The Gratitude Network, a California-based social impact accelerator, has announced 35 candidates for its 2026 Fellowship cohort of nonprofit leaders spanning Africa, the United States, Europe, the Middle East and South America.
Among the selected are a new generation of African social entrepreneurs tackling some of the continent’s most persistent challenges, from education inequality and child marriage to disability inclusion, youth empowerment and community health.
The selected organizations reflect a growing trend across Africa, mission-driven enterprises and nonprofits using innovative, locally designed solutions to address systemic social and economic barriers while building resilient communities.
While the international cohort includes organizations from the United States, Europe, South America and the Middle East, 12 African founders emerged as some of the strongest voices in the programme, representing East, Central and West Africa across sectors including education, children’s rights, health and wellbeing, disability inclusion and women’s empowerment.
The recognition comes at a time when Africa is home to the world’s youngest population. According to United Nations projections, the continent’s population is expected to double by 2050, making investments in education, skills development, youth leadership and inclusive growth increasingly critical to long-term economic transformation.
Among the African leaders selected is Gorretty Atuwa, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Budondo Intercultural Center in Uganda. The organization works to improve the lives of mothers, children and young people through community health and family empowerment programmes.
Uganda also secured representation through Joan Kembabazi, Founder of Gufasha Girls Foundation, an organization working to combat child marriage and expand opportunities for girls and young women.
Rubaihayo Paul Collins, Executive Director of Sapphire Africa Foundation, was also recognized for his work supporting vulnerable children, youth and persons with disabilities through mobility assistance, practical education and economic empowerment initiatives.
In Kenya, several organizations earned international visibility for their community-driven approaches to development.
Grace Ongong’a, Founder and Executive Director of Asembo Skills for Hope, is leading efforts to break cycles of poverty by equipping women with practical skills and income-generating opportunities.
Dorothy Dulo, Founder and Director of Sawa Africa, was recognized for her work strengthening education and community development across Western Kenya.
Central Africa was represented by Nshimba Elvis, Founder and CEO of Umoja Sport Foundation, which uses sport as a platform for education, skills development and economic empowerment.
Ghana also featured prominently through Rosalin Abigail Kyere-Nartey, Founder and Executive Director of Africa Dyslexia Organization, a pan-African initiative operating across Central, East and West Africa to promote inclusive learning and improve opportunities for people with dyslexia.
West Africa also secured representation through Aramide Kayode, Executive Director of Talent Mine Academy, a Nigeria-based organization focused on equipping children from low-income communities with the skills, confidence and leadership capabilities needed to break cycles of poverty and drive social change.
In Tanzania, Kellen Msseemmaa, Founder and CEO of Empowered Girls, earned recognition for her work helping girls build leadership skills and become agents of change.
The Middle East and North Africa region was represented by Wiebke Eden-Fleig, Founder and Programs Director of Just.Childhood, an organization dedicated to supporting vulnerable children and young people through education, psychosocial support and sports-based development programmes.
The Middle East and North Africa region also featured Mine Ekinci Mechik, Founder and General Coordinator of KODA, an organization working to transform educational outcomes for children growing up in underserved rural communities. Through teacher support, community engagement and locally driven education initiatives, KODA is addressing one of the region’s most persistent development challenges: unequal access to quality education.
The cohort also includes Zach Swett, Executive Director of the Africa School Assistance Project (ASAP), which works alongside Tanzanian communities and government institutions to strengthen public education systems and improve learning outcomes, particularly for girls.
Beyond Africa, the cohort includes leaders such as Lauren Maples of PEAS (Partners for Education, Agriculture & Sustainability), Rachel Rutter of Project Libertad, Sarah Sandelius of The Ability Challenge Incorporated, Koen Deweer of Brake-Out, Jelena Likić of Association Bioteka, Dominque Jones-Johnson of Daughters Beyond Incarceration, and Pamela Jacobsen of Girls Soccer Worldwide.
Together, the selected organizations address a broad range of global challenges, from immigrant youth support and disability inclusion to STEM education, sports development and children’s rights.
The strong African representation underscores a broader shift underway across the continent, where locally led organizations are increasingly attracting international attention for delivering measurable impact in underserved communities. Development experts have repeatedly highlighted that sustainable solutions are most effective when designed and led by those closest to the challenges they seek to solve.
As governments, donors and investors place greater emphasis on inclusive development and human capital, the selected African organizations are positioning themselves at the forefront of efforts to improve educational outcomes, strengthen community resilience and unlock opportunities for future generations.
Their inclusion in this global cohort signals growing recognition that Africa’s social entrepreneurs are not merely responding to local challenges, they are developing scalable models with relevance far beyond national borders.
