Africa’s YouTube ambassador
Wode Maya
The aeronautical engineer who traded planes for a camera — and sold Africa to the world.
Berthold Winkler went to China to study aeronautical engineering — and came back with a camera instead. As Wode Maya (“My Mother” in Mandarin, his channel’s namesake), he began documenting student life abroad, then turned the lens on the continent the world misunderstands.
Country by country, his travelogues — street food in Dakar, tech hubs in Kigali, homeliness in Accra — built one of Africa’s largest independent YouTube audiences, crossing a million subscribers and drawing global media attention to a new African storytelling.
Back home he has become a tourism asset in his own right: promoting Detty December energy year-round, collaborating with the Ghana Tourism Authority conversation, and proving that a Ghanaian with a camera can out-market a ministry.
Key facts
- Real name Berthold Winkler; studied aeronautical engineering in China.
- Wode Maya channel passed one million subscribers.
- Travelogues span dozens of African countries.
- Leading voice of Ghana’s creator-driven tourism push.
- Name means “My Mother” in Mandarin Chinese.
Put the story in context: explore the History of Ghana to see the eras Wode Maya helped shape.
Wode Maya FAQs
What is Wode Maya’s real name?
Berthold Winkler — “Wode Maya” means “My Mother” in Mandarin, from his student years in China.
What does Wode Maya do?
He makes YouTube travel documentaries across Africa, showcasing culture, food, business and everyday life to a million-plus audience.
Did Wode Maya study engineering?
Yes — aeronautical engineering in China, before trading aviation for full-time content creation.
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