Blog
Five ALA Students Join MIT Peers on HIV Research Course in South Africa
The Evolution of an Epidemic course, which took place from 16-25 January, featured an immersive experience that introduced students to a holistic approach to the study of the HIV epidemic. Led by Dr. Walker and Professor Howard Heller from MIT Medical, five ALA students, Aroma Atieno (Kenya), Adetolani Odogiyon (Nigeria), Martin Lubowa (Uganda), Oluwamayowa Akinkugbe (Nigeria) and Essi Logan (Togo) joined 20 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) students on the course.
Top Global Firms Join ALA in Facilitating New York Professional Development Baraza
More than 60 ALA alumni and Mastercard Foundation scholars participated at the first professional development Baraza hosted by Africa Careers Network (ACN) in New York this month. The two-day gathering is one of a series of activities designed and implemented through African Leadership Academy to prepare young leaders in our network for early career transitions.
Developing Critical Thinking and Analysis through Seminal Readings at ALA
Each term at ALA, students, faculty and staff immerse themselves in a week-long exercise of studying and discussing carefully chosen texts, all reflecting the Academy’s founding beliefs and values: Seminal Readings. Over the course of the week, students cover six sets of readings, meeting in groups to analyze, discuss, and debate each set. The readings completed this term focused on “Creating a good society” for first year students, and “Ending prejudice” for second year students.
ALA Welcomes First Cohort from The School for Ethics and Global Leadership
African Leadership Academy welcomes 21 new students to our campus, marking the official start of ALA’s partnership with the School for Ethics and Global Leadership (SEGL).
Khauhelo ‘Mile ’18: Student Leader, Entrepreneur, and Self-Published Poet
Khauhelo ‘Mile ’18 is Chairlady of the ALA Student Government, the leader of multiple student enterprises, and most recently, the author of a self-published book of poetry, Puo Ea Pelo, exploring themes of social justice, sexuality, language, and patriotism.
Mareme Dieng ’13 Combines College with Leadership Role in Silicon Valley
Mareme Dieng ’13 from Senegal, is combining a rigorous schedule as a college Senior with a prestigious role as Head of International Partnerships and Relations at Draper University. As her…
Award-Winning Entrepreneur Amy Wanday ’15, Shaping the Future of Sports in Africa
“My mission in life is to ensure that no other African child with a love for sport feels like they cannot pursue it in the industry. I also aim to…
Tafadzwa Matika ‘10 Leading Change through Public Health and Agriculture
Tafadzwa Matika ’10 always had a passion for pursuing a career in Public Health, but he could hardly imagine combining this journey with a concurrent career path through agriculture. After…
Coca-Cola’s Global Executive Team Engages ALA on Talent Development
On the 7th of November, African Leadership Academy hosted the Coca-Cola Global Executive Team, led by its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, James Quincey, for a learning visit centered on…
21-year old Congolese Entrepreneur Wins $25,000 as 2019 Anzisha Prize Winner
It was a night of celebration as the Anzisha Prize, a partnership between African Leadership Academy (ALA) and Mastercard Foundation, awarded $25 000 to 21-year-old Yannick Kimanuka from the Democratic Republic of Congo and crowned her the winner of the 2019 Anzisha Prize. The KIM’s School Complex, founded by Yannick in 2018, is a nursery and primary school which aims to improve how children perform academically in school in her community.
Spencer Horne ’08’s Cloudline Soars to Quartz Africa Innovators List 2019
This past month has seen ALA alumnus Spencer Horne’s innovative logistics company, Cloudline, win big. The revolutionary startup not only earned Spencer a spot on this year’s Quartz Africa Innovators List but was also announced the winner of Santam’s Safety Ideas Challenge – walking away with R100 000 in incubator funding and seed capital.
Júlia Agudogo ’11 Creates a Low-Cost Cervical Cancer Screening Tool
As a Biomedical Engineering student at Duke University, Júlia Sroda Agudogo ’11 designed a low-cost non-invasive cervical screening tool for women, earning first place at the Rice 360 Global Health Design Competition. She has now taken this further as part of the core founding team that envisioned, created, and runs The Calla Campaign that recently designed and optimized a novel cervical visualization device, called a Callascope Inserter, for use in low-resource settings.
Liberia’s President Commissions Changemakers Village, Founded by Marvin Tarawally ’11 and James Kiawoin ’08
Liberian President, George Weah emphasized the importance of education for Liberia’s development at the official launch of SMART Liberia’s Changemakers Village earlier this year, providing a stamp of approval for Marvin Tarawally ’11, James Kiawoin ’08 and their team who co-founded SMART Liberia to provide much needed support for students and entrepreneurs in Liberia. Since its founding, the organization has worked with over 25 schools and directly impacted over 500 students.
Tapiwa Gambura ’18 announced as winner of the Jozi Film Festival
When ALA student Tapiwa Gambura purchased her very first camera in November 2018, she never imagined that less than a year later she would be the winner of a major film festival. Nevertheless, on October 6th, Tapiwa celebrated as she received a $2,500 check for winning the Jozi Film Festival and Discovery Network’s “Real Stories By Real People” award with her short film, Redefining the Road.
Beyond Education Series Ignites Education Conversations in Six Cities
Through the Beyond Education conferences series, senior executives from African Leadership Academy, education leaders from around the world, and a cohort of young African changemakers under 30 explore the future of education, leadership, and development in Africa. The theme for 2019 is “Developing Changemakers: How to Prepare the Next Generation for Careers of Impact.”
Beauclaire Mbanya ’14 Receives $10,000 Davis Projects for Peace Grant
Junior Beauclaire Mbanya (’14), currently studying Chemical Engineering at the University of Rochester, was recently awarded a Davis Project for Peace grant for his program “Togetherness for Peace”, which he hosted in his hometown of Douala, Cameroon.
Deepshikha Parmessur ’13 appointed Prime Minister of Mauritius National Youth Parliament
Deepshikha Parmessur (’13), was recently appointed Prime Minister at the Mauritius National Youth Parliament, becoming the first female holder of the office, and adding a prominent layer to her growing profile in the public sector.
Say Hello to ALA’s Class of 2019!
From entrepreneurs and activists to inventors and artists, our 12th cohort of students has finally arrived on campus, and we are incredibly excited to meet and welcome them to the ALA community.
Anzisha Prize Announces the Top 20 Young African Entrepreneurs for 2019
After months of searching the African continent, the Anzisha Prize has unveiled its top 20 finalists for 2019. The winner will be announced at the ninth annual Anzisha Prize Forum on 22nd October in Johannesburg, South Africa.
ALA’s Africa Careers Network Trains Teachers Across the Continent
How do you equip young students from across the African continent in order for them to fast track their career trajectories for maximum impact? Train the Trainer, a pilot program born out of a partnership between ALA’s Africa Careers Network (ACN) and the Mastercard Foundation, sought to find this out.