{
  "id": 11425139,
  "title": "Fr Andrew Campbell honoured among 100 Africa Most Influential Persons in Rwanda",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/fr-andrew-campbell-honoured-among-100-africa-most-influential-persons",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-02T11:03:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/fr-andrew-campbell-honoured-among-100-africa-most-influential-persons-in-rwanda/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Fr Andrew Campbell, a Catholic missionary from Ireland and Ghana, has been named among the 100 most influential persons in Africa for 2026. The recognition came at the third edition of the 100 Africa Most Influential Persons Awards, held in Kigali, Rwanda, on September 25, 2026.\n\nCampbell, who has spent over five decades working in Ghana, particularly with marginalized groups, was honored for his significant humanitarian and missionary efforts. Born in Dublin in 1946, he studied philosophy and theology and was ordained a Catholic priest in 1970. He arrived in Ghana in 1971 as a missionary priest of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) and served in various parishes across the country until his retirement in 2021.\n\nHowever, his work continued beyond active parish ministry. Campbell is widely known for his advocacy and support for people affected by leprosy. He founded the Lepers Aid Committee in 1993 and has been instrumental in providing care, rehabilitation, and assistance to leprosy patients. His efforts extended to the development and support of the Weija Leprosarium and similar facilities in other parts of Ghana.\n\nBeyond medical assistance, Campbell has consistently advocated for the integration of leprosy patients into mainstream society, using his public platform to raise awareness about their living conditions and welfare. He has also organized fundraising events, including musical concerts and seasonal activities, to support leprosarium residents and deprived communities. In 2022, the Rev. Father Andrew Campbell SVD Foundation was established to further his mission and social interventions.",
  "summary": "Irish-Ghanaian Catholic missionary Rev. Fr. Andrew Campbell, SVD, has been honoured among the 100 Africa Most Influential Persons for 2026 at an awards ceremony in Kigali, Rwanda. Fr Campbell was recognised at the third edition of the 100 Africa Most Influential Persons Awards, organised by The Business Executive Media Group, at M Hotel in Kigali […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}