Founder's spotlight | Kitab Africa
- Awa Maïga
- Sep 1
- 2 min read
I’m New Here — Let’s Connect and Inspire Each Other 🌍✨
I’m excited to share a little bit about me. My hope is that through stories, reflections, and ideas, we can connect, learn from one another, and inspire each other to drive meaningful change.
Who I Am
My name is Awa Maïga. I am passionate about leadership, education, women and youth empowerment, and public policy. Over the past decade, I’ve worked across Mali, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, the United States, and multiple African countries, building programs, writing books, and mentoring young people to see themselves as changemakers. My work has impacted lives across Africa and globally, reaching an audience of more than 100,000 followers.
What I Do
I currently serve as the Director of Operations & Engagement at Leading Change Africa (LCA), a nonprofit registered in the United States and active in Africa. Our mission is simple but powerful: transform young Africans into leaders and leaders into agents of change.
Through LCA, I help manage programs in leadership training, rural development (with a strong focus on agriculture), entrepreneurship, and post-secondary education opportunities. We are scaling toward our 2030 vision of empowering 1,024 leaders and impacting 1 million lives by 2050.
Kitab, Inc.
Alongside LCA, I am the Founder of Kitab, Inc., an initiative I began as a student in Algeria. What started as a book club has evolved into a movement for young women and youth in Africa, combining reading, mentorship, empowerment camps, and leadership development. Kitab continues to grow into a regional network inspiring hundreds of young Africans.
My Writing
I am also an author. I have published:
Both books explore the personal and societal costs of success, leadership, and ambition. I am now working on my third book, “Le Retour / The Journey Back”, an autobiographical reflection on leaving Africa, studying abroad, and returning with a renewed vision to serve.
Education & Networks
I hold a Master’s in International Public Affairs from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and a degree in Culture and Enterprise from the University Mohamed Ben Ahmed of Oran, Algeria.In addition, I hold multiple certificates in gender, communication, and marketing management.
Through my academic and professional journey, I’ve collaborated with organizations such as the International Rescue Committee (IRC), CNFA–Feed the Future, and various grassroots initiatives across Africa. I also engage in public speaking, mentorship programs, and global forums to amplify the voices of young Africans and women leaders.
This space is for me to share personal reflections, professional insights, and stories from my journey and work — from leadership lessons to policy challenges, from technology to youth creativity, from agriculture innovations to women’s empowerment.
I hope to connect with readers worldwide who are passionate about education, leadership, social impact, and Africa’s future.
✨ Let’s connect and inspire each other. I’d love to hear your stories, learn from your experiences, and build a community of changemakers here on Medium.
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