Blog
Cornelia Kruah-Togba ’08 creates fund to help support small businesses in Liberia
Member of the inaugural ALA class, Cornelia Kruah-Togba is breaking boundaries as a public servant and advocate for youth and women’s empowerment in her home country of Liberia. Cornelia participated…
Ukairo Ukairo’s quest for African cinematic excellence
Born and raised in Aba, Nigeria, Ukairo Ukairo ’13 grew up in a household that fostered his keen interest in a legal career. His father is a lawyer and human…
ALA set to globally showcase unique entrepreneurship curriculum at World Education Week
African Leadership Academy (ALA) has been selected as a showcase school at the upcoming World Education Week. The virtual conference, which takes place from 5 to 9 October 2020, has…
Anzisha’s #ItStartsWithYou campaign showcases African entrepreneurship success stories
September saw the launch of The Anzisha Prize’s new mini-documentary and case study series about very young African entrepreneurs designed to enable high-school and university educators to engage students meaningfully…
Meet ALA’s Class of 2020!
September is the month of new beginnings for many. Despite the challenging year this has been, we have kept to our traditions (such as hosting our annual opening ceremony –…
Invisible Good(s) — Taalu 2020
Dean Hatim Eltayeb’s remarks to the entering class of 2020 at Taalu, 21 September 2020. Good afternoon academy. Today is a treasure, but a strange and difficult one. On the…
Students explore identity through the Creative Arts course at ALA
Dr. Sarah Kgagudi, Director of Creative Arts and Events at ALA shares how the Creative Arts course at ALA provides an introspective platform for students to examine identity through different mediums. About the course In our first…
Tapiwa Gambura ’18 – Reclaiming the African Narrative through Film
“I believe that individuals who have ideas can change the world, and I have ideas. How do we ensure that our continent emerges and gains the economic and political independence it deserves? This is what my life’s purpose should be about.”
ALforEducation’s Little Bets Challenge Highlights Fresh Thinking in Education
On August 20th and 21st, ALA had the honor of hosting its own virtual event, under our educational sector group: AL For Education. Titled “2020: A Year for Action”, the…
ACN Securing Internships During a Global Pandemic
How did we secure jobs during the height of one of the most devastating pandemics we have experienced in recent history? We chat with Ayado Ewinyu, Director of our Africa…
Reimagining the Future of Secondary Education in Africa
The Mastercard Foundation’s latest report reveals that for every 100 young people that enter primary education, 9 will go on to tertiary education and 6 will complete it. What solutions…
Women in Peacebuilding: An ALforGovernance Masterclass
In celebration of South Africa’s Women’s Month in August, the ALforGovernance Masterclass explored the role of Women in Peacebuilding on Friday August 7th. Two female guest speakers drove the session,…
Entrepreneur and Designer David Lewis ’15 Partners with Bremen Fashion House
Nigerian fashion designer David Lewis ’15 is the founder of Lewini, a design-thinking clothing company reinventing the use of colors in everyday unisex clothing. After his second year of studying…
Motswana photographer Towela Tembo ’19 uses multimedia to cross creative borders
When second-year ALA student Towela Chawezi Tembo (also known as Towela Kams) from Botswana picked up a camera for the very first time in 2015, she didn’t know that photography…
ALA Alumni Female Vocalist Group, Malkia the Band Performs at UN Women’s International Youth Day 2020
The African Leadership Academy (ALA) student body consists of multi-talented future leaders who come together to exchange ideas and creativity through various cultural and arts events regularly taking place on…
Filmmaker and Comedian Najmeddine Harrabi’s Journey into the Creative Arts Industry
Najmeddine Harrabi ‘13 speaks often about how his upbringing as a shepherd boy in Tunisia has led him to Los Angeles where he is currently pursuing an MFA in Film and Television Production at University of Southern California. He reckons that his lowly background has propelled him to do what he has always wanted to do – to create art.
ALA Partners with Chevron to Deliver Summer Engineering Academy
A cohort of 18 students from Angola and Nigeria have participated in the first Summer Engineering Academy at ALA, a partnership between Chevron Corporation and African Leadership Academy.
Last year, when Mr. Hans Sowder, African Leadership Academy’s Head of Science, learned of an opportunity to partner with Chevron Corporation to expose high school students in Chevron’s operating countries to the field of engineering, he soon began to create the program that became the ALA Summer Engineering Academy (ALA SEA).
ALforGovernance Presents a Thought Provoking Masterclass about the Decolonization of Education
On Tuesday, July 14th, members of the ALA community took part in meaningful discussions around the topic of decolonizing education on the African continent. The ALA Networks Team has scheduled four Masterclasses for the ALA community until the end of 2020. The goal of the series is to display how global challenges pertaining to people navigating a dynamic world can be successfully addressed in the governance and development sector. The virtual classrooms of 20-25 participants will bring together industry experts from around the world with experience in conflict management, peacebuilding, government, diplomacy, education, politics and humanitarian work and will teach on practical ways for the community to sharpen their skills and build their understanding on each topic.
Martin Lubowa ‘18 on Building a Support Network and Education Hub for Ugandan Communities
While completing his two-year ALA diploma, Martin Lubowa ‘18 also co-managed the Africa Student Support Network, a Ugandan organization that not only provides scholarships for disadvantaged students but also equips young leaders with soft skills to help them navigate the 21st-century working world.
“We want to re-imagine how giving back looks like on the African continent by creating realistic, user-friendly approaches that involve everyone in the giving back process,” says Martin Lubowa ’18, co-founder of the Africa Student Support Network (AFRISSUN).
ALA Hosts Hundreds of Teenagers for Global Summer Short Courses
During a normal July at African Leadership Academy, campus would be bustling with activity and energy from students and facilitators involved in our Global Scholars Program (GSP). Although the ongoing COVID pandemic prevented the Academy from bringing students to Johannesburg for the traditional program, the ALA campus remains far from quiet. This month marked the start of our Global Summer Short Courses, bringing students from around the world together for a unique online program.