Obama Foundation Leaders are fighting hunger and malnutrition in Africa

2024-2025 Obama Foundation Africa Leaders Njeke Joshua Egbe and Vera Osei-Bonsu are both tackling food insecurity across Africa, but each take a unique approach to combating malnutrition and improving access to healthy food.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Opens in a new tab), over 2.8 billion people in the world are unable to afford healthy foods, which leads to malnutrition. In communities that have increased exposure to violence and climate-related effects, hunger can be exasperated. 

In Cameroon, Njeke Joshua Egbe is tackling the hunger crisis through his organization, Peace Crops (Opens in a new tab). In the midst of the civil unrest faced by his community, Njeke is using organic farming as a peace-building tool to create sustainable change.

“Organic farming provides practical skills that allow individuals to grow their food, addressing immediate hunger and malnutrition,” Njeke shared. “When displaced individuals learn to farm organically, this helps restore a sense of normalcy and purpose, therefore transforming their circumstances.”

To Njeke, organic farming is about more than just food, it’s about rebuilding lives and restoring dignity. 

“Ultimately, our organic farming sessions are equipping these communities with the skills and confidence to combat hunger sustainably, creating a pathway toward healing and self-sufficiency in the aftermath of conflict and the terrible things they have all witnessed.” 

Njeke’s passion for helping others began in an orphanage, where he faced the harsh realities of hunger and malnutrition firsthand. Initially, his work focused on training programs that empowered orphanages, schools, prisons, and the elderly community. His focus later evolved after the onset of civil unrest in 2017 in Cameroon.

“When many women and girls in my community started facing severe challenges in obtaining basic needs like food and faced increased violence, I recognized an urgent need and developed training programs tailored for marginalized women,” Njeke said.

In Ghana, Vera Osei-Bonsu is taking a different approach to food insecurity by focusing on food innovation.

“Malnutrition in Ghana could be a thing of the past if we promote innovative and nutritious food recipes and products,” Osei-Bonsu shared. “Most people have access to food, yet the issue of malnutrition is on the rise and we noticed some major causes of malnutrition stems from low income and lack of food education.”

That’s why she launched Eat Smart Foods—to ensure everyone, especially children, have easier access to food for a better life and future.

“Our innovative farm-to-table model is deeply rooted in transforming food systems and improving upon food security and avoiding food waste,” Osei-Bonsu explained. “We have uniquely positioned ourselves to empower women through community advocacy programs, storytelling, demonstrations, and free food recipes on our social media channels.”

Osei-Bonsu’s commitment to addressing malnutrition in children isn’t something new. In 2018, she wrote the first infant and toddler recipe book for Ghanaian children. 

“Most caregivers lack the ideas to create balanced meals from local food ingredients,” Osei-Bonsu said. “This gap motivated me to write this recipe book which includes over 50 recipes with a sample meal plan that utilizes local ingredients.”

Through the Leaders Africa program, changemakers from across the continent—like Egbe and Osei-Bonsu—are building a network of values-based leaders who are creating positive change in their communities, throughout Africa, and around the world. Since the inaugural Leaders Africa cohort in 2018, the program has welcomed over 400 leaders who are addressing critical issues like food insecurity, climate advocacy, tech education, and transportation.