Juliana Kudzai Makonise [she/her]

ZIMBABWE | Education
Juliana Kudzai Makonise is a purpose-driven leader from Zimbabwe with a strong commitment to advancing education equity, economic equity, and youth empowerment on a global scale. She is currently studying Quantitative Economics, Government, and Global Finance at Smith College in Massachusetts.

Juliana is committed to developing innovative and sustainable solutions to global challenges. In 2021 she gained international recognition for winning the World Bank’s Blog4Dev essay competition for Zimbabwe, demonstrating her passion for inclusive development and economic equity. She was further named one of the Top 5 global essay winners in the “Moving Beyond GDP” essay contest led by UNCTAD, Rethinking Economics, and the Beyond Lab in 2024.

As a global leader and public speaker, Juliana has spoken at high-level conferences in Geneva and New York. She was formerly named as one of six momentous voices at the 75th session of the UNGA, alongside renowned UN delegates and Heads of State. Through her podcast, “On the Spot with Juliana”, she shares insights on topics such as leadership and entrepreneurship, amplifying voices of underrepresented groups.

Juliana’s work reflects a strong belief in the power of inclusive and community-driven solutions. She actively advises organizations on meaningful youth engagement and continues to use her voice to inspire, educate, and advocate for positive change. Juliana has positioned herself as a voice for transformative social change and is committed to empowering the most vulnerable groups in society.

This bio is updated as of May 2025.