REFILWE LEDWABA ANNOUNCED AS NEW OBAMA FOUNDATION AFRICAN LEADER

User Rating: 4 / 5

Star ActiveStar ActiveStar ActiveStar ActiveStar Inactive
 

Johannesburg – July 8, 2019. Refilwe Ledwaba announced that she is among its second cohort of Obama Foundation African Leaders, 200 rising leaders from 45 countries around the continent who will convene in Johannesburg July 10-14 and participate in a year-long leadership development program.

Refilwe is a social entrepreneur, qualified helicopter and fixed-wing pilot, passionate about aviation, youth development and women empowerment in Africa. She is the founder of girls fly programme in Africa (GFPA) foundation,a Science,Technology,Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education programme that  uses design thinking, technology, and innovation to inform, educate, connect, motivate and inspire the next generation of makers and problem solvers in the aviation and space industry in Africa. She is a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society, council member of the Aeronautical Society of South Africa (AeSSA) outreach team.

The Leaders: Africa gathering will include plenary sessions, skill-building workshops, leadership development training, service projects and opportunities for connection among leaders across sectors and geographies. Through such sessions, Leaders will grapple with ethical dilemmas and work on creative, values-driven approaches to problem-solving. They will also explore how their personal narratives can be used to support and enhance their leadership. When participants return to their communities, virtual programming will continue for a year through a speaker series, technical training, educational workshops, action plan guidance, and support and amplification from the Foundation.

“The Obama Foundation Leaders: Africa program builds on the success of the 2018 inaugural class, bringing together a committed and diverse group of changemakers from across Africa,” said Bernadette Meehan, Chief International Officer of the Obama Foundation. “Our program will gather together hundreds of emerging African leaders who display a passion for working in their communities, and it will inspire, empower, and connect these participants who are ready to take bold steps in their work. We are excited to support this class of groundbreakers as they strive to change the world.”

The selected 2019 Leaders represent 45 nations across the continent and a variety of industries, from health and agriculture to technology and girls’ education. Fifteen Leaders from the 2018 class will return to share their successes and experiences and to mentor the 2019 class. Participants were selected by the Foundation through a rigorous application process that emphasized each Leader’s focus on values-based leadership. To learn more, please visit https://www.obama.org/africa/.

The 2019 Obama Foundation Leaders: Africa convening supports the Foundation’s mission to inspire, empower and connect people to change their world. The Obama Foundation has launched several civic engagement programs that engage young leaders globally, including Obama Foundation Leaders: Africa and Leaders: Asia-Pacific, Obama Foundation Scholars, and Obama Foundation Fellows. In addition, the Foundation has hosted roundtables, town halls, and workshops with President Obama in Germany, Indonesia, Brazil, India, Singapore, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Colombia, Canada, and Hawaii to help inform the Foundation’s global programming.

The 2019 Obama Foundation Leaders: Africa convening will be held in Johannesburg July 10-14. Plenary sessions will stream live at https://www.obama.org/

To learn more about Girls fly programme in Africa please visit https://www.gfpafoundation.org/

The Leaders: Africa gathering will include plenary sessions, skill-building workshops, leadership development training, service projects and opportunities for connection among leaders across sectors and geographies. Through such sessions, Leaders will grapple with ethical dilemmas and work on creative, values-driven approaches to problem-solving. They will also explore how their personal narratives can be used to support and enhance their leadership. When participants return to their communities, virtual programming will continue for a year through a speaker series, technical training, educational workshops, action plan guidance, and support and amplification from the Foundation.


Image
Sign up to our newsletter
Please wait