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Vivian Onano

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Vivian Onano
Born1991 (age 32–33)
Kenya
NationalityKenyan
EducationDegree Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin
Master's Sciences Po Paris
Occupation(s)Activist, Social Entrepreneur
Known forFounder of "Leading Light Initiative"
2016 MTV "Africa Re-Imagined" Youth Award
Awards2017 New African Woman on the Rise Award
Websitevivianonano.com/bio/

Vivian Onano (born 1991) is an African activist and social entrepreneur from Kenya who advocates for girls' education and end of child marriage in Africa. She is the founder and director of the Leading Light Initiative, an organization aimed at alleviating poverty by providing opportunities tailored to youth, women, and disabled individuals.[1][2][3][4]

Education

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Vivian pursued her higher education at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin[5] where she obtained her degree and furthered her academic pursuits by earning a Master of Public Affairs from Sciences Po in Paris.[6] Her educational background equipped her with the knowledge and skills necessary to address complex social and developmental challenges.[7][8]

Career

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Vivian was appointed Youth advisor to the United Nations Women Global Civil Society Advisory Group from 2014 to 2016. In 2019, she was appointed as a youth advisor to the Global Education Monitoring Report for UNESCO, [9][10][11] She is a member of the World Humanitarian Forum Youth Council, a Concordia Africa advisor,  and Vice-Chairperson Global Youth Empowerment Fund. [12][13]

Her expertise extends to public speaking on vital global issues such as education, gender equality, youth empowerment, and international development. She has delivered impactful speeches at the United Nations General Assembly, World Humanitarian Forum, Afreximbank Annual Forum, Reykjavik Global Forum, Africa Business Forum, Forbes Woman Africa Regional Forum, World Innovation Summit for Education, Concordia Summit, EurAfrican Forum and the Clinton Global Initiative. [14][15][16][17][18][19][20] Vivian has also shared her insights through published articles in renowned media outlets worldwide.[21][22]

Her contributions were instrumental in mobilizing young people's input during the formulation of the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015. She holds positions as a faculty member at DUKE Corporate Education, board director of Nutrition International, board director of Flying Kites, and a member of the African Women Leadership Network. She is recognized as a 2024 Young Leader of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center in Azerbaijan. [23][24][25]

Recognition

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She was honoured as one of the global 100 Most Influential People of African Descent under 40 in 2022, and in 2016 she featured in New African Woman Magazine's "30 under 30 Faces Changing Africa Now." Also Forbes Woman Africa described her as "One to Watch.[26][27][28][29]

Awards

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2017 New African Woman on the Rise Award[30]   

2016 MTV "Africa Re-Imagined" Youth Award.[31][32]

2015 Mrs. Michelle Obama’s "Let Girls Learn" Award by MORE Magazine.[33]

Reference

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  1. ^ "Africa Leadership Series". Teach For All. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  2. ^ "Vivian Onano - Global Citizen Forum". Global Citizen Forum. 2021-11-15. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  3. ^ "Vivian Onano". Women Deliver. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  4. ^ "Kenyan Vivian Onano promotes girls access to education". BusinessGhana. 2020-04-09. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  5. ^ Bisciglia, Sandra (2016-02-16). "Vivian Onano '14 speaks on "The Power of a Dream" TODAY". Carthage College. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  6. ^ "The Role of Education in Upholding Universal Values". Sciences Po (in French). 2019-02-20. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  7. ^ "Vivian Onano". WISE. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  8. ^ "Vivian Onano | Eurafrican Forum". Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  9. ^ International Day of Persons with Disabilities Podcast, retrieved 2024-04-17
  10. ^ "26th Session of the Youth Assembly Virtual". GCED Clearinghouse (in Russian). 2020-07-17. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  11. ^ "Africa Women Experts". africawomenexperts.com. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  12. ^ "Vivian Onano". Concordia. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  13. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  14. ^ "Vivian Onano is on top of the world at only 24". Nation. 2020-07-05. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  15. ^ "Youth Flash March 2015 | United Nations For Youth". www.un.org. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  16. ^ Onano, Vivian (2020-10-09). "Just 2% of the poorest rural girls complete secondary education". African Arguments. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  17. ^ "Vivian Onano & Talimka Yordanova attend the Global Citizen Forum's..." Getty Images. 2021-12-13. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  18. ^ "Young People Must Be at Centre of Sustainable Development Agenda, Speakers Say, as General Assembly Marks Anniversary of World Programme of Action for Youth | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". press.un.org. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  19. ^ Gonnella-Platts, Natalie (2018-10-06). "African first ladies leading the way". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  20. ^ Global Partnership for Education - GPE (2017-03-02), Vivian Adhiambo Onano Women & Girls Advocate, Kenya, retrieved 2024-04-17
  21. ^ Onano, Vivian (2016-10-11). "Vivian Onano: We each have a role to play in achieving gender equality". World Education Blog. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  22. ^ "Voices of Hope: A Conversation with Youth Activist Vivian Onano". George W. Bush Presidential Center. 2016-08-12. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  23. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  24. ^ "Shaila Khan Leekha and Vivian Onano join Nutrition International Board of Directors". Nutrition International. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  25. ^ "Board of Directors". flying kites. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  26. ^ "Africa Women Experts". africawomenexperts.com. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  27. ^ "Vivian Onano | HuffPost". www.huffpost.com. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  28. ^ abby (2017-07-19). "98. Vivian Onano – GC4W Top 100 Women in the World. - Global Connections for Women". Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  29. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  30. ^ "Meet the winners of the New African Woman Awards". Nordic Africa News. 2017-04-15. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  31. ^ "Vivian Onano Archives". ZIMBUZZ. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  32. ^ abby (2017-07-19). "98. Vivian Onano – GC4W Top 100 Women in the World. - Global Connections for Women". Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  33. ^ "Remarks by The First Lady at More Magazine Impact Awards". whitehouse.gov. 2015-06-29. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
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