From left to right: Sydelle Willow Smith, Careen Joel, Stanley Anigbogu, Adédèjì Ọlọ́wẹ̀, Elizabeth Yee, William Asiko, Rosinah Mbenya, Nina Mbah, Richard Matey, Smart Israel, Nthanda Manduwi, Osei Kwadwo Boateng, Umuliza Njiru)/Photo; The Rockefeller Foundation
Ten African innovators working to improve lives in their communities have been selected for a new fellowship launched by The Rockefeller Foundation, in a fresh example of philanthropic investment in African-led solutions.
The Africa Big Bets Fellows programme was announced during the Foundation’s AfricaXchange event in Nairobi and will run for five months.
It brings together leaders from Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania working in food security, healthcare, clean energy, climate resilience, migration and financial inclusion.
The fellowship will offer mentorship, peer learning, practical support and access to networks that can help participants grow their work, attract funding and increase long-term impact.
The Rockefeller Foundation said the fellowship is part of a wider effort to support African-led development by backing people and ideas already making a difference.
“For decades, The Rockefeller Foundation has been honored to work with the dreamers, leaders, thinkers, scientists, innovators, and others who have shaped Africa’s future,” said Dr Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation.
“Through the Africa Big Bets Fellowship, we are backing a new generation of leaders who are scaling ideas that expand opportunity, strengthen resilience, and improve lives across Africa.”
The fellows chosen include;
In Kenya, fellow Rosinah Mbenya is linking school meal programmes with local farmers, helping children get nutritious meals while creating stable markets for growers. The model also supports sustainable farming.
In Ghana, Osei Kwadwo Boateng is improving healthcare in rural communities through mobile clinics, telehealth services and local health workers, helping families access care closer to home.
Nigeria has several fellows in the first group. Their work includes helping more people access fair credit and financial services, promoting clean energy awareness, supporting solar-powered farming in areas affected by displacement, and bringing electricity to off-grid and refugee communities.
In Malawi, Nthanda Manduwi is helping young people build skills in farming and innovation through technology-based training aimed at improving food production and climate resilience.
South Africa’s Sydelle Willow Smith is building a youth-led network of solar-powered mobile cinemas to share African stories, trusted public information and economic opportunities in underserved communities.
From Tanzania, Careen Joel is developing real-time information tools to help climate-affected communities make safer decisions about migration and local resources.
The Foundation said many communities across Africa still face barriers such as limited access to electricity, finance and healthcare, along with growing climate and migration pressures.
It noted that around 600 million people in Africa still live without electricity.
“This year’s Big Bets Fellows reflect the strength of African leadership in tackling some of today’s most pressing challenges,” said William Asiko, Senior Vice President of the Foundation’s Africa Regional Office.
“Their work shows how locally driven innovation across areas such as food systems and clean energy can deliver solutions that are scalable and improve lives.”
The launch also marks the 60th anniversary of the Foundation’s Africa Regional Office in Nairobi, opened in 1966.
Today, The Rockefeller Foundation says about one-third of its global funding goes to Africa, supporting electricity access, school meals, and stronger health systems.
The new fellows programme signals continued philanthropic support for African talent, local leadership, and practical solutions that can create lasting change.
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