Tonye Faloughi-Ekezie is a Nigerian entrepreneur, storyteller, and special needs advocate whose work sits at the intersection of creativity, research, and systems change. Inspired by her daughter Simone’s Down syndrome diagnosis and recovery from life-threatening heart complications, she created Ugo and Sim Sim, the world’s first picture book series featuring a Black main character with Down syndrome, and later founded the Simone’s Oasis Foundation.
A former TV and film producer, Faloughi-Ekezie has worked on productions including Tinsel, Big Brother, Idols, Naija Sings, and Kunle Afolayan’s October 1. Through Simone’s Oasis, she uses books, animation, music, podcasts, and community programming to challenge stereotypes and celebrate neurodiversity. Faloughi-Ekezie has spoken at the United Nations, the World Bank, the Dear Mom Conference in the USA, and the INSAR Annual Conference. She was named by The Guardian UK as one of the “Ten Most Inspiring People” of 2024 and is a recipient of awards
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