Possibilities Story Studio: Emerging Leaders Initiative
Thursday, April 11, 2019
Session Description
This lunch session will explore ways the next generation of social entrepreneurs are reimagining what’s possible. Listen to diverse changemakers from around the world, selected as part of the 2019 Emerging Leaders Initiative. Together we’ll hear from these innovators who are accelerating possibilities to build a better tomorrow.
Time & Location
Time:
11:45 AM - 1:00 PM, Thursday, April 11, 2019
BST
Location:
Classroom 2 (TBEC)
Speakers
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Speaker
Founder & CEO, Infiuss
Melissa Bime is a 22 year old licensed Nurse from Cameroon. Being of the medical background, Melissa got to experience first hand the challenges patients in Cameroon faced at the hands of
the health care system. She is passionate about addressing these problems and she believes that by leveraging on simple technologies, we can go a long way to provide solutions to this problems.
At the age of 20 after completing Nursing school, Melissa decided to start INFIUSS, which is an online blood bak that connects hospitals with blood banks to those without blood banks.
Through her work with INFIUSS, and her passion for entrepreneurship, Melissa hope to be able to continuously propose and provide solutions to Africa;s ever growing health care concerns.
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Speaker
Deputy Executive Director, Talent Beyond Boundaries
Madeline is the Deputy Executive Director at Talent Beyond Boundaries (TBB). Madeline joined TBB as an early team member in 2016 and has been an integral part of developing the organization’s goals, processes, strategy, and story. She is based in TBB’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. and spends significant time in TBB’s offices in the MIddle East. She joined TBB after serving as Manager of Development and Communications at the Cisneros Center for New Americans in Northwest Arkansas and working with the
Economic Empowerment Team for resettled refugees at the International Rescue Committee in Silver Spring, Maryland. She graduated from Harvard University with a bachelor’s degree in American History and Literature. Her thesis research focused on the role of storytelling in the application process for asylum, and was published in the Fall 2018 issue of Refuge: Canada's Journal on Refugees.
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Speaker
Founder & CEO, SuperMom
Ifrah Mohamed Arab is the founder and CEO of SuperMom, a social enterprise that taps into the initiative of unemployed and underemployed women from marginalized communities and through basic financial training turns them into a sales force that distributes fast moving consumer goods within their communities hence closing the last mile distribution gap. Born and raised in a marginalized community herself, her greatest passion is to improve her community especially the lives of women in her community by empowering them to earn a living that helps them raise their families. SuperMom currently has 100 women in its network fully trained, distributing FMCG’s to 6000 households reaching 30000 rural BOP consumers in North Eastern Kenya. We have partnered with major manufacturing companies, local distributors and wholesalers to help close the last mile distribution gap. Supermom has been selected among the best 12 startups in Africa by the Anzisha Prize.
Ifrah is an advisor to RESI(Refugee Employment Skills Initiative) by The International Trade Centre where she consults on women entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship in fragile settings.
She also currently serves as the Ye! Community ambassador for Kenya where she brings together other young entrepreneurs from around the country to create networks, organize pitching and capacity building events, introduce them to opportunities among other activities that help them grow their businesses. Ifrah is an Echoing Green semi finalist, Anzisha Fellow, Emerging Leader at Skoll Foundation and winner of the Young Entrepreneur of the year 2016 Kenya at the UNCTAD14 youth forum.
She is an experienced founder with a demonstrated history of working in the executive office industry. Skilled in Leadership, Marketing, Strategic Planning, and Business Development. She is a strong business development professional with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) focused in Law from University of Nairobi.
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Speaker
Co-Founder & President, AgriSan
Edith Violet Naisubi is a Ugandan studying MSc Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Edinburgh. She did a Bachelors’ degree in Business Administration at Ashesi University, Ghana as a MasterCard Foundation scholar at both institutions. Edith is interested in social entrepreneurship, the open-source movement, and transformative leadership. Edith co-founded AgriSan which focuses on helping women in Eastern Uganda who are sole breadwinners to collectively grow a farming business and develop financial literacy, among other skills.
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Speaker
Founder and CEO, Vetsark Limited
Blessing Mene is a seasoned entrepreneur with a passion for agriculture, finance and technology. He is currently the CEO of Vetsark Limited, an agritech startup based in Nigeria, where he has been working full-time. Vetsark's vision is to transform agri-financing in Africa and to build with our partners in agriculture the opportunity to manage and finance their farms and agribusinesses, using the right tech tools, guiding them to best performance and increased profitability for a sustainable growth.
In terms of education, Blessing holds a Masters in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from Rome Business School Nigeria. He is also an Ashoka Fellow, Goalkeeper Rebuilder, among others.
Overall, Blessing is a driven and accomplished professional with a wealth of experience in agriculture, economic development, and entrepreneurship. He is committed to making a positive impact in the world through his work in the private and non-profit sectors, and his pursuit of advanced education.
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Speaker
COO, CATO Foods and Agro Allied Global Concepts
ATINUKE LEBILE, a vibrant lady with utmost interest in Agriculture and its value chain, and her passion for agriculture and feeding the nation and ensuring Food security has made her the Strategist Officer for Ogunmod Farms and Farmers' Academy and the Co-founder of Cato Foods and Agro-allied Global Concepts, that is committed to addressing Malnutrition especially in children under 5 and pregnant women using staple foods
A graduate of Agricultural Science from University of Ilorin, who also works with rural communities to mentor young out-of-school girls on various entrepreneurial leadership skills through her initiative called MAGIC (mentor A Girl Child) and SheAgric Initiative where she raises intending female farmers, empower and motivate women and youth into Agriculture and its value chain to ensure Food security, Poverty reduction and curbing unemployment in Africa.
Atinuke also earn a certificate in Business and Entrepreneurship from Purdue University, Indiana USA. Certificate in Enterprise Management from Enterprise Development Centre at the Lagos Business School and she is also an Alumni of FATE Foundation.
She is a global ambassador for A world at School, 2015 Global Alliance for youth Leadership Fellow, 2016 YALI(RLC)West Africa Fellow and 2017 Mandela Washington fellow under the flagship of Young African Leaders initiative of former USA president, Barrack Obama, 2017/2018 Leap Africa fellow.
Atinuke who love to be called a Cutefarmer, is presently the Program and Membership Mobilization Officer for Youths Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD), Nigeria.
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Moderator
Associate Program Manager, MasterCard Foundation
Ariane has been with the Mastercard Foundation since 2014, and is currently an Associate Program Manager. She works on Youth Livelihoods and Education programming across several countries in Africa and with Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Before joining the Foundation, Ariane worked for 6 years in international education, first as a teacher, and then in educational recruitment for a large K-12 public education reform. She holds a Bachelor of International Development from the University of Guelph, and a Master of Immigration and Settlement Studies from Ryerson University.
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Speaker
CEO, Terre A Terre Benin
I was 15 when I first got introduced to environmental issues through the GLOBE program (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment), through which I discovered how one could be useful to their community. With my peers, we would observe and identify clouds in the sky, manage our local weather station and share our experiences weekly with other students. On hearing about my involvement in 2004, the Director of LC2 TV offered me a position as a TV host, on a show to bring awareness to the youth. From the University of Benin, I hold a master’s degree in the Environment and graduate as a journalist after I trained in journalism, video shooting, and editing skills in France.
In 2015, at the National Fund for Environment and Climate (FNEC), I Contributed to design communication plan and campaign; organized conferences and workshops on Environment and Climate. As Director of Communication at the Ministry of Digital Economy and Communications of Benin in 2016, I designed and implemented communication strategies for the Minister and the Ministry. Since COP22, I am a member of EJN, an American journalist network, and run the first environmental communications startup in Benin since 2017 with three main areas of intervention: Terre à Terre Bénin: www.planeteterreaterre.com
1- Communication (CSR: Corporate Social Responsibility and Planet Terre a Terre TV, the first environmental Web TV in Benin)
2- Environment: our social component, by trainings, workshops, conferences, debates, environmental events, environmental communication campaigns, environmental alerts.
3- Technical assistance for companies, Institutions, Organizations : Coordination of communication services; Adaptation of existing communication tools to new audiences; Press relation.
At COP 24 in Katowice, Poland in December 2018, I launched the first environmental Web Tv “Planete Terre a Terre TV” www.planeteterreaterre.tv Today, I have fifteen years’ experience as a journalist.
