Celebrating 5years of raising Africa’s future leaders through YYAS

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We are living in the “African Youth Decade” as declared by African leaders at the AU summit 2009. Harnessing the potential of young people’s minds is the fuel needed for the future advancement of Africa.

Africa’s youth account for 75% of the continent’s population making them the biggest resource that we must engage as they are the opportunity we need to grow our nations. As Higherlife Foundation we believe in engaging young Africans by raising them into future leaders who will develop their communities for global impact.

We do this by improving their quality of education, providing lifelong development and providing them with access to education. Our approach focuses on education as we believe that education awakens potential and gives our future leaders a platform to make impeccable changes in their lives and those of the communities they live in.

“When you are educated, you are awakened…Education is meant to give you a voice. It is meant to give you a new perspective, to expand your horizons… your education must make you a ground-breaker.” – Higherlife Foundation Co-Founder Mrs Tsitsi Masiyiwa

We have leveraged off strategic partnerships with like-minded organisations to achieve greater impact through education. Through our collaborative relationship with Yale Young African Scholars programme (YYAS) we are actively engaging talented young Africans and helping them navigate through life in a way that not only empowers them but challenges who they are and their view of the world around them.

The YYAS Program is a free program that selects over 100 students from across Africa to embark on a challenging leadership and intellectual experience. Through our partnership, the YYAS program has been able to expand its reach and impact more young Africans. Last year, the program received nearly 2,000 applications from 38 countries for 300 spots. Today we are happy to announce that the program is celebrating its fifth anniversary.

“YYAS is increasingly becoming the foremost college-access program with continental reach, serving as a gateway to higher educational opportunities,” said Eddie Mandhry, the director for Africa at Yale’s Office of International Affairs.

In 2017, the academic and leadership program which had sessions in Ghana, Rwanda and Zimbabwe saw more than a hundred intelligent students selected from 24 African countries get invaluable exposure to diverse cultures across the continent, amazing presentations from game changers across Africa as well as the university admission process for both Africa and the USA. Through engaging life skills workshops, inspiring mentorship sessions, leadership skills presentations and collaborative learning opportunities, the YYAS program harnesses Africa’s greatest resource- the youth.

“The YYAS experience had an impact on our personalities, our perspective to the world and our role within it. Now I think I am more mature, tolerable and thoughtful of our continents’ potential. That impact may seem small, but I have learnt that it begins with me, it begins with you, It begins with all of us.”- Mahmoud Haroun a student from Egypt who was part of the program in 2017.

The program now has 1,000 alumni that we believe will raise their communities to greatness. We are happy to be part of their journeys and are further committed to helping them reach their God-given potential each year through the program. For more information on the program please visit: https://africanscholars.yale.edu/


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