James Mwangi, the Executive Director of The Dalberg Group, says that small enterprise - if it is given the support it needs - has the power to create growth and prosperity for Africa.  The 2009 Tutu Fellow said that elements like providing early access to small amounts of capital and mentorship could unlock the potential of entrepreneurship. Innovative solutions to problems facing developing countries were likely to emerge with this kind of support.

Tutu Fellow Ifeoma Malo was interviewed by This Day Live on her views on renewable energy in a country with a chronic energy shortage.  Malo is a former senior policy advisor to the Nigerian government on energy and is now active in advocacy for renewable energy use in countries such as her own and others facing the challenge of meeting growing energy demands. She makes the case that renewable energy is the best solution to Nigeria's struggle to meet its energy needs.

Social media in Lagos erupted after police and heavy equipment showed up and a short while later began demolishing a street of shops and small businesses in Ikoyi. Among them was one owned and very recently opened by 2014 Tutu Fellow Ada Osakwe.  The shop, Nuli Juice, was just six weeks old.  Local news reports report that officials said the landlord had been given notice after non-payment of taxes. Osakwe said that she had paid all taxes relevant to running an eatery with no notification of impending action.  

South Sudan has been troubled by war since it's inception. 2016 Tutu Fellow Peter Biar Ajak has been trying to bring a measure of peace between the sides through a common passion - wrestling. During the recent cease-fire brought about by the stuttering peace process, he was given just days to organise a wrestling tournament.  At the last moment, nervous government officials wanted to cancel it, but wrestlers from both camps wanted to know from the President, "Is he against peace, or is he against wrestling?"

This documentary, by VICE Sports, covers the tournament.

Students who attended the Visiola Foundation's 2016 STEM Summer Camp for teenage girls impressed U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and American ambassadors when they visited Abuja, Nigeria. One of the projects the girls had was to make a robotic forklift (see video below). The Visiola Foundation was founded by 2014 Tutu Fellow Lade Araba.  It educates high-potential girls and young women in the STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering & Math) fields to build a pipeline of leaders and innovators who will help to transform African countries.

2016 Tutu Fellow Amanda Gicharu-Kemoli has been recognized by the Anita Borg Institute, winning the 'Change Agent' category in their annual GHC ABIE awards for 2016.  The Anita Borg Institute is a nonprofit organisation focused on the advancement of women in computing.  It seeks to connect, inspire and guide women in computing and organizations that view technology innovation as a strategic imperative. Founded in 1997 by computer scientist Anita Borg, the organization is active in more than 65 countries.

2016 Tutu Fellow Succès Masra has been appointed to the Presidential Task Team team at the African Development Bank that has been tasked with delivering the New Deal on Energy in Africa. The team will be in charge of projects like Inga Hydroelectric, which will be the largest of its kind on the continent, and the African Renewable Energy Initiative.  Masra, the Principal Energy Economist at the bank, will play a pivotal role in mobilizing capital for financing of the energy projects that will be part of this project's portfolio. 

Shared working spaces are one of the ways in which startups can keep costs down while simultaneously working in an environment providing networking opportunities and a sense of community.  Tutu Fellow Zied Mhirsi co-founded a space called Cogite in Tunisia, which has been listed as one of the top ten co-worker spaces in the world. 

Forbes wrote an article on shared spaces, partnering with Coworker, a ratings and reviews platform, and Nomad List to power the "Where to Work" feature for location independent workers who have the flexibility to work from anywhere in the world. More than 3,000 participants submitted their opinions on what made a particular space the best place to work.  Founders were also questioned about their spaces.  Cogite emerged as #3 on the list.

The full article is on Forbes.

The book, Expert Mavericks, showcases extraordinary individuals, each one a maverick in their field. It highlights the journeys and struggles that they faced in order to achieve success. Tutu Fellow Craig Wing is one of the 13 people selected for the book, compiled by Shareen Richter. 

The 13 South Africans, who are considered mavericks in their respective fields, share their personal stories with Richter in an effort to empower other South Africans to...

Forbes has written a piece on Kisua, highlighting how the company is putting African fashion on the map.  It starts out by pointing out that even if you’re not immersed in fashion, you probably understand that most designers originate from Paris, Milan, New York, and London. Africa seems to be a fashion afterthought. But it then makes the case for the impact African fashion has had on international design and the role that Kisua is playing today.

2016 Tutu Fellow Andre Hilton Ross has been nominated for the 2016 Marsh Award for peacemaking and peacekeeping. The Marsh Award recognises individuals from outside the UK who are making an innovative difference to areas of conflict and peacemaking. Ross was shortlisted as a nominee for his work as Co-Founder and Chairperson of the Jala Peo Foundation and his role in using sport for development as a catalyst for change.

Tutu Fellow Ntombenhle Khathwane has been included on the Forbes 30 Most Promising Young Entrepreneurs in Africa 2016 list.  The Swazi-born entrepreneur is the founder of AfroBotanics, a Johannesburg-based company that makes ethnic hair and body-care products.  The Forbes African entrepreneurs list began in 2011 and has featured several other Tutu Fellows since its inception.

Linda Kasonde has been elected President of the Law Association of Zambia during the association’s fifth annual conference at Livingstone’s Avani Victoria Falls Hotel. Kasonde beat two other contenders to become the first female President of the association. She takes over from George Chisanga who had completed his term of office.

The World Economic Forum has announced the 2016 Young Global Leaders.  Of the 11 selected by the WEF, five are Tutu Fellows and Associates, a powerful affirmation of the impact of the African Leadership Institute's programs.

WEF describes their list of Young Global Leaders as 'Brilliant scientists. Emerging entrepreneurs. Tech investors. Activist MPs' that represent the most innovative, enterprising and socially minded men and women under the age of 40 who are pushing boundaries and rethinking the world around them. WEF says that this year’s class of Leaders gives hope to tackle the world’s most complex and pressing challenges.  In addition to being honored by their selection, they will also be offered a five-year leadership journey to break down silos, bridge cultures and use their collective skills to get things done for positive impact across private, public and civil society organizations.

The five Tutu Fellows named among this year's Young Global Leaders:

Ada Osakwe
Victor Ochen
James Mworia
Zuki Siyotula
Juliana Rotich

 

Tutu Fellow Ronald Osumba has been appointed by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta as the Chairman of the country's Youth Advisory Board.  The appointment began in March and runs for three years.  The position is key in that Osumba has the potential to make a big difference to the lives and influence of youth in Kenya.