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Elfried Samba, co-founder and CEO of Butterfly 3ffect and Chief Community Officer at Iconic, shares valuable insights on social media, community building, influencer marketing, and representation on this episode of the Change Africa Podcast. With a decade of experience, Elfried discusses how social media has evolved from an overlooked gimmick to a crucial part of business strategy. In addition, he highlights the importance of understanding different social media platforms as unique venues for interaction and tailoring content to resonate with each platform's context. Elfried's notable contribution to building a massive community comes from his time at Gym Shark, where he significantly leveraged social media to transform the brand from a small startup to a billion-dollar company with millions of followers. He recounts his journey of initially facing scepticism from companies about social media's potential until joining Gym Shark as employee number 24. Alfred underscores the importance of building trust, authenticity, and genuine connections with the community. His strategic approach included transparency, maintaining a close connection with the audience, and incorporating their feedback into significant decisions. Furthermore, Alfred highlights the power of influencer marketing and the significance of partnering with micro-influencers with a dedicated and engaged following within the target niche. He encourages brands to collaborate with influencers on content creation, giving them the creative freedom to showcase products or services authentically. By prioritising authenticity, engagement, and values alignment over follower count, brands can establish genuine relationships and tap into the influencer's trust and influence to reach a highly targeted audience. Alfred also sheds light on the crucial role of representation in marketing and storytelling. He advocates showcasing a broader "new normal" that challenges traditional beauty standards and stereotypes. For example, at Gym Shark, they represented different body types and fitness levels to create a more inclusive and inspiring environment. Alfred believes that marketing has the power to shape culture and influence society, highlighting the responsibility to promote inclusivity and ensure that the narratives created reflect the diversity of our world. Elfried's insights emphasise the need for authenticity, understanding of platform-specific contexts, and consistent connection with the audience in social media and community building. He encourages brands to establish genuine partnerships with micro-influencers, prioritise authenticity over follower count, and promote representation and inclusivity in marketing narratives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this season opener of the Change Africa Podcast, marking #AfricaDay, we host Lucy Quist, author of the Bold New Normal and a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley serving as the Global Head of Firm Resilience, about the imperative to instigate a mindset shift to overcome Africa's challenges. Lucy begins the podcast advocating for STEM as a critical component of Africa's success. She highlights the invaluable problem-solving skills possessed by engineers and their relentless determination to accomplish goals, traits that transcend industry boundaries. In her view, cultivating a society with more problem solvers and individuals driven to take action is vital for Africa's progress. The conversation takes a profound turn as Lucy reveals the inspiration behind her book, "The Bold New Normal," and the dire need to confront deep-rooted issues plaguing the continent. She points out that a prevailing mindset accepting scarcity often hampers progress. To usher in change, Lucy emphasizes the significance of presenting a compelling vision of what can be achieved and rallying people around this vision. Crucially, she emphasizes the imperative of shifting mindsets and changing behaviours, transforming mere survival into thriving. Isaac and Lucy further explore strategies to catalyze widespread mindset shifts. They discuss the importance of an extensive information campaign, a revamped education system, and cultural reinforcement to instil confidence and foster a shared vision for the future. Lucy passionately emphasizes that transformation is feasible within our lifetime, emphasizing the critical role of hard work, consistency, and active participation. While acknowledging that progress may occur at varying speeds, she cites Rwanda's astonishing transformation within a decade as a tangible example. Recognizing the power of platforms like their podcast, Lucy underscores their capacity to reshape the narrative and convene thought leaders in meaningful discussions on Africa's journey toward transformation. As the conversation unfolds, Lucy evokes the spirit of Ghana's independence movement, where a collective vision galvanized a nation and its people. She believes that similarly powerful visions can be conceived today, inspiring and mobilizing individuals toward positive change. Reflecting on her own experiences leading teams in Africa, Lucy underscores the significance of empathy and fostering deep connections among team members. While accountability and timeliness remain crucial, she advocates for striking a balance between congeniality and holding individuals responsible. Notably, she underscores the importance of time management, exposing the detrimental effects of wasted hours and urging a paradigm shift toward timeliness as a form of accountability, igniting heightened productivity. Inclusivity and diversity take centre stage as the conversation progresses, with Lucy acknowledging their pivotal role in driving success and revitalizing companies. She emphasizes the urgency to transcend tokenism, urging intentional efforts toward diversity encompassing both visible and invisible characteristics. Sharing illuminating anecdotes and insights, Lucy highlights the transformative impact of diverse teams, the unique perspectives of women leaders, and the necessity of inclusive policies that cater to the diverse needs of all. Through their invigorating dialogue, Isaac and Lucy shed light on the profound potential for change within Africa. They offer a roadmap to alter entrenched mindsets, embrace diversity, and propel the continent toward a brighter future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefania Manfreda is an Art Enthusiast, Creative Director, and Curator, creating spaces that foster curiosity, experimentation, and self-expression in Ghanaian artists. She is the founder of the unique multi-brand women’s concept space, Elle Lokko, and creative art space, The Container. Stefania’s appreciation and love for creative spaces begin from her experiences in the immersive and culture-rich streets of Milan where she studied for most of her life. She describes her periodic visits to Ghana which highlighted the gaps and opportunities which existed in contrast to the already-established industries of Italy and further solidified her resolve to settle in Ghana where she could capitalize on opportunities and make a tangible impact.   She shares the story of her introduction to Ghana's arts and fashion space through the design and sale of branded t-shirts that mirrored the everyday experiences of the average Ghanaian. This first venture, she tells us, gradually evolved into curating art, collaborating with other artists, and creating a space for expression by other creatives. We discuss Lokko House and Elle Lokko - her fashion-related brands bridging the gap between clothing designers and customers.  Stefania describes the positive impact and opportunities the growing Ghanaian art space has had on making Ghana a tourist destination and increasing the patronage of the works of artists through festivals like the Chalewote festival. Stefania shares her thoughts on the definition of art, interrogating the idea of constraining artists to fit a particular mold in an era where expression through art boasts a myriad of variations. We discuss her work with several burgeoning artists and creatives, and her use of spaces such as The Container to encourage self-exploration and self-experimentation in a bid to churn out the next generation of unique Ghanaian creatives.  Stefania shares her vision of creating an institute and workspace for honing and developing creative talents through practical interactions which allow them to explore their curiosities. She juxtaposes the art spaces of Italy and Ghana and highlights lessons that can be implemented towards improving the reputation of Ghana as a destination for art enthusiasts across the world. Links and Resources: Find Stefania Manfreda on LinkedIn This podcast is produced by Nexa Media Do you have a question for our hosts, email us at hello@changeafricapodcast.com Follow the podcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Watch on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patrick Fynn is a confluence between leadership and social impact, and the medical field. He is a telemedicine Physician and founder of Standout Care, an organization that seeks to take healthcare to underserved communities across Ghana. Patrick is also the recipient of the African Youth Awards Discovery and Ambassador of the One Young World Initiative.  We discuss his unconventional experience as a science student drawn to the arts and to leadership. He shares with us how he juggles a career in medicine and a passion to create social change. Patrick shares with us his story of finding himself in a remote part of Ghana as an assigned primary care physician which tests his resilience and mental fortitude. He talks about the challenge of misinformation and a general aversion to adopting new knowledge which plagues our societies. He describes this as being a central hindrance to providing health education and support to members of different communities. He touts the revolution of the education system as a critical tool needed to change this narrative.  We discuss his journey to founding Standout Care. We discuss one of Standout Care’s flagship projects that seeks to reach out to and provide healthcare for inmates of prisons in Ghana. Patrick reflects on the transformational experience of listening to the stories and prisoners and the realization of the challenges which plague the criminal justice system. He further describes the inadequate efforts put in place toward ensuring the reintegration of reformed inmates into society.  The conversation segues into Patrick’s leadership endeavors, where we discuss insights from his interactions as a medical practitioner during the coronavirus pandemic. Patrick also shares his thoughts on the state of leadership and the Japanese concept ‘Ikigai’ which can be employed as a tool for realizing one’s purpose.  Links and Resources: Find Patrick Fynn on LinkedIn This podcast is produced by Nexa Media Do you have a question for our hosts, email us at hello@changeafricapodcast.com Follow the podcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Watch on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jabari Hall believes in educating and empowering young people to be the very best versions of themselves. He is a speaker, youth pastor, and founder of JHASHEART, an organization using Social-emotional learning (SEL) as a tool to redefine limitless possibilities for students in over 400 schools across five countries.  As a staunch believer in kingdom work and a youth pastor, Jabari shares what he believes to be the interactions between kingdom work and using SEL as a tool. He characterizes the nexus between our recognition of our identities as a reflection of God and the impact of this realization on how we perceive ourselves and interact with other members of society through a lens of love.  We discuss JHASHEART’s approach to educating and empowering young people through a seamless integration of an SEL curriculum into regular school activities. Jabari highlights the crucial role this plays in augmenting the regular curricular activities as it affords students an opportunity to get to discover and know themselves better and harness their unique potential to the fullest of their abilities.  Jabari talks about the divine encounter which signaled his transition from an information technology expert into a desire and passion for a more impactful life which translated into the establishment of his company, JHASHEART Foundation. He describes his unapologetic relationship with Christ and God, the source of all creation, and the level of clarity of purpose which this relationship birthed. He believes this is the way that other people can adapt toward discovering their purpose. Links and Resources: Find Jabari Hall on LinkedIn This podcast is produced by Nexa Media Do you have a question for our hosts, email us at hello@changeafricapodcast.com Follow the podcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Watch on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aisha Addo is the founder of Power to Girls Foundation, a non-profit organization that connects young girls with mentors and role models from across the world. Aisha graduated with a degree in Business Administration-Accounting, however, her passion has always been to make the world a better place for women across the world through the provision of guidance and mentorship opportunities.  On this episode, Aisha shares with us how at the age of 17, a quest to find her place as a young, black teenage girl in Canada and the retrospective appreciation of the impact role models would have had on her life spurred her on to foster several platforms to provide guidance and mentorship to other young girls like herself.  We discuss the integral role that therapy should hold in our lives, where our guest peels off the layered myths which act as a barrier to individuals seeking out therapeutic outlets. She shares the need for particularly young boys and men to utilize therapy as a tool for unraveling and embracing issues that they encounter in their lives.  Aisha walks us through her journey towards starting her non-profit, Power to Girls Foundation. She describes how forming a small community of six young girls, grew exponentially to sixty attendees at a conference and eventually served as the foundation for connecting mentors and role models to young girls from across the world. We also discuss her use of technology in creating safe spaces for women through her mobile applications, MyPower App, and ridesharing service, DriveHER.  Aisha shares the importance of authenticity and of leaning into one’s unique personality and characteristics to stand out and to be the very best version of yourself. She also shares a message to women around the world in commemorating International Women's Day Celebration 2023. Links and Resources: Find Aisha Addo on LinkedIn, Website This podcast is produced by Nexa Media Do you have a question for our hosts, email us at hello@changeafricapodcast.com Follow the podcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Watch on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode, we speak to Kenny Annan-Jonathan, founder of The Mailroom, who’s on a mission to empower sports personalities to own, hone, and harness their authentic voices. The Mailroom represents sports personalities such as Wilfried Zaha, Michail Antonio, Joshua Buatsi, Danielle Carter, Yan Valery, and Ojie Edoburun among others. Kenny is also the founder of fashion brand, Playdot Apparel, and Production company, Trnsmission. Kenny’s path towards starting the Mailroom, a sports branding and marketing agency, originates from his first stint with the fashion industry. He shares with us the societal influences which inspired the creation of his initial fashion brand, Playdot Apparel, and how a serendipitous interaction with business partner Wilfred Zaha led to the establishment of a sports marketing agency. Kenny shares intimately about the inspiring life of his mother and her migration from the shores of Ghana to the city of London. He describes her as the giant on whose shoulders he stands to further create opportunities for future generations. He outlines several pathways for Africans living in the diaspora to give back to the African community and further highlights the mandate to look out for the next generation by building upon foundations laid by past African giants.  Show Notes: 01:25 - Origin story, Journey toward starting the mailroom 05:32 - What Sports marketing has been over the years 07:24 - Managing sports brands vs. managing music brands. 09:23 - The evolution of the new sportsman, sports marketing, and branding 11:39 - Influence for starting his fashion brand, playdot. 15:48 - Finding everyday inspiration as a creative 22:41 - Capitalising on niches in sports and fashion marketing 25:39 - Sports personalities represented by the Mailroom 28:41 - Re-investing into communities through sports 32:38 - Building the sports community in Ghana 36:35 - The Diasporan homecoming and opportunities for giving back 42:10 - Navigating the founding journey 45:47 - The future of the Mailroom, Transmission Media Productions 50:32 - Standing on the shoulders of giants to create pathways for the next generation Links and Resources: Find Kenny Annan - Jonathan on LinkedIn This podcast is produced by Nexa Media Email us at hello@changeafricapodcast.com Follow the podcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Watch on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Del Titus Bawuah is a technology enthusiast, futurist and the Founder of a decentralized community building platform, Web3 Accra and Ghana Unity DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization,) Del’s desire to create economic value for others combined with his optimistic outlook of the future led him on a search for the next tecnhological frontier . He describes this as the eureka moment which snowballed into a self-taught bitcoin mining experiment, and an eventual evangelism of blockchains and Web3. In this episode, we discuss the revolution of the internet and juxtapose the characteristics of Web2 to the decentralized ownership of Web3. We talk about Non-Fungible Tokens(NFTs), their practical utility and debunk the myths and misconceptions that has fueled their misuse. Del believes that a shift from the abstractness of NFTs to everyday use cases like documenting and preserving medical records will substantiate their utility.  Del discusses the goals and thought process behind his organizations, Web3 Accra and the Ghana Unity DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization). He explains the fundamental need for mass education that will unlock Africa’s access to the internet’s next biggest opportunity as well as collaboration and institutional support.  Follow the episode to learn more about harnessing the power of revolutionary technology to make the lives of the average African better.    Follow the episode to learn more about harnessing the power of revolutionary technology to make the lives of the average African better.  Show Notes: 00:02:20 - What Web3 is 00:04:47 - Web3 and the Blockchain 00:07:55 - Impact and utility of the evolution of the blockchain 00:10:23 - What NFTs are 00:14:20 - Transferring ownership of an NFT 00:15:28 - Building a community to provide education and impact through Web 3 Accra 00:19:40 - Readiness to accepting Web3 in Ghana 00:21:58 - Del’s journey into Web3, Blockchain and Cryptocurrency 00:29:45 - The purpose of Decentralized Autonomous Organizations(DAOs) 00:31:16 - Creating a collaborative ecosystem through the Ghana Unity DAO 00:37:50 - Fostering collaboration with the Diaspora through Web3 00:39:28 - Embracing the imminent revolution of the internet 00:41:54 - Adopting unique approaches to Web3 across the African continent Links and Resources: Find Del Titus Bawuah on LinkedIn This podcast is produced by Nexa Media Do you have a question for our hosts, email us at hello@changeafricapodcast.com Follow the podcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Watch on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

German-born Ghanaian Precious Bonsu is a gifted and celebrated teaching and learning expert . She is also a communication consultant, author, publisher, and serial entrepreneur. Precious is on a mission to provide platforms that help children from varying socio-economic backgrounds access high standards of life and success through sustainable and equitable education. In this episode, Precious diagnoses the challenges with the Ghanaian education system, identifying the standardisation and en-masse production of compliant students as critical components in stifling their limitless potential. She addresses the need for a holistic transformation of the educational environment for children into an immersive learning space. Finally, we discuss the unique attributes of her school, WITS school, which models the Finnish Education system that helps identify and groom students' natural inclinations to blossom and acquire transversal skills towards preparing them for any global environment.  Precious shares with us her passion for writing children's books. She laments the absence of books, particularly those which mirror children's surrounding environments and highlights the importance of reading in children's upbringing. Join us for an in-depth discussion about how to educate children for success in an attention-constraint world. Show Notes: 00:01:28 - WITS School and The Whale Learning Group 00:03:50 - Growing up in Germany and having early influences 00:06:35 - Issues with the Ghanaian Education System 00:10:10 - Theory of Levels of Intelligence 00:13:42 - Identifying intelligence at an early stage 00:18:40 - Transferring and applying knowledge through transversal skills 00:23:10 - The problem with our reading culture 00:26:00 - Teaching through the creation of a creative, stimulating learning environment. 00:28:20 - The three ways through which learning happens. 01:03:00 - The Finnish Education System 01:19:00 - Standardising Intelligence 01:20:00 - The hardest thing for children to learn 01:24: 08 - Managing Children with Special Needs/Gifted Children 01:30:10 - Steps to Take towards scaling holistic education across the country 01:36:44 - Mudding as a tool for stimulation.  01:39:44 - The need to move learning from the abstract to industry. Links and Resources: This podcast is produced by Nexa Media Do you have a question for our hosts, email us at hello@changeafricapodcast.com The Wits Schools Precious Bonsu on LinkedIn Follow the podcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn Watch on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nana Danso Awuah-Asante is a self-taught Ghanaian contemporary artist whose work explores African visual symbolism, through the interpretation of a stream of characters onlooking at the reality of the world. He describes his work as a reflection, perception, and critique of the human psyche in its complexities and possibilities.   Nana’s journey began as both a hobby and a mental escape. His initial ambition was to be a pilot, but when he rested that dream, he pursued music. While he enjoyed the creative process of musical production and songwriting, he never considered it as career path. It was in art that he found permanence.  Nana reveals the experimental genesis of the signature of his art, The Eye Witness, a cast of characters and motifs that symbolize an African observance of the passage of time, and the writing of history, one that is already happening.  We explore Nana’s lack of process as a process, and how the essence of his art is revealed to him only after it is done. As a self-taught artist he learns by doing, and encompasses his mistakes and experiences as a mass of  He talks about the representation of African spiritually in his art as his contribution to a dying religion and mysticism that he views as part of the African identity. He credits his mother for this spiritual. We discuss his introduction to the Ghanaian art scene, his influences and inspiration, some of his earlier favorite works and exhibitions, and his thoughts on the future of Africa in Africa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy New Year In this special review episode of the Change Africa Podcast, we reflect on the personalities, themes, and moments that made for an intriguing Season 2.  Daniel and Isaac, sit for the first time as hosts to share their experience with interacting with the guests of the podcast, their new learning, and insights. We also diagnose what more we could do to improve the podcast and share some exciting announcements for the next season. We will be excited to hear from you too. Send us audio feedback via https://micdropp.com/studio/ and entering the access code ‘AXIMOZ’ or share with us your reflections and thoughts anywhere you follow us on social media. See you soon! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Ambe is a political activist who hails from Buea in Cameroon. He is a pan-African at heart whose life’s mission is the betterment of the lives of Africans across the world. He also mentors several young political aspirants within the student milieu. Donald’s drive for activism began during his time as a young student when he discovered his fascination with leadership and student governance. Our conversation centered on African political dynamics and how to sanitize the inefficiency of political leadership in Africa. Donald elaborates on what he calls “the reduction of the African story”, which fuels great misrepresentation of the achievement and identity of the continent. Donald sees the political mandate of the African leader through a timeline spectrum; the leaders of the struggle for independence focused on liberation, but today’s leaders must be concerned about economic prosperity. Donald discusses his affiliation with the Julius Malema-led Economic Freedom Fighters. He highlights the need for the EFF’s unique approach of a blend between radicalism and civility as an important tool for keeping African leaders on their toes and consistently accountable to the people. Donald agrees with the importance of a homogenized African currency, however, he has concerns about the relationships with colonial masters and the need for African states such as the francophone countries to disentangle themselves from colonial influence and to chart a path towards holistic liberation. Donald believes that the increased competition between global superpowers presents Africa with a unique opportunity to develop and to grow stronger through strategic positioning and negotiations. The conversation draws to a close as we engage Donald’s work with training young African leaders. He identifies apathy as the first hurdle young people need to cross to contribute effectively to the development of the continent. He believes the involvement of the youth as the active and energetic workforce of the continent through constant messaging is the key to Africa taking its place as a behemoth within the global political and economic space. We end on Donald’s optimistic view of the future of Africa. He believes that with consistent and intentional efforts, Africa would be able to realize its full potential. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Blessing Abeng is a leading Brands and Communications Director in Africa helping brands discover their unique identity so they can tell better stories. She is the co-founder of Ingressive for Good , an ed-tech nonprofit increasing the earning power of African youth through tech. She was also the former CMO and co-founder of Disha, a tech startup acquired by an African Unicorn (Flutterwave). As a thought leader in her field, she nurtures a community of over 50,000 creators curious about branding, communications, and tech. On the episode, we take a trip through Blessing’s inspiring tale of digressing from her initial aspiration of becoming a medical Doctor, to finding her passion and purpose in the field of branding and marketing. She credits the discovery of her passion to several factors; a level of dissatisfaction, a quest for excellence, an insatiable curiosity, and a supportive community that nudged her in the right direction. Blessing sheds light on the rich wealth of stories which African startups have, and how they are unable to articulate them to their audiences as a result of their sizes and their access to the needed resources. In response to this, she has made it her life’s goal to bridging this gap and becoming the conduit through which the authentic stories of African startups reach the people who need to hear them. We go on to engage her insights on branding, which she describes as a realization of the personality of a business, company, or human being. Blessing views branding as a journey from a perceived brand to an intended brand through intentionally curating a unique identity, employing clear and consistent communication, and building credibility in the eyes of your audience. Blessing talks about writing ‘the 9 Ps of Branding’, her free eBook wh ich serves as both an instructive and a foundational tool for branding. Her book, she says, “opens up your mind to the understanding of branding and shows you the 9 important elements of creating a great brand.” We finally touch on Blessing’s work with Ingressive for Good as the Director of Communications. She discusses the impact of Ingressive for Good through providing technological skills to individuals and creating a community that supports and spurs one another to achieve the most satisfaction from their careers. She shares the vision of the community for creating more opportunities for junior-level employees and shares her appreciation for the beneficiaries of the community who have gone on to show support to the community. Connect with Blessing Abeng On all Social media platforms: @blessingabeng_ On LinkedIn: Blessing Abeng Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adejoké Babington-Ashaye is a versatile international law expert, social entrepreneur, and musician activist. She has worked with the World Bank, the International Court of Justice, and the International Criminal Court. She is also the founder of ‘Konseye: The Mentorship Network’, which seeks to connect tomorrow’s leaders with experts in their field of choice. Growing up under military rule in Nigeria, 8-year-old Adejoke had audacious dreams of impacting the world. She shares with us the different experiences which influenced her upbringing and shaped her mind toward pursuing a career in activism and law. We discuss her illustrious career in law and the evolution of the international law towards inclusivity and diversity. Adejoke shares the inspiration and reasoning behind her co-authored book “International Criminal Investigations: Law and Practice”, a resource book on selected topics assessing more than twenty years of international criminal investigations. She tells us how an unconventional decision to start her career with the International Criminal Court in a less glorified role opened up opportunities to work on some of the landmark human rights cases of the last century. Adejoké speaks passionately about her activism, her willingness to give back and the impact of using her voice as part of the SongRise acapella group to sing against the injustices worldwide. She elaborates on her new mentoring organisation, ‘Konseye: The Mentorship Network ’, as creating a network of diverse cheerleaders to encourage and spur each other on to do great things. Adejoke believes in the limitless potential that young Africans have and the need for people to realise and harness that, transforming their lives for the better. Connect with: Adejoke on Instagram: @adejokemusic LinkedIn: Adejoké Babington-Ashaye Konseye: The Mentorship Network on IG, Twitter, and Facebook: @konseyenetwork LinkedIn: Konseye The Mentorship Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jacob A. Osae is a Ghanaian poet, screenwriter, sci-fi writer, and the founder of TEAM VOLVOX – a creative writing group on the University of Ghana campus. As a self-taught writer, Jacob built a foundation in creative writing and storytelling through an Afro-futuristic lens. He further studied with the Writers Project of Ghana Creative Writing Café and his published works include ‘Oaks of Definition (2016), A walking Rainbow (2019), and The Raven (2020). Jacob believes that the African continent is awash with stories that need to be told on the biggest screens by writers who relate best to these stories – African writers. He shares from his experiences as a young writer, that a surefire way to develop more prolific writers for the next generation of Africans is a more intentional approach through the creation of creative writing groups in Senior High Schools to help nurture and harness the abilities of young writers. We touch on his role as a Senior High School Tutor, at which point he intimates about the state of senior high school education in Ghana, and the unintended double-edged contribution of inclusive policies such as the ‘Free Senior High School’ policy. Jacob thinks that the educational system needs an overhaul, with compulsory periodic pedagogical training for teachers and an introduction of a younger, forward-looking generation of teachers. We discuss his literary journey, the erroneous yet widely held belief that science fiction stories should be the preserve of the West, and the inspiration and process behind his recently published sci-fi book situated in Africa, ‘The Raven’. Jacob asserts that stories such as these need to be intentionally introduced to young African children to broaden their horizons and to teach them of the limitless possibilities out there in the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hammed Kayode Alabi is a social entrepreneur, author, SDGs Youth Champion, and educator with thirteen years’ worth of experience in active citizenship and volunteering. He is a young African passionate about the unique African identity, youth development, and activism as a tool for effecting social change. Hammed takes us on a journey that begins from his home slum of Makoko, popularly known as the Venice of Africa where he braved the waterways of his floating community to gain an education and discovered his love for leadership and selfless service. He believes in the invaluable impact of volunteering as a tool for fast-tracking one’s career through building a wealth of experience, building an extensive network and most importantly, debiting your ‘emotional bank account’, a phenomenon he discusses extensively in his second book. He chuckles as he thinks back and talks us through his very first mentorship seminar, the foundation of the establishment of his NGO which provides mentorship for young students, gives them a platform to engage with one another towards solving problems common to students and equips them to become the leaders which Africa needs. We discuss some of the tools which have contributed to the success of his social entrepreneurial journey such as building extensive networks, capitalizing on strategic partnerships and mobilizing resources in an effective and efficient manner. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Destiny Ogedegbe is a Nigerian lawyer and Master of Law candidate at Harvard Law School. He is a public intellectual and advocates for the popularising of insights and ideas that could change the path of hegemonic systems of society and aspires to teach and write. Destiny begins with an in-depth analysis of a previous theory on his social media juxtaposing law and math, and the reason for education.  He argues that learning should be for the sake of learning, using the example of Math. Destiny believes that like the sense of smell, math is a sense of pattern intrinsically woven into the fabric of reality that all people appreciate. He argues Mathematics is not just a sequence of numbers and equations. The simple calculations and theories are only representations of people’s reflections and conclusions of already existing metaphysical phenomenons. What seems like boring, repetitive, presumably pointless calculations and routines build a “muscle strength” to heighten the sense of pattern for real-world problem-solving.  The conversation segues to the importance of mentorship in education and personal development. We explore the Socratic method of learning and the importance of guidance that helps students to come to their own conclusions.  We investigate “greatness”, and why resilience may be an “unteachable” non-negotiable trait for success. As well, we delve into leadership, purpose, love, perseverance and intellectualism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emerging Public Leaders (EPL) is a fellowship for African public servants committed to social impact. In this episode, we showcased their approach to nurturing ethical leaders in African governance and strengthening civil service from the bottom-up to accelerate Africa's development and economic growth. Yawa Hansen, Global Executive Director, Moses Cofie, Country Director Ghana, and two of its current fellows, Aliyata Uthman and Abdul Kudus, represented EPL. We touch on the importance of nurturing a new type of policy maker that can govern effectively in a constantly evolving world of global pandemics and rapid technological advancements. Yawa and Cofie highlight these demands on future governments and EPL's approach to instilling the values of ethical leadership, critical thinking, and the spirit of change in their fellows to ensure they can meet those demands. We explored how a merit-based selection of fellows leads to more diversity and representation and how EPL trains and supports its fellows to take on extra duties and responsibilities early on in their careers. The discussion further evolved towards the scalability of EPL's model and the importance of governance and policymaking to change the African narrative and the trajectory of our youthful continent. The fellows describe the influence of the training they receive from EPL, how its utilization comes alive in their work, and the continued support they receive to lead not just downwards but across and upwards to be effective and impactful in their various roles. Finally, we explore the fellow's views on the required change in governance and how the EPL Fellowship has shaped their ambition to become impactful public leaders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fungai Ndemera is a trained nurse, health tech entrepreneur, and founder and CEO of CheckUp Health. Fungai takes us on her journey from Zimbabwe to a small village in the Midlands in the United Kingdom, where she continued in her trained profession as a nurse. Armed with audacity and confidence, she would pursue her own health recruitment company only after a year of being in the UK. Despite her upbringing in poverty, Fungai's mother instilled positivity, and hard work as guiding principles, which, coupled with a robust belief system rooted in her faith, served as the foundation of her mentality. We explore how a mindset of aspiration and ambition can be expanded to Africans in similar settings irrespective of location and economic circumstances. Fungai illustrates how problems specific to Africans remain with Africans even if they are in the Diaspora. An example is a lack of ethnic-specific medical solutions in foreign countries that can open doors to new issues. This understanding led Fungai to start a digital-driven clinic back in Zimbabwe. By making remote health monitoring accessible specifically for diabetes and hypertension, which are the two sicknesses causing the highest fatalities in Zimbabwe, CheckUp Health was able to raise data from more than 25,000 patients. The insights from these data are now used to assist ethnic minority communities back in the United Kingdom. Furthermore, we discuss how Africans should create not only solutions to their problems, but also new approaches based on their indigenous knowledge systems and aspire to scale them globally. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Development Reimagined (DI)brings a cross-cultural understanding and gap support to international agencies and governments that wish to work with China, to cultivate and share knowledge for the public good. CEO, Hannah Ryder and Senior Policy Analyst, Patrick Adam joined us to dissect Africa’s working relationship with China. We begin the conversation by enquiring from our guests about the foundations of anti-China sentiments in the world and explore what makes China a complex player in the geopolitical and economic interplays of our world. Patrick focuses on the blueprint document he led, “From China-Africa to Africa-China: A Blueprint for a Green and Inclusive Continent-Wide African Strategy towards China” to explain the approach African leaders should take in dealing with China and how to maximise the best outcomes for their nations through the lens of trade, infrastructure and human capital. Patrick underscores how the formation trade relations between Africa and China through the establishment of The Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was first an African-borne initiative, and how that different may differ from other such bloc partnerships. Hannah believes Africa should be focused on adding value to raw materials and building better regional infrastructure if aspirations like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) are to be fully realised. While African may not nations not always have the depth of information that development partners in China need, organisations like DI assist in bridging such gaps. Ultimately, DI’s opposition is that these initiatives also need to be green and sustainable to avoid future transitions like China’s. Hannah argues against popular opinion that Africa in not debt trapped and needs even more debt (quality debt ocused on value-addition) to power its developmental gaps that cannot be financed internally. We explore the dilution of African’s narrative in the hands of other actors and how to take on more agency in determining how the world sees us. Hannah advocates for a public China strategy (and as well for other westerns bloc) that engage the public on the vision of such collaboration on the needs of the country and its citizenry. We conclude by exploring innovative ways to rethink developmental finance around the idea of “group lending” at a multilateral level. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.