Biography:Balanding Manneh

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Balanding Manneh
File:Balanding Manneh.jpg
Born
The Gambia, West Africa
EducationArizona State University
University of British Columbia
Known forSocial Entrepreneurship, Public Health, Food Security
Awards
  • William Jefferson Clinton World Hunger Leadership Award
  • Mastercard Foundation Scholar
  • African Youth Excellence Award nominee
  • African International Achievers Award
Websitewww.ruralimpacts.org

Balanding Manneh is a Gambian social entrepreneur, researcher and a food security advocate. He is the founder of "Rural Impact", a non-profit organization based in The Gambia which empowers smallholder farmers in rural communities to tackle hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition.[1]

Balanding is a TEDX speaker, he spoke at TEDx ASU which was an independently organized TEDx event held in Tempe, Arizona, USA in March 2018.[2] He is also a Mastercard Foundation Scholar at Arizona State University's School of Life Sciences, and at the University of British Columbia.[3] He was the 2016 William Jefferson Clinton Global Hunger Leadership award recipient.[4]

Early life & education

Balanding was born and raised in Gambia, West Africa. He graduated as the outstanding graduating student from the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University. He pursues his master’s degree at the University of British Columbia in British Columbia, Canada. He conducted research on locusts while at Arizona State University.[5]

He founded Rural Impact in 2014. Rural impact is a non-profit organization that empowers smallholder farmers and women in rural communities in his native country to increase food production and providing them with the resources and training to engage in activities that generate income.[2]

He worked at the Medical Research Council (MRC) at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (MRC at LSHTM) in The Gambia where he developed an interest in research and public health. His interests are in the areas of public health, infectious diseases and food security.[6]

Awards & honors

  • William Jefferson Clinton World Hunger Leadership Award, 2016 representing Arizona State University[7]
  • School of Life Sciences Outstanding Graduate, Arizona State University[3]
  • African Youth Excellence Award in Public Service nomination in 2015[1]
  • Mastercard Foundation Scholar[6]
  • African International Achievers Award[8]

References

External Links