Nompumelelo “Mpoomy” Ledwaba (inset), Stephanie and Hungani Ndlovu are among the YouTubers selected to benefit from the YouTube Black Voices fund for the Creator Class of 2022 | Picture: Instagram
This past week, YouTube unveiled the names of African creators who have been selected to join a global cohort of 135 from around the world in its flagship YouTube Black Voices Fund initiative.
According to YouTube, “the fund focuses on investing in black creators from around the world who are telling fresh and authentic stories.”
“While the group of creators from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa comes from varied professional, social and academic backgrounds, one common thread connects them all: the desire to make a difference in their communities and Africa through relatable and insightful content,” added YouTube.
As part of the YouTube Black Voices Fund Class of 2022, each of the 26 African YouTubers selected will receive seed funding alongside dedicated support to help them develop their channels.
They will also take part in bespoke and hands-on training, workshops and networking programmes.
This is the second class of African creators in the YouTube Black Voices Fund which has now been established as a multi-year commitment aimed at nurturing Black creators and artists on YouTube.
In 2021, the program welcomed 133 grantees from Australia, Brazil, Kenya, Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and United States in its inaugural year, with plans to invest directly in over 500 innovators and artists globally to fulfil its objective. Previous grant recipients include Macgyver MacG Mukwevho, his partner Naledi Monamodi, Kay Ngonyama, Lasizwe Dambuza, Ofentse and Nelisiwe Mwase and Sho Madjozi to name a few.
Among the creators included in the “Class of 2022” is Kenyan creator Justus Nandwa, who hosts the popular online series Shared Moments with Justus.
The platform describes this creator as one who puts a human face to issues faced by ordinary African men and women by telling inspiring and life-changing stories. The platform also encourages his audience to make the best out of life.
Nandwa is joined by Fisayo Fosudo from Nigeria, who has a background in economics and communication. Fosudo uses his channel, under his own name, to analyse trends and developments in the technology space while showing his viewers how they can benefit from these trends.
South African YouTube creators are heavily represented in the latest cohort which includes the likes of self-published author, HIV/AIDS awareness advocate and award-winning social entrepreneur, Nozibele Qamngana.
Qamngana has the mission to use her channel, under her name, to demystify and hold open conversations about living with HIV.
Other South African YouTube creators selected this year include Nompumelelo “Mpoomy” Ledwaba, Hungani Malcolm Ndlovu and Dennis Ngango.
Nompumelelo is the wife of former Idols SA runner-up Brenden Praise and Hungani is a former actor who appeared on etv soapie Scandal!
He runs his channel with his wife, actress Stephanie Sandows.
“We are excited to be working with an outstanding group of young and talented African creators who understand that content that resonates with their audience is both entertaining and thought-provoking,” said YouTube’s MD of emerging markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Alex Okosi.
“This group of creators is making content that starts important conversations about issues we face in society, which really resonate with their audience. We are inspired by them and hope that the skills they learn from being part of this programme will help them touch more lives than they’d ever imagined,” added Okosi.
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