Invisible Giants (Geantés Invisibles) celebrates unsung sheroes from Africa and the diaspora who have dedicated their lives to uplifting their communities. These “invisible giants” work tirelessly and selflessly, often without seeking or receiving recognition. You might not find some of them through a Google search or see all their names on grant awards or in headlines—but their impact is undeniable.
At the heart of this initiative is Coumba Toure, an educator, feminist, and the project’s founder. She leads a passionate team committed to making these extraordinary women visible. One of their most moving efforts is a series of ceremonies that honor these changemakers and their contributions.
Witnessing the Power of Recognition
We had the privilege of attending one such celebration during our visit to Senegal. The two honorees, seated at the center of a patio in downtown Dakar, were surrounded by an audience that had traveled to honor their work. One by one, their friends and colleagues stepped up to share stories of the honorees’ impact.
Many of the women ended their speeches with spontaneous songs, quickly joined by a local band playing sabars, tamas, and other traditional percussion instruments. Women in the audience joined in, singing and dancing their way toward the stage to surround the honorees, who could barely hold back their tears. They, too, had their moment at the microphone, and the room fell silent—a stark contrast to the vibrant music—as everyone listened intently.
I don’t speak Wolof or French, but this celebration transcended words. I will never forget the joy, the warmth, and the energy of that event—a powerful reminder of how meaningful it is to be seen and celebrated.
From Biographies to Movements
These ceremonies are the culmination of a deeper process that begins with two simple yet profound actions: writing the women’s biographies and photographing them in their communities. From there, the stories become centerpieces for projects like photo exhibitions, panels, children’s books, and even grants to support the honorees’ ongoing work.
At its core, Invisible Giants is about three things: expressing gratitude toward these changemakers, elevating them as role models, and preserving their stories for the future. The journey starts with making their work visible—documenting their contributions so that anyone searching for them can find their remarkable stories.
The work of Invisible Giants is now guided by a central question: How can these efforts move beyond the organization to spark a global movement celebrating invisible giants everywhere? This was the question we reflected on with our Senegalese partners.
Toward a Global Culture of Recognition
Our partners in Senegal envision a movement that ignites curiosity and recognition for unsung leaders across Africa and the diaspora. Currently, the project invites people to nominate their invisible giants. The team then selects candidates aligned with the mission, gathers testimony about their work, and begins crafting their biographies.
The next step is to shift from simple nominations to active celebrations—encouraging communities and individuals to honor these changemakers in their own ways.
Building such a movement requires collaboration with strong partners, outreach to like-minded storytellers, and engaging younger generations skilled in content creation. Of course, none of this can happen without adequate resources. Like many NGOs, Invisible Giants wrestles with the challenge of funding its work sustainably, without over-reliance on philanthropy or government support.
The Role of Biografika
That’s where we come in. As you may know, we’re developing Biografika, an app designed to help people organize and find meaning in their memories—not just to store them, but to create stories that promote mental wellness, legacy-building, and self-reflection. Here’s the exciting connection: Invisible Giants owns 51% of Biografika. If the app succeeds and generates profits, 51% of those earnings will directly fund Invisible Giants’ mission.
This partnership is just the beginning. Together, we’re working to create a world that recognizes and celebrates the invisible giants among us—and we hope you’ll join us in making this vision a reality.
Miguel Botero is an editor and project manager at Memria. He has co-produced more than thirty narrative projects on peacebuilding in collaboration with filmmakers and podcasters in Colombia.