Omidyar Network’s Ory Okolloh has made it to the 2014 TIME 100, its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. The full list and related tributes appear in the May 5 issue of TIME, which will be available as from today (Friday, April 25) in time.com/time100.
The list acknowledges the activism, innovation and achievement of the world’s most influential individuals. As TIME has described the list in the past: “The TIME 100 is not a list of the most powerful people in the world, it’s not a list of the smartest people in the world, it’s a list of the most influential people in the world. They’re scientists, they’re thinkers, they’re philosophers, they’re leaders, they’re icons, they’re artists, they’re visionaries
“I am honored by the distinction, and I believe it to be a reflection of the importance of the issues and challenges I and countless others are tackling on the continent and globally,” said Okolloh, director, investments, Omidyar Network.
Okolloh leads Omidyar Network’s Government Transparency work in Africa and invests in innovative organizations that use technology and media platforms to provide access to information and tools necessary to increase government responsiveness and citizen participation.
Over the last five years, the firm has invested more than $80M to government transparency efforts across the globe, including organizations in Africa such as: Ushahidi, Africa Check, Livity South Africa, Africa Media Initiative, Praekelt Foundation, FrontlineSMS, the Co-Creation Hub, Infonet, Sahara Reporters, Enough is Enough Nigeria, The XYZ Show, and the Africa Transparency and Technology Initiative.