Zuriel Oduwole, a 21-year-old filmmaker and global education advocate now called the ‘World's Most Powerful Girl,’ shared insights into her remarkable journey in an exclusive interview with The New Times’ Heritier Bahizi. Zuriel's journey began at the tender age of nine when she participated in a documentary competition sponsored by the History Channel. Zuriel's dedication and hard work earned her recognition on numerous media platforms, including BBC, Bloomberg, teenVogue, Forbes, CNN, and The New York Times, among others. Excerpts: Who is Zuriel Oduwole, and how did your journey as an education advocate and filmmaker begin? I'm a filmmaker, a global education advocate, and also a presidential advisor. When I was nine years old, I was part of a competition back home in the United States, sponsored by the History Channel. Basically, they were asking students from across the United States to create a documentary, do a website, and put together a plate on a particular topic that they would give you. Now, as a nine-year-old, I thought, 'Okay, it would be fun to get a camera and put together a documentary.' So, I decided I'm going to make a documentary, and the topic for the year that I entered was 'Revolutions in History.' Most of the students in the competition, most of my classmates, chose things on the American Revolution, the French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, ... a lot of the more popular ones. But I wanted to do something different, and so through a lot of research, I found out that the Ghana Revolution was one of the most successful held on the African continent. So, that became my topic. As part of the competition, I had to go to Ghana to film some scenes for the documentary. So, I was capturing scenes, talking to people, putting it all together. When I was in Ghana, I noticed a lot of children, mostly girls, who were out on the streets during typical school hours. I couldn't understand why that was. I found out that there was a major issue of out-of-school children, especially out-of-school girls. So, I went back home, finished that competition, and that experience still stuck with me. It took a lot of brainstorming, and as a nine-year-old, I was trying to think, 'What can I tangibly do to make a difference in this area?' A year later, I found my voice. When I was 10 years old, I started my education advocacy. It first started with my program called Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up. As part of that program, I would go to schools across the African continent and speak to students about the importance of staying in school and finishing their education so that they'll have more options in life. To date, from the age of 10 till now, 21, I've spoken to more than 53,420 youth across 21 plus countries like Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Mauritius, Ghana, etc. Another aspect of this education program is I speak to world leaders, sitting down one-on-one with presidents and prime ministers to discuss policy initiatives and ways to improve access to good quality education for girls in their countries. I've met with 36 presidents and prime ministers, including the president of Egypt, the president of South Sudan, the president of Liberia, the prime minister of Jamaica, and the prime minister of St. Kitts and Nevis. Even in the Caribbean region, we discuss things that can be done to improve access to education for children, especially girls in their countries. That's how all this started, and now my Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up program has become the DUSUSU Foundation. With that now, we build partnerships and relationships with other organizations, doing whatever we can to try and increase the number of children and girls who are in school and actively getting an education. Can you tell us about your experiences meeting more than 36 Heads of State or Government and advocating for girls' education in various countries? Meeting world leaders has been mission-driven for me. I aim to discuss actionable steps to improve girls' education in their countries. All the leaders have been gracious and attentive, and our discussions have focused on empowering girls and creating change. How does it feel to work alongside your sisters, who are also co-founders of DUSUSU Foundation, and what led all of you to share a common mission of women's empowerment? I have three younger siblings; an 18-year-old sister named Azalea, a 15-year-old sister named Ariel, and the youngest, my 13-year-old little brother. We have all been involved in these projects together. Family is incredibly important to me, and there's something special about finding a common passion and working together toward a shared goal. It's truly priceless. My sisters have always traveled with me, especially when it comes to one of the initiatives my foundation runs - a film workshop. Starting as a self-taught filmmaker through resources like Google and YouTube, I realised that if I could learn to make films at the age of nine, then others should have the same opportunity. So, we launched a filmmaking workshop in March 2016 in Namibia when I was 13. About 25 young participants joined us, and it was an amazing experience to see them pick up a camera, and feel empowered to make their own documentaries. One of the girls who attended our workshop reached out to me nine months later, proudly sharing that she had borrowed a camera and some money, to create a professional documentary which she successfully pitched to TV networks in her area. We've expanded this project to six countries, including Mexico, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and here in Rwanda. My sisters have been there with me, supporting and helping to run these film workshops and programs in schools. It's an incredible and fun journey to share with them - after all, we're siblings, we mess around, and we have fun together, but the experience of doing this meaningful work as a family is truly invaluable. As one of the leading advocates for girls' education, you participated in the Women Deliver Conference held in Kigali, Rwanda. What were your impressions and experiences from the conference? I'm in Rwanda for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the first one, which you mentioned, the 2023 Women Deliver Conference was a remarkable event, bringing together 7,500 people from around the world to discuss and share ideas on tackling issues faced by women and girls. It was an inspiring time for me to share my story and engage with other young leaders, envisioning the future we want to create. Secondly, I had the opportunity to run my film workshop in Rwanda, partnering with CARE International. We traveled to Musanze, a breathtaking three-hour drive from Kigali. Rwanda's natural beauty was mesmerizing, and the workshop provided a platform for young girls to learn filmmaking skills and tell their own stories. Witnessing their passion and hunger to use their voices was truly amazing. Lastly, my foundation holds the annual DUSUSU Awards. These awards recognize the efforts of first ladies and gender ministers who are making a significant impact on girls' education, gender development, and women’s empowerment in their respective countries. This year, the DUSUSU Award for Gender Minister category was presented to the Gender Minister of Rwanda, Jeannette Bayisenge. Rwanda's commitment to promoting women’s leadership and representation in Parliament played a vital role in securing this prestigious award. You’re known as the World's Most Powerful Girl, How do you manage the recognition and attention you receive from the media and various global platforms while balancing your passions and education? Well, I don't call myself that. It's not something I focus on. My motivation to continue this work comes from my first experience at the age of nine, witnessing girls out of school and the challenges they faced. Whenever I meet students or girls from different countries and hear their stories, it inspires and encourages me to keep going. Passion has always driven me, and it will always be there. I mean from a young age, when I was a kid up until I graduated from high school, I was home-schooled. So that allowed me to do my work on my computer as long as I had Wi-Fi and that's how I was able to travel to so many different countries for my projects. When I started university for my bachelor's and now pursuing my master's degree, it required careful planning during the holiday seasons and working closely with my professors to keep up with coursework. It's indeed a challenging juggling act, but my passion and determination to achieve my dream push me to overcome any obstacles that come my way. What are your future goals and aspirations in your filmmaking and advocacy journey? Any new projects or initiatives you are currently working on? In filmmaking, I aim to tell positive, untold stories and bring awareness to important issues. For my advocacy, I plan to expand the DUSUSU Foundation, reaching more students worldwide with our initiatives like filmmaking workshops. Your name, Oduwole, has an African ring to it yet you are American. Do you have any connections or ties to Africa? Yes, my name is Nigerian, from Ogun State, Yoruba ethnicity. My dad's parents were from Nigeria, and my mom's parents were from Mauritius. Any parting words or message for African youth? The last thing I want to share with the youth in Rwanda and across the entire African continent is the power and importance of having dreams. Dreams don't cost anything; they are free. Just by having an idea, like wanting to become a president, you've already taken the first step. So, my advice is to have big dreams, no matter what they may be - whether you aspire to be an actor, author, pilot, doctor, engineer, lawyer, or anything else. But here's the key to success: even if you face failures along the way, get back up every single time. Embrace failure as a part of the journey and let your big dreams be your driving force. If you hold onto your dreams and persevere, you'll undoubtedly achieve great success in whatever path you choose in life.
