The prosperity of Africa hinges upon empowering every individual to instigate transformation

The Ashoka Fellows Summit, held in Nairobi from September 10 to 12, marked a significant call to action for Kenya and Africa. The summit aims to unlock the changemaker in everyone, suggesting that every individual has the potential to bring about positive change.

Africa, with its bustling cities like Lagos, Dakar, Nairobi, Cairo, and Johannesburg, is facing challenges that range from rising inequality to climate shocks and fragile institutions. However, the summit is not just a response to these issues but a bold step towards empowering individuals to become agents of change.

The just-concluded CHAN tournament in Africa serves as a powerful example of this approach. The stellar performance was not due to a few star players but teamwork, suggesting a similar approach for changemaking in Africa. Africa is demanding a continent where everyone is aware of their right to participate and contribute as changemakers, rather than waiting for heroes, heroines, and saviors from outside.

Social entrepreneurship is a strong pillar for the social and solidarity economy in Africa. Innovative individuals like Vincent Odhiambo, the Regional Director of Ashoka East Africa, and Myrna Lewis from South Africa, an Ashoka Fellow since 2001, are leading the way. Odhiambo is building a network for social entrepreneurs, while Lewis has notably advanced empowerment work with South African teachers.

In Francophone West Africa, Everiste Aohoui is pioneering a holistic approach to address e-waste, engaging the informal sector as environmental agents. Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka in East Africa has developed interventions for wildlife protection that empower communities. Joy Tony in Anglophone West Africa invests in enabling rural communities to be self-sustainable, reversing rural to urban migration.

Mohammed Amine Zariat in North Africa built a sports architecture integrated in public schools, creating a new sports community approach. Mama Vanessa Zawadi in the Democratic Republic of Congo invests in supporting women to lead agricultural initiatives, addressing malnutrition, food insecurity, and building economic independence.

Shona Macdonald in Southern Africa designs, manufactures, and distributes mobility and body support devices for children with physical disabilities. Myrna Lewis from South Africa, an Ashoka Fellow since 2001, has notably advanced empowerment work with South African teachers by developing innovative leadership and conflict resolution methods, including the Lewis Deep Democracy approach that integrates minority voices constructively after apartheid.

Ashoka's vision is an 'Everyone A Changemaker' world, where everyone has the resources to bring about positive change. Changemaking must spread beyond a few extraordinary individuals and into every space, including homes, classrooms, sectors, boardrooms, villages, small towns, and big cities.

The summit is not exclusive to Kenya and Africa but a call to action for the whole continent, implying a need for changemaking efforts across Africa. Africa needs everyone to step up and be a team player in changemaking. The future of Africa lies in the hands of its people, and the Ashoka Fellows Summit is a testament to that belief.