On the 14th – 16th of August, forty-five young and highly talented upper sixth Zimbabwean students were part of the first ever High Flyers Bootcamp, held by the High Flyers team in collaboration with the STAR Leadership Academy.
The High Flyers Program, established by Higherlife Foundation for its growing scholars and alumni, launched in May 2019 with the goal of identifying, connecting and nurturing the next cohort of Zimbabwe’s young leaders. Since its launch it has grown its network by bringing together high performing scholars and alumni to learn more about their role in shaping the nation.
The three day camp was held at the state of the art STAR Leadership Academy Campus in Chishawasha, Harare and brought together *High Flyers comprising of exceptional Joshua Nkomo scholars, STAR scholars as well as Capernaum scholars; to go through personal leadership training, career mentorship and university preparation.
Speaking at the camp, Higherlife Foundation CEO Dr Kennedy Mubaiwa spoke on the need for the young scholars to be intentional in their career choices, “Don’t choose your career blindly. Invest and do your research,” he stated. Leading the enlightening session on the fourth industrial revolution, Dr Mubaiwa highlighted the need for the young leaders to be high performers in order to thrive in today’s dynamic world and add value to their communities. The High Flyers Program Director Ms Tanya Masiyiwa also shared remarks on the program , its purpose and the camp’s expectations.
The High Flyers then had the opportunity to hear from a panel of working High Flyers who shared their journeys to discovering their careers paths and adding value to their communities. “Don’t be defined by your background. Believe in yourself and your purpose”, stated Hazel Sibanda, a Joshua Nkomo Alumni who is now a successful lawyer in Harare. Also on the panel was Cinginkosi Dube who also stressed the importance of having a positive outlook in life and thinking differently in order to stand out. “Do not entertain negativity, stay positive. Do not just think outside the box, move the box,” she added.
critical thinking task
Throughout the intensive three days, the young High flyers participated in group activities that improved their critical thinking and leadership qualities. Through topics such as design thinking and 21st century skills, the High Flyers were challenged intellectually and gained more clarity around their career paths of choice. As the High Flyers are in their final years of high school, university guidance was a fundamental part of the camp. Through an interactive and informative session with Education USA coordinator Tafadzwa Muzhandu, the High Flyers learned more about the USA admissions process and the importance of going outside the continent to learn and acquire knowledge that they could apply to leapfrogging Africa to prosperity.
The bootcamp marks the start of many more bootcamps by the program and we look forward to more from the program and its talented members.
*The term High Flyer refers to Higherlife Foundation’s scholars or alumni who exhibit academic excellence, or outstanding sporting, art, and leadership aptitude – all while demonstrating a commitment to contribute towards our nation’s socio-economic development.
