TIME Reveals Honorees for Inaugural TIME100 Impact Awards Africa

Ahead of the TIME100 Impact Awards Africa at the Kigali Convention Center on November 17, TIME will Host the TIME100 Summit Africa Featuring Panels with Karim Beguir, Aya Chebbi, Wanjira Mathai, Elizabeth Wathuti, and more

The Evening Celebration will Feature Appearances by Host Bonang Matheba and Honorees Danai Gurira, Ashley Judd, Kennedy Odede, Sherrie Silver, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and Fred Swaniker

Today, TIME reveals the honorees of its first-ever TIME100 Impact Awards Africa, recognizing visionaries who have gone above and beyond to make an impact and move their respective industries forward. The honorees are: actress, playwright, and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Danai Gurira; author, actress, and social justice humanitarian Ashley Judd; Shining Hope for Communities founder and CEO Kennedy Odede; choreographer Sherrie Silver Foundation founder; and United Nations’ IFAD Advocate for Rural Youth Sherrie Silver; Former President of the Republic of Liberia and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf; and African Leadership Group founder and CEO Fred Swaniker.

On November 17 at the Kigali Convention Centre, TIME will convene the inaugural TIME100 Summit Africa, featuring a range of speakers from the TIME100 community and beyond. In moderated conversations live on stage, these guests will discuss essential solutions to urgent global problems from regional and global perspectives, and ways that we can all take action to build a better future. Event speakers include: InstaDeep CEO Karim Beguir; Former African Union Envoy on Youth Aya Chebbi; Amini founder and CEO Kate Kallot; UN Climate Change High Level Champions Special Advisor Bogolo Kenewendo; poet, activist, and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Emi Mahmoud; WRI managing director for Africa Wanjira Mathai; Southern Africa Embrace Foundation CEO Sindy Zemura-Bernard; and Green Generation Initiative founder Elizabeth Wathuti, TIME100 Impact Award honorees Danai Gurira, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and Fred Swaniker will also join the Summit as panelists.

Following the TIME100 Summit Africa, TIME will host an invitation-only gala featuring appearances by all six Impact Award honorees, actor and host Bonang Matheba, and other leaders, visionaries and members of the global TIME100 community. The evening event will also feature a special dance performance choreographed by honoree Sherrie Silver. 

“We are honored to recognize the inaugural class of 2023 TIME100 Impact Awards Africa honorees for their remarkable accomplishments,” said TIME Chief Executive Jessica Sibley. “TIME is excited to bring the Impact Awards to Rwanda for the first time with the support of our partners at Visit Rwanda.”

“The TIME100 Impact Awards highlight TIME's dedication to recognizing individuals who are making a positive impact in the world,” said TIME Editor in Chief Sam Jacobs. “We are excited to join with this outstanding group of leaders and welcome them to our global TIME100 community.” 

The TIME100 Summit and Impact Awards Africa is presented by founding partner Visit Rwanda and supporting partners Kigali International Financial Centre and RwandAir.

To read TIME’s coverage of the TIME100 Summit Africa and Impact Awards in Rwanda, visit TIME.com 

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TIME is the 100-year-old global media brand that reaches a combined audience of over 120 million around the world through its iconic magazine and digital platforms. With unparalleled access to the world's most influential people, the trust of consumers and partners globally, and an unrivaled power to convene, TIME's mission is to tell the essential stories of the people and ideas that shape and improve the world. Today, TIME also includes the Emmy Award®-winning film and television division TIME Studios; a significantly expanded live events business built on the powerful TIME100 and Person of the Year franchises and custom experiences; TIME for Kids, which provides trusted news with a focus on news literacy for kids and valuable resources for teachers and families; the award-winning branded content studio Red Border Studios; an industry-leading web3 division; the website-building platform TIME Sites; the sustainability and climate action platform TIME CO2; the new e-commerce and content platform TIME Stamped, and more.