TikTok has officially launched the TikTok Change Makers Program, a global initiative spotlighting creators and non-profits driving meaningful change through the platform.
The program aims to showcase diverse voices and educate, advocate, and inspire communities to foster positive, lasting change.
The six-month TikTok Change Makers Program will support selected creators worldwide in building engaged communities and reaching new audiences. Participants will benefit from dedicated tools, resources, and donations to their chosen non-profits.
Central to the program is the TikTok Change Makers Grant, through which TikTok will donate over $1 million to more than 30 global and local non-profits.
Among the 50 purpose-driven creators selected globally is Kenya’s Dennis Ombachi, known as @theroamingchef on TikTok. He is one of four African creators chosen for the program, highlighting TikTok’s commitment to uplifting diverse voices. He regularly distributes meals to those in need across Nairobi, using his culinary skills to address food insecurity. As part of the TikTok Change Makers Program, Dennis will receive a $25,000 donation to further his impactful work.
Dennis, a self-taught chef and former international rugby sevens player, is renowned for his trademark monosyllabic commentary “Done!” and boasts a following of 2.3 million. Dennis reinvented himself as a social media star with a global fan base after an injury ended his rugby career.
Following a diagnosis of bipolar disorder in 2018, he turned to cooking to maintain his mental health. During the pandemic, he focused on creating cooking content, keeping his videos “short and snappy.” In 2022, he received the TikTok Award for Best African Content Creator.
Other sub-saharan content creators who have been chosen to take part in the change makers program include, Nigeria’s @charityekezie, an award-winning creator who dispels African stereotypes and has 3.2 million followers. South Africa’s @doctor.siya, who gained fame by sharing content on medical myths and sexual health and @pilot_onthegram, the first South African pilot to be verified on TikTok, creates educational videos to inspire future pilots and aviators, especially women.
The TikTok Change Makers Program represents a significant step in leveraging social media for social good. By supporting creators like Ombachi, TikTok empowers them to create substantial, positive change, showcasing how individual efforts can inspire and transform communities.
