Besides their brilliance and exploits, the 2015 Future African Leaders Award finalists have something in common: they have their roots in the messages of the man of God Pastor Chris Oyakhilome. No surprise. After all, he exemplifies excellence.
Rose Salaka, Malawi
Rose Sakala was orphaned at 16. And she bore all the despair that follows losing one’s parents. But that didn’t kill the passion in her. She has emerged strong so far, and has been empowering and educating thousands of other youth in Malawi.
A student of Agro Business Management at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture, Rose has founded a campus group with over 200 members, which has given birth to five other campus groups across Malawi.
Not mindful of her humble beginnings, she has become a passionate advocate for the youth, the rights of the girl child and other at-risk individuals. She organized outreaches to several of these groups, impacting over 300 individuals. She collaborated with organizations like WFP, Action Aid, Save the Child, amongst others to tackle the issues facing these youths and to better educate and empower them to live more fulfilled lives.
Her work in reducing early child and forced marriages, child abuse and other issues received special commendation from several organizations, including the Commonwealth of Nations.
She is involved in economic empowerment for women and youth, and has taught several on managing sustainable business models and entrepreneurship skills. She collaborated specially with organizations to assist youth with potentially viable ideas who lacked the funds and has impacted over 5000 individuals across the country through this platform. She was specially asked by the government of Malawi to study the agro-business model and adapt it for use in Malawi.
Her advocacy for girls’ rights and to end hunger has taken her to the global stage where she has been given several opportunities to influence policy and further impact lives. She was given an opportunity to speak at the recent World Food Day which had the United Nations President in attendance, as well as several world leaders. Her impassioned speech inspired all in attendance and caused the United Nations to pledge several thousand metric tonnes of Maize to Malawi, her country. She has also taken advantage of these opportunities to impact the lives of young people in her nation, as well as in several other countries, where she serves as a mentor to many.
Daysman Oyakhilome Woghiren, Nigeria
Seventeen-year-old Daysman Oyakhilome Woghirenis a genius. And he like to make geniuses of others. As a gifted video producer and video animator, Daysman is responsible for the conceptualization and production of over 50 Christian music videos and animations this year, including “I Know Who I Am” by Sinach, “Kinging” by Rozey, “Igbunu” by Micheal Jaffe, “Untouchable” by TB1, amongst others. He showcased diverse talents of the artistes, adding inspiring content for all to enjoy.
Worthy of note is the fact that one of his videos was the first Christian video to receive airplay on Trace Urban International TV Station.
The young nerd has a raft of awards, including three of the American Academy of Animations Award. His animation submission entry also won the prestigious Walt Disney Award this year.
Raphaella Oreddy, Seychelles
Raphaella Oreddy is one creative genius from Seychelles where she is an inspiring youth leader who has impacted the youth in her nation of Seychelles through multifaceted strategies and platforms.
She pioneered four youth groups with over 100 members in attendance. She also organized seven outreaches where she impacted over 7000 youths, distributing over 8000 copies of Christian materials to them.
Gifted in the arts, Raphaella has passion to see youth impacted has led her to organize several outreaches in beaches, malls, and other public places, where her dances touched many and inspired many youths to turn from waywardness and make better choices in their lives.
John Koketso Rammutla, South Africa
John Rammutla majors on youth empowerment and education. It’s understandable why he covered 15 colleges where he collaborated with other organisation to demystify mathematics and other subject that scares the genius out of college kids. At least 500 students have been blessed through the effort of this University of Cape Town student. There, among 8,000 students, he’s known as student rep in student union government. They also know him as an inspiration across four other campuses, especially in the 45 youth groups he founded. The Jesus in him has led him to homeless children he feeds spiritually and physically.
Benjamin Ofori, Ghana
Benjamin Ofori, a Ghanaian, is popular for his Maximising Your Potential, a talk shop he leads to challenge his peers , about 10,000 of them, across 12 high schools to reach for the moon. His community in Ghana won’t forget his Adult Education/Literacy Program and his community beautification activism, either. The literacy programmed just churned out 55 literate oldies.
But he’s not just all brainy. Ofori has a heart of gold, too. Through his school feeding programme, he supplied 1500 hungry students their daily meals for 31 daysand 300 more with school uniforms. He and his group have also made significant donations to the Juvenile Correctional Institute.
Candle Shawky, Egypt
Meet Candle Shawky, the trailblazer from Egypt. Thousands have been blessed through herin Egypt where, by reason of her faith, she’s a minority.
Her outreach campaigns in 4 cities in Egypt, her book fairs(for distribution over 800 copies of Christian materials) have impacted over 2000 youths. That just offline. On the internet, Candle has lit up over 47,000 young lives through her Arabic Youth Club.
To empower more young people, she organized literacy classes to those who could not read, teaching several of them to read and write both in English and Arabic. Today, several of these individuals can read and have been impacted by inspiring Christian and youth empowering materials in both English and Arabic.
Aboneng Lesedi, Botswana
Aboneng Lesedi has a passion for helping the at-risk youth of Botswana. She started a campaign to encourage school dropouts to return to school, offering both practical and spiritual counseling, inspired by the message of the man of God, Pastor Chris.Her efforts resulted in 23 students returning back to school and passing their school exams. All that didn’t go without recognition. She received special commendation from the Permanent Secretary of Education in Botswana and permission to carry out her work in all government public schools. She provides food, transportation and much needed amenities for several of these youth. The fruit has been manifold.
Pacome Messan, Togo
Pacome Messan, a dynamic and resourceful young leader, has been using his command of the English language to take the gospel far and near, impacting thousands of youth across diverse communities in his nation of Togo. He is the French translator in his local church and also translates Christian materials into French, enabling many to receive the message in their own language.
Hehas used his passion to pioneer a Teens Church, which has grown to over 200 members. His mastery of English has also led him to start free English classes where he taught several young people to read and write in English, expanding their capacity for learning.
Pacomehas organized several outreaches to students of both primary and high schools which have impacted over 1000 youths. He has organized crusades to youth in several remote communities in his nation of Togo, where he has distributed over 1000 copies of Christian materials to them.
Olivia Traore, Cote D’ Ivoire
Olivia Traoré, 15, has a strong passion to make a difference in her world and impact the youth in her community. Inspired by her encounter with the man of God, Pastor Chris, at the Easter Youth Camp, she started twoyouth groups in her nation with over 500 youths in attendance.
She organized an outreach in Yamoussokro, and had over 3000 youth in attendance. She ministered to them and distributed over 3000 Christian materials. Olivia organized projector shows for three days which had 500 people attend on a daily basis. The message of hope and healing impacted the youth in these communities.And even to hundreds of the less privileged in orphanages.
Joyce Selitse, Lesotho
Joyce Selitse has a passion to bring to the vulnerable and the less privileged the message of the man of God, Pastor Chris.
In collaboration with the Akani Diepsloot Foundation, she ministered on a regular basis to orphaned and vulnerable children; she also provided them with much needed amenities.
In an effort to help with fund raising for the foundation, she organized a special talent program which featured several of the kids showcasing their talents, and mobilized sponsors to give towards the foundation. Through this initiative, she raised a substantial amount of money and met most of the needs of the children and the foundation.
She organized outreaches at several schools in Diepsloot where she was given the opportunity to speak to over 5000 children several times a week. She received special commendation from the school authorities, who observed the transformation in the children’s lives. She was asked by one of the schools to start a youth group for the students.
She organized a career exhibition and leadership development program for over 500 students in high school, inviting professionals to guide students on making the right career choices. She has reached out to orphanages, girls’ homes and other institutions, using every opportunity to impact many with the Gospel.
James Okina Akoso, Nigeria
James Okina Akoso, 16, has organized 15 outreaches where he ministered God’s Word and challenged thousands of youth to get off the streets and become successes in life. He collaborated with individuals as well as organizations to tackle the issues of homelessness, child abuse, illiteracy and other issues affecting them. In about 45 schools, 2500 youths have been guided in career choice and mentorship programmes
Through several initiatives such as a fund-raising concert, online awareness campaigns, amongst others, he was able to mobilize the required funds to purchase much-needed amenities for the children as well as pay for their education and lodging. His inspiring work has impacted over 20,000 of these individuals across several communities. He organized for the adoption of 15 of these children and successfully reunited some others with their parents.
One of the groups he has mentored recently won a prestigious Tech Challenge prize in San Francisco, USA. His work with the schools has impacted over 15,000 youth in several communities in his region.
His effort has also received recognition and commendation from the Cross River State government and other organizations. He is the recipient of several international awards, including Most Outstanding Young Leader Award 2015.
Judith Unongo Kutako, Namibia
Judith Unongo Kutakois the recently crowned Miss Grand Namibia, the position she’s been using to champion the cause of women’s rights and youth empowerment in her nation, and several other countries she has visited. She recently visited an orphanage in Thailand where she initiated a campaign called “Stop the War and Violence” .
Judith, last year, organized campaigns across several universities in Namibia, distributing Christian materials. She successfully put these materials on two campus radio stations where over 65,000 students now listen to these life changing messages.
Judith has impacted thousands of young people with her inspiring message.
Ishmael Tsakatsa, Zimbabwe
Ishmael Tsakatsa wants to reach out his community by taking empowerment to the people living with disabilities. He has successfully collaborated with several organizations as well as the government of Zimbabwe to organize several projects to enhance community development, education and improved health services across several communities in Zimbabwe. He has touched over 2200 lives so far.
In collaboration with the Zimbabwean Ministry of Education, he conducted Disability Screening Surveys in over 30 primary and secondary schools in Matebeleland North Province to identify children with learning disabilities and refer them to appropriate health institutions.
In partnership with several hospitals, Ishmael organized free treatment services for children with clubfoot, cerebral palsy and other disabilities, facilitating the donation of several wheelchairs to them. Free antenatal classes were also organized for pregnant women.
His outstanding work has received commendation from the Zimbabwean government and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Zimbabwe, Professor Levi M. Nyagura.
Ishmael is also creative. He won the Zimbabwean Designer of the Year Award for 2014, making it another platform to get across to the youth. He’s been organising local and international runway fashion shows. His award winning collection “Visions” was inspired by the Word given by our Pastor Chris at the July 2015 Communion Service.
Sharoon Isiagi, Uganda
In Uganda, Sharon Isiagi is an inspiration to the younger generation. She has organized several outreaches, including Back to School, for youth in both primary and secondary schools. With her two youth clubs, she has distributed over 300 school packs to teenagers in her community. That’s about the number of the members of the youth church she coordinates and funds. The church now has a structure of their own.
Inspired by the message of Pastor Chris to look out for a need and meet it, she mobilized the donation of food, clothing and much needed amenities to 62 children of prisoners, who were unable to afford them, personally sponsoring over 10 of these individuals.
All together, she has impacted the lives of over 1000 youth across several communities in Uganda.
Mukiri Joshua Njuguna, Kenya
Mukiri Joshua Njuguna was once inspired by the message of Pastor Chris to make the world better than we met it. So he reached out to children and youth of Mukuru slums, a settlement in his city of Nairobi. He has organized several outreaches, motivational workshops and youth empowerment programs in which he encouraged the youth to have confidence in their future and aspire for greater heights.
He wasn’t just teaching entrepreneurship; he has empowered several to become too kick start their businesses, ministering to them alongside.So far Joshua has touched over 2700 youth across several communities in his city of Nairobi.
KudaChiutsi, Zimbabwe
Kuda Chiutsi is a vibrant 22-year-old lady who is committed to developing and inspiring future leaders. The HIV menace in her society has jolted her into making a difference. Kuda worked with different schools to enlighten the youths on anti-stigmatization and abstinence. More than 1,800 learners at two high schools have been impacted by her.
Kuda’s other contributions have been prominent in different wellness campaigns in 2015, which promoted mental well-being and resilience of over 120 people who went through VCT and BMI testing. She also planned and organized a career expo for students on a major campus with over 10,000 students in attendance. Her first-ever mentorship program in Midlands State University impacted over 500 students.
Kuda has taken part in extensive social work in collaboration with like-minded organisations. With a message of hope and a touch of love, Kuda visited two children’s home in Zimbabwe, where she reached out to over 200 children, donating much needed clothing items.