Kweku Mandela

Kweku Mandela

Being the grandson of one of the world's greatest heroes cant be easy, but Kweku Mandela, grandson of South African activist and former president Nelson Mandela, carries the mantle with a passion.

Although born in Transkei, South Africa, Kweku lived in exile with his family on the east coast of Connecticut and New York, returning to his homeland in 1994 after his grandfather was elected the first black president the country had ever seen.

At 31 years, Kweku carries on his grandfather’s struggle to build a better Africa. Through the non-profit Africa Rising, a foundation he co-founded with his like-minded cousin Ndaba Mandela in 2009, Kweku hopes to inspire a positive image of Africa as a continent with endless opportunities (as opposed to being a charity-driven one), instilling a sense of pride and purpose in young Africans around the globe in four strategic areas: education, culture, entrepreneurship and leadership development, to create a new generation of Afro-Sophisticates.

The foundation's 'Nelson Mandela Day Initiative' is a global call to action for doing good, not just on July 18 (the great global advocate's birthday), but everyday since.

An active member of the South African Film and Entertainment industry (Kweku attended APA International Film School in Sydney), his production company Out of Africa Entertainment raises the bar on production quality in South Africa while challenging the prevailing perceptions about the continent and showcasing the apartheid struggle through the power of film. Past productions have included

The Mandela Project (formerly known as Mandela.is) that he also co-founded (in partnership with his cousin Ndaba) continues to honor the work, activism and spirit of their Nobel laureate grandfather, Nelson Mandela.

Kweku also supports the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety and the Long Short Walk, a world walk for road safety, in memory of his 13-year old cousin Zenani Mandela who was killed in a crash 2 years ago.

It's all about the African Dream for Kweku. Creating a new breed of young Africans empowered enough to be at the forefront of Africa's development.

As Africa has suffered great plight at the hands of international corporations which are supported by our own government, in order to support freedom of Africa, we need to have a freedom movement against the international trade deals and corporate welfare both the Democratic and Republican parties have endorsed.