( CNN ) Most kids want to go out and play when they finish their homework early . But Zuriel Oduwole is n't `` most kids . '' When she gets ahead of her work , she packs her camera and microphones , jumps on a plane and interviews presidents instead . Born in California to a Nigerian father and a Mauritian mother , Oduwole is often described as `` the world 's youngest filmmaker . '' Aged 12 , she already has four documentaries under her belt -- all of which focus on African issues . It all started three years ago when Oduwole decided to enter a school documentary-making competition with a film about the Ghana revolution . Jerry John Rawlings ( Ghana ) John Kufour ( Ghana ) Joyce Banda ( Malawi ) Jakaya Kikwete ( Tanzania ) Rajkeswur Purryag ( Mauritius ) Uhuru Kenyatta ( Kenya ) Goodluck Johnathan ( Nigeria ) Salva Kirr Mayardit ( South Sudan ) Ellen Johnson Sirleaf ( Liberia ) Jorge Fonseco ( Cape Verde ) Portia Simpson Miller ( Jamaica ) Thomas Thabane ( Lesotho ) Ralph Gonsalves ( St Vincent & Grenadines ) Denzil Douglas ( St Kitts & Nevis ) After this first foray into filmmaking , Oduwole was bitten by the director 's bug and quickly wanted to make more movies . She turned to the web to find the tools she needed and got involved in the entire filmmaking process . `` As I edit , produce , set up and write the scripts for my documentaries , I have to learn a lot of things , '' says Oduwole , who is self-taught and uses online editing and voice software . Her second outing , `` Educating and Healing Africa Out of Poverty , '' looked at the creation of the African Union in 1963 . She followed it up in 2014 with her movie `` Technology in Educational Development . '' But it was her most recent project that catapulted her to international recognition . Released late last year , `` A Promising Africa '' ( watch trailer below ) is the first in an ongoing series which will profile five African nations , starting with her father 's homeland of Nigeria . `` I 've interviewed 14 heads of state and a few of those include the President of Tanzania , Liberia , Kenya , South Sudan , Nigeria and Cape Verde , to name a few , '' says Oduwole . `` I 've also been able to interview business leaders like my friend Mr Aliko Dangote . '' To date , `` A Promising Africa '' has received a limited-release on the big screen in five countries -- Nigeria , Ghana , South Africa , UK and Japan . The young trailblazer , who was named by Business Insider as one of world 's 100 most powerful individuals last year , delightedly recalls seeing her film on the big screen and walking the red carpet in Lagos . `` I 'm hoping that when people see these documentaries they will see Africa is full of positive things -- not just the things that are on the news like war , famine , disease , '' she says . `` I want to show them there is a lot more to Africa than what we see on the news -- there 's dancing , music , great culture and more . '' Although she 's just 12 , Oduwole , who is home-schooled through an online Californian system , is already a 9th grader -- two years ahead of the rest of the kids her age . Her mother , Patricia , has a full-time job as a computer engineer , whilst her father , Ademola , has taken time off his work in the tourism sector to help organize a lot of what Zuriel and her three other siblings are doing . `` There really is a lot happening in our household but somehow we make it work , '' says Patricia Oduwole . In addition to her documentary work , Oduwole has also become something of an education advocate . She travels to different African countries and the diaspora on a regular basis to talk to students about the importance of education . So far , through her side project `` Dream Up , Speak Up , Stand Up '' she says she 's had the opportunity to talk to 21,000 children in nine countries . `` Girl 's education is important because on the African continent , where there are not as many resources , the boys are the first [ to get an education ] , '' says Oduwole . `` The boys go to school and get an education while the girls stay at home . And those girls are n't educated and have fewer options in life when they get older . '' More from African Voices .
Zuriel Oduwole is a 12-year-old filmmaker . He has been making short films since he was six years old.