She Writes Woman is a platform founded by Hauwa Ojeifo, which aims to raise awareness about mental illnesses in Nigeria and give people struggling with mental health a voice. She is the only Nigerian female recipient of the Queen’s Young Leaders award and is one of the 2019 Obama Foundation Leaders.
Africans rising
Africans rising Wangechi Mutu unveils first installation of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s façade in 117-years
Designed by Richard Morris Hunt and completed in 1902, the American Metropolitan Museum of Art’s facade features four niches intended to house free-standing sculptures. 117 years later this intention has been fulfilled by Kenyan contemporary artist Wangechi Mutu with an installation dubbed, “The NewOnes, will free Us”
Africans rising Helping Africa prepare for 5G
As the fourth industrial revolution becomes part of our future, the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Dr Joyce Mwangama is leading the way with the development of Africa’s first 5G testbed.
Africans rising Warm response to Moloi-Motsepe’s election as chancellor
There has been a warm response to the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) election of Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe as the university’s sixth chancellor, a position that she will take up from 1 January 2020. She will be the second black woman to hold the position and will take the reins from Graça Machel.
Africans rising O’Meara Chiedza Rusike is Zimbabwe’s first black female jockey
Zimbabwean pioneer O’Meara Chiedza Rusike is the country’s first black female jockey. The 21-year-old credits her adoptive parents and turbulent childhood for her achievement saying, “God often uses our deepest pain as the launching of our greatest calling”.
Africans rising South Africa’s Thebe Magugu is the first African designer to win LVMH prize worth €300,000
26 year-old Thebe Magugu is the first African to win the prestigious LVMH prize. The fashion talent prize comes with a €300,000 cash award, and includes a year of “technical and financial support” from the luxury giant. The South African designer was part of 1,700 applicants from 100 countries who applied for the LVMH prize.
Africans rising Nigerian author Chigozie Obioma shortlisted for the 2019 Booker Prize
The Booker Prize for Fiction has for years been criticised for favouring American novelists, and for four years running had no African writers in shortlist. Nigerian writer Chigozie Obioma has however beaten the odds as a twice shortlisted author for his novels ‘The Fishermen’ in 2015, and ‘An Orchestra of Minorities’ this year.
Africans rising Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum (DRC) and Dr. Francis Gervase Omaswa (Uganda) receive Third Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize
Two doctors, Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum, and Dr. Francis Gervase Omaswa, have been named as this year’s (third) recipients of the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize. The award established by the Japanese government honours people and organisations dedicated to research and medical advances that fight disease in Africa. The Prize includes a citation, a medal and an honorarium of 100 million yen (approx 1 million US dollars) for each laureate.
Africans rising Young scientists pull out all the stops at science expo
The ingenuity, brilliance and out-of-the-box project ideas pioneered by hundreds of young science enthusiasts from schools around the Mother City were showcased during the annual Cape Town Eskom Expo for Young Scientists at the University of Cape Town (UCT) this week.