Today, Confidence Staveley announced that she is among the 35 emerging leaders selected to join the Obama Foundation Leaders Africa program. The program will train participants in leadership development and civic engagement to help build their skills and scale their work across public, private, and nonprofit sectors. This year’s cohort represents 27 countries across the region.
Confidence Staveley is the founder and executive director of CyberSafe Foundation, a non-governmental organization dedicated to improving inclusive and safe digital access in Africa. She believes that Africans – especially the most vulnerable – should not only have access to technology but should also be equipped with cyber risk and mitigation strategies. Confidence recently facilitated CyberSafe’s collaboration with the UK government to implement a cybersecurity intervention in response to the heightened cyberattacks during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, Africa’s first afro-beats cybersecurity awareness song was released, reaching over 10 million Nigerians with information about cybersecurity hygiene.
As part of the six-month, non-residential program, these dedicated changemakers will convene virtually each week for interactive sessions designed to help them drive change by honing their leadership skills, building deep relationships with their peers, and engaging with thought leaders and members of the Obama Foundation community. They will also have an opportunity to participate in various virtual experiences and special events, including one-on-one conversations with experienced mentors in the Foundation’s global network.
With a Kenyan father, President Obama has deep roots in Africa, and supporting emerging African leaders has remained a priority in his work post-presidency. Having launched as the Foundation’s first regional program in 2018, the Leaders Africa program is creating a network of leaders who drive positive, innovative change in their communities throughout the continent and across the globe. The 2022 class of Africa Leaders are working across a broad range of issues and focus areas, including economic access, women’s rights, public health, and more.
The Obama Foundation Leaders program is designed to further inspire, empower, and connect emerging leaders from Africa, Asia Pacific, and Europe to change their respective communities and the world. To learn more, visit obama.org/leaders.
To learn more about CyberSafe Foundation, visit www.cybersafefoundation.org .
