TECH FOR GOOD FOR AFRICA

Diana Njeri is a trailblazing XR advocate and Co-Founder of the Africa VR Campus and Center. As Director of XR Girls Africa, which is a digitalized socio-economic empowerment program for young women in grassroot Africa by the Africa VR Campus and Center, she leads efforts to empower young women through immersive technologies, closing the gender gap in XR across Africa. Her impact has earned her the VR Excellence Award and the 2025 XR Women Global Real World Impact Award. 

Tom Nickel, Ph.D. is a teacher and digital media explorer.

He began his media career as a writer at WGBH-TV and was part of the early years of independent video. Later he was a pioneer in online teaching and learning and received a PhD in Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences from Utah State University.

He has led educational and personal growth events in Virtual Reality since 2018. His workshops have been offered through Educators in VR and his work is featured on the Tripp meditation app. He has hosted weekly sessions in the metaverse on death and loss since early 2020.

He is also a Founding Board member of the Africa VR Campus & Center, in Nairobi, Kenya; and an Advisory Board Member for the Khmer Magic Music Bus, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Edward Paul Munabaa leads an AgriTech based Farming Regeneration Centre, a multifaceted initiative that includes a Smallholder Farmers’ Resource Centre, a Mindset Change Centre, a Knowledge Hub, a Collaborative Working Space, and an International Interns Placement Program. His work fosters innovation, sustainable agriculture, and global exchange, empowering communities through education and transformative thinking.

Dr. Nick Were is a Senior Orthopedic Resident at the University of Nairobi, a visionary entrepreneur, and an award-winning innovator, recognized with the 2023 UoN Innovation Award for his leadership in advancing medical technology. He heads a state-of-the-art 3D printing lab and prosthetic workshop, where he designs and develops customized orthopedic solutions tailored to the needs of local communities. His groundbreaking work in integrating Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) into surgical training and clinical care exemplifies the transformative potential of immersive technology in orthopedics. Dr. Were brings a unique fusion of clinical expertise, innovation, and entrepreneurial drive to the forefront of healthcare transformation in Africa.

Yahuza specializes in peacebuilding, development, and governance, with a focus on grassroots mobilization and social impact. He holds qualifications in Agricultural Engineering, Tourism Management, and Education.

His career includes roles as Zonal Manager at Amazon Integrated Services Ltd., Tourism Officer at Taraba State Tourism Development Board, and Monitoring & Evaluation Officer for USAID-supported peacebuilding projects. He also served as State Team Lead for Connected Development (CODE) under the USAID/E-WASH program.

Yahuza is involved in governance discussions through initiatives like the #OfficeOfTheCitizen Radio Project and has contributed to national research on education, violent extremism, COVID-19 accountability, and peacebuilding with organizations such as Malala Fund and BudgIT. He is a graduate of iDevPro-Africa and has attended training by IOM and Pact West Africa. He is fluent in English and Hausa, with a passion for civic engagement and tourism.

Luvai Lijoodi is a final-year MBChB student at Kenyatta University, Nairobi. He is highly interested in health information technology, telehealth, and immersive technologies in healthcare. His work focuses on how digital tools and virtual platforms can expand access, strengthen systems, and reimagine medical education in Africa. Luvai is passionate about leveraging technology for equitable healthcare and fostering innovation that bridges clinical practice with digital transformation. 

Lisbet is a South African digital event organizer and host, and the owner of My African Dream in Spatial.io. After 15 years as a speech-language pathologist working in education, inclusion, and human rights, she transitioned into the digital space. Lisbet is dedicated to creating experiences that cannot be duplicated in the physical world, but instead harness the unique power of the digital realm. Whether designing immersive educational journeys or crafting unforgettable entertainment events, her work aims to spark curiosity, foster connection, and demonstrate how virtual spaces can be both impactful and inspiring. Through My African Dream, Lisbet hopes to bring more of Africa’s beauty and culture into the digital landscape.

Vangile Makwakwa is an author, entrepreneur, nomad and money trauma coach. She is the founder of Wealthy Money and has authored three books, “What’s your money personality?“, Changing the way Black families manage their finances”, “Heart, Mind & Money: Using Emotional Intelligence for Financial Success” and “The Next Level You Womb and Money Journal.”  

She has an Honors degree in finance from the University of Cape Town and an MBA from the Simmons School of Management. She founded wealthy-money.com, a company dedicated to helping women of color heal ancestral money trauma and improve their financial well-being through online coaching, courses, podcasts, and retreats.  

Vangile also hosts two popular podcasts, “The Money Magic Podcast” which was voted one of the top 100 money podcasts to listen to in 2025 by Feedspot.  

In addition, she chairs the Property Magicians Stokvel, a successful investment group that has raised over US$200,000 in its first six months of operations.  

As an avid traveller, Vangile has lived in over 12 different countries as she builds her business.  

 
You can learn more about her work at: wealthy-money.com