About Dr Samantha Sibanda

China Representative

Dr Samantha Sibanda is the ZDNBI China Apex Council lead. She is an award-winning leader, educator, entrepreneur, radio personality and philanthropist. Her passion and key areas of interest, include, emancipation, leadership, human development and empowerment. Samantha has extensive work and proven accomplishments in the Education and NGO sector, that demonstrate continued commitment to addressing social issues and injustices, primarily as they relate to Africans  around the globe. Samantha’s efforts have saw her named as one of the 100 Most Influential People of African Descent(under 40 in 2018), by MIPAD. In addition, she was the 1st Zimbabwean and African, to be awarded a Fellowship by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, to represent People of African Descent in China. 

Dr Sibanda is the Founder of Appreciate Africa Network an organization that promotes and protects the values of African sociocultural and economic contributions anywhere in the world starting from their base of operation in China. Her organization is known for advocating, campaigning and speaking up against unfair treatment of Africans in China. It successfully petitioned and stopped the Wuhan Provincial Exhibition, where Africans were be likened to animals.  She is also the Founder and Director of The Pride of Africa Asia Pacific Awards, that recognize the efforts of Africans based in Asia Pacific. Samantha is also the CEO of Elevate Flair, an events tourism and management company based in Hainan China, responsible for bringing several high profile musicians like  the late Oliver Mtukudzi, Nox and Ngonie, to perform in China. 

For her work in China, Dr Sibanda has received a number of awards, notably, the China-Africa Civil Ambassador Award, by the Belt and Silk Road Initiative, in 2019 and the International Elite Women’s Global Award 2021. She holds an Honorary Doctorate in Humanitarianism, awarded by the Global International Alliance and the US Embassy. She is a Licensed K-12 Principal and holds an MBA, Masters in Non -Profit Management and has a Doctorate in Education Leadership and Administration. Currently, she serves as the Vice Principal – Students Management, at an International School in China.

She can be contacted at: samantha.sibanda@zdnbi.com