It is indeed a great honour and priviledge for me to be selected among the 300 successful applicants from over 3000 extraordinarily talented African students who applied for this magnificent program. I am very grateful to YYAS (Yale Young African Scholars) having been afforded this rare opportunity to participate in the potentially life changing program.
The Yale Young African Scholars Program Zimbabwe was held from the 18th to the 24th of August at the beautiful Arundel School in Harare. There were about 24 African countries represented including Egypt, Tunisia, Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Magascar, Zimbabwe and South Africa just to name a few.
The YYAS program was designed to enlighten African students on university application procedures that are expected if one is to undertake studies at Yale and other world renowned U.S. universities. We were taken through a step by step process of applying to enrol at the universities. Participants were able to appreciate student life at Yale University and l am convinced that the university provides excellent tuition and an environment to excel.l got to learn that the universities in the U.S. offer students a chance to study a number of subjects before they major in one of them after one year.
Besides the core business, learning about university application, l really enjoyed the interactions l had with fellow age mates from different societies and cultures around Africa. We endulged in intercultural interactions and had discussions on cross cutting issues in our lives. What l learnt at the YYAS program totally transformed the way l view some issues around me. Learning about the problems that other African countries are experiencing and seeing how ignorant we can be to some of the problems was just heartbreaking.
May l also take this opportunity to applaud the manner in which the program was run. There was a combination of central presentations, seminars, discussions, talent show, workshops, tutorials and enrichment activities. The refreshing games that we played always had a lesson behind them and ensured that everyone participated in doing something.My gratitude also goes to the Yale undergraduates and graduates who were our instructors as well as their leaders who organized the program, Yale University and Higherlife Foundation.
As if all the learning we did was not enough, we were taken very good care of at Arundel School. We felt very comfortable and secure for the whole week of the program. The food was very tasty, well prepared and very health for each and every meal we had. The accommodation was world class and the arrangement was in such a way that mingling with scholars from other countries was easy. I would also like to appreciate the gifts we were given which included a satchel, notepad, pen, towel, key holder, t-shirt and a shiny Huawei media tablet for every participant.
I would like to urge the YYAS program organizers to broaden the program so that many more students in Africa may get the opportunity that l got. Also, to my fellow African scholars l would like to say that l would have never had such an experience if l had not applied for the program. So, if you try you may or may not succeed, but if you don’t try you won’t succeed.
Source: http://www.pachikoro.co.zw
