News
Program
Speakers
Artists
More Info

SUMMIT HOST

Edwin Macharia

Co-Founder, Axum

Edwin is Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Axum. He leads work with Heads of State, CEOs, Philanthropists, and Investors, supporting them on strategy, program design and capital deployment.

Prior to starting Axum, Edwin spent 16 years at Dalberg Advisors building the firm’s presence, teams and client work across the world. He left after being elected and serving as the Global Managing Partner of the firm. Before that, he was at the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and McKinsey & Company.

Based in Nairobi, Edwin currently sits on a range of global boards that reflect his commitment to transforming lives in Africa and beyond: The Nature Conservancy, Mozilla Foundation, Nabo Capital, The End Fund, Prudential Kenya and The Wellbeing Project. He is a WEF Young Global Leader, Archbishop Desmond Tutu Fellow and was listed by Forbes as one of the 10 Most Powerful Africans in 2015. He holds a degree in biology from Amherst College.

CONNECT WITH EDWIN ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

CONNECT WITH AXUM ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

LEARN MORE FROM EDWIN MACHARIA LEARN MORE FROM EDWIN MACHARIA

Emeline Michel

Artist

Only a few performers earn acclaim for developing a unique sound. Emeline Michel can count herself among those few. Known for her fusion of traditional Haitian rhythms (kompa, rasyn, and twoubadou) with other musical genres (pop, jazz, and blues), Michel created a sound, which appealed to both traditional and contemporary listeners worldwide. Combined with Michel’s hypnotic and bluesy voice (which draws comparisons to the great Joni Mitchell), and remarkable stage presence, Michel has made her mark as one of the most notable Haitian singers, songwriters, and musicians of the past two decades.

Born in Haiti, Michel’s foray into music began as a singer in the Church of Gonaives’ gospel choir. Later, she studied at the Detroit Jazz Center, refining both her voice and musical style. Her return to Haiti showcased a new sound, highlighted on her debut album, Douvanjou ka leve. Michel continued her studies in France, where she received classical voice training under the tutelage of the legendary voice coach, Richard Cross.

Several albums followed: Tankou Melodie, Flanm, and Ban’m Pase included. Michel’s second album, Tout Mon Temps, featured the top single, “A.K.I.K.O.” As Michel stated, “A.K.I.K.O.” urged Haitians to stop fighting, come together, and create a country that would make the next generation proud. Without unity, we have no future.” A global sensation, “A.K.I.K.O” charted in many countries, including Belgium, French Guiana, Chile, Japan, and Canada.

Michel’s list of appearances is quite extensive: Carnegie Hall, United Nations, the Clinton Global Initiative, Montreal International Jazz Festival, New Orleans Jazz Festival, Fuji Rock Festival, Seychelles Island Creole Festival, and the Teatro del Silencio, where she performed with Andrea Bocelli and the Choir Voices of Haiti in Italy. Still, it was Michel’s performance on MTV’s “Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief” telethon, which garnered the most acclaim. Michel’s rendition of Jimmy Cliff’s “Many Rivers to Cross,” and other similar performances, led New York Times’ Ben Sisario to declare Michel a “diplomat of music,” and a “dancing ambassador with a voice as serene and warm like the breeze.”

Michel has received countless awards, including Haiti Musique en Folie Award for Best Haitian Album and Best Production for Cordes et Ame (2000). She has also receive the Catherine Flon Award (2017) and a New York City Council Proclamation for outstanding activism in the community.

In Michel’s upcoming autobiographical documentary, The Aroma of My Land (2019), viewers will have the opportunity to hear Michel’s life story in her words, and view behind the scenes exclusives: live performances, interviews, poetry, music, pictures and more. It is one to watch.

Click here to learn more about Emeline Michel

Connect with Emeline Michel on social media :

Briggs Bomba

Programs Director, TrustAfrica

Briggs Bomba serves as the Programs Director for TrustAfrica, a pan-African foundation that works across Africa to promote democratic governance and equitable development.

As part of the senior management team for TrustAfrica, Briggs provides strategic leadership to the programs team and oversees a diverse portfolio of programs and initiatives spanning several African countries that deal with a wide array of themes encompassing – Natural Resource Governance and Economic Transformation; Taxation and Illicit Financial Flows; Climate Justice and Food Sovereignty; Citizenship, Rights and Civic Engagement; Gender and Women’s Rights; Youth, Education and the Future of Work; as well as African Philanthropy.

In this role, Briggs oversees the implementation of TrustAfrica’s strategies that include Grantmaking; Convenings; Knowledge generation and management; Capacity building; as well as Advocacy engagement with policymakers at national, RECs and AU levels.

Previously, Briggs served as Project Director of TrustAfrica’s Initiative to Curb Illicit Financial Flows from Africa; Director for Zimbabwe Alliance – a donor collaborative founded by TrustAfrica, Wallace Global Fund and Schooner Foundation to strengthen civil society in Zimbabwe; and Director of Campaigns for a Washington, D.C based Africa policy advocacy organization.

Briggs holds a Master’s of Science Degree in Applied and Social Economics from Wright State University (Ohio, USA).

His analysis and commentary has appeared on CNN, BBC, WorldFocus, AllAfrica, Alliance Magazine, Foreign Policy in Focus, Pambazuka News, NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Al-Jazeera as well as Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Keeping Hope Alive show among other platforms.

Briggs is married to Dr. Mutheu Bomba a lawyer and African arts, culture and heritage enthusiast and they have three sons – Tafara, Cheukai and Maita.

“TO REALIZE IT’S OK NOT TO CONTINUE AND TO TAKE SOME TIME AND BREATHE BEFORE CARRYING ON.” “TO REALIZE IT’S OK NOT TO CONTINUE AND TO TAKE SOME TIME AND BREATHE BEFORE CARRYING ON.”

Creating Art and Peace in Africa with Green String Network

Mama Fatuma taking care of her health by taking her dawa. She is Anaemic.

Mama Fatuma at work in a rehab counseling session. She is counseling recovering addicts at a center.

Mama Fatuma encourages recovering youth addicts into doing productive work. They are tree planting in the neighbourhood.

Mama Fatuma preparing a meal for her grand children after a busy day doing community work. Her love for the two grand children is unimaginable.

INTERVIEW WITH GREEN STRING NETWORK INTERVIEW WITH GREEN STRING NETWORK

What is the Green String Network?

Green String Network (GSN) is an African based organization. We are a network of like-minded individuals and organizations working on developing trauma-informed peacebuilding. We believe that there is a direct link between levels of trauma in vulnerable communities and the challenges faced with justice, reconciliation, security, and overall social wellbeing.

How does your work connect to inner wellbeing and social change?

Violence begins with a thought, yet few interventions focus on the mental wellbeing of at-risk communities, and institutions like the police. GSN concentrates on trauma as a root cause of instability not just a consequence of violence and instability. By connecting our inner wellbeing to issues of social justice and change we believe we are mentally and emotionally preparing those working on issues of violence, neglect, abuse and other difficult issues with a more holistic tool kit.

How do you believe art can be used for social impact?

GSN understands the transformative power of art. We utilize art to depict the experiences of our program participants. In using art as a source of individual reflection and communal dialogue, we strengthen relationships and raise awareness regarding violence, adversity as well as healing practices.

Please tell us about these individual stories that the artists have created.

The artists were given a summary of The Wellbeing Project’s research on “Wellbeing for social entrepreneurs.” From reading the research, the artists developed a set of stories.

The two artists were from Kenya and South Sudan, GSN has worked with both several times in the past.

David Radoli grew up in Mombasa but went to school in Nairobi. He is a graduate of the Technical University of Kenya. Radoli, as he prefers to be called, has been in the media/art industry for over 18 years. He has extensive experience in publishing, advertising, storyboarding and copyrighting. Due to his versatility in arts, he has worked for McCann Erickson, a leading advertising agency. Radoli has a strong preference for working with ink, pen, and watercolors. He has a passion for painting human figures and is an excellent caricaturist.

Deng Majid Chol Deng recalls drawing at home and enjoying pictures in the books at school. He improved his drawing skills initially by copying the picture and was encouraged by his family, who liked his drawings of daily life. Later, he gained a scholarship to study at Nasser University in Tripoli, Libya. It was a totally new environment for him and he was struck by the uniformity of opinions. After initially working using his Chemistry degree, he became connected with The Roots Project in 2011 and now displays his paintings there as well as holding exhibits in other locations.

What is the value of using artists to communicate on this subject?

An artist interprets a story based on his/her own life experiences. Images which emerge are not prescriptive and allow those who view them, their own interpretations based on their own life experiences. Two people can look at the same painting and each sees a completely different story in the painting.

What is wellbeing for GSN?

Wellbeing is an approach targeting the emotional, cognitive, physical, spiritual and social aspects of the human experience. It is about feeling happy, healthy, socially connected, and purposeful.

Are there any learnings you would like to share with other organizations and communities?

1. Healing is a critical part of stabilization, development, governance, and peacebuilding processes. Finding a way to work through personal pain can support the larger communities healing process.

2. For the leaders of the social change movements, understand that what you experience continues impacting you — your ability to love, show emotions and empathy. Do not let the violence and adversity you are challenging change you to be someone you are not. Take the time for your own self-care and connect to a larger community of changemakers. Take the time you need with your family and other friends. Find joy outside of your work. And be kind and lovely to yourself.

How can people connect with GSN?

Follow our work on our website — we will be starting a new blog shortly about the stories of transformation taking place in our programs.
Or on:
Facebook Twitter Instagram

``LEARNING TO LOVE AND TREASURE BREATHING HAS CHANGED MY LIFE.” ``LEARNING TO LOVE AND TREASURE BREATHING HAS CHANGED MY LIFE.”

By Kildine de Saint Hilaire and Andrea Coleman

“I am English. Very English. We were taught, as we grew up, that showing your feelings drew disapproval. You must be strong, put on a brave face, show no weakness. The environment was tough for earlier generations. Not enough food, horrible cold, world wars, families separated and people working unreasonably hard during the industrial revolution. It was the way, those earlier generations thought: to make the young tough, resilient and they will survive. Provision of health care then was poor and mental health was treated by the expression ‘pull yourself together’.”

Andrea Coleman is a woman who inspires both admiration and motivation. Her achievements reveal her strengths, and her personality encourages kindness. Her journey has led her to develop Riders for Health, the organization she co-founded with her husband Barry Coleman in 1996. Andrea grew up believing that motorcycles were synonymous with the possibility of escaping. She embraced the motorcycle world to leave the place that she was in. “It was my route to freedom”, she explains when reflecting on her upbringing. Her first husband was a motorcyclist who had an accident while competing. After the accident, Andrea explains she was lost and did not know how to grieve, “I thought how to deal with grief was to be very busy and create something else.”

Andrea put all her effort and means into the creation of Riders for Health, an organisation that uses vehicles to deliver healthcare within multiple African countries. It defies a persisting status quo: the neglect of the use of vehicles in the field of development. With Riders for Health, vehicles are the pillar element. They bridge the distance between rural communities and health care. To say that building an organisation is a challenge is an understatement. It becomes a life mission that takes a lot out of those involved. “The last thing that I was doing was listening to myself,” explains Andrea, who suffered from anxiety and exhaustion. The more out of tune she was with her inner-self, the more Andrea was pushing her mind and body to exhaustion. Burnout has become the great epidemic of our generation, one that can have extreme consequences on individuals and their surroundings. Always pushing more and further can only last for a certain time and to a certain extent.”

“During The Wellbeing Project I realised I have been holding my breath for my whole life. Learning to love and treasure breathing has changed my life.”

As a participant in The Wellbeing Project’s Inner Development Program, Andrea decided to learn how to confront and deal with her internal angst. First, Andrea approached the language of wellbeing. Second, she delved into a research and understanding of the meaning behind the dialect of wellbeing. By giving herself the time to reflect on these concepts and how to adapt them to her life, she gained confidence and a significant change of attitude towards others. Andrea took part in a journey of self-exploration starting from within that came to have an extensive reach towards her outside world.

“I had no idea if I would be accepted onto the program and I had no idea what it would mean or if it would or could be helpful. But I knew I had to find some way to manage the pain I was experiencing. With my English background I found it hard to accept the idea of loving myself but I found out how to love the gifts I have been given, to know that caring for myself is not something to be ashamed of and to feel the same sympathy for myself as I would for others. I was taught the mechanism to find peace in looking at the sky at night, in the trees around me and to rest into the knowledge that there are people who love me. And I am worth being loved.”

Regarding her learnings, Andrea comments she discovered, “how to relate to people in a way I didn’t know how to before.” In addition, she has learned to let herself do things she enjoys and that make her happy. The emotion of guilt is no longer part of the equation. Andrea gives her personal take on wellbeing as a process that enabled her to feel capable and acquire a balance between responsibility and self-care.

“I hope I will always be open to accepting new ways of being as a result of my experience and I hope that I can continue to help others to be open to it too.“

Since her experience with The Wellbeing Project, Andrea has developed a new project: Two Wheels For Life. The organisation aims to develop and fundraise for Riders for Health and focus on motorcycles to ensure that life-saving healthcare reaches those in need. Wellbeing is a constant learning for Andrea. It offers her alignment and confidence while she remains the ambitious change-maker she is at her core.