1000 African Voices

Every successful event needs a great Master of Ceremonies to keep things moving according to schedule and importantly to keep audiences engaged. In Malawi, one of the most popular MCs currently is Judith Msonthi, founder of Judie Emcee, bringing her unique style and personality to enliven any event.

In just two years she has lent her voice and stage presence to more than 20+ shows and events nationally and has catered to an audience of over 500+.

The talented, young Malawian woman adds yet another feather to her cap, as she is an experienced media personality who anchored various television programs including “Check-In” & “Breakfast live”.

Her dynamic, energetic personality, and love for the stage, will set your shows standard, A CLASS APART!

Facebook- @judiemsonti

Twitter- @Judde63

Tumi Morake is a South African comedian, actress, TV personality, and writer.

In 2018, she became the first African woman to have her own set on Netflix. She is also known to be the first woman to host Comedy Central Presents in Africa.

Since beginning her career in smoky clubs in 2006, Tumi Morake has steadily grown into one of South Africa’s most sought after comedians, earning the title of South Africa’s First Lady of Comedy – not bad for a mother of three and wife of one. Named Free State Icon in 2011, Morake’s edgy brand of comedy has earned her a place as a headliner in comedy festivals all over South Africa. She’s bold, she’s sassy and you simply cannot ignore her. The first woman to host Comedy Central Presents on African soil, Morake has become relentless in her quest to maintain her footing as a comedy tour de force.

Morake’s continental claim to fame began as the host of The Big Brother Hot Room, a comical round up of Big Brother Africa.

In this episode we talk about what it means to be a female comedian, Tumi’s life in the states and the irresistible comparisons between the US and Africa, apartheid and her book, ‘And then Mama Said’. You can connect with Tumi on Twitter – @tumi_morake

Yvonne Chaka Chaka – Singer-songwriter, humanitarian and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador.

Yvonne Chaka Chaka is an internationally recognized and highly respected African singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, Global Health Advocate and Humanitarian. Dubbed the “Princess of Africa” Yvonne has been at the forefront of South African popular music for 30+ years. Born in 1965 in Soweto she released her debut album at 19 “I’m in Love with a DJ,” which sold 35 000 copies in a week and the song “Umqombothi” was featured in the opening scene of the movie Hotel Rwanda.

Yvonne is the first African woman to have been awarded the Crystal Award by the WEF World Economic Forum, in Davos in 2012 recognizing her Humanitarian work. Yvonne has shared the stage with megastars such as #Bono, #AngeliqueKidjo, #AnnieLennox, #YoussouN’Dour, the classic rock band #Queen, and South Africans #JohnnyClegg, #MiriamMakeba, and #HughMasekela, to name a few. She has staged a stage with #Beyonce. In the episode we talk about her reasons for her longevity, the value of humanity and respect and how she became a global brand.

Twitter – @YvonneChakaX2

Instagram – Yvonne_chakachaka

http://www.yvonnechakachaka.co.za

Ntombenhle Khathwane, a South African entrepreneur and founder of Afrobotanics and Girl Boss SA.

Ntombenhle Khathwane graduated from university in the late 1990s with a
mission to rewrite the African narrative. She started as a government employee
but her hopes and dreams were always bigger. She wanted to make a bigger
contribution and so she ultimately started her own company.

Ntombenhle grew up in the Mpumalanga Province in South Africa. She wants to
contribute to the creation and re-imagining of Africa and the African identity
and growing an inclusive economy through creating, manufacturing and retailing
African-inspired consumer brands in the beauty and household sectors. Skilled
in strategy, brand building, marketing and business development.

In 2012 she was in the first cohort of the Goldman Sachs-GIBS 10,000 Women
Programme.She was named Destiny Magazine 40 Trailblazers in 2011. In 2014 she
was accepted into the Archbishop Tutu-Oxford University Leadership Fellowship.
In 2015 she was named Mail & Guardian 200 Young Leaders.

In this episode she takes us through her entrepreneurial journey and talks
about her dreams for the African continent. You can connect with Ntombenhle on
the following social media links;

linkedin.com/in/ntombenhle-khathwane-b6650615

afro-botanics.com

Instagram – afrobotanics

@afrobotanics

Edrisah Musuuza (Eddy Kenzo), is a Ugandan singer and music executive who is a member of Big Talent Entertainment. He has collaborated with #FrenchMontana, #Drake, #Micasa, #Niniola and #ChrisBrown to name but a few.

Uganda flag, vector illustration on a white background

Eddy’s type of music is a relentlessly upbeat Ugandan dancehall like Afro-beat. In short, its high energy super infectious music that makes you want to get down. In his life he has overcome tragedy including the death of his mother at his early age.

He received international attention after the release of his 2014 single, “Sitya Loss” and an accompanying viral video that featured the kids of his home village Masaka. In total, he has released 4 albums, including most recently, Roots, in 2018. Kenzo has also won numerous national and international awards, including a Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award in 2018, a BET Award in 2015, and multiple All Africa Music Awards. He was the first Ugandan artist to win the BET award in 2015. Eddy Kenzo has inspired very many youths out there in Uganda.

In this episode he talks about the art of making good music, his beloved Uganda, being a YouTube sensation and his life’s purpose.

Instagram: @eddykenzo

Twitter: @eddykenzoficial

Brian Thomas is a CIO, CTO, Digital Leader, Innovator and all round Influencer.

Brian Thomas has served in several senior leadership roles, including Chief Information Officer, Chief Technology Officer, and Healthcare Executive in the Fortune 500, Healthcare and public sector spaces. He is known for delivering innovative and user-friendly solutions to the business partners and customers he serves.

Prior to his executive roles, he gained experience in and recognition for dependable performance improvement, leadership, program management and solution innovations. Brian has 20 years experience in technology and healthcare. He has been featured in several publications including the Harvard Business Review, and was recently named one of the Top 100 Chief Information Technology Officers by Richtopia.  He is a regular contributor to CIO Online and the greater IDG organization.

In this episode we talk about podcasting, the fourth industrial revolution and #Covid-19. You can connect with Brian on

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianethomas1/

DivergentCIO on Twitter

This episode features Danny Tong (Ph.D Candidate, Serial Entreprenuer, Pan-African Activist and Founder at InvesTong Group) and Boma Harrison (Marketing Director)

Boma has a strong marketing background of +14 years of proven results across FMCG categories – Laundry, Homecare, Feminine care, Beauty and Beverages. Over the years she has worked across different markets and regions including the Middle East Africa and Europe focusing on established brands as well as launching into whitespace new brands / categories such as Safeguard, Camay and Fairy. She holds an MBA from the University of Liverpool.
She is based in Lagos, Nigeria and in this episode she takes us through life in Lagos, the several countries she has visited followed by a general discussion on her views on both her country and the continent. Its a laid back conversation that you will enjoy.

Danny Tong is the Founder of InvesTong Group. He is responsible for driving Business Strategy, New Business Acquisition, Innovation and Capital Raising for InvesTong Group of Companies.

Born and bred in Molelema village in Taung, North West, in a family of five siblings, Danny started his schooling at the Molelema Primary School.

He holds an MBA from African Leadership University School of Business (ALUsb) in Rwanda and currently studying for his Doctorate (PhD) with his research topic within the 4IR sphere. His aim is to contribute new knowledge towards the current Industrial Revolution through research and subsequently a Thesis Publication by 2021.

https://twitter.com/DannyTong12

linkedin.com/in/dannytongsa

This episode features Tom Peters, business coach, reader, student, people watcher, researcher, writer and international speaker.

Tom is the recipient of the Thinkers50 Lifetime Achievement Award. He virtually invented the modern thought leadership industry. He co-authored In Search of Excellence, which helped create the business book industry – and had a serious impact on how managers managed and how we view organizations. The book changed the way the world does business, and is often tagged as the best business book ever. His blog tompeters.com is ranked #9 among the Top 150 Management and Leadership Blogs.

In this episode, we talk about Africa, his feelings about President Trump and the process that has seen him write 18 books and as always we cover a whole lot more.

You can connect with Tom on his favourite platform, Twitter – @tom_peters and for more on his bio visit his website – tompeters.com

In this episode, Tyson takes us on a journey to where it all began. From a call centre agent – to one of Africa’s comedic rising stars. Tyson’s brand of character-driven humour and sharp observations is a distinct addition to Africa’s well of talent. 

His is a thrilling blend of stand-up and vocal deftness and he represented his country in Showmax’s ‘Funny People Africa’ – a show curating the continent’s rising comedy talents. Tyson speaks fluent Dutch – owing to his first job in a call centre. His subsequent background in media, research and advertising has had a profound impact on his work, which emphasizes story.

In 2020, his series of online comedy skits proved a welcome dose of distinctly South African humour amid a grueling lockdown.

Twitter: @tysonngubeni

Instagram: @tysonngubeni

Trend Analyst Dion Chang helps us connect unexpected dots, as he unpacks skills of the future and the importance of Generation Z – the most pronounced age demographic on the African continent.

Dion was fashion editor at Elle Magazine before founding FluxTrends. He tags himself a global citizen who is proudly South African.The observer. Forever curious.

Twitter: @dionchang

Instagram: @dionchang

http://www.fluxtrends.com

In this episode we speak to a multifaceted South African woman, Tidimalo Sehlako. In this era of innovation, she tells us how she balances entrepreneurship, yoga, and her acting career.

Tidimalo is a journalism & marketing graduate. She made it as a top 5 finalist in the Miss South Africa pageant, 2014.

Instagram: Tidimalo_S

Facebook: Tidimalo Sehlako

Team Africa Cheerleader, Lerato Mbele tells us why she loves being on the other side of the conversation as the host of “Talking Business Africa” on BBC and shares some of the lessons she has learned from the very best of African excellence.

Lerato has worked as a journalist for over two decades, starting at the South African Broadcasting Corporation in 1999. She holds a master’s in development studies with the University of London, and a bachelor’s degree majoring in politics and international relations from the University of Cape Town.

Twitter: @mbele_Inb

@BBCWorld

This episode features Faith Makhubele, a change maker and Tobe Okeke, a vibrant Data Scientist.

Faith Makhubele, Medical student,Award Winning Activist and Entrepreneur who never shies away from anything. She shares what it takes to achieve all that she has at 22 years and her mindset when tackling life challenges. She is the founder and CEO of a non profit organization (Unforgettable Smiles) aimed at empowering the lives of children through advancing social and academic change, mental health awareness and security.

Twitter: @FaithMakhubele_

Instagram: Faith Makhubele

Tobe Okeke is an MIT Graduate. She holds a Master’s Degree and is an all round energetic soul. In a world that is getting more technological, she shares her journey to becoming a Data Scientist. In this episode we dive deep into what Artificial Intelligence means and the real impact of the Forth-Industrial-Revolution on humanity. What will be replaced, and what won’t!

Instagram: Datatechcon

www.datatechcon.com

This episode features Sola Amusan, an AI Leader and Philanthropist and Douglas Ogeto, Co-Founder and CEO of LudiqueWorks

Sola Amusan, an Artificial Intelligence Evangelist, is an UNLEASH Alumnus, HIVE Global Leader, the Author of Are You Branded or Stranded (2010, 2020), a global shaper of the World Economic Forum, a member of the Country Support Mechanism (CSM) of the Global Community Engagement & Resilience Fund in Nigeria and the President of the 8th Session of the African Youth and Governance Conference. He is passionate about social entrepreneurship as a key to unlocking Africa’s immense potential.

Twitter – Olusolamusan

www.covenworks.com

Douglas Ogeto is Co-Founder and CEO of LudiqueWorks, Africa’s fastest growing and award winning video game publishing company, game development accelerator and dedicated game fund, committed to growing the video game development and eSports industry on the continent. They have built the largest community of game developers across 16+ African countries as well as eSports in 24+ African countries.

Twitter – douglasogeto

www.ludique.works

This episode features Angad Singh (Cryptocurrency and blogging) and Rupesh Mittal (Cyber Security) from India.

Angad is the founder and CEO of Officialhacker.com, a firm that provides the latest information on hacking news, cyber attacks and tips and tricks to make for a safer cyber experience. He is a successful digital entrepreneur who started his blog, officialhacker.com in 2016. It has since become a leading site in the cyber, technology and blockchain worlds. He is also a motivational speaker having started his second blog, belikebillionaire.com to provide motivational stories of people that have succeeded in their fields. You can find Angad on the following channels

www.officialhacker.com

Twitter – @rootmalware

Rupesh is the founder of Mittal Technologies and a Cyber Security Consultant. He started his foundation in order to help students find their interests and also develop skills required for a better future. Rupesh, in his role as a Cyber Security Consultant for the Police Force in India came across many crimes that involved Cyber attacks and decided to expand on his interest. He has completed a B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering from VNR VJIET, Hyderabad

Twitter – @rupeshmittalofc

http://www.rupeshmittal.in

This episode features Celeste Ntuli and Brendon Petersen, Celeste is a Comedian and Actress on one of South Africa’s most watched soapies. Brendon is a Tech Journalist considered an expert in the Industry.

In this episode, one of the funniest women in South African comedy speaks about her transformation over the years and how it changed the manner in which she delivers her material on stage, and lastly she shares the difficulties of being a woman in an otherwise male dominated industry.  

Twitter: @celestentuli  

Instagram: Celestentuli 

Brendon Peterson is an overall Tech Industry expert, having worked for Amazon.com as part of the digital media launch team. He also speaks about his own website Reframed.co and podcast alike ReframedTech.  

Podcast & Socials: https://linktr.ee/brendonp  

This episode features the one and only Vusi Thembekwayo, Business Mogul, Author, Speaker and Venture Capitalist.

Vusi is the founder of MyGrowthFund & IC Knowledge Bureau. He is a business tycoon and a renowned global business speaker. Vusi is amongst the most accomplished authors having sold over 50,000 copies of his various books. He has successfully built and transformed business in South Africa and abroad.

In this episode, Vusi reveals his secret to preparing and delivering mesmerizing keynote addresses.

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/vusithembekwayo/

Twitter – @VusiThembekwayo

Speaker. Rockstar. Venture Capitalist.

#vusithembekwayo

Episode Co-Producer – Bandile ‘C-Moody’ Lukhele – bandilelkhl5@gmail.com

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This episode features Elisabeth Moreno, the new French Minister for Gender Equality, Diversity and Equal Opportunities and Vice President and Managing Director of HP Inc. Africa.

In her role at HP, Elisabeth provides country leadership for South Africa and is tasked with driving profitable growth across the company’s printing, personal systems and services business across the Africa region.

Moreno, a political novice, is now in charge of diversity and equal opportunities. She is the only black member of President Emmanuel Macron’s new cabinet.

She has previously held various senior management positions at Lenovo, Dell and Orange. Before joining HP, Elisabeth was President and General Manager of Lenovo in France.

This is a rich, high energy conversation driven by Elisabeth’s passion for the African continent, HP and technology in general. You can connect with Elisabeth on the following channels;

linkedin.com/in/elisabeth-s-moreno

Twitter – @1ElisaMoreno

#hpafrica #hp

Chris is an Emmy award-winning motion designer, director, CEO and Chief Strategist of Blind and the founder of The Futur. Dr. Anjali Malik is a board-certified, fellowship-trained breast imaging radiologist and women’s health advocate.

Chris is the founder of The Futur—an online education platform with the mission of teaching 1 billion people how to make a living doing what they love. He currently serves as the chairman of the board for the SPJA, and as an advisor to Saleshood.

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thechrisdo/

Twitter – @theChrisDo

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/user/chrisdo72

Dr. Malik practices breast imaging and OB/Gyn ultrasound at Washington Radiology. Through her role on the Medical Advisory Committee, she mentors and inspires women to be in charge of their breast and ovarian health. She utilizes her social media platforms as a space for education and empowerment. In addition to her passion for women’s health and education, she is a frequent speaker on health literacy, advocacy and utilization of social media in medicine.

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/anjalimalikmd/?hl=en

Twitter – @AnjaliMalikMD

#1000AfricanVoices

This episode features Ayanda Borotho, Actress, Author, MC, Speaker, MC, Entrepreneur, Mother and Wife.

In the episode Ayanda talks about her 400+ page book, Unbecoming to become and the process of writing a book. We cover wide ranging topics from parenting, the death of George Floyd and the meaning thereof. She explains why she has never attended an awards ceremony even though in 2020 she was nominated for this year’s United Nations Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD), Under 40, Global 100 awards.

What makes Ayanda tick and what does she really care about? How is she as a parent? If you would like to scratch beneath the surface then this episode is for you. Just a warning, this episode contain ‘heavy’ content.

Instagram – ayandaborotho

#blacklivesmatter #Icantbreathe #unbecomingtobecome #Isibaya

This episode features Linda Raimondo and Giulia Bassani from Italy.

Linda is an aspiring European Space Agency (ESA) Astronaut, physics student, television presenter, author and science traveler. She is passionate about space and has always wanted to be an Astronaut.

Twitter – @AstroLinda99

Giulia is an Aerospace Engineering Student, Italian writer of science fiction, science communicator and an aspiring astronaut.

Twitter – @Astro_Giulia

#Italy #Astronaut

#1000AfricaVoices #4IR