The Skoll Foundation has announced the names of the twelve individuals selected to participate in the 2018 Skoll World Forum Emerging Leaders Initiative.

Launched in 2013, the initiative brings together NextGen social entrepreneurs from around the world. Selected and supported by the Skoll Foundation in partnership with the MasterCard Foundation, this year's cohort includes a leader from Senegal who combines hip-hop and activism; a doctor from Zimbabwe who is using data to scale social innovation; and the founder of a Kenyan social enterprise that bridges the gap between tea farmers and factories.

Individuals selected for the program are already engaged in significant efforts to bring about change in their communities and are invited to participate in a week-long program designed to hone their leadership skills, amplify their stories, and help them cultivate relationships that last beyond the conclusion of the event. After the program, participants become members of the Emerging Leaders alumni community and are encouraged to create an even greater impact in the communities they serve.

This year's Skoll World Forum Emerging Leaders are Frances Aanyu, Dash 4 Girls (Uganda); Buvana Duraisamy, Water.org (India); Pape Mamadou Camara, G Hip Hop, (Senegal); Biruk Girma, Nature for Nature (Ethiopia); Maria Antonia Hoyos, Fundación Capital (Colombia); Faith Suwilanji Kaoma, Copper Rose (Zambia); Priyanka Kher, Breakthrough (India); Kevin Lubembe, Ukulima Halisi (Kenya); Bvudzai Magadzire, VillageReach (Zimbabwe); Jo Miller, Marine Stewardship Council (United Kingdom); Doreen Ndishabandi, One Acre Fund (Uganda); and Alpha Ngwenya, Strong Woman Strong Love (Zimbabwe).