Meda Hope Malinga, an 18-year-old founder and general coordinator of Hitaji Africa and a proud member of the POP family was shortlisted for the class 2021 of African Leadership Academy (ALA) in Johannesburg, South Africa. The ALA is an institution that trains young entrepreneurs from all over Africa who look at the current problems in the continent and the lagging path to achieving sustainable development as an opportunity to bring out creative approaches that will pave room for employment of the great number of unemployed youth in Africa. The outstanding young leaders within Africa who apply for this program are the ones chosen as finalists to be a part of every new class to exhibit leadership roles.

Meda is very passionate about promoting quality education (SDG 4) as she believes that it is one of the greatest milestones to be achieved in order for the continent to have the highest expectations on development. She founded an organization named “Hitaji Africa” (“Hitaji” is a Kiswahili word meaning “need”; hence, “We need Africa”) She envisions to remove the inferiority complex prevalent amongst African youth and empower them on the need to engage in socio-economic sustainable development initiatives as agents of change. Her 4 focus areas include Education, Climate Change, Food Security and Nutrition, and Gender-based Violence. She notes, “My joining ALA is one of the biggest milestones of attaining my vision of having Hitaji Africa transform lives and bring impact in all African countries.”