Meet our 2019 winners

Born in Zimbabwe, Dr Dube, is an inspirational academic and activist. She has a PhD in Linguistics from Macquarie University and has taught at various Universities. She is currently a Board member on various youth oriented organisations in Sydney.

Born in Kenya, Abdallah is founder of the flourishing Ameru Coffee business that imports and supplies premium coffee beans in Sydney since 2014. He has called Australia home for decades and his business direction is an inspiration to many.

Judah is a Chartered Accountant and Tax Advisor with a Bachelor of Commerce and Masters of Taxation Law from UNSW. A panel member for the Young Chartered Accountants in NSW and also a committee member for the Diversity and Inclusion Group.

Sarah is a Mental Health Allied Practitioner based in Sydney. She was born to a Guinean father and Sierra Leona mother. She is a Senior Counselor, Team Leader, Facilitator and Mentor. Sarah is an active member of the community and good at mobilization.

Lola grew up in Nigeria but has called Australia home for over a decade. She has a Masters Degree in Applied Finance from the University of Western Sydney. She  works with St George Bank and runs her own business Kiks Events & Weddings.

Titus is an entertainment guru with Obimba Entertainment. His energy is felt at every performance. He has been an entertainer at various events including the annual Africultures Festival and at the national Multicultural Festival hosted by Canberra.

Kenyan born Nancy is a motivational speaker, blogger, youtuber and a Nurse with great passion for helping the disadvantaged. She is dedicated to raising Mental Health Awareness among the community and therefore help fight the stigmatization.

Ken is an entertainment guru and entrepreneur in Sydney for over a decade. He has performed at various local and national platforms including the annual Africultures Festival in Sydney and at the national Multicultural Festival hosted by Canberra.

Born in Tanzania and raised in Burundi, Jelly has a strong passion in music. He is a young achiever whose love for Music has made him move across different states in Australia to perform at various stages. He is a gem to look out for in the music industry.

Kenyan born and practising solicitor, Debra has a Masters of Law from UNSW and also a Graduate Diploma in Law from UTS. She has volunteered with Legal Aid NSW  and Clifford Chance as a Paralegal. She is also involved in various community works.

Commonly known as DJ Zinger, Chol is one of the most outstanding entertainers in Sydney. Born in South Sudan, DJ Zinger is a magnet who attracts crowds from all walks of life to dance to his mixes and vibes. His dream is to use his telling story to inspire others.

Born and raised in Kenya, Rebecca has a Double Masters of International Business and Supply Chain Management. She also has a Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting from Victoria University.

Born in Kenya to Sudanese parents, Anyier is Chair of the Australian National Committee on Refugee Women, she is Blacktown Woman of the Year 2018, founder and CEO of Anyier Model Management and Miss Sahara Beauty Pageant..

Born in Ghana, Janet is currently a Clinical Nurse and Senior Midwife with a Master of Midwifery from University of Sydney (2004). Janet provides care to mothers and their newly born babies, educating women through antenatal & postnatal periods.

Emmanuel is a young artist from Ghana who commenced painting and drawing to deal with depression and personal experiences. He is a recent recipient of the 2019 Youth Achievement Award in Creative Arts, given by the mayor of Fairfield Council.

With over 30 years experience in operations, management education, corporate governance, operational command training, and traffic and transport management, Superintendent Carrett also specialises in managing and leading a diverse inner city police area command.

Ridley & Mieke have established life changing projects in war-torn Norther Uganda through the Mountain Blue Orchards Company. They have partnered with World Vision to build clinics, give people access to clean water and sponsor university students in Kenya South Sudan and Uganda.

Kylie has been involved with the African Australian Community in NSW for over 20 years on a personal and professional level. She is one of the known original promoters of the first ever African/R&B clubs in Sydney. She still promotes Afro entertainment in Sydney and supports schools in Africa.

N'valaye is a professional boxer who kick started his career in 2008 as an amateur boxer before turning professional in 2016. He has hosted various fitness boot camps for African Australians and promoted many upcoming youngsters in the profession.

Another uprising singer, songwriter and music producer who has taken over the music industry in style. Currency has produced hit songs that currently have a massive following on the YouTube. His budding profession is already glittering.

She helps ignite transformation of managers into purposeful leaders. She is founder and director of Make it Happen initiative, an award winning humanitarian organization. She has a Masters in International Law. And she is author of IGNITE 

The Rwanda Community NSW is one of the most vibrant among the African communities in Australia. They are remarkable for organizing events and projects that bring their members together and also connect with members from other communities.

Sheila is a Kenyan born Australian, a clinical governance & policy specialist in the health and aged care sector.  She holds a Master of Public Health, Master of Information Systems and Bachelor of Biology. 2007 Rotary Ambassadorial Award recipient.

Brigette is Executive Manager of Engagement at University of Technology Sydney where she has raised over $7m for scholarships, research and aspiration building programs for Indigenous Australians. She chairs a Youth Committee of Rotary Club of Sydney.

Born and bred in South Africa, Sipho is a senior finance technology professional in Sydney. She has also been heavily involved in creating a space for African men and women to open up about mental health related issues and therefore help raise awareness.

Saskia is Jamaican with a strong passion in supporting all things that promote the unity of Africans and the diaspora. She is a professional photographer/ cinematographer who has worked on numerous community projects including Africultures. 

Angelica is a Nigerian Australian psychology student at Macquarie University. She promotes community participation for Africans in Australia and raises  mental health education awareness. She is the co-founder of AfricansCan mentoring program.

Originally from Zimbabwe, this young couple started their own business Dee Pee Styles in 2018 with a dream of conquering the Australian market. The business has expanded and now has clients from all walks of life. 

Ghanaian Born Mathew is an experienced business professional with over 13 years in corporate Australia. He holds a double degree in Law & Business (Marketing). He is the founder and senior business development manager of Sydney Budget Services. 

Born in Kenya, Julie has a Master of Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations, Bachelor of Commerce and over ten years industry experience. She is currently a HR and Finance Team Lead and helps international students settle into Australia.

Dr Stephanie is a Jamaican-Australian of African descent. She is a singer, songwriter, pastor and a Public Health Epidemiologist currently working for the NSW Ministry of Health. She runs a weekly radio program aired on DownUnder Radio.

Born in Zimbabwe, Cynthia is Sydney based founder and CEO of Embrace for Every Curl, a natural hair product line that encourages women to embrace their natural hair. She is also an active member of the wider African community in NSW.

Born in Kenya, Caroline has a Masters of Science in Information Technology, a field she has dominated for over 20 years taking on various roles. She is also an active member of the Kenyan and wider African community.

Originally from Egypt, Ashraf has a PhD from the University of Newcastle. He is a passionate leader who has  championed inclusiveness and togetherness in the wider African community. He has worked with various CALD groups in Newcastle.

Alice (Lilian) is a Rwandan born  who works at UNSW as a Project Officer in ASPIRE Program. Her passion is to help others enrich their lives by promoting education, self-development, and self-reliance. She has a Master of Environmental Management

Holla is a Youth Ambassador and Projects Officer at the Multicultural Youth Affairs Network (MYAN). A champion for young people, Holla is a graduate of Bachelor of Law and Theology at ACU. She has a skincare business called Ayia Skincare.

Elizabeth has over a decade of experience in financial services across marketing, operations, strategy, project management and customer remediation. She is Vice President and also Secretary of African Professionals Australia NSW (APA).

Bob has lived and worked in western Sydney for over 40 years. He was in the first intake of bricklayers at Mount Druitt TAFE, and after completing his apprentice worked in the local area. Bob joined the NSW Police Force in the 1980s. He has been a special guest at various Awards dinners.

Genevieve (Genna) is founder and CEO of Gennarosity Abroad, a Not-For-Profit organisation that provides education, skills, vocational training, health, literacy, clean water, employment and support to communities in Kenya.  Gennarosity Abroad is a registered Australian charity with DGR status.

Kenya born Loise has a Diploma in Nursing and works with NSW Health at Blacktown hospital. She is also an Assistant Secretary at KISWA and a member of Swahili Mass. She is a leader of Women Empowerment Sydney.

King is another African Australian who has not disappointed in the music industry as a singer, songwriter and producer. He has made his presence felt in almost every state and territory in Australia hosting big live concerts.

With a hat-trick of recognition, Kenyan born Consolata boasts numerous academic and social work achievements. She has a Bachelor’s of Social Work Degree (Psychology) and also boasts of numerous local and international scholarships.

Ugandan born Susan is a Sydney-based Actress, Model, Fashion designer and stylist. She manages a fashion label ‘Suzan Mutesi’ which symbolizes structure and class and gives women of all body types the ability to feel confident, comfortable and beautiful.

Joseph has served as an executive member of African Professional Australia. A versatile community leader with a Bachelors Degree in Business majoring in Financial Economics from Massey University Auckland.

A Nigerian born, broadcast journalist, with many years of experience in production, presentation and news-casting in both radio and television. She is currently the producer and presenter of “BLACRHYTHMS SHOW” on 93.7 FM station.

Born in Nigeria, Yemi is an engineer and self-made millionaire entrepreneur. She manages 3 successful businesses of which one is global and recently authored her first book  titled ‘Did You Get The Memo’

Osman is an outstanding African Australian in NSW whose determination and professional excellence has been an inspiration to many youngsters. He is also an academic achiever with vast expertise as evidenced in his works.

Yvonne is a passionate public relations professional with a strong track record in developing strategic campaigns across a number of industries, including publishing, film, education, technology and the not-for-profit sector.

The Nigerian born Doctor is a senior lecturer and Director of Academic Workforce at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University (WSU). Dr Ogunsiji is the Founder of African Women’s Health and Support Organisation (AWHASO),

Born in Kenya, Wanyika is an Afro-Creative artist whose mission is to use the universal language of creativity to transcend limitations of thought, inspire and create change. She is co-founder of Sydney based '2 Sydney Stylists' 

Jonas is a Zimbabwean born information and communications technology professional with more than 13 years working experience in Australia. He holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Business Management and Information Technology.

Thobe is originally from Zimbabwe. She is a community worker with minors and women, and yet an established entrepreneur. She is co-founder of Inspiring Women Globally that focuses on crafting innovative opportunities for the voiceless.

Born in Lagos Nigeria, Christian has an extensive modelling portfolio at both local and international platforms. He represented Africa as Mr Nigeria at the 2019 Pageant. He also manages Progress Records that gives a platform to upcoming artists in the community.

Commonly known as Trendy B, the Nigerian born Blessing has owned the fashion industry for over a decade with more than 10,000 designs to her brand. “I was born to cloth the world” she says. She has a documentary about her screening at Miami 2020. 

Biola has established herself as a formidable professional worker in the finance sector. She is also a community champion who has done so many inspirational interviews including one with Shazzie Dee in March 2019 talking about leadership qualities.

Kenyan born Isaac is the current chairman of United Kenyans in Australia Cultural Association that brings Kenyans together through cultural activities and projects. He has a diploma in Community Services that he has used to inspire many others

Born in Kenya, Esther is an academician and entrepreneur. She is a gem in making African ornaments and runs her own shop in Bankstown. She is also a vibrant member of the wider African community who promotes networking.

Born in Zimbabwe, Emeldah is an Oncology and Palliative nurse at Sydney Adventist Hospital. She is involved with educating and emotionally supporting patients and their families through the stress of the diagnosis and treatment.

Hon. Damien is the NSW Minister for Finance and Small Business in the second Berejiklian ministry since April 2019. He was Guest of Honor at the 2019 Celebration of African Australians Awards Diner hosted by Canada Bay Club in Sydney. He loves cricket and tennis and is a big fun of Sydney Swans.

Mary is an Italian Australian with a huge African heart living in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire. She has supported the African community for decades and in so many ways but mainly in the areas of music, film, and entertainment. Mary has also sourced school supplies that she has sent to schools in Sierra Leone.

Ethiopian/Aussie Destiny is the 2018 Miss Junior Diamond queen.

She is an Australian Athletics Medalist, Hip Hop Dancer Gold Champion and the 2018 Junior Parliament Member. She is also an advocate for youth trauma victims.

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Edith is one of the champions of women in NSW and has started her own company Ida Events. She engages African Australians through hosting events mainly targeting women like at the African Women's Dinner Dance.

Fr. Alex is a co-founder of the Shukrani Foundation, a charity organisation that helps youngsters in the impoverished suburbs of Kenya to gain access to education and also participate in poverty alleviation projects.

Dr Nadine is Co-Founder of GLAPD Int. She is also Health Program Administrator at Westmeade Children’s Hospital and member Advisory Group on Australia-African relations at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.