|
ALA ENTERS THE HOME STRETCH! |
December 2007 |
|
|
|
|
LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER AND CEO
Dear Friends,
We have much to be thankful for as we finish a remarkable year at ALA. 2007 saw the hiring of the outstanding Chris Khaemba as our Inaugural Dean, the unveiling of our world-class campus on the outskirts of Johannesburg, the creation of the "Cisco Scholars" scholarship program, the opening of our student application process, and much more. It is hard to believe that we achieved so much this year - and that we are now less than 10 months away from the arrival of our first class of students!
As we enter the final two months of the student application process, I am thrilled to report that we have already received hundreds of applications from young leaders in over 20 countries across Africa. It is heartening to see the exceptional caliber of our applicants: young people who have demonstrated the potential to transform Africa. I hope you will take the time to read the brief applicant profiles below. We also recently opened the faculty recruitment process, and we have already received over 70 applications from excellent teachers hoping to join us in South Africa. We are still accepting applications from prospective students and teachers, so we welcome your nominations!
Friends, there has never been a better time to support African Leadership Academy. We are now entering the home stretch, and we have ambitious goals as we move closer to launch. I hope you will consider supporting ALA this holiday season by buying a brick on our Founders' Wall or making a donation. Your support at this juncture is instrumental to our success.
Thank you for all you have done to make the African Leadership Academy dream a reality. Together, we are building an institution that can transform a continent.
With Best Wishes
Fred Swaniker
Founder and CEO
African Leadership Academy
fswaniker@africanleadershipacademy.org
|
|
APPLICATIONS ROLLING IN FROM ACROSS THE CONTINENT |
 With two months to go before our January 25th application deadline, African Leadership Academy has already received 500 applications from outstanding young leaders in 23 countries across the continent - enough to fill our inaugural class many times over.
Our applicant pool to date is 50% female and 50% male, and includes top students from North, East, West, and Southern Africa. These young leaders have a wide range of amazing achievements:
- A 15 year old boy in Rwanda was invited to State House by the President after achieving the highest scores in the country on his national examinations.
- An 18 year old boy in Egypt taught himself computer programming and built a successful web design business, including a well-known Arabic music site.
- A 17 year old boy in Kenya functioned as the sole breadwinner for his family - while still performing at the top of his high school class.
- A 15 year old girl in South Africa took over as the math teacher at her high school when her teacher quit and no replacement was found.
- A 16 year old girl in Zimbabwe established a profitable farm (with hens and staple crops) to support a local family ravaged by AIDS.
- A 16 year old girl in Senegal has established several new student organizations at the leading government school in her country (where she is the top student).
In the preliminary application, each student must describe a need they have identified in their community (such as their family, school, village, or town) and the actions they have taken to address this need. To read excerpts from some application essays, click here.
Do you know a young person with the potential to transform Africa and the world? If so, please encourage them to apply to African Leadership Academy! Click here to download an application in English or French.
|
SEARCH FOR INAUGURAL ALA FACULTY HEATS UP! |
 In October, African Leadership Academy began its faculty search in earnest by soliciting nominations of outstanding teachers from across the African continent and around the world. To date, ALA has received over 70 applications from leading educators for 12-15 faculty positions. Over the next six months we will build an accomplished and powerful faculty that will work together to shape the minds of Africa's future leaders.
Do you know an outstanding secondary school teacher who would be interested in one of our faculty positions? The nomination process remains open! To download a faculty job posting, click here. To learn more or nominate a candidate, email us at employment@africanleadershipacademy.org.
|
SUPPORT ALA THIS HOLIDAY SEASON |
There has never been a better time to support African Leadership Academy. Three years ago, we embarked on a daunting path to establish a world-class institution that could transform a continent. It's been an incredible journey thus far, and we are now entering the home stretch. ALA will welcome its first class of students in only ten months. Your contribution will help us make the final push toward a successful launch! |
Looking for a gift for someone who has everything? |
|
Buy a Brick!
You can commemorate someone forever by buying a brick on the Founders' Wall at African Leadership Academy in their honor. With the Founders' Wall scheduled to be constructed on our campus next year, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to honor someone as one of the founding supporters of this amazing school.
Buy a future student something from our 'gift registry'!
African Leadership Foundation gives you the opportunity to give the gift of lab equipment, sports equipment, books, or uniforms to ALA at prices of $50-$250. They will even send a card about your gift to the gift recipient! To learn more, email Julia Unger at junger@africanleadershipfoundation.org.
Or you can just make a secure online donation in honor of someone you love!
You can support ALA for as little as $25! |
Support African Leadership Academy with your online shopping! |
If you do your holiday shopping online, do so through our new-and-improved Maatiam (formerly Freepledge) portal and ALA will receive up to 15% of the value of your purchases! Whether you shop on Amazon, buy.com, eBay, Target, Expedia, or elsewhere, you can support us by starting your holiday shopping from http://alf.maatiam.com.
|
ABOUT AFRICAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY |
African Leadership Academy (ALA) seeks to transform Africa by developing and supporting future generations of African leaders. Opening in 2008, African Leadership Academy will bring together 250 of the most promising 15-18 year old leaders from all 54 African nations for an innovative two-year program designed to prepare each student for a lifetime of leadership on the continent. Students will be selected to attend the Academy based on merit alone and will complete an innovative curriculum with a focus on leadership, entrepreneurship, and African studies. ALA graduates will attend the world's finest universities and will lead Africa toward a peaceful and prosperous future. ALA is a nonprofit institution located on the outskirts of Johannesburg, South Africa. |
|
|
