Monrovia – July 4, 2019, Luther Jeke announced that he is among its second cohort of Obama Foundation African Leaders, 200 rising leaders from 45 countries around the continent who will convene in Johannesburg July 10-14 and participate in a year-long leadership development program.

Luther is the Manager of iCampus, Liberia’s first shared innovation, co-working and community space for organizations and individuals focusing on the intersection of technology, accountability and social change in Liberia. He has eight years of experience in the Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D) sector.

Luther is a member of the 2019 class of the Obama Foundation Leaders: Africa Program and is an alumnus of the US State Department’s President Obama Emerging Global Leaders Initiative (EGLI) in Washington, DC. Luther earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with an emphasis on Economics and has several professional certifications and diplomas in Organizational and Project Management, Information Technology and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Over the years, Luther has worked and consulted for entities in the USA and West Africa. These included Creative Associates Int’l in Washington, DC, iLab Liberia, Ushahidi Liberia, Starz Institute of Technology, Int’l Bank Liberia, Ltd, New Birth Empowerment Center, etc. During his days as iLab Liberia’s Director of Training, he and his team provided more than 4,500 Liberians and foreign nationals the opportunity to use the innovation lab and gain new technology skills to empower their businesses and communities.  Luther is passionate about efficiently using innovative technologies and collaborative spaces to empower local communities, SMEs, Governmental and Non-governmental organizations.

The Leaders: Africa gathering will include plenary sessions, skill-building workshops, leadership development training, service projects and opportunities for connection among leaders across sectors and geographies. Through such sessions, Leaders will grapple with ethical dilemmas and work on creative, values-driven approaches to problem solving. They will also explore how their personal narratives can be used to support and enhance their leadership. When participants return to their communities, virtual programming will continue for a year through a speaker series, technical trainings, educational workshops, action plan guidance, and support and amplification from the Foundation.

“The Obama Foundation Leaders: Africa program builds on the success of the 2018 inaugural class, bringing together a committed and diverse group of changemakers from across Africa,” said Bernadette Meehan, Chief International Officer of the Obama Foundation. “Our program will gather together hundreds of emerging African leaders who display a passion for working in their communities, and it will inspire, empower, and connect these participants who are ready to take bold steps in their work. We are excited to support this class of groundbreakers as they strive to change the world.”

The selected 2019 Leaders represent 45 nations across the continent and a variety of industries, from health and agriculture to technology and girls’ education. Fifteen Leaders from the 2018 class will return to share their successes and experiences and to mentor the 2019 class. Participants were selected by the Foundation through a rigorous application process that emphasized each Leader’s focus on values-based leadership. To learn more, please visit obama.org/africa.

The 2019 Obama Foundation Leaders: Africa convening supports the Foundation’s mission to inspire, empower and connect people to change their world. The Obama Foundation has launched several civic engagement programs that engage young leaders globally, including Obama Foundation Leaders: Africa and Leaders: Asia-Pacific, Obama Foundation Scholars, and Obama Foundation Fellows. In addition, the Foundation has hosted roundtables, town halls, and workshops with President Obama in Germany, Indonesia, Brazil, India, Singapore, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Colombia, Canada, and Hawaiʻi to help inform the Foundation’s global programming.

*The 2019 Obama Foundation Leaders: Africa convening will be held in Johannesburg July 10-14. Plenary sessions will stream live at obama.org.

**To learn more about Luther Jeke and iCampus click www.icampus.io and contact Luther Jeke at [email protected]

Sheena Adams