Child author and child rights activist Stacey Fru has achieved something many of her peers have not achieved yet, as she was voted in as the director and president of a education-focused tech company.
Philanthropist, child rights activist and author of five books Fru has taken up the positions of director and president of a education-focused tech company AfroStory, along with six adult team members and 10 shareholders.
The 15-year-old is the youngest member on the board of the company and one of few South African teenagers to lead a company not founded by herself.
The multiple award-winning Grade 10 learner, book enthusiast, community builder and internationally recognised child rights activist founded the Stacey Fru Foundation in 2018. The foundation reaches out to donate books, food, computers and other items to disadvantaged children and care homes across South Africa
Fru is also a Junior Council member of her City Council, City of Johannesburg. She is the current face of the African Union (AU) and International Labour Organisation (ILO) 2021 International Campaign for the Elimination of Child Labour, according to her foundation. Her first book titled “Smelly Cats” was published when she was seven.
“My parents and the entire community have benefited from my gift. Although I have had no official mentor and coach since I took over the world stage as an 8-year-old in 2015, I would like to coach and mentor, as well as motivate and promote other gifted children if their parents and caregivers give me a chance,” Fru said.
AfroStory is an all-in-one African reading app. The majority of the books available are African or black-authored, works offline and the 83 books are available for purchase with a bank card, the Stacey Fru Foundation said. Fru’s books are also available on the platform.
While addressing the other shareholders during her acceptance on Saturday, Fru, who has been a shareholder of AfroStory since 2021 said she was excited and grateful to have been voted in and given the opportunity to be at the forefront of the initiative.
“I am a proud AfroStorian. The team work here is amazing. I am so proud of the progress our team here at AfroStory has made throughout the very few months of operation. With pride and joy, I pray for more and more success. Our subscription rate is growing and so is investors’ interest. We need to continue spreading our name through our work. I fully accept the position, and once more state that I am forever grateful to be President Stacey Fru of our multinational company known as AfroStory,” she said.
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