2010 Tutu Fellow Bright Simons is being called a champion of safe medicine in Africa. The social entrepreneur and policy activist has developed software that enables consumers to instantly verify the authenticity of medicine they buy. The person buying the medicine enters a code on the medicine at the point of sale on their mobile phone and gets a reply confirming if the medicine they are getting is authentic or not.
By Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli, Associate Tutu Fellow. This post originally appeared in the Stanford Review.
There is growing global interest in opportunities for social change and profitable growth on the African continent. In 2015, 30 percent of the 3,165 applications for the Echoing Green Award were for initiatives focused on Africa, with Nigeria, Uganda, and Kenya listed as the top five countries after the United States and India.
The African Leadership Institute (AFLI) is unique among leadership initiatives in that it focuses on building the capacity and capability of visionary and strategic leadership across the continent. Developing exceptional leaders representing all spheres of society, the Institute’s flagship programme is the prestigious Archbishop Tutu Leadership Fellowship. Offering a multifaceted learning experience and run in partnership with Oxford University, it is awarded annually to 20-25 carefully chosen candidates, nominated from across Africa. Alumni of the African Leadership Institute form a dynamic network of Fellows passionately committed to the continent’s transformation, bridging the divide between nations and ensuring that Africa is set centre-stage in global affairs.