Over the last couple of months the Applause Africa team embarked on a journey to recognize 40 individuals under 40 in the African community. Our team came together in order to whittle down an excitingly long list of influential young Africans to just forty. In the end, we came up with a list of individuals that we believe you will not only benefit from knowing, but will also be inspired to read about.

Some of these individuals you might know, and some we have highlighted in our magazine in the past, but we believe that as we close out this year and begin a new one, all those profiled here are worth mentioning again. Interviewing and talking with these incredible individuals we have been compelled to join them in their journey. We couldn’t help but cheer them on or feel humbled by their accomplishments and ambitions. The ‘40 under 40’ are individuals who have refused to be forced into a box and have made “defying all odds” their motto.

Chid Liberty returned to Liberia after 28 years away to be the change that he wanted to see in his community changing the lives of many Liberian women along the way. Dalumuzi Mhlanga, at 22, is a founder and CEO of an organization that empowers communities all over Zimbabwe.  Every one of the individuals you will read about in this issue is a leader and a role model in their own right.  Sudanese Munyang Reath Kher lived in refugee camps for thirteen years and now he is not only in college, but he founded an organization that takes him back to refugee camps where he gets the chance to help those in need.  The list goes on, so we’ll let you read these stories yourself.

“Be in service to others,” “give back”, “ be engaged in your community”, “ surround yourself with the right and positive people”- these are the words that we kept hearing from these individuals over and over again. These are words that we hope to take to heart and put to practice as we approach the coming year.
In this issue we are daring you to dream. And dream big! It was Fred Swaniker’s dream on paper that became the world renowned African Leadership Academy. It was a dream that turned Akon into the superstar that he is today. So dream…because the sky is the limit and this issue is proof. Who knows, you might be the next 40 under 40 star!

2012 was an amazing journey for us and we ended it on a high note, with the African Diaspora Awards. Our distinguished honorees included CNN’s Lola Ogunnaike, Tony Okungbowa of the Ellen DeGeneres show, Les Nubians, artist Angelique Kidjo, actor Gbenga Akinnagbe, Dr. Mahmood Mamdani –to name a few. It was a great night for all who attended, and the perfect ending to our 2012 publication calendar.

Stay blessed and Happy 2013 from all of us at Applause Africa…

Make it count!