September – October 2018

Abby with Paola.

Two months ago, when I arrived at the Kokoro-Juku, endearingly called “The Juku,” the 2017-2018 scholars were still here, as were the previous interns and Fellow who had been teaching them. As a result, I got to witness the scholars interact with their teachers. Whenever I heard them discussing the scholars’ year at The Juku and their plans to start school in the fall, I couldn’t wait for the 2018-2019 Ashinaga Africa Initiative candidates to arrive.

When the candidates finally arrived, they were the quietest group I had ever encountered. I started to get nervous. What if I don’t remember all 33 of their names? What if I remember, but pronounce them incorrectly? What if I don’t remember the countries they come from? There were a lot of “what if?” questions in my head even before I said a single word to any of them.

As the weeks went by, not only did I remember all 33 names and their correct pronunciations, but I often drew from the energy the candidates exuded. In the past two months, I’ve taught English, SAT Reading, Psychology, Global Awareness, and African Affairs to the students. Through teaching these subjects, I’ve had the opportunity to teach and learn from every single student. The most exciting part of teaching students from more than 15 different African countries has been the diverse array of perspectives they bring to discussions, especially in our African Affairs class. In this class, we’ve discussed topics ranging from the effects of climate change to feminism and women’s rights on the African continent. Students passionately presented their ideas and proposed solutions to their colleagues in every single class. Although my main responsibility as their teacher was to provide resources and materials about the topics that will encourage critical thinking and effective conversations, the students’ insights and life experiences were what made the class fulfilling.

In mid-September, I am transitioning from primarily teaching to working with the recruitment team. While I have enjoyed teaching, I am excited to be joining the recruitment team. This is the team responsible for conducting research on schools and organizations where we can recruit talented students across the African continent who have lost one or both parents. These are students who can benefit from Ashinaga’s support in their individual goal of studying abroad in order to make a difference on the African continent. In the first two weeks of October, I will be visiting schools and community organizations in northern and western Uganda, as part of the recruitment process.

Though I’ll be on the recruitment team, I will continue working with my U.S bound mentees on putting together strong college application materials. I look forward to going on this journey with them and to discussing their year in The Juku next June.

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Andrew, atop Sapitwa Peak, Mt. Mulanje (tallest mountain in Malawi).

More than 2 months in, I continue to adjust to life in Lilongwe, Malawi – the capital of the “Warm Heart of Africa”. There is so much that I need to learn to better grasp the challenges that face this incredible country. Through my work at Foster Lewis, a business services consultancy, I have had glimpses into how the Malawian business people, companies, and economy work. But there is so much more to process and learn. Whether it is understanding the MSME (micro-, small-, and medium-enterprise) landscape so that we can properly develop afriCUBE.com (our online platform designed to grow investment across the African continent) or working with agro-processors to develop the value chains of a country with almost 80% of its jobs in agriculture – while being only 28% of its GDP.

One of the many things that I have started to understand is that the pace of life here tends to move more slowly. The long wait at the “Road Traffic” office for car paperwork; the Internet, phone service, or power disappearing at any moment; and deadlines being stretched, by weeks and months, with little warning – these have all been an important part of my experience so far. People here are better at adjusting to these things: they meet new people while waiting in line; they take the chance to read when the power or Internet is gone; and they do not stress over deliverables that they know will be finished eventually. This is very distinct – and was initially frustrating at times – compared to my college life only four months ago, with constant homework deadlines and meetings you couldn’t be late to. But I am seeing the beauty in this slow pace, and I am adapting. There is more time for introspection, absorbing what is occurring around me, and sharing moments with others.  I am better appreciating what I took for granted back home.

I have had countless opportunities to develop friendships with people from around the country – and around the world – while travelling throughout the beautiful landscape. I joined new friends on a 4-day trek of Sapitwa Peak on Mt. Mulanje, the tallest peak in Malawi and Central Africa. I travelled to Lake Malawi – the “Lake of Stars” – and witnessed the glimmering lake that takes the country’s name (I even saw a wild otter, while swimming in Monkey Bay!  Thankfully it wasn’t a crocodile, as we initially thought.). I drove through Majete Wildlife Reserve – spotting hippos, crocodiles, antelope, buffalo, elephants, and more – in my tiny Toyota Passo. Despite what I have already done, I have barely scratched the surface of what Malawi has to offer!

There is so much for me to learn during my time here, as I am sure my next ten months will fly by. And I am excited for the experiences and lessons that lie ahead!

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Rebecca (second from the left), with a group of summer interns at Ol Pejeta Conservancy.

“You’ve been ruined for desk jobs,” said Prof. Lindsey while she, her students, and I were midway through a hike up Mt. Kenya. I whole heartily agreed with her, regardless of the fact that I did have a desk back at the office. My desk has everything it needs, a chair, some drawers, and a few pictures from home, but I often can’t be found there.

This year I’ve been placed at Mpala Research Centre & Wildlife Foundation and am working as an Education Coordinator. This job entails working with visiting groups and coordinating their logistics, as well as some communication and outreach work. But what about this role and working at Mpala has ruined me for desk jobs? I have a few reasons:

1. Students–In my role, I am constantly getting to know new people and making new friends. I interact with kids at the Mpala Academy (the primary school for kids of Mpala’s staff), University students visiting for a field course, and more. I get to interact with a wide range of ages, who all bring fresh enthusiasm and curiosity to Mpala.
2. Environment–Mpala is over 48,000 acres of land which is used as a ranch and as a research area for scientists. Every meal I eat outside in the dining area treats me to a view of different birds and sometimes even monkeys. There is sunshine for most of the day and sometimes some rain in the afternoons. If I’ve been sitting at the desk too long or want to get some inspiration, I can bring my computer outside or go for a walk.
3. Trips–When working at Mpala, I get to accompany visitors on their game drives and field trips. On these game drives (which often aren’t intentionally game drives, but just driving around Mpala to get to a new place) I’ve seen a wide range of wildlife. On these trips, I’ve visited conservancies, animal orphanages, nearby communities, and a rescue centre for girls. One of my favourite trips happened earlier this week when Mpala was invited to attend a Manyatta, a coming of age ceremony for Masai boys that happens every 5 years! The trips that come with working for Mpala provide unique insight into the rural, pastoral, and somewhat urbanizing surrounding environment. 
4. 10 am Tea–Every day there is mendazi (donut) or slices of cake (chocolate, zucchini, ginger, etc.) or occasionally cinnamon rolls that are served with warm tea at 10 am. This particular routine doesn’t necessarily ruin me for desk work, but still thought it was worth mentioning.

All in all, working at Mpala might not have completely ruined me for desk jobs, however, I do know that wherever I end up after Mpala, I’ll certainly need some level of freedom, a good view, and hopefully warm tea.

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Alumni Spotlight

Ever since I studied abroad in Cape Town, I wanted to return to Southern Africa to live and work in the region where I had concentrated my studies of HIV/AIDS. However, I decided I needed more career experience before I applied to PiAf to strengthen my resume (and therefore my application) and clarify my dual passions for domestic and international HIV/AIDS work. After graduation, I began my nonprofit career in humanitarian assistance as an AmeriCorps member at the American Red Cross in International Services, and then shifted gears to focus exclusively on HIV/AIDS work as a Health Educator at an AIDS service organization in Detroit.

I was appreciative every day of my fellowship that I chose to work for a few years before applying to PiAf. By the time I arrived in eSwatini (formerly Swaziland), I felt thoroughly prepared for the unpredictable nature of a foreign work environment and confident in the foundation of professional skills I had built. This was because of my experience with a variety of roles and organizations within the nonprofit realm and “real world” overall. The knowledge of my own strengths, work environment preferences, communication style, and interpersonal and problem-solving skills within an office context gave me a tremendous advantage in my fellowship. In addition to soft skills, I was able to bring a wealth of tried and true educational and program management resources from past employment to my fellowship, which helped me hit the ground running quickly upon arrival as opposed to learning on the job. I also felt crystal clear in my personal and professional goals for my fellowship, which kept me focused throughout the PiAf placement process and the year overall, which was especially helpful when my role became fluid. Though I was in the minority of people in my cohort with a few years of work experience, this timing was perfect for me, as I felt infinitely more resilient, resourceful, and better equipped to deal with the difficult aspects of my fellowship than I would have straight out of college.

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