd., the first and only 3D printing company in The Gambia focusing on 3D printing in healthcare, education, and general manufacturing. For her innovations in this sector, Fatou Juka was awarded the most outstanding woman in STEM in The Gambia by SheAwards Gambia in March 2022, and was a finalist for the Royal Academy of Engineering's Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation 2021. She holds a Technician Diploma in Applied Mechanical, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, and previously worked as a maintenance technician at the Gambia National Petroleum Corporation for four years. Fatou Juka is focused on providing access to 3D printing technology to Gambian youth, experts, and entrepreneurs to develop local solutions for local problems. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, she plans to use the experience gained to work with young women in technology to develop a database of contextualized 3D printable solutions for The Gambia.
Mathabo Castalia Duma
Lesotho
Mathabo Duma has more than five years of experience in social science research. Because of the high rate of unemployment in Lesotho when she was trying to find her profession, Mathabo founded Tebang Multi-Purpose Association, an agriculture business. As the chief executive officer, she wants to reawaken agriculture as a significant ingredient that contributes to the development and economic growth of Lesotho and that employs and eradicates poverty. Mathabo has ventured into dairy farming to supply milk to her community, schools, and a dairy parlor. She also volunteers with the Lesotho Red Cross Society and is a project coordinator for Brighter Future for All in Berea, which gives help to vulnerable youth who live off the streets. Mathabo believes that the organization will eventually expand to other districts and hopes the government will soon support it. She holds a master's degree in Media and Cultural Studies from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal in South Africa. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Mathabo plans to become a changemaker by being more involved in youth empowerment and community development projects that create sustainable jobs and build skills.
Leonor Fall
Senegal
Leonor Fall has more than five years of experience in agriculture and with smallholder farmers. Currently, Leonor is program associate at myAgro in Senegal, focusing on providing inputs and training to smallholder farmers. She sees entrepreneurship as a tool for development and has had the opportunity to be part of for-profit and non-profit organizations in agriculture since 2015. Leonor holds a degree in Agricultural Science and Natural Resources Management. Leonor is committed to eradicating hunger around the world, a goal that pushed her to focus her studies in agriculture. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Leonor plans to offer extension services to Senegalese herders that will facilitate their production activities and optimize the use of available natural resources. Through this action, Leonor hopes to formulate a working model that helps herders use their land, animals, favorable weather conditions, and existing demand as a way for them to lift themselves out of poverty.
Buumba Mudenda Hampuwo
Zambia
Buumba Hampuwo has more than eight years of experience in the fisheries and aquaculture industry. Currently, Buumba is technical officer of fish breeding and genetics at WorldFish, a genetic improvement program for the indigenous Oreochromis andersonii (three-spotted bream) that aims to improve the growth and survival of the fish. Buumba is also the founder of Think Fish Zambia Limited, which promotes aquaculture and offers training, extension services, and market links to farmers. He believes in women empowerment and rural poverty alleviation through aquaculture and provides tailored training programs to women and youth in rural areas. Buumba is passionate about promoting aquaculture in Zambia as a viable business that will lead to increased income generation and improved nutrition for women and youth in rural areas. He holds a bachelor's degree in Fisheries and Aquaculture and is finalizing his master's degree in Aquaculture. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Buumba plans to expand Think Fish Zambia Limited by offering consultancy services and providing accurate, precise, and proven aquaculture solutions. Buumba also plans to continue working with marginalized communities to provide fishers in rural areas with information on fish farming and sustainable fishing methods.
Aminata Fatmata Kandeh
Sierra Leone
Aminata Fatmata Kandeh has more than six years of experience in the aquaculture industry. Currently, Aminata is director at Agro Fish Farm, the first aquaculture company in Sierra Leone to focus on fish farming. She has also worked with women's and youth groups such as Restless Development, Goal SL, and Women in Action against Malnutrition. Aminata holds a bachelor's degree in Aquaculture and Fisheries Management. She is committed to fighting food poverty and malnutrition. She chose to become a 'food fighter' because it was hard for her family to get food when she was growing up. She is aware that a huge number of children from birth to five years of age are malnourished. These are our future leaders, she says, and if we want them to carry that mantle of leadership, they need to have access to healthy food. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Aminata plans to increase access to fish in rural communities by increasing the number of fishponds, empowering more women with innovative skills and knowledge of fish farming, and creating decent jobs for youth and women.
Rirhandzu Anna Marivate
South Africa
Rirhandzu Marivate has more than 10 years of experience in environmental and natural resources management in South Africa. Rirhandzu is regenerative food systems coordinator at the Sustainability Institute and is responsible for the strategic planning and oversight of the Living Soils Community Learning Farm and Sustainability Institute Learning Garden, which are sustainable food growing projects for learning, capacity development, and food security. She is an active member of her community in Stellenbosch, South Africa, and is a volunteer at her local park. She holds a bachelor's degree (with honors) in Ecology, Environment, and Conservation and a postgraduate diploma in Sustainable Development and Planning. Rirhandzu is passionate about building resilience in rural and peri-urban communities through sustainable livelihood strategies. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, she hopes to use her new knowledge and network to create better financial resiliency strategies for regenerative food systems projects for sustainable long-term impact.
Nchimunya Munyama
Zambia
Nchimunya Munyama has more than four years of experience in agriculture technology. Currently, Nchimunya is chief executive officer at Netagrow Technologies, focusing on investing in data-driven agriculture for information that helps farmers effectively plan and monitor their crops. He co-founded a non-governmental organization, Passion for Greens, that supports environmental protection and promotes sustainability. As a volunteer, he has had managerial positions in several non-governmental organizations. As a Zambian delegate to Ubuntu United Nations, he serves on a team to launch the African chapter of the Ubuntu Global Network. Nchimunya holds a bachelor's degree in Forestry. He is committed to creating platforms for young people that foster a culture of collaboration, to promoting innovation through research and technology, to implementing new skills in community development and business, and to teaching youth technological skills. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Nchimunya plans to encourage others to become active creators and to foster an innovative culture among all people in his community. He looks forward to creating partnerships with peers from various countries, as they share a vision of creating community development strategies for the betterment of Africa and the world.
Mwiza Muwowo
Zambia
Mwiza Muwowo has more than six years of experience in the health sector, specifically focusing on women's and adolescents' health. She also has two years' experience in agribusiness. Currently, Mwiza is co-founder and coproprietor at Umni Aquaponics Farms, which is a mobile farm focusing on the integration of fish into hydroponics systems. Previously, she was a volunteer adolescent health educator at Copper Rose Zambia, where she advocated for sexual and reproductive health and rights. Mwiza is pursuing a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery. She is committed to enhancing her knowledge about business and entrepreneurship and to continuing her professional medical career. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, she aims to contribute to small and medium enterprise growth on a national level and to further her medical studies. She believes that synergy between health, nutrition, and business can be created.
Hansley Premal Noruthun
Mauritius
Hansley Noruthun has more than 10 years of experience in the field of science and education. Currently, Hansley is an international regional manager in the higher education sector, where he focuses on global market development, with an emphasis on Africa. Over the past decade, Hansley has campaigned for the Sustainable Development Goals and has advocated for high-quality education and socioeconomic growth, while addressing global challenges using innovative approaches. Hansley rose to prominence as an innovator and a multi-award-winning Pan-African Changemaker. He was named one of the 10 Outstanding Young Persons of the World by Junior Chamber International and also has been recognized as among the Forbes 30 under 30. His core competencies are in program management, consultancy, and advisory. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Hansley plans to expand his role as a leader, starting with ventures in Africa and the global sector.
Abel Augusto N'tchala
Guinea-Bissau
Abel Augusto N'tchala has more than three years of experience in financial accounting. Currently, Abel is an account analyst at Maersk Line, where he focuses on financial data collection for analyses and evaluation. He held a four-year volunteer position as an English teacher for Youth for Christ in his community. Abel holds a bachelor's degree in Accounting. He is committed to building on his skills and gaining experience. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Abel plans to accelerate and amplify his agribusiness and to strengthen the connections he made during the Fellowship for the benefit of his community.
Immaculate Uzoamaka Nwajagu
Nigeria
Immaculate Nwajagu has more than six years of experience in food safety and security, product development, and nutrition. Immaculate is founder and managing principal of Food Maestro, a start-up that focuses on special consulting services in food safety and quality management systems, food services management, product development, and portable water treatment. Immaculate has served as an independent food safety advocate and food and health promoter to food industries, commercial kitchens, and households. She also worked as an intern with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control. Immaculate holds a master's degree in Nutrition from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria in Nigeria and a bachelor's degree (with honors) in Food Science and Technology from Enugu State University of Science and Technology. Immaculate is a professional member of various international food and nutrition organizations and has won a prestigious award from the Nigerian Young Academy for her research. Immaculate is passionate about building bridges and inspiring others to see food as a means of addressing pressing issues. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Immaculate plans to create food safety sensitization programs on social media and to start a production line for healthy and nutritious foods.
Temitope Funmi Olatimehin
Nigeria
Temitope Olatimehin has 10 years of experience as a chemical engineer, agro-entrepreneur, and citizenship consultant in Nigeria. Temitope is the managing director of Chodchod Management Service Limited, an agriculture value chain service company that specializes in large-scale agriculture planting, storing, and processing for local and international sales. She is the managing director of Chodchod Travels, a citizenship company that helps Africans expand their business opportunities worldwide through visa-free travels. Temitope volunteers as a member of the Lagos chapter of Junior Chamber International to help solve societal challenges instead of waiting on the government. Temitope holds a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University. Temitope is passionate about the potential of Nigeria and Africa being able to feed all its people and the world. She is invested in making agriculture viable and sustainable enough to create jobs, especially for rural women, which will help solve the multidimensional poverty faced by women in Nigeria. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Temitope plans to be a changemaker in her community and expand her agriculture business through her Fellowship network.
Akathingo Matheus Panduleni
Namibia
Akathingo Kapuka is an entrepreneur with an interest in horticulture and technology. Currently, Akathingo runs a start-up business inspired by market access obstacles he faced as a youth farmer. He is passionate about mentoring youth, and many in his community look to him for employment. With his team at Fano Group Namibia, he has developed a lucrative business that uses the messaging application WhatsApp to alleviate farmers' pain from lack of markets. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Akathingo plans to return to his village and continue the fight for the village's inclusion in the mainstream economy. He will also create apprenticeships and eventually jobs for youth in horticulture.
Clara Isabel Penicela
Mozambique
Clara Isabel Penicela has more than five years of experience in humanitarian work, and is passionate about reducing food insecurity and empowering women. Currently, Clara is a program associate at the World Food Programme of the United Nations, focusing on promoting post-harvest management and food processing among smallholder farmers in Mozambique. Previously, she was a quality manager and Food Safety Management Certification 22000 adviser. She has joined a leadership and capacity-building organization for women as a trainee and has completed an internship with Nestlé Portugal on food quality management. Clara is passionate about food processing and the development of nutritional food products from wasted crops to reduce food insecurity. She holds a bachelor's degree in Food Science and Technology. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Clara plans to improve her contribution to humanitarian work by supporting farmer organizations with sustainable social business models and by advancing her entrepreneurial project of producing nutritional food from wasted crops.
Luís Filipe De Pina Júnior
Mozambique
Luís Pina Júnior has more than three years of research and development experience in engineering. Currently, he is lecturer and director of the Center of Engineering Studies and Projects at the University of Lurio, where he provides engineering and technology services through applied research. He also is an ambassador of the Zindi Africa platform in Mozambique, which aims to build the data science ecosystem in Mozambique to solve the region's most challenging problems. Luís holds a master's degree in Information Technology from SEGi University. He is motivated to design, develop, and deploy artificial intelligence (AI) in Mozambique and is passionate about computer vision, machine learning, and deep learning. Since completing his master's degree, Luís has received international technological innovation grants to apply AI in conservation and he has produced prototypes for improving productivity in the agricultural value chain. He has spoken at national events about applying low-cost technologies that can increase access to knowledge and services for people living in rural communities in developing countries. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Luís plans to include Mozambicans not only as observers and consumers of current technologies but also as creators of technology according to their needs.
Ruvimbo Samanga
Zimbabwe
Ruvimbo Samanga has dedicated four years to space legal research and policy work, outreach, and advocacy. Currently, Ruvimbo is a freelance consultant focusing on the Sustainable Development Goal impact of space-based applications for Africa. She has volunteered with the Space Generation Advisory Council, representing Zimbabwe, and has been named among the Top under 30 in the African space industry. She has also been named an Emerging Space Leader by the International Astronautical Federation and an African Space Leader by the Space Generation Advisory Council. Ruvimbo holds a master's degree in Trade and Investment Law in Africa and a Bachelor of Arts in Law. She is committed to advancing space applications for a sustainable Africa. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Ruvimbo plans to grow her entrepreneurial pursuits.
Tiisetso Ivy Sefatsane
Lesotho
Tiisetso Ivy Sefatsane has more than seven years of experience in crop farming. Currently, Tiisetso is founder and production manager at Agrihive Garden (Pty) Ltd., a company that focuses on vegetable seedlings production. She is also operations manager and the first woman employee at Afriponics (Pty) Ltd. in Lesotho, specializing in leafy crop production in hydroponics systems. Tiisetso holds a bachelor's degree (with honors) in Tourism Management. She is determined to provide youth opportunities through business coaching and mentoring and by fighting poverty and empowering youth and women in the agribusiness sector through engagement in sustainable food supply. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Tiisetso plans to see African women taking a lead in food security and contributing toward climate resilience.
Marvelous Munyaradzi Shumbamhini
Zimbabwe
Marvelous Shumbamhini has more than 13 years of marketing and sales experience in Zimbabwe's insurance sector. Currently, he is financial adviser at CBZ Life Assurance. Marvelous is also an agripreneur at Green Valley, an irrigation, horticulture, poultry farming, and cuniculture project, where he focuses on reducing food insecurity for communities in rural Murewa, Zimbabwe. Previously, Marvelous participated in a Design Thinking Program facilitated by ACT in Africa in conjunction with student facilitators from Haas School of Business, Berkeley, California, and the University of Cape Town to find ways of improving Zimbabwe poultry farmers' productivity and profitability. Marvelous holds a bachelor's degree in Business Management and Entrepreneurship. The African Development Bank estimates that Africa's agribusiness will become a $1 trillion business by 2030. With that in mind, after completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Marvelous aspires to take the knowledge and skills gained to expand the Green Valley project to be part of that growth.
Boaz Berhanu Tulu
Ethiopia
Boaz Berhanu Tulu is an agritech start-up founder and incubator with more than four years of experience in Ethiopia and East Africa. He believes that youth involvement in the agricultural sector is the key to achieving sustainable agriculture in Africa and that one way to do this is to empower youth to apply skills and knowledge gained at universities to the agricultural sector and create their own agritech start-ups. Boaz has a master's degree in Computer Engineering with a specialization in Artificial Intelligence. He is co-founder of three artificial intelligence-based agritech start-up companies in Ethiopia. He has won 12 national and international awards for innovation in the agricultural sector. His long-term ambition is to build a start-up incubator for fresh graduates, in which he empowers them with knowledge and skills and helps them lead their own start-ups. Boaz is a gifted, innovative teambuilder who sees challenges and problems in the agricultural sector and in other sectors as opportunities to come up with new ideas. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Boaz will use his new skills and network to establish his start-up incubator in Ethiopia.
Hawa Dunor Varney
Liberia
Hawa Varney has more than nine years of experience in gender and rural development working with grassroots women, adolescents, children, and disadvantaged youth in Liberia. Currently, she is project coordinator at the Foundation for Community Initiatives, working on a multicountry project that seeks to end gender-based violence in Liberia, Ghana, and Mali. She is also founder and volunteer executive director at Women in Agriculture for Sustainable Development, a non-profit organization that improves the livelihoods of women and girls through agriculture services and other income-generating activities. Hawa's vision is to contribute toward ending violence against women and girls using innovative, community-driven actions, and inclusive approaches. Hawa holds a master's degree in Rural Development from the Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Hawa plans to continue creating sustainable livelihoods for women and girls through agriculture, agribusiness, and other income-generating activities.
Emmanuel Darlingboy Williams
Liberia
Emmanuel Darlingboy Williams is an agriculture extension officer at the Liberian Ministry of Agriculture, where he works directly with the Department of Regional Development, Research, and Extension to provide technical backstopping, on-site training, and agribusiness development support to local farmers. Currently, Emmanuel is working with the Japan International Cooperation Agency to develop climate-smart agricultural approaches to farming. He is also introducing new farming techniques for rice production to farmers under the Improving Rice Production for Smallholder Farmers in Liberia project. Emmanuel holds a bachelor's degree in General Agriculture from the University of Liberia and a certificate in Business Plan Preparation and Operations Management for Small and Medium Enterprises in Food Processing from the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics in Hyderabad, India. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Emmanuel intends to partner with other Fellows and non-governmental organizations to develop a digital platform for farmers to access agriculture extension services during disease outbreaks.