My Zimbabwe Trip

This past October, I had the great fortune to travel around Zimbabwe talking to students about applying to YYAS. I got to travel with staff and 3 recipients of the Joshua Nkomo Scholarship from Higherlife Foundation. We travelled to 14 schools in 4 different regions and talked to hundreds of students about the opportunities available through the Nkomo Scholars Program and YYAS. Along the way I ran into 4 of our YYAS alumni, who helped me immensely by speaking about their experiences in the program this past summer. So wonderful getting to you again!

Audrey Ruzvidzo and I at Mufakose 1 in Harare    

Thank you for your help Audrey!    

Presentation at Pamushana High School    

Takudzwa Caitano, presenting on YYAS at his school Marist Brothers Nyanga    

Thanks for your presentation Takudzwa!    

Panashe Trish Sivindani presenting at her school St. David’s Bonda    

Thank you for speaking Trish!    

With Linos Chipakwe at St. Faith’s    

Unforgettable Experience

Unforgettable Experience

By Kellyson Siamunjo, Grade 10 Chalo

Amazing, great, and entertaining are all terms that can best describe the wonderful experience of being part and of this program, which took place in Rwanda. As for me, every aspect and element of the program was incredible and indeed unforgettable. If I was to write everything, I think I could finish a whole ream of paper.

To begin with, the flight was so amazing seeing that it was my first time traveling by air. I enjoyed looking through the window and seeing the wonderful scene of clouds and the ground.

Upon arrival in Rwanda, we were well welcomed by the YYAS staff. We were driven to the venue of the program, Riviera High School where we were given files, t-shirts, and pens. This day was a special day to me because we were given more time to socialize among ourselves. We were also honored to have the presence of the Honorable Minister of the East Africa Community Rugwabiza who officially opened the program.

One of the most interesting aspects of the program was the lectures. This was like a class where professors from Yale taught about global matters such as poverty, politics, languages, etc and other issues like leadership and career. I enjoyed the lectures because they provided an opportunity to learn and understand these global issues We had lectures twice a day and were given time at the end to ask the professors questions. My favorite lectures were Strength-based Leadership in which I learned how to discover and develop my talents and Political Transition and Democracy where I gained more knowledge of politics in Africa. After every lecture, we participated group discussions on the lectures. This was where vigorous debates would take place. I enjoyed the discussions because it was a chance for me to express myself fully. It was here where I met brilliant students who often challenged me whenever I gave my opinion. The other interesting aspect was the seminars. The seminars I chose were Foreign Aid in Africa, Biofuels, and The War in the DRC. Here the instructors would go into each topic in detail. We dealt with things like the role of young people in the future development of Africa. These seminars were very educational and interesting. We dealt with causes and solutions to these problems.

Finally, my favorite part of the week: a group project called Afrotopia, an activity done by groups of ten students through stages. In the first stage, we were given pamphlets containing five articles that we studied. Each pamphlet was about a specific type of people. The second stage we got a group number where there were different people from different groups. Here, we discussed and came up with five types of people who would make a new African society if everyone in Africa died. In the last stage, we had to go and make presentations on the final day and give reasons why we chose the people we chose. This was not so easy, but so interesting.

Some of the things that spiced up the program were the food, people, and the venue. The food was so amazing and nice that I could not afford to miss a meal. People were friendly and funny. Meeting people from all over Africa was a great experience by its own. I made sure I made connection with my new friends. The place, Rwanda and Riviera High School, was fantastic. The accommodation was great and awesome. The staff members were very good that I will always keep in touch with them.

In conclusion, I would like to say that the Yale Young African Scholars program is the best program I have attended in my life so far. I believe and feel that such programs should be organized if we are to build a successful and better Africa tomorrow.

"Workshops were also a unique opportunity. We got to interact with students from Yale and they gave us one on one advice on our writing. They also navigated the college application process for us. This was an amazing chance as we were getting advice from people who had been in our position a couple of years ago."

Gelila Wolle
Ethiopia

YYAS was my first time apart from family (I don’t even leave the house on my own but now I was flying off to another country) and it follows that I was intensely nervous. I remember feeling nostalgic when I said bye to my parents at the airport; trembling yet anticipating the journey that I was about to embark on. Once I got to YYAS, everything was so fast-paced and intense; I had no time to feel home-sick or nervous. I certainly do not regret taking that brave step and going to YYAS.

YYAS is undoubtedly the most amazing academic and social experience of my life. I’d wake up every morning at 6 o’clock to get to the showers before they started filling up, have homework for my workshop or project group due that day that I hadn’t started; but every day was incredible.

I would mull over in my head what my next lecture was going to be about. Which amazing person was I going to hear from next? My lectures were enlightening. What I really loved about my lectures at YYAS was that I would hear about a topic from people who had conducted high-end research and written acclaimed pieces in their respective fields, not someone who had read those papers. These lectures have definitely broadened my academic spheres. After my lectures on African languages and African anthropology, my passion for Africa had been ignited. I loved how such leading names were willing to listen to the questions of high school students and that they put a lot of thought into the answers they provided.

I’d always look forward to my project group. I have done many group projects in my high school experience but never have I met such passionate individuals. It wasn’t the usual “let’s get it over with” routine. Everyone was so set on producing the best work, so dedicated and so motivated that our instructors would have to stop us from working and send us of to lunch. I remember our heated debates vividly; when one of us thought we had found the answer, another would point out something we hadn’t considered. This didn’t discourage us, it excited us. I suspect it was because we relished a challenge. I am going to miss them a lot.

There were also my seminars. I really liked how small these were because all members of the class could receive attention from our instructors. We got to pick a topic we were interested in and explore it in depth. This was an amazing opportunity for me because school curriculums are always so restrictive; it was nice to explore subjects of interest that weren’t offered at school. I also loved that everyone would involve in the discussion, how we were encouraged to speak our minds, and that there was no wrong answer.

Workshops were also a unique opportunity. We got to interact with students from Yale and they gave us one on one advice on our writing. They also navigated the college application process for us. This was an amazing chance as we were getting advice from people who had been in our position a couple of years ago.

So far I’ve only talked about academia, but YYAS has a whole other side to it. The people were undoubtedly the best thing about YYAS. It was great to sit with a random person at lunch and start a conversation. I loved how YYAS was all about making friends. The people at YYAS are the most incredible group I have ever encountered. Everyone had something special about them. Everyone was deeply passionate about something. Because of this it was so easy to talk to them. Everyone was so welcoming. We had the most intriguing conversations ranging from gender equality to the latest horror movie clichés .I remember staying up until eleven and running to my room barely making room check, just so I could keep talking to my friends at YYAS. I loved that YYASians, as we call ourselves, were so eager to engage in intellectual conversations and that it was the norm to debate a scholarly topic on our way to the lecture hall. At YYAS, something was different- I felt like I belonged. I could finally relate to my peers. I felt at home.

If I had to sum up my experience in a sentence, it would be- I never knew how much learning, new friendships and fun 6 days could accommodate until YYAS. I miss YYAS a lot. I would go back and do it all over again if I could but that’s not possible so I make myself content by reminiscing the time I spent there. If you are thinking of applying-GO FOR IT! You won’t regret it.


#YYAS ’15 #YYAS_Rwanda #YYASians

"Africa would never be the same"

By Jola Oke
Nigeria

Waking up with no hot water
Having to go outside in the cold weather
But I wont trade these past six days of my life for anything
This week could not have been better

Waiting since April just to get here
I couldn't believe what I've seen
What I've learned, and who I've met
It feels like I was trapped in a dream
Because it was just too good to be true
I really feel blessed having the chance to have met all of you

Although this is just a cliché poem for the talent show
My feelings are genuine, and I want all of you to know
I'm going to miss everyone

But it's not like I'm going to cry on the last day
Or sob all the way
Home
But rather, I'm going to cry on the day
That I meet you on the way
To success, prosperity, and fame
The whole world's going to know our names
And for the better, Africa would never be the same.

My Africanism Began

Bethel Yalew

Ethiopia

My name is Bethel Yalew. I was born in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. I am a high school student living in one of the beautiful countries of Africa.

When I was a child I used to like drawing and watching Disney. Disney was my favorite channel. The shows on Disney are all in English (which is not my first language) and the characters reflect the life style of America, which is totally different from Ethiopians. I used to watch how American children interact with their parents, teachers and other people.

And I thought that is how children are raised back then. It turns out, it is a whole different way in my society. My friends and I were so into Disney that we were somehow not abiding the norms and customs of our society or we used to do some things the western way. Just because we saw it on TV, we want to do it at home for no reason. I don¹t know why they celebrate their 16th birthday in a special way, but I've seen them doing it. So I bothered my parents to do the same thing for me. My mom didn¹t like the party and stuff because it¹s not common here. But she let me do it, though I didn¹t get a car.

At some point I used to believe that everything that I see on TV is real. Last year I got the chance to visit America. So I was able to talk with Ethiopian-American students. They told me that everything I saw on TV was not actually real, it was not either totally fake. My attitude was a bit changed.

In the same year I applied for Yale Young African Scholars (YYAS) program, a 5 days summer program for high school students. I got accepted. When I applied, I had no idea what the program was really about. Because it was the first round and I'd never heard of it before.

But it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. 2014 YYAS was held in Ghana and Ethiopia. I attended the Ethiopia program. 51 students including me, who came from across Africa, gathered in Debre Zeit for 5 unforgettable days. We took life changing lectures and seminars and we had workshops and project groups. For me, the most important part of the program was the interaction I had with the students. Because most of the students, especially those who were not from Ethiopia know a lot about their continent. They told me different things about Africa. I felt something strange like I'm a foreigner. I didn't like that feeling. Then I started questioning myself. Who am I?

Where do I belong? What is my society? What do I know about my continent? And the like. I couldn't find answers for some of my questions.

On the last night of YYAS we had a talent show. I was sitting with my new friends who were from Kenya, Ethiopia and Botswana. It was just four days since I met them, but we look like life time friends. We were watching the talent show.

After all the acts, all of the people in the hall started dancing with different African music. My Kenyan friend and I were taking pictures. I was looking at happy faces, laughing and dancing. I took a moment to realize everything. Students and instructors, who were all African children, were enjoying the dance. No one seems sad.

Students dancing on the last night in Ethiopia

There was the future of Africa and I was part of it. So I answered some of my questions. That evening changed everything because that is where my “Africanism” began. And I want to thank YYASP for the experiences I got. God bless Africa!

"I have heard that Africa has many problems, but have come to realise that there are even more solutions."

AraOluwa Adaramola

Nigeria

I almost didn’t get a chance to apply for the YYAS program. Even after I did, I thought my chances were slim. So after receiving my-I’ve-been-accepted letter you can only imagine how happy I was. When I eventually joined the Facebook page I was eager to meet the 21^st century teenagers who, like me, would be reading during the summer holidays. 

It was wonderful putting faces to the names that were posting comments on Facebook. From the airport, everyone was extremely friendly.  By the time we were in the bus en route to the Yiri Lodge, anyone would have thought that we had known each other beforehand. Being that Nigeria is the only country I’ve been to in Africa, it was my first time on Ghanaian soil and I was meeting all these vibrant young Africans, I felt like an explorer.

My favourite parts of the program were the seminars. Prior to the seminars, all we were given were university –level readings. Obviously my mind went into overdrive. How would it go? Would I have to learn every thing? I don’t understand! But I enjoyed every single one of them. Usually we would start with an introduction. Then the instructor would throw open the “discussion” floor. It was amazing how we could discuss, throw questions and add new dimensions to issues for over an hour and wouldn’t feel the time fly.

I also enjoyed workshop sessions where we handled the SATs and college applications. Before then both processes seemed scary. The difference for me was the human factor, being able to talk to the undergraduates who were in my position a few years ago, to ask questions and to hear the goofy things they would never ever tell an admissions officer.

Project group was my most challenging session. Our theme was Politics and Elections and I was a rookie. To top it off we were asked to produce a 1000-word essay and a presentation on a problem, related to the theme, in just 3 days. In my group we were able to break down the essay so we could handle it individually, the easy bit, and then build it up into the finished piece. It was really interesting how specific the problem had to be. So we started with - The misallocations of funds by government officials. Be specific! The misallocation of funds by government officials in Ghana. Be even more specific! The misallocation of funds allocated to the educational sector (particularly the primary and secondary schools) by government officials in Ghana. (I’m not completely sure we had it at that).

Emanuel Alex Asiedu speaking on financial systems in Africa

The beauty of this program was that it was really eye-opening. I left there with a desire to become super woman, okay maybe not exactly superwoman. But now I’ve come to understand the importance of political and financial stability in any economy, and the possible roles I will one day have to play to achieve just that. I have heard that Africa has many problems, but have come to realise that there are even more solutions. I have come to appreciate my strengths and now I am even more determined to work at them.

A New and Connected Network with A Modified Perspective…

Celine Onyawoibi Aju

Nigeria 

YYAS as we popularly called it is the most intense program I have ever attended. It wasn’t intense to the point of utter frustration but to the point where I realized a limit is only a limit when you classify it as one.

In four days we had six lectures, three seminars, four workshop sessions and project group sessions that gave us homework mostly due the next day. That could have been classified summer school as we were even allotted free time; that was our “recess” as popularly called at school.  But every hour felt like free time to me because at every point in time we were discussing and critically analyzing someone`s opinion never ignoring it or marking it silly as most youths deem their ideas.

After discussing with Rachael Adams and  listening to Joyce Agyare I knew that  this program officially just launched  a network of actual leaders  who would be “leading from their strengths” which  is “Personal Leadership “ and not because of a “sophisticated  college degree” because that is the only way one can  work exceptionally  and effectively. On aspects like the Financial Markets of Africa or Election and Governance or the inequality in Democracy and Distribution and maybe even improve Gender and Asset Ownership in the continent.

Last night of YYAS Ghana, at the talent show

So, it wasn’t only about “how to be a good leader” it affected every aspect of life even our individual talents. Apparently they had one non-educational to the core event for us, the talent show.  Recalling the event I know now that the hidden agenda there was to teach us to be fearless because fear limits your abilities and the amount of fun you`ll have as a person.

The beauty of all of this is, that I know 49 extraordinary students, 7 youthful adults and 4 beautiful female directors on the surface of the earth that are there to listen to my opinion on any problem no matter how silly I might sound which to me is quite often or edit my college essay draft as many times as I send it. Who will encourage me and my YYAS peeps when we venture on our  leadership journey and watch us intently. I can stand anywhere today to say I know no matter how far away I might go they will always be there because this was one of their many many agendas I know this because Nicola said “please keep in touch “ with a hint of beseeching  as we walked out the doors of Yiri Lodge.

“Think outside the parallelogram”

# YYAS2014    #YYASWECAN   #YYASWEARE