Fifteen African social entrepreneurs, innovators and human rights advocates were selected to join the 2026 Global Fellows in Courage (GFiC), a six-month virtual accelerator programme that brings together emerging leaders from around the world to strengthen their work in human rights and gender justice.
The selection places African innovators alongside other global fellows working to address some of the world’s most pressing social challenges. Through mentorship, expert guidance and access to an international network of advisors and changemakers, the programme is designed to help participants strengthen their organisations, improve their leadership skills and expand the impact of their work.
Global Fellows in Courage connects fellows to experienced advisors and experts who provide ongoing support throughout the programme. By encouraging collaboration, knowledge sharing and peer learning, the fellowship enables participants to develop practical solutions while building lasting relationships with leaders working across different regions and sectors. The programme focuses on social entrepreneurs between the ages of 25 and 35 who are driving change in areas such as gender equality, community development, health, climate action and human rights.
African Leaders Driving Change Across Communities
The 15 selected African fellows represent 10 countries and are leading initiatives that address gender-based violence, healthcare, youth empowerment, climate change, education, peacebuilding, indigenous rights and social inclusion. Their selection highlights the growing contribution of African innovators in developing practical solutions to local and global challenges.
Joy Oluwatoyin Adeboye (Nigeria) is the founder of LE-VAWG Initiative, a feminist organisation that provides psychosocial support and mental health services for survivors of gender-based violence. Drawing from her own experience as a survivor of sexual violence, she has developed trauma-informed programmes that offer counselling, legal assistance, safe spaces and economic opportunities for women and girls. Her flagship Project LE-VAWG has already supported more than 280 survivors with emotional first aid, legal referrals and professional care, while her broader advocacy has reached over 22,000 women and girls across 16 communities. Her work has earned international recognition through the Princess Diana Award, a place as a finalist for the .ORG Impact Awards in the United States, and leadership within Girl Up Nigeria, an initiative of the United Nations Foundation.
Namatovu Angella (Uganda) is the founder of Azali Women Organization and a human rights lawyer whose work focuses on protecting victims of human trafficking, gender-based violence and forced displacement, particularly within LGBTQ communities. Operating in an increasingly challenging legislative environment, Angella leads programmes that combine emergency rescue services, legal representation, mental health support and long-term economic empowerment for survivors. Their work also extends to promoting democracy, protecting civil liberties and advocating for greater civic space across Africa and the Middle East and North Africa region.
Musa Carew (Sierra Leone) founded Peace Drive, a youth-led organisation that promotes peacebuilding, civic participation and democratic accountability in communities affected by conflict and political mistrust. Through initiatives such as the Knowledge Management Series, Peace Drive equips young people with practical skills in mediation, dialogue and civic engagement while helping rebuild trust between generations. Musa has also represented Sierra Leone on global platforms, including the UNODA Youth4Disarmament Initiative, One Young World and the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, where he advocated for greater youth participation in peace and security discussions.
Nwankwo Praise Chidiebube (Nigeria) is the founder of HerRise Foundation, a non-profit organisation advancing gender justice through trauma-informed programmes, leadership development and gender-based violence prevention. Beginning with limited personal resources, she built an organisation that has now reached more than 30,000 women and girls across Nigeria. She has secured multiple Ford Foundation grants, trained more than 160 teachers as first responders to gender-based violence and developed her state’s first school GBV Club Manual. Beyond her organisation, she serves on UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited Young People’s Action Team and has represented Nigerian youth at international forums, demonstrating her commitment to expanding opportunities for young women and strengthening community leadership.
Diepriye Diri (Nigeria) is a filmmaker, writer, director and co-founder of FEMBUD Collective, a feminist creative justice organisation that uses storytelling, film and art to challenge harmful social norms and amplify the voices of women, girls and marginalised communities. She also serves as Programmes, Productions and Advocacy Manager at the Dorothy Njemanze Foundation, where she supports survivor-led efforts to prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence. Her work demonstrates how creative industries can influence public conversations, inspire social action and contribute to long-term structural change.
Maryam Ebrahim Elsharkawy (Egypt) is the founder and chief executive of PulseID, a health technology startup developing secure digital patient identities using blockchain technology and biometric systems. A medical student at Mansoura National University, she is working to improve access to accurate medical records while strengthening healthcare systems through digital innovation. Her entrepreneurial leadership has already earned recognition through university innovation competitions and selection for the University of Michigan Entrepreneurship Exchange programme. By combining clinical knowledge with technology, she is helping address critical gaps in patient care and healthcare management.
Bruno Adrien Essame (Cameroon) is the founder of APPCEV and co-founder of WATETEZI Africa, organisations committed to protecting vulnerable young people and promoting social inclusion. His work combines monitoring and evaluation expertise with practical development programming to support displaced youth, particularly those affected by conflict in Cameroon’s South West and North West regions. Through the Resilient Pathways for Displaced Youth initiative, Bruno is expanding access to skills training, resilience building and sustainable livelihood opportunities. His contributions to youth development have also been recognised through his role as a UNICEF Cameroon Youth Champion and ambassador for the Batonga Foundation’s Our Voices Count initiative.
Nouran Farouk (Egypt) is a physician, social entrepreneur and co-founder and chief executive of Dosy, the first women-led mobility platform in Egypt and the wider Middle East and North Africa region. The platform addresses long-standing challenges around women’s safety, affordability and accessibility in transportation while creating employment opportunities for women as drivers and instructors. Inspired by the mobility barriers many women experience, Nouran has developed a business that combines technology with social impact to promote greater independence and inclusion for women across Egypt.
Expanding Africa’s Voice in Global Human Rights Leadership
Mabuse Kau (South Africa) is a social entrepreneur, educator and co-founder of Connected Development NPC, an organisation focused on equipping young people and communities with the skills and confidence to become leaders. Through initiatives such as the STEP Programme, the Unchained Platform and the Roots and Wings Network, he supports leadership development, mental wellbeing and community empowerment. A former public school teacher, Mabuse has dedicated his career to creating opportunities for young people while helping community organisations strengthen their impact. His work centres on ensuring that individuals have the support and resources needed to lead positive change within their own communities.
Sethembile Msezane (South Africa) is an internationally recognised artist and educator whose work combines art, research and cultural advocacy to elevate African history and identity. Through Msezane Studios, she develops projects that increase the visibility of marginalised histories while promoting African scholarship and cultural representation. Her work has been showcased at major international exhibitions, including the Cuenca Biennial in Ecuador, Dak’Art Biennale in Senegal, Bamako Encounters in Mali and the Curitiba Biennial in Brazil. Her artwork is also part of respected collections such as the Iziko South African National Gallery and the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada, reflecting her growing influence within the global arts sector.
Yvette Nkurunziza (Rwanda) is a medical doctor and co-founder of the Awaken Her Initiative, an organisation committed to reducing deaths from breast and cervical cancer by increasing access to early screening services. Her work combines clinical practice with public health research to improve health outcomes for women. She holds master’s degrees in Global Health Delivery and Public Health and is currently pursuing a PhD in Global Health at York University. Her research focuses on understanding how social and economic factors influence tuberculosis treatment outcomes among people living with HIV in Rwanda, contributing to evidence-based healthcare policies and more equitable health systems.
Vincent Olwanda (Kenya) is the founder and Executive Director of Safiri Youth Impact, where he leads programmes that promote education, gender equality and public health while strengthening safeguarding systems for young people. His organisation has implemented initiatives that address sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence prevention and digital safety. Vincent has also played an active role in policy advocacy by presenting a legislative memorandum to establish Migori County’s first safe house for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. As part of the Global Fellows in Courage programme, he plans to expand his work through the Digital Resilience Enterprise Academy, an initiative designed to create sustainable funding for grassroots digital safety programmes.
Rogers Omollo (Kenya) is the founder and Executive Director of Activate Action, a youth-led organisation dedicated to improving the health, wellbeing and economic opportunities of adolescents and young people, particularly those living with HIV, disabilities and other vulnerabilities. Under his leadership, the organisation has established youth-friendly centres that provide HIV testing and treatment, mental health services, sexual and reproductive healthcare, entrepreneurship training and safe spaces for vulnerable young people. Through community-based programmes, Rogers has helped equip thousands of young people with practical knowledge, skills and support to improve their quality of life and build sustainable livelihoods.
Naisiae Tumpes (Kenya) is a Maasai Indigenous rights advocate and climate policy practitioner whose work focuses on protecting Indigenous land rights while promoting climate justice and civic participation. Through Indigenous Livelihood Enhancement Partners (ILEPA), she has contributed to research on conservation and carbon markets, ensuring that Indigenous communities remain central to discussions around environmental policy. She has also mobilised young people to participate in campaigns protecting contested land in Maasailand. Beyond community engagement, Naisiae uses her digital platform, which reaches more than 300,000 followers, to make governance, climate policy and Indigenous rights more accessible to the public.
Tafadzwa Wachenuka (Zimbabwe) is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Grumium Engineering, a company developing artificial intelligence-powered smart grid technology that improves the integration of solar energy while reducing power outages across Africa. His technology is already helping businesses and communities in Zimbabwe lower energy losses by 40 percent and reduce carbon emissions by approximately 1,500 tonnes each year. His achievements have earned him an Earthshot Prize nomination as well as support from the European Union, UNESCO and the Mastercard Foundation. Recognised as a YALI Top 100 Innovator, UNESCO Summit delegate and Mercedes-Benz Global Fellow, Tafadzwa is driving innovation that supports Africa’s transition to cleaner and more reliable energy systems.
The inclusion of these 15 African leaders in the 2026 Global Fellows in Courage programme reflects the growing influence of African innovators in addressing complex social, economic and human rights challenges. Their work spans healthcare, climate action, education, technology, peacebuilding, gender justice, youth empowerment and Indigenous rights, demonstrating the breadth of solutions being developed across the continent.
By joining a global network of fellows, mentors and experts, the selected participants will have access to knowledge, partnerships and leadership development opportunities that can strengthen their organisations and extend the reach of their work. The fellowship also creates opportunities for collaboration across countries, allowing participants to exchange ideas and develop solutions that can be adapted to different communities around the world.
