By: Rachel Donovan
In the heart of Dakar, a young woman leads a group of girls through a rigorous soccer drill. In Lagos, a retired athlete now coaches teens on how to launch their own fitness startups. In Nairobi, a radio sports host challenges gender stereotypes with every show she airs. These stories may not always make international headlines, but they represent the essence of a quiet revolution unfolding across Africa.
Champs for Change and We Will Lead Africa: A Sports Volume is the megaphone these changemakers have long needed.
A collaborative effort between Memuna Williams, Clarisse Machanguana, and Randy Soumahoro, this powerful anthology gathers 40 firsthand accounts from athletes, organizers, journalists, and visionaries across the continent. The stories are raw, personal, and above all, hopeful. They paint a dynamic portrait of leadership born from sport—leadership that doesn’t wait for permission to make an impact.
Not Just a Book—A Movement
What sets this book apart isn’t just its roster of contributors or the diversity of its voices—it’s the important message that African youth are already leading. Through their social enterprise Champs for Change, the editors have long aimed to cultivate pathways for young people to engage in sports beyond just playing the game, through coaching, policy, media, and entrepreneurship. This book represents the first living expression of that work.
Clarisse Machanguana, once a star professional basketball player and now a fierce advocate for youth and health, explains it best: “We didn’t want to write about the future of African sports—we wanted to show that the future is already here. These stories reflect that.”
The volume is also produced in partnership with the We Will Lead Africa initiative, known for spotlighting African leadership in overlooked sectors. Together, the organizations have curated a book that serves as a blend of inspiration, roadmap, and a call to action.
Portraits of Power in Unexpected Places
From rural villages to international arenas, the settings vary, but the heartbeat of the book remains the same: sports as a tool for transformation. A former track athlete now self-funds a 3×3 women’s league. A Franco-Beninese former NBA champion runs three sports-related startups in Benin. A Rwandan woman intentionally mentors teen girls through a regional basketball league.
These aren’t isolated instances—they’re part of a growing pattern.
Each chapter delves into the “why” behind the journey. Some contributors speak of trauma that motivated them to advocate for change. Others share how a lack of representation fueled their ambitions. Many recount moments of doubt, wondering whether their work would ever make a difference. But time and again, sport was the throughline: a language of hope, belonging, and empowerment.
For Memuna Williams, a leadership strategist with a background in education and youth development, these stories represent something much larger. “We are challenging the myth that leadership must look a certain way,” she says. “You don’t need a title. You need purpose and the will to act.”
Rethinking the Role of Sport in Society
One of the most compelling aspects of Champs for Change is how it reframes sport itself. Not merely a pastime or profession, sport becomes a gateway into public health, youth mentorship, journalism, design, and activism.
This is especially important given how many young Africans are drawn to athletic careers without being informed about the broader ecosystem they can engage with. The book helps bridge that gap. It’s filled with lived wisdom from individuals who have turned their love of sport into sustainable, high-impact careers, often without significant institutional support.
It’s not just the contributors who stand out. The book’s structure and tone make it accessible to young readers. Every story is direct, emotionally honest, and grounded in practical takeaways. It’s a resource that could easily serve as a textbook in leadership courses—or as a mentorship guide for sports academies.
Building Toward a Bigger Vision
The book’s release, timed with the BAL Finals in Johannesburg, included a launch event that felt more like a summit than a celebration. Industry giants such as BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall and NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi spoke alongside youth panelists inspired by the book. It was a symbolic passing of the torch—and evidence that the book’s message is already finding a receptive audience.
Randy Soumahoro, a development professional and long-time advocate for youth empowerment, sees this as just the beginning. “This book is a seed,” he says. “We’re planting it everywhere we can—in schools, in clubs, in ministries. Because when young people see someone like them succeed, they stop asking ‘Why me?’ and start asking ‘Why not me?’”
Champs for Change is now developing workshops and follow-up programming to continue the conversation the book has sparked. Plans include leadership labs, storytelling events, and an online hub where youth can connect with featured contributors and mentors.
A Book the World Needs Now
In a global moment when leadership feels scarce and hope often seems limited, Champs for Change arrives like a breath of fresh air. It reminds us that the answers to some of our biggest challenges—youth unemployment, gender inequity, disconnection—might just be found on a basketball court in Maputo or a soccer pitch in Accra.
This isn’t just a book about Africa. It’s a book from Africa to the world. And it’s telling all of us: the sidelines are no place for the brave.
Champs for Change and We Will Lead Africa: A Sports Volume is available now on Amazon and select retailers. It’s not just a read—it’s an invitation to rise.
