Eddie Ndopu (born 1990) is a South African disability rights advocate. He is one of seventeen global advocates appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations for the

Sustainable Development Goals The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or Global Goals are a collection of 17 interlinked objectives designed to serve as a "shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future".United Nations (2017) R ...

Background

Eddie Ndopu was born in Namibia in 1990, after his single mother had fled apartheid South Africa by going into self-imposed exile. At the age of two Ndopu was diagnosed with

spinal muscular atrophy Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare neuromuscular disorder that results in the loss of motor neurons and progressive muscle wasting. It is usually diagnosed in infancy or early childhood and if left untreated it is the most common genetic ...

, a degenerative disease that affects the nervous system, and was given until the age of five to live. When he was aged nine, he moved to Cape Town, South Africa.

Education

In 2008 Ndopu graduated as part of the inaugural class of the

African Leadership Academy The African Leadership Academy (ALA) is an educational institution located in the outskirts of Johannesburg, South Africa, for students between the ages of 16 to 19 years old, with current alumni coming from 46 countries. Founded in 2004 by ...

. He then graduated ''

summa cum laude Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sou ...

'' with an interdisciplinary studies degree from Carleton University in Canada. During this time Ndopu was invited to give a presentation about his work at a 'Master's Tea' at Yale University. Between 2016 and 2017, Ndopu, who self-identifies as

queer ''Queer'' is an umbrella term for people who are not heterosexual or cisgender. Originally meaning or , ''queer'' came to be used pejoratively against those with same-sex desires or relationships in the late 19th century. Beginning in the lat ...

and a feminist, became the first African student with a degenerative disability to be admitted to the University of Oxford on a full scholarship at the Blavatnik School of Government; based at Somerville College, he graduated with a masters in public policy.

Work and activism

Ndopu was invited by the Global Changemakers programme to attend the World Economic Forum on Africa where he met with the Founder and Executive Chairman, Professor Klaus Schwab. During Ndopu's second year at Carleton University he was consequently commissioned by the World Economic Forum, at the behest of Professor Klaus Schwab, to produce a White Paper on the role of the private sector in addressing the global youth unemployment crisis. Ndopu also undertook a program associate position at the now-defunct Clinton Global Initiative's Global Minimum InLabs project. Ndopu served as the Regional Youth Coordinator for Africa at Amnesty International. In 2009, Ndopu founded the Global Strategy for Inclusive Education, a campaign to facilitate the educational rights of children with disabilities living in developing economies. In 2018, Ndopu became Humanity & Inclusion's Global Ambassador supporting the rights of children with disabilities living in developing countries. Ndopu is the special adviser for impact and corporate sustainability to the Partners of RTW Investments. In 2019, Antonio Guterres - Secretary-General of the United Nations - appointed Ndopu as one of 17 eminent advocates for the

Recognition

Ndopu became a Global Changemaker in 2008. The Global Changemakers programme invited him to attend the World Economic Forum in South Africa. He has been recognized by ''

Pacific Standard ''Pacific Standard'' was an American online magazine that reported on issues of social and environmental justice. Founded in 2008, the magazine was published in print and online for its first ten years until production of the print edition cease ...

'' as one of their "top 30 thinkers under 30", by Shaw Trust and Powerful Media as one of the 50 most influential people with disabilities in the world, and by South Africa's '' Mail & Guardian'' as one of their annual " top 200 young South Africans" for 2019.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ndopu, Eddie 1990 births South African human rights activists South African male activists Carleton University alumni Alumni of Somerville College, Oxford Queer men Living people South African disability rights activists