Onyi Nwaneri

Onyi Nwaneri

Onyinye Nwaneri is the Managing Director of Sesame Workshop International South Africa, an international not-for-profit organization operating at the intersection of education, media, and research. Sesame Workshop’s mission is to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.  

Prior to joining Sesame Workshop International, she held several executive roles, including in the well-known social enterprise Afrika Tikkun, where she served as Group CEO. In this role, she provided strategic direction and leadership to its primary entities, Afrika Tikkun Foundation and Afrika Tikkun Services Pty Limited. Under her leadership, the organization achieved an average revenue of R500 million and impacted over 40,000 children and young people annually through a workforce of 800 employees, implementing its Cradle-to-Career 360° model and programs.  

She played a pivotal role in growing Afrika Tikkun Services, the division responsible for recruitment, training, and placement into economic opportunities. She transformed it into an organization specializing in large-scale training and placements, successfully managing multimillion-rand projects on behalf of blue-chip companies.  

Her expertise spans legal practice, business development, sales and marketing, human resources, operations, stakeholder management, BBBEE, corporate social responsibility, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles.  

A recipient of numerous awards, including the Social Impact Leader of the Year Award and the Gauteng Women in Excellence Award, she holds a master’s degree in Human Rights and Democratization in Africa from the University of Pretoria. Additionally, she has completed various certificate courses in international law, election observation, good governance, development and human rights, the justiciability of economic, social, and cultural rights, nonprofit management, social and ethics committee governance, and strategic planning. She recently obtained a second master’s degree—an MBA from GIBS, University of Pretoria.  

Recognized as a passionate, driven, and high-energy leader, she is known for her ability to lead teams in delivering exceptional value to organizations. Her strength lies in her capacity to manage multiple projects while coordinating multi-functional teams across various locations.  

Her extensive experience in the NGO, not-for-profit, and social enterprise sectors has allowed her to develop deep expertise in education, skills development, gender, and development programs. A staunch advocate for the empowerment of women and girls, she prioritizes ensuring access to skills training and economic opportunities for them, reinforcing her commitment to social impact and gender equality.