Students from Africa have been named among the Top 50 finalists for the 2025 Global Student Prize, a USD 100,000 award recognizing outstanding contributions by students to education, community service, and social impact.
The prize, presented by Chegg.org in partnership with the Varkey Foundation, is open to students aged 16 and above from around the world.
It seeks to identify individuals who have made a tangible difference in their communities and beyond, while also demonstrating academic achievement, resilience, leadership, and creativity.
About the Prize
The Global Student Prize was launched in 2021 as a companion to the Global Teacher Prize.
It recognizes students who are not only academically strong but are also making a measurable difference in the lives of others.
The prize is intended to provide visibility and support to students who have demonstrated leadership and innovation in solving local or global challenges.
Each year, a single student receives the $100,000 award to support their education and community work.
However, all 50 finalists benefit from increased global attention, connections to like-minded peers, and the opportunity to expand their impact through partnerships and media exposure.
The Finalists
This year’s competition attracted nearly 11,000 applications from over 140 countries.
The Top 50 list, announced in July, includes students from a wide range of backgrounds and interests.
Among them are African finalists whose work spans education, gender advocacy, climate action, and digital inclusion.
Adama Finda Borway- Sierra Leone
Adama Finda Borway from Sierra Leone is a girls’ rights advocate who founded the She-Empowerment League, empowering over 500 girls with leadership skills, vocational training, and violence prevention education.
Despite personal hardships, including the loss of her mother, she has led campaigns against child marriage and expanded menstrual health support in rural communities.
Currently studying Medical Laboratory Science, Adama plans to use the Global Student Prize to establish a Skills and Leadership Center and scale menstrual hygiene initiatives across Sierra Leone.
Alvin Wenia-Ghana
Alvin, a University of Ghana student, is a youth climate advocate who founded The Child with Big Dreams, mentoring over 3,500 underserved children in leadership and climate education.
He also leads Creative Communities, using art to tackle plastic pollution, and has spearheaded youth-driven mangrove restoration projects.
As Ghana’s youngest climate negotiator at COP29, Alvin balances activism, studies, and part-time work, inspiring many with his dedication.
If he wins the Global Student Prize, he plans to expand his initiatives to support more young climate leaders.
Christian Maboko-Burundi
Christian, a refugee from Burundi now studying at George Washington University, is the founder of AridVitality, a youth-led initiative improving clean water access, women’s empowerment, and education for displaced communities in Kenya.
Having endured civil war and life in Kakuma refugee camp, he has installed water pumps, supported refugee women’s income projects, and advocated for refugee voices globally, including at World Water Week and 10 Downing Street.
Awarded multiple scholarships and recognized as a Rise Global Winner, Christian plans to expand solar-powered water pumps and refugee-led agriculture to reduce food aid dependence, aiming to become a diplomat and development leader.
Daniel Itegboje-Nigeria
Daniel, a medical student at the University of Benin, is also an acclaimed documentary filmmaker whose film O.Y.O. highlights the plight of street children known as the Elema boys in Benin City.
Selected for over 24 international film festivals and nominated for a major African award, Daniel is now working with NGOs to establish a rehabilitation centre for these children.
Beyond filmmaking, he leads health outreach programs at his university and mentors youth in storytelling.
If he wins the Global Student Prize, he plans to fund the centre and expand support for homeless children in Nigeria.
Darren Harry Baine-Uganda
Darren, a Ugandan biology student at the University of Waterloo, is the founder of Young Eye Foundation and Young and Restless.
The organisations support over 1,300 youth across Uganda and Canada through bursaries, school renovations, climate education, and entrepreneurship programs.
He hosts the Young Eye International Podcast, which tackles equity and climate justice, and has spoken at global forums including the UN Association in Canada and Bloomberg CityLab.
Despite challenges adapting to life in Canada, Darren developed the Inspired Work In Progress app to connect students and track carbon footprints.
If he wins the Global Student Prize, he plans to expand bursaries, improve schools, train teachers, and grow his app’s impact worldwide.
Foday David Kamara-Sierra Leone
Foday, from Sierra Leone’s Bumeh slum, overcame poverty and displacement to co-found Central Leadership Academy in Liberia, providing free education to over 6,500 underserved children.
A full scholarship student at African Leadership University, he also leads environmental projects turning plastic waste into building materials, earning global recognition, including the Young Climate Prize and UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour.
Through mentorship and innovative programmes like a regional pen-pal exchange, Foday fosters cross-cultural learning and community resilience.
If awarded the Global Student Prize, he plans to expand access with bicycles, solar-powered digital labs, mobile learning, and trauma support for refugee students.
Israel Smart-Nigeria
Israel, a student from northeastern Nigeria who survived a Boko Haram attack, is the founder of OneChild Africa and Smartel, ventures.
The venture provides STEM education to over 50,000 children and climate-resilient hydroponic farming systems to drought-affected communities.
Recognized by global organizations, he has helped 160,000 children access free education through advocacy and leads an AI project predicting maternal health risks.
If he wins the Global Student Prize, Israel plans to expand hydroponic farms and build 20 new internet-connected STEM learning centers across Africa.
Kennox Omondi–Kenya
Lennox, from rural Homabay in Kenya, is the founder of EcoBana, a social enterprise that turns banana stem waste into biodegradable sanitary pads.
Since 2021, EcoBana has distributed over 3 million pads across East Africa, reducing school absenteeism and early pregnancies among girls.
His 1 Pad 1 Girl Initiative has helped over 2,000 girls avoid transactional sex and school dropout.
Recognized by the Hult Prize and Kenyan President William Ruto, Lennox plans to expand EcoBana’s products and reach more refugee camps and rural schools if he wins the Global Student Prize.
Ntyam Princia Minko-Cameroon
Ntyam, a student leader from Cameroon, champions equity and innovation through STEM mentoring and community projects.
She co-founded Motuwa, a safety-tech platform combating assaults on public transport, and leads the GiHoN Foundation, supporting displaced and vulnerable youth.
As part of BIOREX, she promotes climate resilience by recycling waste into fuel and fertiliser.
Recognized for academic and entrepreneurial excellence, Ntyam plans to develop GPS wearables to expand Motuwa’s reach and invest in BIOREX infrastructure if awarded the Global Student Prize.
Titilope Olotu-Nigeria
Titilope, a Nigerian-American biology student at UCLA and near-FGM survivor, is the founder of PADÍ For You, a nonprofit providing menstrual care, mental health support, and financial literacy to over 14,700 students globally.
She developed biodegradable banana fiber pads infused with herbal agents to support women with reproductive health challenges and is advancing smart biosensor technology for personalized menstrual health.
Recognized for her innovation, Titilope mentors hundreds of students and aims to expand wellness access through her PADÍ Global Fellows Programme and future OB/GYN clinics in Africa.
Yohannes Bimrew –Ethiopia
Yohannes, from rural northern Ethiopia, overcame daily hardships, including long walks to school and health risks from kerosene lamps.
He co-founded HuluSolar Energy, providing affordable solar lighting to over 5,000 off-grid community members and powering schools to extend study hours.
A Mastercard Foundation Scholar studying agricultural sciences, he leads renewable energy research and founded CARED to mentor young African innovators.
Recognized internationally, Yohannes aims to scale solar solutions to reach over a million people by 2030, believing energy access is key to education and development.
Broader Context
The inclusion of five African students reflects the diversity of applicants and the scope of youth-led initiatives across the continent.
Their focus areas—ranging from girls’ health to environmental sustainability—mirror some of the broader social challenges facing African countries.
According to UNESCO, Africa has one of the youngest populations globally, with growing demand for investment in education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
Many students face disruptions to schooling due to economic pressures, social instability, or inadequate facilities.
Despite this, young people across the region are increasingly leading initiatives that address these gaps.
While past winners of the Global Student Prize have come from a range of countries, the growing presence of African finalists suggests increasing recognition of the role that students from the continent are playing in shaping solutions to local problems.
About Chegg
Chegg is a global learning platform that supports millions of learners worldwide, regardless of their goals, educational levels, or learning styles.
Offering 24/7 on-demand assistance, Chegg combines artificial intelligence (AI) with over a hundred million pieces of proprietary educational content and years of learning insights.
The platform not only helps students gain confidence in their studies but also equips them with essential life and job skills to bridge the gap from education to employment.
Chegg collaborates with companies to deliver learning programs for employees and is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol CHGG. For more information, visit www.chegg.com.
About the Varkey Foundation
The Varkey Foundation is dedicated to ensuring every child has access to a vibrant and stimulating learning environment that nurtures their full potential.
The foundation emphasizes the critical role of passionate, high-quality teachers in achieving this goal.
It supports initiatives that build global teaching capacity and foster excellence and innovation among the next generation of educators.
The Varkey Foundation also established the Global Teacher Prize, an annual award recognizing outstanding teachers worldwide and highlighting their contributions to education.
