TEDxKigali

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Andrew Mold

  Director Regional Office for Eastern Africa United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

  Andrew Mold is the Director at the office for East Africa of Economic Commission for Africa. He has a PhD. in economics (Complutense University, Madrid) and has worked for the United Nations in Costa Rica, Chile, Ethiopia, Chile and Rwanda. He was also a Senior Economist at the OECD in Paris. His work has focused on international trade, multinational corporations and regional integration. He is co author (with Francis Mangeni) of the book ‘Borderless Africa - A Sceptic’s Guide to the Continental Free Trade Area’ (Hurst & Company/Oxford University Press, 2024). Longer Version. Andrew Mold is the Director at the office for East Africa of the Economic Commission for Africa in Kigali. He has a Masters in Economics and Politics of Development from Cambridge University, and a Ph.D. in Economics from the Complutense University of Madrid. His Ph.D. thesis was on the role of American multinationals in processes of regional integration.

• Ashaba Pride

  Reggae, Afro-Soul/Afro Jazz recording artist

  Ashaba Music aka Ashaba Pride is a female Reggae, Afro-Soul/Afro Jazz recording artist based in Uganda, East Africa. Her maiden album FIREFLIES(NYONYOZI) -2023, is a work of art bringing together modern and cultural sounds. On stage, she takes on the personality of an acoustic guitarist and vocalist, incorporating a few dances from her ancestral heritage, The Bakiga of Southwestern Uganda. Ashaba Music is a live performer, often alongside a band but also holds solo live and semi live performances. Her aim, her message is healing the broken hearted through melodies of her own pain from surviving domestic violence and life’s surprises. In 2026, Ashaba Music is touring after the release of her 5 track EP, MENTAL BREAK which is a continuation of the genre and message in Track 9 on Fireflies Album (We Live to Love) . It focuses on mental pressure, its effects and overcoming MENTAL FATIGUE.

• Bertrand Dushimumuremyi

  MBBS/MGHD Candidate, One Health track, at the University of Global Health Equity (Mr.). Co-Chair, Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR), at the International Student One Health Alliance (ISOHA). Rwanda Regional Lead, the Planetary Health Report Card (PHRC). Programs Director and Writer at Leo Inkling Club - UGHE

  Bertrand is an MD candidate at the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE), aspiring to end the burden of preventable deaths in the pediatric and adult population on the continent and globally. His top interests lie in Pediatric Health, Global Health advocacy, One Health championing, and advancing Precision and Molecular medicine research. As a healthcare professional, he understands the interconnectedness of the human and ecosystem world is a substantial and undeniable fact. His recent work is centered on advocacy for One Health centered systems. His past work as the Chair of the Student One Health Innovation Club at UGHE has set foundation for his efforts towards community awareness, research, and national policy transformation in the field. HisCurrent work as the AMR Chair at the International Student One Health Alliance(ISOHA), and the Rwanda Regional Lead for the Planetary Health Report Card (PHRC)comes expanding his efforts towards encouraging more young people towards.

• Blanca Argandoña K

  Co-founder of Saving Rivers & Lakes.

  My name is Blanca Argandoña K. and I am a co-founder of Saving Rivers & Lakes. My connection to rivers began in my childhood, playing alongside the waters of Peru. What started as joy and curiosity grew into a lifelong commitment to protect them. Today, I work to restore rivers, raise awareness, and inspire others to protect what gives us life. I believe that when we heal rivers, we heal ourselves — and we create a future filled with hope.

• Carlos Pompa

  Learning Experience Designer & Applied Systems Thinking Educator (Founder, Clarya Studio)

  Carlos Pompa is a Learning Experience Designer & Applied Systems Thinking Educator, and the founder of Clarya Studio, a consultancy focused on workplace learning and performance. Through systems thinking, facilitation, and clear, human-centered design, he has supported teams in translating “messy” real-world complexity into learning experiences people can actually use. Carlos is especially interested in how better mental models change behavior: not through more information, but through experiences that reduce cognitive load, clarify priorities, and create shared understanding. Over the last 15+ years and 100+ projects, he has worked across the U.S., LATAM, Europe, and East Africa, partnering with leaders and L&D teams to build learning ecosystems that help people thrive and deliver results.

• DJ Dawee David

  DJ

  DJ Dawee is a globe-trotting DJ and MC delivering the finest in Reggae, Dancehall, Soca, Tropical Bass, Amapiano, Afrohouse and Afrobeat. Coming from the legendary Berlin-based sound system and label SWS, he has been setting dancefloors on fire for over two decades. With his crew, Dawee was a key part of the German and European Caribbean music scene throughout the 2000s and 2010s. His journey has taken him across Germany, Europe, the UK, the US, Africa and Asia - rocking stages from underground clubs to iconic festivals, including mainstage performances at Ostroda Reggae Festival 2009 (Poland), Lake of Stars 2015 & 2016 (Malawi), Shoko Festival 2016 (Zimbabwe), Bushfire Festival 2016 (Eswatini), Kol Fest 2019-2022 (Kyrgyzstan), and VolkanoFest 2023 (Rwanda). A true musical nomad, Dawee has carried his sound around the world. Previously, he spent several years in Kyrgyzstan where he co-founded Kol Fest, which has since grown into Central Asia’s biggest music and arts festival.

• Elie Mandela

  Building Systems that Expand Learning & Opportunity

  Elie Mandela is a firm believer in the incredible potential of Africa—and especially its people. Over the last ten years, he has worked on programs and platforms that enable Africa’s young people to learn, grow, and thrive. His work sits at the intersection of education systems, youth development, and scalable program design, with a particular focus on the practical conditions that unlock agency: access to opportunity, stronger learning pathways, and institutions that can deliver at scale. Trained as a pharmacist and currently pursuing an Executive MBA, Elie brings a systems lens to education and human development. He is especially interested in how learning systems are shaped—by culture, incentives, and the environments in which young people grow—and how language can serve as critical infrastructure to expand access to knowledge and accelerate locally relevant innovation.

• Jules NDASHIMYE

  Tourism Expert and University Lecturer

  Jules NDASHIMYE, based in Rubavu, Rwanda, is a respected academic and professional in tourism management. He holds a Master’s Degree in Tourism Management. He has over 12 years of experience teaching at universities, where he has contributed to curriculum development, student mentorship, and departmental leadership. His academic and professional expertise spans tourism industry development, MSME business support with a focus on community-based tourism enterprises (CBTEs), and the design of innovative tourism products and experiences. Jules has also been actively engaged in conservation initiatives and tourism project management, reflecting his commitment to sustainable development practices. Beyond tourism, he has held leadership roles in disability organizations and tertiary education programs, demonstrating a broad capacity for organizational management and social impact. Through his teaching, research, and project leadership, Jules continues to advance knowledge in tourism.

• Layne Robinson

  A global strategist and advisor working at the intersection of policy, technology, and human development.

  Layne Robinson is a global strategist and advisor working at the intersection of policy, technology, and human development. With nearly 20 years of international leadership experience, he has helped shape youth, education, health, and social development policy across more than 85 countries, including serving as Head of Social Policy at the Commonwealth Secretariat. His work has brought together governments, multilateral organisations, and communities to design systems that place people — especially young people — at the centre of progress. Now pursuing doctoral research on artificial intelligence and social policy, Layne explores how emerging technologies can help nations leapfrog persistent development challenges while safeguarding human dignity and inclusion. He is the creator of The Distortion Effect, a framework for understanding how modern information systems bend truth, power, and decision-making. Through his platform People-Centred Strategies.

• Lucy Chioma Aniagolu

  Learning Design Specialist | Founder, Agrodemy Africa

  Lucy Chioma Aniagolu is a learning design specialist and education systems builder working at the intersection of youth development, agriculture, and technology in Africa. Her work focuses on designing learning experiences that move people from confusion to clarity and action, across institutions, communities, and digital platforms. She is the founder of Agrodemy Africa, an education-technology platform that supports young people and agribusiness professionals through practical, peer-led learning models that bridge knowledge and real-world application. Through her work, Lucy collaborates with organisations, educators, and development programs to design training systems, curricula, and learning journeys that prioritise context, access, and long-term capability over credentials alone. Lucy’s professional experience spans instructional and training design, youth coaching, program development, content design, and education strategy.

• Mechack Rwampungu

  Founder of Sports on Wheels and Captain of Rwanda’s Men’s National Wheelchair Basketball Team

  Mechack Rwampungu is a Rwandan wheelchair basketball player and disability inclusion advocate. He is the founder of Sports on Wheels, an initiative that uses sport to create access, confidence, and opportunity for people with disabilities. In 2015, a road accident changed his life and left him using a wheelchair. What could have ended his journey instead reshaped it. Through wheelchair basketball, Mechack found purpose again and later became captain of Rwanda’s Men’s National Wheelchair Basketball Team. Today, his work focuses on changing how society sees disability by showing what is possible when people are given the right support and space to thrive. His story is rooted in resilience, honesty, and the belief that inclusion is not charity, but opportunity.

• Muti Musafiri

  Artistic Director / Curator / Choreographer & Musician

  Muti Musafiri is an interdisciplinary artist, festival producer, Creative director, filmmaker, and Quantum Coach working at the intersection of arts, wellbeing, and decolonial leadership. Trained as a professional contemporary dancer, actor, and choreographer, his work spans movement education, festival productions, award-winning films, interdisciplinary performance-making, cross-cultural curation, and large-scale visual storytelling across global creative industries. He is the Artistic Director of Company inforMotion, where movement, narrative, and social inquiry converge through immersive performances and productions. He is also the founder of Village101, an award-winning production company and community engagement agency reimagining the creative hubs as a regenerative ecosystem from London to East Africa. Guided by the ethos New Foundation, New Vibration, Village101 cultivates ecosystems of mutual enrichment through evolutionary art forms and artistic residencies and development

• Nikolaj Kracht

  Director of Saving Rivers and Lakes

  Nikolaj Kracht is director of Saving Rivers and Lakes, a Danish environmental NGO working at the intersection of environmental protection, public health, and development cooperation. He has been involved in the organization since 2020 and plays a central role in project development, strategic planning, and international partnerships, with a particular focus on Latin America. His work focuses on freshwater ecosystems, especially rivers and lakes affected by pollution, extractive activities, and weak environmental governance. Through Saving Rivers and Lakes, he has contributed to projects and partnerships in Peru, including in the Huánuco region, combining close local collaboration with data-driven approaches such as field research, environmental mapping, and documentation of environmental and health impacts. Nikolaj speaks multiple languages, including Danish, English, Spanish, and conversational Portuguese, which supports his work across cultural and institutional contexts.

• Rali Mampeule

  Chairman of MIT Investments and real estate and digital infrastructure entrepreneur

  Rali Mampeule is widely recognized as one of South Africa's foremost real estate and digital infrastructure entrepreneurs, now turned investor, with over two decades of experience in the property and investment sectors. He is the Chairman of MIT Investments, a leading South African family office, and also chairs the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Research Centre for Smart Materials and Construction Technologies (SMaCT). A global thinker with a passion for socio-economic transformation, Rali is the Founding Donor of the Global Surgery Foundation (GSF) and Chairman of the Mampeule Foundation, through which he continues to champion education and social upliftment initiatives. He is also the Founder and CEO of the African Housing and Infrastructure Fund (AHIF) and a member of the Forbes Real Estate Council. Recognized for his leadership and innovation, Rali was named among the Top 100 Property Leaders by the South African Institute of Black Property Practitioners (SAIBPP) in 2025.

• Rebecca Hansen

  Transformational leadership coach

  Rebecca Hansen is a three-time TEDx speaker and transformational leadership coach who works with executives, founders, and leadership teams across sectors and continents. Her work is grounded in personal development, helping leaders understand how their internal patterns, emotional habits, and self-trust shape the decisions they make, the conversations they have, and the culture they create. She supports leaders in navigating complexity, having difficult conversations, and holding clarity and presence in the moments that matter. Rebecca’s approach moves beyond technique or performance alone. She helps leaders notice the subtle patterns that influence how they show up, and cultivates the capacity to act with steadiness, honesty, and relational intelligence. Her expertise is built on a decade of experience facilitating workshops, coaching leaders, and implementing frameworks that translate insight into action

• Rebecca Picton

  Country Director, British Council Rwanda

  .Rebecca Picton Bio Rebecca Picton is the Country Director of the British Council in Rwanda. The British Council is the UK’s international culture and education organisation. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. Rebecca has spent the last 20 years supporting the British Council’s cultural relations mission, with particular emphasis on education, from primary to tertiary. She has supported strategic education reform and large scale education programmes in 3 continents and 10 countries including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar and now Rwanda.

• Wandi Steward

  Strategist, Entrepreneur and the founder of The Global Wealth Lab,

  Wandi Steward is a strategist, entrepreneur, and global operator whose work sits at the intersection of money, mobility, and modern life design. With a professional background spanning airport operations and emergency management to large-scale global events, including work with four Olympic Games. Wandi has spent her career inside systems built around efficiency, safety, and stability. Over time, she began questioning the personal cost of those systems. Now based between East Africa and Southern Africa, Wandi is the founder of The Global Wealth Lab, a learning community dedicated to understanding how beliefs, behavior, and fear shape financial decisions and life choices. Her work challenges conventional definitions of success, security, and “playing it safe,” in a world where postponing joy, freedom, and curiosity has become normalized. In 2020, Wandi founded the Afrikan Baby Book Project, a literacy initiative delivering Afro-centric children’s books across Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda.

• Yasmin Mustafa

  IT student and community organizer

  asmin Mustafa is a Sudanese IT student and community organizer with a strong interest in human-centered stories and the lived realities of communities affected by crisis. Following the outbreak of war in Sudan in 2023, Jasmin experienced firsthand how conflict disrupts everyday life—interrupting education, reshaping a sense of safety, and forcing young people to confront uncertainty far earlier than expected. Through her work and community engagement, she focuses on amplifying human voices often reduced to statistics. In her TEDx talk, Jasmin aims to move beyond headlines to share the human impact of war, highlighting resilience, loss, and the quiet strength of a generation learning to survive amid instability. She believes that storytelling is a powerful tool for building empathy and drawing meaningful global attention to overlooked realities.