Kenya’s Angel Lately & Mandi Sarro among 26 African YouTubers selected to join the 2022 YouTube BlackVoices Fund

YouTube recently revealed the names of African creators who have been selected to join a global cohort of 135, in its flagship #YouTubeBlackVoices Fund initiative. Four of the 26 Africans selected are Kenyans. These are Angel Lately, Cheymuv, Mandi Sarro and Justus Nandwa. The fund focuses on investing in Black creators from around the world who are telling fresh and authentic stories.

The cohort of creators from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa consists creators from varied professional, social and academic background. However, what connects them is the desire to make a difference in their communities and Africa through relatable and insightful content. 

As part of the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund Class of 2022, each of the 26 African YouTubers selected will receive seed funding and support to help them develop their channels. They will also take part in hands-on training, workshops and networking programmes.

“We are excited to be working with an outstanding group of young and talented African creators who understand that content that resonates with their audience is both entertaining and thought provoking. This group of creators is making content that starts important conversations about issues we face in society, which really resonate with their audience,” said Alex Okosi, MD, Emerging Markets, YouTube EMEA. 

This is the second class of African creators in the #YouTubeBlackVoicesFund which is now established  as a multi-year commitment aimed at nurturing Black creators and artists on YouTube. In 2021, the program welcomed 133 grantees from Kenya, Australia, Brazil, Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and the United States in its inaugural year, with plans to invest directly in over 500 innovators and artists globally.

Listed below is the list of all African content creators making up the 2022 cohort