Skip to main content
Category

Alumni

Growth is in doing difficult things, in my uneasiness I find strength

By Alumni, Fellows

Hammed Alabi, Nigerian who won a $5,000 Fellowship prize

 

Hammed Kayode Alabi is a social entrepreneur. He was recently adjudged the second-best fellow during the 16-week-long Western Union Foundation Fellowship, powered by the Watson Institute, where he claimed a $5,000 seed funding to democratize access to 21st-century and life skills in underserved communities across Africa. In this interview with IFEDAYO OGUNYEMI, he speaks on what stood him out during the program and how he plans to create access to 21st-century skills for 1 million youths across Africa.

You recently emerged as the first runner-up among 47 fellows during the Western Union Foundation Fellowship powered by the Watson Institute. How does this feat make you feel?

I would say optimistic. It shows that putting in the work works. It also comes from showing up throughout the fellowship program from attending sessions to chatting with mentors, to gaining clarity on the idea that I’m building, and being present is what makes all the difference. This prize is a testament to that dedication. It is the validation of the idea that I’m building in leveraging technology and AI to democratize access to 21st-century and life skills in underserved communities. Now that there is funding, the ed-tech product I’m building is near reach and I can improve from there.

Were you gunning for the top prize before the start of the fellowship and what steps took you there?

No, I was not, to be honest. But it does not mean I did not want the prize. Just like every other program that I have participated in, I focus more on the process than the outcome. I am not saying the outcome is not important but the process is where I learn. I would say my strategy was being myself and showing up. Being in the session, observing, and contributing. Doing some of the deliverables is scary. I recall during the fellowship, there was a time when they needed a volunteer to do a practice pitch for their venture. I volunteered and got great feedback. I could recall leaving the session that day and destroying my pitch deck. Sometimes, to build, you have to destroy and I like that. That has always been my way of growing and doing things. Most times, you can only do that if you expose yourself to a situation of learning and feedback. We are here to learn not to be perfect, so I open myself up for feedback and imperfection and many times my imperfection ends up becoming perfect.

I think it takes some sort of vulnerability and self-awareness to do so. I also did not miss any sessions except when I traveled to Saudi Arabia for the Ithra Tanween Mega Challenge for international creatives to design solutions for refugees. Nonetheless, if I sign up or say yes to something, I have to show up. I have to be there. I think that balance is something I also exhibited during the fellowship and many others. I love to share, but I also want to learn and hear alternative perspectives.

What was your experience like during the fellowship?

Hearing other people’s perspectives and the rigor of the sessions. The sessions were carefully planned from Go to Market Strategy, to organizational leadership, to storytelling and pitching, and funders’ readiness. These were things I needed to learn as I was thinking of pivoting from a non-profit model to a social enterprise model which focuses on making a profit and using the profit to continue to create social change. So, it was great to be exposed to different business models and strategies and to also validate, and challenge some of the ideas I already have. Sometimes, the best ideas come from listening to others and reflecting on your ideas as well. Also, what drove me to apply for the fellowship is that you receive funding to organize a basecamp to pay it forward to other entrepreneurs within your community.

You claimed $5,000 in seed funding to build a project that’s close to your heart. In what ways will the funding help your goals for the project?

I would be building an ed-tech platform that provides access to 21st-century and life-skills courses for young people in underserved communities such as those living in internally displaced person camps, rural communities, slums, and very hard-to-reach communities in Africa. This idea is fueled by my own experiences as I grew up in Makoko, one of the notable slums in Africa. I remember when I turned 13, my dad sent me to a computer school where I had access to a personal computer, and for the first time, I could access the internet and see the world far away from where I was born or raised. I could access courses, and opportunities that changed my circumstances and I believe it could do the same for young people in underserved communities who have access to PCs, mobile phones, and the internet.

Currently, 570 million people on the continent have access to the Internet and 70 percent are young people. By 2025, internet usage will increase by 120 million among young Africans. So, it is not out of place that we can reach 1 million young people in underserved communities by 2030. I will also be using adaptive reuse models to convert abandoned buildings into refurbished innovation centers, and research shows that this can reduce greenhouse emissions by 70 percent.

What inspired you to start Skill2Rural Bootcamp and KLCI?

My story and experience inspired me. As I mentioned I was born and raised in Makoko. I lost my mum when I was seven and my dad became unemployed almost at the same time. I stayed out of school for a whole academic term, and my brother for a whole academic session. These were my circumstances growing up in the slum until I attended a program organized for vulnerable children when I was 14 that introduced me to self-esteem and leadership. I noticed that my problem is not unique to me but to other young people in my community. I was so inspired that I decided to engage young people in my community. I worked with over 3,000 young people and noticed that only 1 in 10 young people would have access to the 21st-century skills needed to change their circumstances, integrate into the workforce, and prepare for the future of work. This was why I started the Kayode Alabi Leadership and Career Initiative and the Skill2Rural Bootcamp — a skills incubator, career pathway, and marketplace for young people in underserved communities in Nigeria and Africa to develop 21st-century skills.

Skill2Rural Bootcamp in particular uses blended learning, a train-the-trainer approach, where volunteers are trained to run a two-day bootcamp where young people identify problems within their community such as poverty, and co-create solutions using design thinking. As they co-create in the space, they develop 21st-century skills such as creativity, critical thinking, negotiation, etc.

You were also selected alongside 14 others for the London Business School (LBS) Launchpad program. What are your hopes and aspirations toward the program?

I think the first thing is to learn business strategies such as learning to build unique, most viable products (MVP), building a brand and marketing strategies, learning new ways of pitching, and accessing mentors who can guide us through creating a viable ed-tech platform. More so, pitching to access funding to continue to build the platform and accessing investors, and experts who will give feedback to continue to improve my work. Feedback is important to me and I’m looking forward to getting as many as I can and also connecting with fellow entrepreneurs.

How do you think the accelerator program will impact your social innovation work at KLCI?

It would reshape the model as regards scale. It is time to scale and shift the model a bit to ensure suitabilities. In the last six to seven years, we have been running as a non-profit and rely on donors for funding. So, what if there is no donor funding, how do we survive? This is why we are exploring business strategies to solve social problems. I’m becoming more open to this model and think it can affect how we scale. So far, we have been able to reach 8,000 young people through our programming and I think we can reach millions leveraging ed-tech but that requires resources and I think social entrepreneurship offers that pathway.

I believe all businesses should be driven toward helping people or solving a problem. I know profit is important but it should not come first. So, I am hoping that I can learn to make profits that allow me to solve the world’s most entrenched problems such as lack of access to skills and education by underserved populations.

Earlier, you said you plan to reach and empower 1 million young people by 2030 through the Skill2Rural Bootcamp ed-tech platform. How do you intend to implement this?

Technology can travel to where we cannot imagine. So, leveraging the ed-tech platform itself and social media is one of the strategies to reach this number. However, partnerships with a local organization working on the ground, schools in underserved communities, educators and working with volunteers, and young professionals who will serve as ambassadors to drive product adoption in multiple African countries is one of the ways I would reach this number and as we grow organically, there is a potential to grow exponentially as well. We will start small and then continue to scale it little by little whilst creating features that enable accessibility and continually improve the platform. The goal is to scale from 8,000 to 1 million.

How would you advise young people in the country working in a similar space like you?

If you have an idea, create it. Gather feedback as much as you can, and continue to improve and evolve. Engage the users as you build and do it afraid. That is where growth lies. Growth is in doing difficult things. It is in my uneasiness that I find strength. That is what I have learned in this space. It is only when you try that support will come. Trying is traction and someday luck would shine upon you. I’m still waiting for my luck but I can increase its chances by trying. I will keep trying and working towards that path.

I would also say start with why. Friedrich Nietzsche, a German philosopher said if you have a why, you can bear any how. This is how I remain focused as well. Remembering the why allows me to overcome the difficulties or challenges as I build or create.

You can find the original article here.

Western Union Fellow Provides Humanitarian Relief to Families in Afghanistan Through Community-Focused Nonprofit

By Alumni, Fellows

By Shelby Crosier | Rollings School of Public Health 

When Shakila Ali was five years old, her family arrived in the U.S. as refugees from Afghanistan. As members of the Hazara minority, they left to escape the historical targeting of their people and a humanitarian emergency that was unfolding at the time. Ali’s family background and personal connection to Afghanistan and the disparities affecting the country’s religious and ethnic minorities has fueled her throughout her life, including during her time as a Rollins student and beyond.

While an MPH student in the Hubert Department of Global Health in 2020, Ali was inspired to take action to improve access to education for youth in Afghanistan. Using her network of friends, classmates, and peers, she started a grassroots fundraising campaign to provide scholarships for young people in underserved communities in the country. With over 40 volunteers, they raised over $5,000 in one weekend. After this success, she decided to make the campaign annual.

Everything changed in 2021 during the second year of Ali’s program when, on the same weekend as the fundraiser, the Taliban took over and a humanitarian emergency began. Many international organizations left the country in a rush, and it was no longer possible to send aid. Ali was left shocked and worried for her community, as well as grieving family members she lost. This grief, along with her desire to assist her homeland, led her to create Doste Afghan Foundation, meaning “a friend of an Afghan”.

“As the humanitarian situation worsened, I felt more inclined to continue directing support to my community in Afghanistan,” says Ali. “There’s nothing that we can do to change the systems of power, but we can help the families on the ground. This inspired me to turn the fundraiser into a nonprofit.”

Ali worked tirelessly throughout 2022 to develop the organization, recruiting a small but mighty team in the U.S. and Afghanistan and applying for 501©3 status. The latter was made possible through resources and mentors from The Hatchery, Center for Innovation at Emory University. Ali hopes that this status will allow them to expand their reach beyond her network alone and sustain more widespread support.

Doste Afghan Foundation’s mission is to provide humanitarian assistance to the most at-risk people in Afghanistan, with a special focus on women, children, and minority groups. Their model provides direct cash assistance to families to help address immediate needs, such as food insecurity. The organization also focuses on promoting education and economic development. They achieve the latter through a program that provides grants for individuals to develop a small business idea and purchase the equipment and materials needed to run it. The focus, says Ali, is on centering the real needs of the community and of each family to ensure sustainable impacts.

One way this is possible is through working on the ground in communities and conducting a thorough needs assessment with each family, a skill Ali developed during her time as a Rollins student.

“The needs assessment component of this is so crucial,” says Ali. “Almost every Afghan in some way has been affected by the war, loss, grief, and other circumstances beyond their control, but some identities are even more affected and at risk. I wanted to make sure that we reach those who are most in need and hard to reach. We do a full needs assessment and interview to give families the opportunity to tell us about their situation and what they need.”

Since the beginning of 2023, Doste Afghan Foundation has impacted over 80 individuals in Afghanistan. Over 50% were women, and the majority were children and youth under 16 years old. The foundation also estimates that their food stipend program has provided over 8,000 meals, and that their business grant program has increased participating families’ monthly income more than four-fold. Ali is now planning to scale up the foundation’s impact through further support from Western Union Foundation and Watson Institute.

Ali says that when it comes to getting involved with Doste Afghan Foundation, “raising awareness is one of our core goals.” Through their annual fundraisers, they provide volunteers with context, statistics, and graphics to share on social media and spread awareness of the humanitarian crisis. The next fundraiser will take place in 2024.

If you want to learn more or volunteer with Doste Afghan Foundation, you can find them on Instagram, LinkedIn, or their website.

Find the story here.

Truist Foudation Fellowship, Mobu Enterprises

Truist Foundation Fellowship Alum Jessica Lewis of MOBU Enterprises Announces the Launch of “Container Life Real Estate Masterclass” on Apple Store and Google Store

By Alumni

Watson Institute is excited to share a update from Jessica Lewis, CEO of Mobu Enterprises and a 2023 Truist Foundation Fellowship Alum.

[Atlanta, Ga July 13, 2023] — Mobu Enterprises, a leading provider of innovative real estate solutions, is thrilled to announce the imminent release of their groundbreaking mobile application, “Container Life Real Estate Masterclass.” This educational platform is set to revolutionize the way individuals perceive and engage with real estate investments, that includes leveraging the transformative potential of container homes.

The Container Life Real Estate Masterclass app is available for download on the Apple Store and soon to be on the Google Store in the near future, granting users access to an unparalleled learning experience right at their fingertips. This mobile application will provide comprehensive knowledge and expertise in the field of container home investments, catering to beginners and seasoned investors alike.

Through this app, Mobu Enterprises aims to empower individuals by unlocking the immense potential of container-based real estate, showcasing its advantages, functionality, and cost-effectiveness. The Masterclass will cover a wide array of topics, including design considerations, construction techniques, zoning regulations, financial aspects, and investment strategies. Users will gain valuable insights from industry experts, access to case studies, and practical tools to evaluate and pursue container home projects.

Key Features of the Container Life Real Estate Masterclass app:

  1. Interactive Learning Modules: Engage in immersive learning experiences with interactive modules designed to cater to various learning styles.
  2. Expert Insights: Gain access to exclusive interviews, expert panels, and Q&A sessions with leading professionals in the container home industry.
  3. Case Studies: Explore real-life success stories and learn from the experiences of individuals who have successfully integrated container homes into their real estate portfolios.
  4. Tools and Resources: Utilize practical tools and resources to assess project feasibility, calculate potential returns, and navigate regulatory requirements.
  5. Community Engagement: Connect with a vibrant community of like-minded individuals, share ideas, and collaborate on container home projects.

“We are incredibly excited to launch the Container Life Real Estate Masterclass app on the Apple Store and Google Store,” said [Jessica Lewis, CEO], spokesperson for Mobu Enterprises. “This innovative platform will empower users with the knowledge and confidence to embrace container-based real estate investments, creating unique living spaces that are both environmentally friendly and economically rewarding.”

With the upcoming release of the Container Life Real Estate Masterclass app, Mobu Enterprises reaffirms its commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions that inspire and transform the real estate industry. Stay tuned for further updates on the official launch date and download availability. 

For media inquiries, please contact:

Jessica Lewis

Lewisjm@shippingliving.com

Www.shippingliving.com

About Mobu Enterprises:

Mobu Enterprises is a leading provider of innovative real estate solutions, committed to redefining the way people engage with the built environment. With a focus on container-based real estate, Mobu Enterprises aims to unlock the potential of sustainable, cost-effective, and versatile living spaces. Through education, consulting, and project development, Mobu Enterprises empowers individuals and organizations to embrace transformative real estate opportunities.

###

Shine Registry

By Alumni

Shine Registry users have created registries for all sorts of milestones, from celebrating 10 years in business to launching new ideas and campaigns. Whatever stage you’re at we love building tools you can use to engage and activate community support. Follow the steps below to get set up!

Learn More!

 

Samuel Lasitis Entrepreneurship and Impact Journey

By Alumni

Samuel Lasiti is one of Tapona’s Accelerator program alumni. He is a co-founder of Leap Empowerment Development Initiative (LEDI-Kenya) and founder of Wakulima Ni Sisi Initiative. He shared with us his empowerment journey and how his enterprise and support from Tapona has enabled him to impact lives. Here is his story:

Background Information

My name is Samuel Lasiti a Kenyatta University graduate having graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Community Resource Management and Extensions. I am an alumnus of Watson Semester Accelerator Program Fall 2021 and Lapid Leaders Africa graduate on the Lead Self Pillar. I am a Co-Founder of Leap Empowerment Development Initiative (LEDI-Kenya) and founder of Wakulima Ni Sisi Initiative.

I am passionate about farming and driving change in communities as a way of advancing my career and helping in the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals SDGs and also the realization of Kenya’s Vision, 2030.

Location

I come from the Ewuaso Kedong’ community in Kajiado West Sub-County, Kajiado County.

Source of inspiration

I was inspired to start the Wakulima Ni Sisi Initiative by my late dad. I grew up seeing my dad do charity work for my community through Church where he used to get sponsors who offered relief food and initiated resilient projects in our community to counter adverse effects of drought.

Having pursued a degree in Community Resource Management and Extensions I have gained passion for community work and being inspired by the work of my dad, I’m applying these skills to offer solutions for addressing food security in my community through a professional and more sustainable approach.

Read more.