Over the past ten years, ALA has evolved from an audacious idea to a thriving institution with a passionate, diverse, and committed community. We are a magnet for exceptional young leaders and educators, and we seek to leverage our privileged position by fostering “sector communities” that accelerate transformational change on the continent. In our 2023 Strategy, we call this Unleashing the Network.
Since 2018, six sector communities have come to life: ALforEducation, AL for Health, AL for Governance, AL for Agribusiness, AL for the Arts, and AL for Infrastructure). The most advanced of these communities, ALforEducation, is already delivering programs that are shaping the future of education in Africa.
The ALforEducation community works together to create a future in which all children in Africa can maximise their potential and lead self-determined, mission driven lives. Over 1200 leaders are members of this community today, and through professional development offerings like the Anzisha Education Accelerator, the Growth Lab, and the Apprenticeship Program, ALforEducation builds a pipeline of talent for the sector.
Belinda Munemo, Reekworth Schools co-founder
In 2021, our careers platform featured over one hundred jobs and internships from over fifty different education organisations in our network. Each job or internship offers the opportunity to accelerate the career of one of our young leaders.
Many of these leaders aspire to be entrepreneurs, and several have built and launched new schools. An example is Reekworth, co-founded by ALA alumna and Zimbabwean entrepreneur Belinda Munemo ’08. Since its founding in 2010, the school stood out from other institutions with its focus on design thinking and entrepreneurship training from early childhood, and its philosophy of developing the whole child. Belinda now seeks to build 5 more Reekworth Schools campuses in 5 different countries in the next 5 years.
Another edupreneur and ALA graduate is Ngor Majak Anyieth ’11 from South Sudan, who uses his passion to drive and empower young minds through transformative, globally relevant education at Education Bridge. A non-profit organization, Education Bridge has built one school and will soon break ground on a second campus. Each Education Bridge school seeks to anchor flourishing communities through peace-building and holistic education.
According to Majak, the ALA network has been critical in supporting his current work. In 2018, he was accepted as an inaugural member of the Anzisha Education Accelerator (AEA). The AEA program, spearheaded by alumna Jihad Hajjouji ’08, empowers education leaders to build thriving educational institutions across the continent. Through this program, Majak has learnt to build a leadership institution and foster an organisational culture that reinforces the school’s mission. Majak has had the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from other education entrepreneurs across the continent, including Belinda – who graduated from ALA before he arrived on campus. The AEA program and peers push Majak to excel at his current mission and to amplify his impact across the continent.
Learn more about Ngor Majak as part of African Leadership Academy’s Redefine Expectation series.
