*all descriptions originally written by the Obama Foundation.
Stephen Molatlhegi, Botswana
Stephen is a young active citizen, highly motivated development practitioner, and social entrepreneur, with a passion in empowering people, promoting sustainable development, entrepreneurship, and combating poverty.
Keke Haina, Comoros
Keke is a youth educator and an activist for youth rights. She co-founded the NGO I’m a Rad African (IMARA) in 2015 and provides a safe education heaven to Comorian children, adolescents, and adults from all walks of life through different programs.
Aminetou Bilal, Mauritania. Incoming 2018 delegate
Aminetou is president of Selfie Mbalite, an NGO raising awareness campaigns against unsanitary conditions and promoting ecological development in Mauritania.
Khadidiatou Sall, Senegal
Khadidiatou is a molecular biologist, a STEM educator, and an entrepreneur. She is building a collaborative and innovative hub in Senegal, for learning STEM topics online/offline in local languages starting from a young age, for prototyping ideas, and for launching successful startups.
Shakira Choonara, South Africa
Dr. Choonara is a renowned health researcher, bold activist, and the 2017 Woman of the Year in Health, in South Africa. She is also listed as Destiny Magazine’s “Most Powerful Women under 40” in SA and is currently employed as the obesity program coordinator for SA at the Washington based NGO, Global Health Advocacy Incubator.
Rufaro Mudimu, Zimbabwe
Rufaro is a proud citizen of Southern Africa. She is passionate about working with others to achieve social change and creating environments that allow people to define and achieve success and create a better future for themselves, their communities, and their countries.
Met #ryancoogler director of #blackpanther. Pretty chill guy. Had to tell him as an African scientist and educator #Wakanda made my job so much easier. I have something that illustrates innovation within a different cultural reference frame using local languages! #ObamaLeaders pic.twitter.com/clTgkRNr8s
— Khady Sall, PhD (@KhadidiatouSALL) July 16, 2018
It's been an incredible journey so far as an #AfricanQueen , more unreal as the 200 #ObamaLeaders We will have a Townhall, direct engagement President Obama today, the greatest orator and inspiration of our times #Mandela100@OYW_Africa1 @ObamaFoundation @BarackObama pic.twitter.com/uQvtobwskU
— Doc Shakira Choonara (@ChoonaraShakira) July 18, 2018
Excited to share that I will be a member of the first class of Obama Foundation Leaders: Africa — a program for young leaders from across Africa that will help us create the change we want to see in our communities and beyond....🤗🤗🤗#ObamaLeaders pic.twitter.com/UibHwSRMdl
— Stephen Molatlhegi (@VavoStephen) July 9, 2018