Vivian Onano Bio

Vivian Onano is an award-winning social entrepreneur and the Founder/Director at Leading Light Initiative. Known for her humanitarian work, she has also been recognized as an emerging woman leader with the courage to lead change on the African continent. With a strong commitment to education, women economic empowerment, and leadership, Vivian continues to play a leading role in re-defining Africa’s growth and development through the direct engagement and inclusion of women and youth. Vivian is a graduate of Carthage College (USA) and holds a Master of Public Affairs from Sciences Po, Paris (France).

Vivian continues to serve as a strategic advisor to government leaders, philanthropists, and the private sector. Through her work, she has forged strong partnerships with private sector leaders, engaged multilateral institutions on their sustainable development strategies and investments, collaborated with government leaders on national development programs, and advised youth-focused organizations on the design and implementation of their initiatives to ensure inclusive and transformative impact. Vivian played a pivotal role in mobilizing young people’s input during the consultative process that led to the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015. She is a faculty member at Duke Corporate Education, Vice Chair of the Nutrition International board, Vice Chair of the Flying Kites board, an Archbishop Tutu fellow, and a young pioneer leader of the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN).

Previously, she served as a youth advisor to the Global Education Monitoring Report—UNESCO, a member of the World Humanitarian Forum Youth Council, a Concordia Africa advisor, a youth advisor to UN Women Global Civil Society Advisory Group, Vice-Chairperson of the Global Youth Empowerment Fund (JCI), a Young Leader of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, Azerbaijan, a member of the Africa Shared Value Leadership Council, and a Women Deliver board member.

Vivian has received multiple accolades recognizing her leadership and impact across Africa and globally. In 2026, Forbes Africa recognized her on its prestigious “Over 30 Under 50” list under the social impact category. In 2025, she was a recipient of the Rising Star Award from the Women on Boards Network – Kenya. In 2022, she was named among the Global 100 Most Influential People of African Descent Under 40. Her work has been widely profiled: in 2016, New African Woman Magazine recognized her as one of the “30 under 30: Faces Changing Africa Now,” while Forbes Woman Africa recognized as “One to Watch”. She is also a recipient of the 2017 New African Woman on the Rise Award, the 2016 MTV “Africa Re-Imagined” Youth Award, and, in 2015, Mrs. Michelle Obama’s “Let Girls Learn” Award, presented by MORE Magazine for her advocacy work in girls’ education.

Vivian is a respected speaker who often speaks on global education, gender equality, youth empowerment, and international development. She has had prominent speaking engagements at the United Nations General Assembly, Forbes Woman Africa-Leading Women Summit, G20 Social Summit, AU-EU Summit, 4^th Global Conference on Financing for Development, World Humanitarian Forum, Afreximbank Annual Forum, Reykjavik Global Forum, Africa Business Forum, Forbes Woman Africa Regional Forum, World Innovation Summit for Education, Concordia Summit, EurAfrican Forum, and the Clinton Global Initiative, among others. She has written and published numerous articles on various development issues with prominent media houses globally.