By Aniefiok Christopher
African entrepreneurs got more than $1.5 million over the past 13 years from the Future Africa Leaders Foundation (FALF) to drive their leadership, innovation and sustainable development across the continent.
The disclosure was made on Monday in Lagos at the unveiling of the 2025 Future Africa Leaders Award (FALA) winners and ambassadors, an event that brought together development advocates, civil society leaders, foundation executives and members of the media.
FALF is a non-governmental organisation and an initiative of Loveworld Incorporated, sponsored by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, with support from the Chris Oyakhilome Foundation International (COFI).
Over the years, it has evolved into a continental platform that identifies, nurtures and equips young Africans whose initiatives are reshaping communities and influencing policy.
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Speaking at the event, a member of the Central Executive Council of Loveworld Incorporated and Anchor of FALA, Pastor Tuoyo Temisan, said the award was created to demonstrate confidence in African youths and their capacity to lead meaningful change.
According to him, each edition of FALA provides $125,000 in cash prizes, which recipients deploy to scale projects already delivering measurable social impact.
“Over the 13 editions of FALA, the prize money given has exceeded $1.5 million. Every year, substantial funding is committed to ensure these young leaders are equipped to do more,” Temisan said.
He revealed that the foundation received 1,210 project entries in 2025, from which 30 candidates were shortlisted, while 10 finalists emerged as award recipients, with Kenya’s Ambassador Rejoice Waithera named the overall Star Prize Winner.
“We do not just look at hometown impact. Some of these young people have carried out projects across multiple countries and in diverse sectors. Many of them are defined by sustained, year-long interventions, not a single project,” he said.
“The initiative is a launching pad for young African dreams. It has served as a catalyst for global recognition among emerging leaders. It opens doors to greater opportunities and enables the award winners to expand the impact of their work,” Temisan added.
Changemakers Driving Impact Across Africa
At the centre of the 2025 awards is Rejoice Waithera, a 23-year-old Kenyan agripreneur and humanitarian whose work spans food security, waste management and community health.
Responding to concerns over GMO maize, Waithera developed SOCAMI flour, a nutritious blend of sorghum, cassava and millet.
Her advocacy with Kenya’s Ministry of Agriculture led to the inclusion of indigenous crops on the Kenya Cereals and Produce Board platform, benefiting over 20,000 consumers nationwide.
In Kibera, she transformed an abandoned dump site into a productive greenhouse, promoting organic farming while training more than 10,000 students in sustainable agriculture.
Her interventions in water and sanitation include the construction of a borehole serving 20,000 families, alongside sanitation facilities that reduced open defecation and improved menstrual hygiene for women and girls. Her plastic recycling initiative created jobs for over 60 families, impacted 50,000 people, and earned recognition as “Waste Recycling Project of the Year.”
From Uganda, Ambassador Grace Ndagire Marion, founder of Wellness World Foundation, has directly impacted over one million people through integrated interventions in agriculture, health, education, clean energy and youth empowerment.
Her four-acre rice farm in Butebo District employs 200 youths and supplies nutritious porridge flour to malnourished children, including infants at Mulago National Referral Hospital. She has also constructed five boreholes, distributed 300 solar systems, led medical outreaches serving 17,000 patients, and trained 500 girls on menstrual hygiene.
In Southern Africa, Ambassador Norman Chrispin Phiri, 22, of Zambia, is driving youth mobilisation and agricultural innovation through the Alpha Global Youth Movement, which unites over 25,000 members across four countries.
His 40-acre training farm has benefited more than 10,000 people across 120 communities, while his Ubuntu Gardens Initiative empowered 500 widows with food security and livelihoods. Phiri is also contesting Zambia’s 2026 parliamentary elections, seeking to scale his grassroots impact through public office.
Cameroon’s Ambassador Annette Ewusi, 25, is advancing education, youth leadership and identity protection in conflict-affected regions. In 2025, she launched BirthGuard Cameroon, equipping 100,000 field agents to improve birth registration and safeguard children’s identities.
Her Nourishing Africa Talk Show reached over one million listeners, while her Back-to-School Campaign supported 1,000 children and restored literacy for hundreds affected by education disruptions.
Nigeria’s Ambassador Francis Nyong, 25, from Cross River State, is transforming agriculture through technology via his social enterprise, Agro-Ultra, which has impacted over 550,000 people across Africa, Asia and Europe.
He built Agronopia, an agri-education platform translated into 206 languages, and developed FarmTap, a mobile app linking farmers to nearby customers. His innovations extend into public health through a fluoride monitoring tool developed to promote safer food and water consumption.
From Zimbabwe, Ambassador Yvonne Tsumbirani has turned personal adversity into a movement of hope. Founder of Rail of Hope, she has empowered over 3,000 adolescent girls, trained mentors whose work reached more than 140,000 young women, and extended financial literacy to 120,000 students. Her work has earned her recognition as a Top 5 Global Honoree for JCI TOYP 2025.
Ambassador Ogbeche Abraham Akor, 24, of Nigeria, has delivered over 120 community projects across three African countries through Catalyst for Change Initiative-Africa, impacting education, health, agriculture and civic engagement. His interventions have reduced school dropout rates, expanded healthcare access and strengthened youth participation in governance.
In Ghana, Ambassador Amanpene Kofi Prince, founder of Plero Blossom Farms, supports over 1,200 farmers and manages 4,000 hectares of farmland. His rice value-chain initiative increased yields by up to 30 per cent, while his solar-powered irrigation and organic fertiliser projects promote climate-smart agriculture and youth inclusion.
From South Sudan, Ambassador Rose Charles Kuba, 23, is empowering displaced families and vulnerable youth through her Helping Hand Organisation. Her work spans food security, gender-based violence advocacy reaching 15 million viewers, IT training for incarcerated youth, and education support for vulnerable children.
Benin Republic’s Ambassador Josué Elisée Elom Senou, 25, is addressing nutrition and environmental health through Farine Croissance+, a corn-free flour developed to combat hypertension and malnutrition. His youth leadership programmes and sanitation campaigns continue to strengthen community resilience.
Liberia’s Ambassador Ernest B. David, 25, is expanding access to education and digital skills through Impact Liberia and the Impact Institute of Science and Technology, training thousands of youths in vocational, technological and leadership skills while convening the Liberia Youth Summit to amplify youth voices in national development.
Investing in Africa’s Present
Since its inception, FALA has produced winners from 33 African countries, many of whom have gone on to influence policy, engage governments and lead transformative civic initiatives.
“Many of these young people are not defined by a single project but by sustained, year-long interventions. Today, they are shaping policies, influencing governments and leading initiatives in their countries,” Temisan said.
Also speaking, Senior Executive Officer of FALF, Dr. Olajumoke Ola-Akisanya, reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to value-based leadership.
“Where the need has been greatest, these young leaders chose action. Where there was hopelessness, they created opportunity,” she said.
“Africa is one of the most blessed continents on earth. If we harness what God has placed here, we will not need handouts; we will become a blessing to the world.
Ola-Akisanya said FALF combines belief with investment, potential with mentoring, and vision with opportunity through its mentorship and leadership development platforms, including the Leaders Initiative Network Africa.
She added that the 2025 award recipients exemplify Africa’s untapped potential, having chosen action in the face of need and created solutions in sectors such as agriculture, education, health, technology, advocacy and humanitarian service.
In his remarks, Coordinator of COFI, Pastor Arinze Emmanuel, urged governments and institutions to invest more deliberately in youth-led initiatives, describing them as essential to Africa’s long-term development.
“These young people are not waiting for what their countries can do for them. They are already contributing meaningfully in agriculture, technology, governance and civic engagement,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the award recipients, FALA 2025 Star Prize Winner, Ambassador Rejoice Waithera, expressed gratitude to Pastor Oyakhilome and the foundation, describing FALF as a platform that continues to empower young leaders long after the awards ceremony.
Organisers said the 2025 unveiling reinforces FALF’s belief that African youths are not merely leaders of tomorrow, but today’s leaders actively shaping the continent’s future through innovation, service and purpose-driven leadership.
