The ALA Story

African Leadership Academy has a wonderful story of how it came into being

ALA was founded in 2004 by Fred Swaniker (Ghana) who served as our first Chief Executive Officer, Chris Bradford (U.S.) who was founding Chief Operating Officer, Acha Leke (Cameroon), and Peter Mombaur (Germany/South Africa). These men relied on five key beliefs that drove the establishment of African Leadership Academy and determined the focus and design of the institution.

Founder's Story

Fred Swaniker was born in Ghana and has worked in ten countries across Africa. In that time, he became deeply concerned about the state of the African continent and its citizens because of ineffective leadership.

He envisioned a world-class academic institution in Africa where the most outstanding young students who are passionate about the continent, and eager to make an impact to their societies, can be harnessed into future change-makers.

It wasn’t until Fred met Chris Bradford at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business that they began to build the idea that would become the African Leadership Academy. They shared the idea that great leaders emerge out of strong academic institutions and challenging curriculums that mold them. Further, it is only through transforming the educational systems that the leadership landscape could evolve. Both Fred and Chris believed that their calling was to establish such an academic institution on the African continent.

Fred and Chris left their respective, high-profile jobs and spent nine months working on a pilot version of the Academy’s full-time program: a rigorous academic program built around a core of powerful courses in Entrepreneurial Leadership and African Studies.

In June 2005, Fred and Chris launched the Summer Academy in Cape Town to pilot ALA’s innovative curriculum. The program was a resounding success and bolstered the team’s credibility with donors, feeder schools, and potential students and families.

In 2006, Chris and Fred were named Echoing Green Fellows as two of the “leading emerging social entrepreneurs in the world” – selected from over 900 organizations worldwide. Two years later, they opened the doors for ALA’s inaugural class in 2008 at their campus in Johannesburg, South Africa.

ALA remains the continent’s only pan-African high school, having admitted over 1,465 students from over 45 African countries to date.

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ALA Founders

Chris Bradford

Fred Swaniker

Acha Leke

Peter Mombaur

Our Founding Beliefs

Address the Underlying Causes of Problems

The Power of One

The Power of Youth

The Need for Pan-African Cooperation

Entrepreneurship is Fundamental to Growth

Our Impact

ALA’s growing network of young leaders is catalyzing transformative change on the African continent and beyond. Here is the next generation of ethical and entrepreneurial leaders.

Our Campus

The ALA Campus is a beautiful space in Johannesburg. It includes dormitories, the auditorium, sports fields and more.

ALA's 2023 Strategy

ALA has evolved from an audacious idea to a thriving institution with a passionate, diverse, and committed community. As we look to the future, we are making careful strategic choices that build upon the successes of our first decade and position ALA to maximize its long-term impact on the continent.

Testimonials

Every student is unique but she/he needs to be nurtured further in order to bloom and ALA is the place that provides the necessary space and opportunities to bring out this uniqueness of its students. Here, no one is a competitor to anyone but rather, only a complement for each other. The student only competes with herself/himself to reach greater heights. How ALA transforms young promising minds within 2 years (filled with challenges, opportunities, diversity, care and fun) into future passionate leaders, can only be experienced and cherished over a lifetime by a parent.

Priyabrata Mandal

Annanyabrata Mandal, ALA '18

I felt appreciated and loved each day at ALA. Thank you for allowing me to mentor and care for our young leaders on campus. I am privileged and humbled to play a role (albeit, small) in defining the future of the continent and this world. Thank you for teaching me how to dream for a better continent, to celebrate my “Global South” identity, and care for each other without restraint. I am grateful for the lessons in leadership, humility, and excellence that I have learnt over the past two years. And for these invaluable gifts, I shall remain forever indebted.

Shashanka Rao

Growth & Strategy at Toddle

I came to ALA intending to stay for a year, learn some new skills and see another part of the African continent. I’ve now spent 7 years at ALA (over two stints) and I’m not done learning. The daily motivation of coming to work as part of an intentional community is deeply enriching. As is the reward of being challenged by students and peers who are thoughtful, committed and driven. I am also grateful for the many opportunities to laugh.

Hatim Eltayeb

Dean of the Academy

When I joined ALA, my passion for finance and business was fostered. I currently work as an investment specialist, focussed on African investment initiatives that will change the continent.

Brian Warewu

‘09 Kenya

Work is not always about getting the task done. There is more meaning to working at ALA. From my experience, there is a deliberate attempt to get to know the person that you are working with. This opens the opportunity to leverage each other’s strengths and build on each other’s weaknesses as growth areas. This is how I see collaboration thriving at ALA.”

Nkembo Kiala

Entrepreneurial Leadership Faculty

ALforGovernance Presents a Thought Provoking Masterclass about the Decolonization of Education

Through theatre, music, visual, literary, and performing art, storytelling and the creative engagement of our communities we can decolonise and de-commodify our minds, bodies and continent together.

Tanatsei Gambura

‘17/Writer, Poet & Cultural Activist/ Teacher at ALA

One of my greatest achievements to date was to be appointed by the Secretary General of the United Nations to serve as 1 of 17 advocates for the sustainable development goals where I will solve some of the toughest issues facing humanity. If I didn’t go to ALA I would not be where I am today. It changed the trajectory of my life.

Eddie Ndopu

‘08 South Africa

I look forward to going out into the world and applying the skills and competencies that I have acquired at ALA so as to inspire other and make the change that I seek in the world.

Trevon Lwere

‘16 Uganda

I have started a Masters program at the Harvard Kennedy School focusing on international development and policy making (with two ALA alumni as my classmates). Everything I have learned from ALA, our students, and from all of you has given me a unique perspective to bring to the conversations with my classmates and colleagues. For that, I am deeply grateful, and I hope to continue to contribute to ALA’s vision of lasting peace and shared prosperity in disadvantaged parts of the world in my academic and professional journey.”

Lucy Luo

Masters candidate at Harvard Kennedy School

My daughter began teaching me about the new project that I was embarking on. I was so proud that my 15-year-old daughter is teaching me. Sending her to ALA helped her see the world from a different perspective.

Rasha El Geoshy

Egypt/ Mother of ALA student

When Francis approached us back in 2013, as Parents, that he wanted to go to ALA, and would therefore fall behind by a year, if he was to leave Bishop Mackenzie International School (BMIS) in Lilongwe, Malawi, we debated the merit of this audacious move. Eventually, we resolved that, no, let us not stand in his way. Let him join ALA, maybe his destiny will be shaped there. I am glad to say, we do not regret he attended ALA. By the time he was finishing at ALA, we noticed that he had certainly matured beyond his age and peers at BMIS. He was brimming with enthusiasm and full of confidence, with a clear focus of what he wanted to do in life. We believe ALA taught him to believe in himself.

Lemson Chitawo

Francis Chitawo, ALA '14

Together with Wuntia Gomda, we designed the Wastewater Treatment System, which has the capacity to clean 300K litres of water annually. When we – through ALA – won the 2019 Zayed Sustainability Prize is a moment that I am never going to forget.

Jesse Forrester

‘09 Kenya

The ALA experience sets you apart. The speed of professional growth you achieve, the unique opportunities you gain and the connections you make are unparalleled! ALA was definitely accretive to my professional experience. I went from being the CFO of ALA to getting three offers as a first-time investment professional in private equity.

Lara Rabiu

Investment Professional at Oppenheimer Partners

I believe that access to quality education can transform lives and I work with a community of entrepreneurs to make that happen.

Jihad Hajjouji

‘08 Morocco

One of the things that I learnt at ALA is how to be a pioneer. Don’t be afraid of big ideas that scare you.

Brian Warewu

‘09 Kenya

I am glad that I made the decision to send my daughter to ALA . She is more articulate, expressive and certain about her purpose in life.

Wale Edenuga

Nigeria/ Father of ALA student

Working at ALA has been one of the most fulfilling experiences I have enjoyed in my lifetime. I have the opportunity to work with teams of talented and committed people that inspire me to live my best life all day, every day. My most cherished experience at ALA is being part of a community that cares deeply and with intention for its own, just like a family would. Some of my closest friends are people I work with every day. I remain inspired by their commitment towards mission building for the continent and our community.

Uzo Agyare-Kumi

Dean Emeritus of Global Programs and Parents

ALA shaped my daughter Waigumo into the leader she is today. My deep appreciation goes to the school for providing opportunities to enable her embrace and truly discover her multifaceted characteristics and unknown talents.

Through the various opportunities ALA provided, she developed sound depth in academic research, engaged in arenas that increased her holistic knowledge on African youth and political leadership, empowerment of women on the African continent and engaged in riveting discourses on how to propel the versatile continent into unforeseen heights. With fondness, we are grateful to ALA for not only inspiring her deep passion for mathematics but propelling her to a mind shift of holistic excellence; By gaining a network of like-minded and lifelong friends, I have no doubt that Waigumo will aid in the development of a more equitable, sustainable, and technologically driven future for Africa.

Wachuka Njama

Waigumo Njama, ALA '18

If am happy to see who he has become, and I hope other parents will consider ALA for their child. I can assure them that they will not make a mistake. The transformation in my son is that he now knows who he wants to be.

Aisha Usman

Nigeria/ Mother of ALA Student

Working at ALA affords me the opportunity to meet with, and be part of the experience of each one of our students through the totality of our pastoral care programmes. Students who on arrival are so confused and reticent, develop social skills that enable them to become better communicators and collaborators within a short time through the various spaces that our programming created for this. Seeing the strong bonds that develop among students and adults while at ALA, and the connection I personally have with them beyond the Two Year Programme makes me glad and fulfilled.”

Kofoworola Kuyinu

Assistant Dean for Pastoral Care

I came to ALA for the students, but I stayed because of the colleagues – the staff and faculty who are the heartbeat of this place. With them, I get to learn every day. I get to be challenged and I get to grow. With them, the work is more fun. The work becomes more meaningful because it is done with people I care about.”

Mopati Morake

Head of Department Writing & Rhetoric

In 2009, a friend casually mentioned a certain African Leadership Academy during our morning work out. The following year, I went to Johannesburg to see this too-good-to-be-true Academy. Fast-forward 10 years after that visit, all my children have graduated from ALA! I don’t know of any better transformational experience my wife and I could have offered our children!

Awoke Ogbo

Chiro Ogbo, ALA 18'

The ALA Story

African Leadership Academy has a wonderful story of how it came into being

Founder's Story

ALA Founders

Chris Bradford

Fred Swaniker

Acha Leke

Peter Mombaur