#LeadTheChange
The #LeadTheChange campaign is one started by the famous African Leadership Unleashed (ALU) which hopes to motivate young people all across the globe to begin the change that they want to see in the world from themselves. To participate, follow ALU on twitter or Facebook. Post a photo of yourself with a poster of #LeadTheChange, then talk about things that you have done to change your immediate environment. The movement is aimed at sparking up the initiative of young people, and recognizing the efforts of silent young leaders all across the globe. If you have also accomplished things that have had a positive effect on your immediate environment, it is highly recommended that you participate in this movement. A few young African leaders that have distinguished themselves in their various works of life to change their community are:
Sophie Umazi (Nairobi, Kenya)–Founder, The I AM KENYAN project—After the 2007 post-election violence in Kenya, Sophie Umazi was driven to launch the I AM KENYAN project, a youth-led reconciliation campaign that uses photography as a unique platform to advocate for countrywide reconciliations and individual responsibility for peace especially during the upcoming Kenyan elections in 2013. The initiative aims to unite all Kenyans from all walks of life, all over the world to affirm their Kenyan identity, in all aspects of their lives and stand-up for peace. Over the course of a year, the I AM KENYAN campaign has reached over 4 million people worldwide, along with conducting 15 local peace marches. Web site:http:www.iamkenyan.or.ke Twitter: @i_am_kenyan
William Kamkwamba (Dowa, Malawi) Founder, Moving Windmills Project: William Kamkwamba gained national fame in Malawi when in 2002, he built a windmill to power electrical appliances in his family’s house using blue gem trees, bicycle parts and other materials collected in a local scrapyard. Most recently, Kamkwama’s project helped to build three classroom blocks for the Wimbe primary school in Malawi’s Kasungu district. These new classrooms have solar panel installations that allow the students to study late into the night. The Foundation has also introduced a one-laptop-per-child initiative, which enables us to expose these youngsters on how to use computers at an early age. Web site:http://www.movingwindmills.org Follow William on Twitter: @wkamkwamba
Laetitia Mukungu (Nairobi, Kenya), Founder, Women’s Rabbit Association: Laetitia Mukungu is not your average 17-year-old. At the age of 14, her passion for agriculture and education drove her to start the Women’s Rabbit Association in the remote village of Bukura in Kenya. Mukungu launched the rabbit breeding project to support local women in the village. Each of the women who work on the rabbit farm receive a small salary and free farming inputs such as seeds. The project also supports their children’s education with school uniforms and stationery. Follow Laetitia on Twitter: @laetitiamukungu
Beverly Bond (Brooklyn, USA), Founder & Executive Director, BLACK GIRLS 
ROCK! INC– In 2006, New York-based DJ and former model Beverly Bond founded BLACK GIRLS ROCK! a youth empowerment mentoring program for girls. That same year, she created the annual BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Awards to celebrate the accomplishments of exceptional women of color who have made outstanding contributions in their careers and communities. In 2010, the awards show was picked up by BET, and now, in its fourth year, the BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Awards continues to attract millions of viewers worldwide, celebrating the accomplishments and wide talent of women throughout the African Diaspora. Web site:http://www.blackgirlsrockinc.com/. Follow Beverly on Twitter: @BeverlyBond
ROCK! INC– In 2006, New York-based DJ and former model Beverly Bond founded BLACK GIRLS ROCK! a youth empowerment mentoring program for girls. That same year, she created the annual BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Awards to celebrate the accomplishments of exceptional women of color who have made outstanding contributions in their careers and communities. In 2010, the awards show was picked up by BET, and now, in its fourth year, the BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Awards continues to attract millions of viewers worldwide, celebrating the accomplishments and wide talent of women throughout the African Diaspora. Web site:http://www.blackgirlsrockinc.com/. Follow Beverly on Twitter: @BeverlyBond
Yusuf Randera-Rees (Johannesburg, South Africa), CEO, Co-Founder, Awethu Project: After studying and working in the US and UK, Yusuf Randera-Rees returned to his home in South Africa, to launch The Awethu Project, a social enterprise that liberates untapped entrepreneurial potential in the country’s under-resourced communities. Aspirations for Awethu entrepreneurs are unprecedented among peer organizations, and its talent identification process is entirely innovative. Awethu’s story has captured South Africa’s imagination to the extent that founders believe they can inspire an entrepreneurship revolution in a country in which entrepreneurship rates are dangerously low. Web site:http://awethuproject.co.za Follow Yusuf and the Awethu Project on Twitter: @AwethuProject @awethuyusuf
Tara Fela-Durotoye (Lagos, Nigeria), Founder, House of Tara: Following her dream of setting up an African beauty company, Tara Fela-Durotoye founded House of Tara International at age 20, while still an undergraduate at Lagos State University. Starting with only $100 she is now the CEO of Nigeria’s leading cosmetics company. She has since then grown her company it into a successful franchise and took on other projects such as 100 voices which strives to share the stories of 100 Nigerian Micro-Entrepreneurs in the hopes that these in turn influence others. Fela-Durotoye recently made it to Forbes’ 20 Young Powerful Women. Web site: www.houseoftara.com Follow Tara on Twitter: @taradurotoye
Mark Bustos, (New York, USA), Mark Bustos may be a hair stylist at an upscale New York City salon during the week, but each Sunday, he spends his day off venturing through the city in search of anyone in need who wants a hair cut. It’s a simple gesture, but one that goes a long way. It just goes to show, all of us can contribute in some way to make someone’s life just a little better every day. Read more on Mark’s story here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/17/mark-bustos-homeless-haircuts_n_5678454.html. Follow Mark on Twitter: @MarkBustos
Faraja Nyalandu (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania), Founder, Executive Director, Shule Direct: Faraja is the Founder and Executive Director of Shule Direct, an organization that creates digital educational content to empower youth and children. In 2014, She won the ‘Tigo Reach for Change—‘Change Leader Award’ for her work in leveraging technology to advance children’s rights particularly education in Tanzania. Web site:http://www.shuledirect.co.tz/. Follow Faraja on Twitter: @FarajaNyalandu
Mohamed Amine Belarbi (Abu Dhabi, UAE), Social Entrepreneur, Publisher, Speaker: By the time he was 19 years old, Mohamed Amine Belarbi had already started an NGO with six branches across the MENA region, a Foundation for social and entrepreneurial support for Moroccan students and a Marketing and Design startup with clients in construction, fashion, branding and technology. Now, the student at NYU Abu Dhabi continues to run several businesses, along with his Gulf Elite Magazine, which has over 35,000 readers per-month. With so much accomplished at such a young age, we can’t wait to see what he does next! More on Mohamed Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vxnD9WIZzI. Follow Mohamed on Twitter: @AmineBelarbi 
Simone Bresi-Ando (London, UK), Founder, I-Am-Possible: In 2010, Ghanaian-British publicist and social entrepreneur Simone-Bresi-Ando noticed that there was a void in the UK for women of colour to meet, share, discuss their challenges and celebrate their accomplishments within a closed environment. After its first launch in 2011, Bresi-Ando’s I-Am-Possible Conversation quickly became the go-to event for women of colour across the UK. In 2013, she launched her first I-am-Possible Conversation for young girls at the House of Commons and later a US-version in New York City. Web site: www.i-am-possible.com. Twitter: @IAMPOSSIBIL3
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