U.S. experience inspires Zim youth Harare, August 21st 2014: “I was born, bred and buttered in the emerging city of Chitungwiza…but a couple of weeks ago I was in the same building, in the same room, breathing the same air under the same security with the President of the United States of America. I have had a dream that came true.” These were words echoed by Marlon Raph Nyakabau, a medical doctor and community organiser, summing up his exhilaration after participating in the U.S. government Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders during a reception held in honor of 25 Zimbabwean participants to the program on Wednesday. Marlon returned to Zimbabwe after completing six weeks as part of the fellowship that enabled 500 young leaders from Africa to attend U.S. universities for leadership training. During the welcome back reception, Zimbabwean participants to fellowship said their experience in the United States provided a platform to learn more about the African continent as well as change their mind sets about youth empowerment initiatives that could spur economic growth and development. “The experience challenged me to dream bigger,” said Marlon who has been working on projects involving children living positively with HIV and AIDS. “I have been trying to find a way of teaching these children arts as a way of empowering them. However, when I was in New York I discovered that I can actually teach them coding to develop applications,” he added. “I am now working with a Mozilla Hive organisation as well as other Mandela Washington Fellows in Zimbabwe to achieve this.” Another participant, Tendai Tambudze- chemical engineer and business woman working in the leather tanning industry said her time at the University of Wisconsin “felt like an entire lifetime.” “During the early days of the program, we had a talk with the dean of the business school and he had an interesting perspective about what makes America great,” she said citing the need for strong institutions in business and government, ‘strong enforcement of the rule of law, diverse populations and high job mobility. “That context for me was important because it gave me a framework to think about and take back home,” noted Tendai. She said the U.S and Zimbabwe shared similar challenges in trying to revive the manufacturing industry and said she would work with youth to develop programs that addressed some business sector challenges. The Zimbabwean contingent to the Mandela Washington Fellowship was conspicuous among the hosts with Abbigail Muleya and Zandile Lambu getting the attention of high level U.S. government officials including President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry. Two other participants were announced winners of entrepreneurship grants while Takunda Chingonzo interviewed President Obama at the U.S.-Africa Business Forum. The Zimbabwean youth were selected because of their established records of accomplishment in promoting innovation and positive change either as individuals or working in their respective organizations, institutions, and communities. “We felt that you were poised to spur growth and prosperity and strengthen democratic governance in Zimbabwe and across Africa,” noted Karen Kelley, Counsellor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy. The U.S. Embassy pledged to continue supporting the Mandela Washington Fellows in their professional careers through professional internships at prestigious international organizations and multinational corporations based on the continent; creating opportunities for continued networking across Africa and other networking and capacity building seminars and workshops. This work will be supported through a new American Corner to be established in Bulawayo. “This Corner will be a place for YALI alumni to convene for training, networking, mentoring, and community service events and to use as a co-work space,” said Kelley. Five Zimbabwean participants are still in the U.S. on internship programs with various American companies and organisations. President Obama announced his government’s intention to increase the number of participants to 1,000 by 2016.- ZimPAS © August 21, 2014. goo.gl/wNBQII
Posted on: Thu, 21 Aug 2014 12:43:29 +0000
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