With love from Africa-‘Ubuntu Love Challenge’ –A collective response to the Pandemic

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• Ubuntu Love Challenge’ is an initiative by African thought leader Mamadou Kwidjim Touré and Her Highness Sheikha Bodour, from the United Arab Emirates
• ‘Ubuntu Love challenge’ aims to create a global movement to share, inspire, and empower each other through the power of a digital platform
• The idea is to provide a collective response to deal with the current global crisis implied by the pandemic

‘Ubuntu Love Challenge’ is a novel initiative by African thought leader Mamadou Kwidjim Touré and Her Highness Sheikha Bodour, youth and women’s empowerment advocate from the United Arab Emirates. The objective of ‘Ubuntu Love challenge’  is to create a global movement to share, inspire, and empower each other through the power of a digital platform. The idea is to provide a collective response to deal with the current global crisis implied by the pandemic.

Speaking to media about the initiative, Mamadou K. Touré said that COVID 19 has created a sense of hopelessness and fear more contagious and harmful than the virus itself. He explained that the word ‘Ubuntu meant, ‘I am because we are’ underlining the common destiny and common intrinsic values shared by all. He pointed out that it is ‘Ubuntu’ that made Africa resilient despite the challenges it faced over centuries. He urged people all over the world to face the challenge by showing solidarity, humanity, and acts of compassion.

Sheika Bodour stated that the word Ubuntu connected us to our roots. In times like this, she said, it was important for us to go back to our heritage. Ubuntu Love challenge was launched with a website on April 14th to give people hope so they can stand up and rise to the occasion despite the challenge to find solutions for themselves, and find the strength within. The initiative has taken off well in the Middle East and globally with participation of High profile personalities. Within few weeks more than 20 influencers and celebrities became part of this initiative. It is an attempt to make love more viral than the virus itself, to build a better tomorrow.

Mamadou K. Touré  felt that the world was going through an identity crisis with leaders failing  to live up to the expectations and deliver  results. More people around the world are demanding values-based leadership. He added that the two ways to change society: either you change the leaders or people open their eyes and get inspired to do things differently. The website connects people who want to act but don’t know what to do to different foundations and charities that are doing good around the world.