Celebrating Institution Builders - African Leadership Academy€¦ · next Dean of the African...

Annual Report 2016

Celebrating Institution Builders

Dear Friends,

Greetings from Johannesburg!

It is a privilege to share this annual report with you. As I write this letter, hundreds of ALA graduates around the

world are watching their dreams for Africa take flight – enabled by the support of a passionate global network.

The 2015-2016 year was another important year of growth at African Leadership Academy. Students and faculty moved into our new Nelson Mandela Residence; alumni around the world mobilized around a distinctive #ALAGivesBack campaign to advance the institution; new teacher training workshops were developed to expand the reach of our unique education model across Africa and beyond; and one of our earliest faculty members returned to take up a key leadership position.

As we approach our decennial year, we continue to the lay foundations for the future, while staying true to the leadership development model that underpins our work:

We are searching the continent to identify youth with immense potential to create meaningful impact. One of the most exciting highlights of the past year has been recruiting the incoming Class of 2016 – our largest ever cohort of 132 students!

We are fostering a thriving community of young leaders who develop through practice. Our 21st Century curriculum primes students to be agents of African transformation, while our strong culture creates an intergenerational, purpose-driven community.

We are building a suite of programs that connect young leaders to growth opportunities, to ALA, and to each other. From international competitions and conferences, university guidance and support, mentorship, and career development opportunities, our network enables our students and alumni to reach their potential.

This report is dedicated to the team of exceptional professionals who have made this audacious vision a reality, of whom just a few are profiled in the pages that follow. My colleagues humble me: they have stretched finite resources, shifted students’ thinking, and shaped entire sectors. I know them as thinkers and doers; learners and teachers; and the architects and engineers of our Academy. They are passionate about Africa and her young people, and deeply committed to the ALA mission. They are true champions for our young leaders.

Together, we are building a lasting institution that will enable enduring peace and shared prosperity by identifying, developing, and connecting Africa’s future leaders. Thank you for joining all of us on this journey, and I look forward to your continued partnership.

With gratitude,

Integrity We are people of our word, with the courage to do what is right

Excellence

We set high standards for our own achievement and celebrate the achievements of others

Compassion We empathize with and care for those around us

Diversity We respect all people and believe that difference should be celebrated

Humility We are thankful for opportunities and are aware of our limitations

Curiosity We challenge the status quo and take the initiative to pursue new ideas

OUR VALUES LetterFrom the CEO

As we approach our decennial year, we continue to lay the foundations for the future, while staying true to the leadership development model that underpins our work.”

Our leadership development model:

IdEntIfy young leaders with Potential

dEVELOp their leadership through Practice

COnnECt them to catalytic Opportunities

Chris Bradford

www.africanleadershipacademy.org 1

Annual Report 2016 - African Leadership Academy

Returning to Lead

64

designing a Curriculum for Africa’s future

Creatingpan-African Culture and Community

Curating University

Opportunities

10 12 1614 18 20 22

Building a Lifelong network

financial & Organizational

Information

Cultivating Independent

thinkers

developing Entrepreneurial

Leaders

Identifying potential across

the Continent

8

Hatim EltayebStudents in Action

Our Leadership development

Model

Michael Gyampo Gavin Peter Chemeli Kipkorir Sharmi Surianarain Lara RabiuMopati Morake Segun OlagunjuTinacho Chitongo

Contents Celebrating Institution Builders

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African Leadership Academy - Annual Report 2016 Annual Report 2016 - African Leadership Academy

Takunda ushe Zimbabwe, aLa 2014 At age 15, Takunda co-founded a non-profit organization called “Circle of Influence: Projects for Society” (CIPS), to mobilize youth to create change through community service and volunteering.

At ALA, Takunda practiced diplomatic skills via the 2016 ALA Model African Union (ALAMAU) Conference for young leaders around Africa and across the world, which simulates the activities of the African Union. Under his tenure, ALAMAU 2016 drew 136 delegates, representing 24 countries, from 22 participating schools.

Positioned to pursue his interests in diplomacy, Takunda serves as a representative on Ashoka Youth Venture’s Global Youth Advisory Council. He joined the prestigious Hesburgh-Yusko Scholars Program at Notre Dame University, where he plans to study politics and business.

At ALA, Redeat attended the first WiSci (Women in Science) STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Arts Mathematics) Camp, in Rwanda, where she was selected as a WiSci Youth Ambassador to speak at the 9th UNESCO Youth Forum in France, documenting her experience in a blog post for The Huffington Post.

Now a MasterCard Foundation Scholar and a member of the Class of 2020 at Stanford University, Redeat is on track to realize her vision to create a continental network of hospitals, which will broaden access to healthcare.

In his first year at ALA, Ben set up the Kijani Club (kijani = ‘green’ in Swahili) to promote recycling. For their ‘Do Something Cool’ Project, Ben and peers built lampshades out of recycled newspaper and plastic spoons. Ben now serves as Managing Officer of the student enterprise, Greenlink, which educates South African high school students about environmental issues.

At the end of his first year at ALA, Ben participated in the Island School’s Summer Term program in the Bahamas, learning how communities can live most sustainably. Halfway into his ALA journey, he is already gathering the skills needed to influence environmental policy across Africa.

RedeaT Gebeyehuethiopia, aLa 2014 Passionate about education and science,Redeat tutored other girls in her prior school2 hours a day, 6 days a week, creating learn-ing guides when the available textbooksproved ineffective.

ben RousselGabon, aLa 2015Before coming to ALA, Ben started Recycling and Creation, a small business promoting recycling in Gabon by offering waste collection and sorting services. The business employs 15 people.

We comb Africa for youth who have shown the spark of initiative; who see what can be and strive to make it so.

Young leaders complete an intensive program of intellectual growth and hands-on leadership development.

Young leaders are guided by a powerful network along their path to transformative impact in Africa.

IdenTIFy PoTenTIal deVeloP ThRouGh PRaCTICe ConneCT To oPPoRTunITIes

In action

Our Leadership Development model

African Leadership Academy - Annual Report 2016

www.africanleadershipacademy.org www.africanleadershipacademy.org 54


returning to Lead: aLa’s New DeanHatim Eltayeb

a Sudanese national, Hatim was among

the first faculty members of ALA. Hatim

taught primarily in the African Studies

department. He also chaired the Seminal Readings

Committee, shaping the curriculum for a distinctive

Socratic course at the heart of the Academy. As a

Hall Master in the student residence, he gained an

appreciation of the unique learning opportunities

in a boarding school environment. In 2011, he was

named ALA “Teacher of the Year”.

In 2012, Hatim returned to Cairo, Egypt, where

he spent his formative years. With two partner

educators, he founded Symposium, a school

services and consulting company. Symposium’s

flagship product, sympoSAT, grew to serve

hundreds of students at 15 leading independent

schools in Cairo. Today, Symposium continues to

develop BrightBoard: a locally-focused teacher-

recruitment portal. Most recently, Hatim served

as President at Top Choice Admissions, where he

led the development of the MENA region’s first

100% proprietary university admissions readiness

curriculum. He left his executive position at Top

Choice Admissions in June 2016 to return to the

Academy.

As Dean of the Academy, Hatim will lead teachers

and students in our flagship two-year pre-university

program, and shape an innovative campus

community that leverages its cultural diversity.

Former students have lauded Hatim’s selection as

the Academy’s Dean. Alumni Trustee Lillian Maboya

says “Hatim is passionate about education and

embraces change. He is a great learner and agent

of positive change. I am excited to see him lead

ALA with his curious mind, open personality, and

characteristic courage.”

Antony Kaguara, Chair of the ALA Alumni

Association, states that “Hatim’s journey reflects

that of many ALA alumni and his appointment as the

next Dean of the African Leadership Academy stands

after a continent-wide search for a new Dean of the academy, we are thrilled to welcome former faculty member, Hatim Eltayeb back to our campus to fill this pivotal role.

testament to the mission and the values that

the ALA community stands for. He is a friend to

many and brings joy to those around him. We

wish him the best of luck and we look forward

to working with him to create an impactful

alumni community.”

ALA Co-Founder Fred Swaniker says that “Hatim

represents the very best in African leadership

today. His intellect, emotional intelligence, and

creativity are exactly what we need at this stage of

ALA’s development. I am especially pleased that

he is assuming such a significant leadership role

at such a young age. His presence on campus will

provide deep inspiration for our young leaders

that they too can lead major institutions and

organizations, even in their late twenties

and early thirties.”

Hatim, himself, says “I could not be more excited to

return to ALA as Dean on the eve of our decennial

year. I look forward to celebrating the African

continent together, and to widening the reach of

our important work of identifying, developing, and

connecting future leaders.”

Hatim is a 2009 graduate of Harvard University,

where he completed a B.A. in Government

with a secondary concentration in Political

and Moral Philosophy.

I could not be more excited to return to ALA as Dean on the eve of our decennial year. I look forward to celebrating the African continent together, and to widening the reach of our important work of identifying, developing, and connecting future leaders.”

HaTIm ELTaYEB, SuDaNdEAn Of thE ACAdEMy

www.africanleadershipacademy.org 6 www.africanleadershipacademy.org 7


One of the things we have learned

over time is that a student can be

academically qualified to be at ALA and get three

A’s at A-Levels. But if their personal mission is not

closely aligned with ALA’s mission, then that might

not be someone ALA is willing to invest in. I think

we are different from other institutions because we

are not only looking at academics. The motivation

to want to be part of ALA’s mission and contribute

to the prosperity and peacefulness of the African

continent is something that is extremely

powerful,” he says.

In ALA’s first years, the Academy faced the

formidable challenge of attracting students from

across the continent to a nascent school with

an audacious vision that was still building its

reputation, brand, and infrastructure. The most

logical process was to canvas the continent to

identify candidates for this game-changing vision,

and simultaneously get the ALA name out as far

and wide as possible. Over time, ALA has tested

various approaches and significantly evolved

the admissions process. Initially managing an

end-to-end cycle from recruitment to selection to

enrollment, the admissions team now specializes

in screening and selection that leverages a

vast Pan-African partnership referral network.

Recruitment is now driven by a complementary

marketing team. As we approach the Academy’s

decennial year, Tinacho is one of ALA’s foremost

strategists on identifying potential in ALA

candidates from across the continent.

Tinacho helps ensure that ALA sustains gender

parity in enrollment (achieved since enrolling

the first cohort in 2008), as well as need-blind

admissions that ensure socio-economic diversity,

and a deliberate Pan-African representation. Given

the diverse social and political landscape of the

continent, he explains that certain factors outside

of ALA’s control impact the make-up of the student

Since joining in 2011, Tinacho Chitongo has been heavily involved in aLa’s admissions process. Today, at the helm of the entire admissions engine, his sharp eye is on the lookout for evidence of character: courage, perseverance, commitment, and community orientation.

body in any given year. For example, the Egyptian

revolution meant that ALA could not travel to

Egypt for recruitment trips for several cycles; the

Ebola epidemic prevented recruitment efforts for

some time in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea;

and diplomatic disputes between countries can

prevent students from acquiring visas to study in

South Africa.

While diversity at ALA has been strong, Tinacho

points to further opportunities through ALA’s

network of partners. “For example, in Ghana, one

of our major partners focuses on girls’ education.

In Zimbabwe, two of our strongest partners are

all-boys schools… Diversifying our partner pool

will help us get a wider selection of applicants…

Additionally, finding people that can help us

identify young people in rural regions where there

are great candidates, but where we cannot travel

due to budgetary or time constraints, is a new

challenge that we need to tackle,” he says.

Perhaps one of the most exciting future directions

in the recruitment and admissions mechanism

is an expanded involvement of ALA alumni in

reading applications and interviewing candidates.

Tinacho sees this as integral to the mission

and an opportunity to scale the team’s talent

identification operations on the horizon.

Identifying Potential across the ContinentTinacho Chitongo

Trawling the continent for africa’s most dynamic young leaders.

Maida Abeid (right) is ALA’s first Tanzanian student

from Zanzibar. ALA Admissions is increasingly

prioritizing geographic representation within

nations. This means finding students who live

outside of capital cities - in rural areas, on islands,

and beyond. ALA partners with various in-country

organizations to identify these young leaders.

Andala Yakubu (left), from the Northern Region in

Ghana, is one such student found with the help of

Camfed Ghana.

One of the things we have learned over time is that a student can be academically qualified to be at ALA and get three A’s at A-Levels. But if their personal mission is not closely aligned with ALA’s mission, then that might not be someone ALA is willing to invest in.”

TINaCHO CHITONGO, ZImBaBwEhEAd Of AdMISSIOnS

17YrSaverage age of admitted

students

50% average gender

distribution

+90% of aLa students receive

financial assistance

$34min aLa financial assistance granted to students on the

basis of financial need

21,310applicants to aLa

since 2008

FOurNumber of languages in which we

accept applications (English, French, Portuguese, and arabic)




From the outset, ALA has been designed to be

more than just a school. “We are building a

legacy, a lasting institution,” says Michael. As

we lay the foundation of ALA, we are charting

a forward-thinking curriculum that feeds into the

vision and builds the builders – developing leaders

who will build the future of Africa. “We are talking

about a new approach to education, a new approach

to developing kids,” he says.

The new approach he refers to combines two

ideas: first is a mission-aligned curriculum taking

the Cambridge and International Baccalaureate

systems, and grounding them within Africa’s

context; second is a high-touch support system

centered on student progress rather than simply

accomplishment. This approach goes beyond

knowledge transfer to building a leadership mindset.

This prepares students from all walks of life to

be trailblazers with the ability to make an impact

beyond the gates of education institutions.

“What sets ALA apart is our core curriculum: The

Entrepreneurial Leadership program – which is

developing entrepreneurial leaders, rather than

just business people; African Studies – which

opens up the continent to students in a completely

new way; and the Writing and Rhetoric program –

which, rather than just another English program,

is designed to develop students’ written and oral

communication skills, research, and analytical

skills… It’s helping them fashion their sense of

purpose for the future of the continent.”

This demands a different, innovative take on

international curricula. While ALA is aligned with the

Cambridge and IB systems, we tailor that learning

michael Gyampo arrived at aLa when departments were still being developed – initially setting up the first classes as Head of Science, then leading various departments as Chair of math, Science, and Technology. Today, as the Deputy Dean of academy, michael is considered a sage elder and academician. He has seen aLa grow from an idea to a world-class academic institution with a formidable vision, in less than a decade.

to be more Africa-centric and student-specific. Michael

explains how this is possible: “If I am teaching chemistry

for instance, there are a lot of examples I can draw

from that would make teaching the subject much more

relevant to a student in a small town in Mozambique...

For example, soap-making – how is soap made in

villages? Because they actually prepare soap in villages,

I can take that model and show how chemistry works in

delivering local soap.”

ALA’s rigorous curriculum is underpinned by a culture of

inclusiveness and equity that seeks to ensure all students

can succeed regardless of differences such as gender,

socio-economic class, home countries and language.

Michael has led the development of support systems

that track individual student performance, ensuring

immediate support for those falling behind. It is a unique,

high-touch model that provides focused and tailored

support to students throughout their ALA journey – from

getting off the plane and entering campus, to navigating

ALA life and applying for university.

“There is a recognition that different students will

progress along different trajectories... We don’t judge

them all by a flat system, but by how much each student

is progressing.” The result of this is a student body where

orphans and refugees become indistinguishable from the

sons and daughters of heads of state, educators, doctors,

and business leaders.

ALA’s greatest proof-of-concept lies in our students, in

how they live the model while at ALA and how they carry

that leadership beyond our gates. To this end, Michael

also oversees the uniquely ALA External Opportunities

Program, which connects ALA’s young leaders to local

and global platforms such as the Aspen Institute or the

Clinton Global Initiative, allowing them to share their

ideas and foster connections which will enable them to

translate their ideas into action.

As one of our founding faculty members, Michael has

seen how each class over the last nine years passes the

ALA ethos forward, providing glimpses of the lasting

legacy we seek to build.

“The grandfather feeling? It’s exciting. I think it is

an endorsement of the fact that we are truly doing

something right. It is also exciting because of the sheer

impact that this is having and is going to have on others

beyond these boundaries. It’s a really, really great

feeling.”

Designing a Curriculum for africa’s FutureMichael Gyampo

We are talking abouta new approach toeducation, a newapproach todeveloping kids.”

mICHaEL GYamPO, GHaNadEpUty dEAn Of thE ACAdEMy




When Mopati arrived at ALA in 2011, the

departments of African Studies and

Writing and Rhetoric were still nascent.

Through various iterations, the departments

emerged with focused objectives and cohesion. The

resulting courses were structured under a common

pedagogical umbrella geared toward instilling

a deep intellectual curiosity in ALA students,

and preparing them to interrogate concepts of

African identity. They are designed to build young

leaders who are not only knowledgeable about

the continent, but who can think analytically, read

critically, and communicate clearly for impact.

“While traditional approaches in African Studies

only skim the surface, the course at ALA delves

students into a deep and thoughtful study of one

big concept. Rather than covering numerous topics,

my class might spend a lot of time on the trans-

Atlantic slave trade and African diaspora; another

on colonialism and independence movements.

That way, students really slow down, think about

things from different angles, interrogate sources,

and really sharpen their thinking, as opposed to

rushing through content to get factual knowledge.”

The application of inquiry becomes particularly

relevant in courses about ethical leadership,

governance, and concepts of leadership versus

rulership. “We come back to this question often

when we think about ‘rulership’ across Africa,”

Mopati explains. “It is not about giving students

all the answers to ethical governance, but about

taking them through the various considerations of

ethics. We deliberately complicate their thinking of

ethical practice, because that is where realization

of ethical values emerges.”

what pedagogy best develops the next generation of african leaders who are prepared to create large-scale positive change? This is an ambitious, urgent, and multi-faceted question that shapes curriculum development at aLa, and serves as a compass for mopati morake’s classes and teaching.

The curriculum immerses students in the power

of African storytelling through African literature,

creating a connection to the continent while

training students to be scholars in constructing

and deconstructing concepts, and writing and

responding to arguments in a way that prepares

them for life beyond ALA. It also engages students

in democratic conversation – a framework for

entrepreneurial and ethical leadership, which

trains students to construct an argument by

listening to others.

Ultimately, it is the multi-disciplinary combination

of subjects that equips ALA students to translate

their skills into a focused sense of leadership

attributes. Mopati and some of his colleagues

are pioneering a transdisciplinary pedagogical

experiment that blends African Studies, Writing

and Rhetoric, and Entrepreneurial Leadership

in a way that creates a more integrated learning

experience. This newly-emerging blended course

holds promise as a smarter learning platform

for students to transfer and apply knowledge

seamlessly between various contexts, and acquire

a more holistic sense of the African context.

The trajectory of ALA’s African Studies and Writing

and Rhetoric departments has helped the Academy

define its desired independent and critical thinking

outcomes. It has also helped us to outline what we

want ALA students to learn about being African,

and how they will be prepared to engage with the

world. These courses create a foundation for how

ALA students connect with Africa, and how they

develop and apply their sense of leadership as

they embark on their journeys on the continent.

Cultivating Independent Thinkers Mopati Morake

While traditional approaches in African Studies only skim the surface, the course at ALA delves students into a deep and thoughtful study of one big concept.”

mOPaTI mOraKE, BOTSwaNahUMAnItIES fACULty

SIXafrican Studies electives offered in the

2015-16 academic year, including african Politics & Governance, african Literature,

and The african Diaspora

THrEETiered levels of writing and rhetoric offered,

as well as an English for Excellence course option for English language learners




When Segun joined ALA, the Academy had three core courses: Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and African Studies.

Each of them was taught separately. But as the leadership and entrepreneurship faculty began to work together, it became clear that there was an opportunity to deeply intertwine their work. “In this age, few things are done in singular disciplines. Leadership and Entrepreneurship work best together,” he says. Soon, “Mr. O” became the head of a merged department, Entrepreneurial Leadership, which emerged from a purposeful, months-long redesign process that leveraged the strengths and experiences of a diverse collection of faculty members and curriculum designers. The team reflected on mission-focused questions: What are we trying to achieve? Where will our students need to be 50 years from now? What are the resources, attitudes, and attributes they will require? Two key results emerged: first, the codification of a set of core curricular components; and second, a shift toward assessments that emphasized

developmental progress and the mastery of leadership behaviors.

One of the core components of ALA’s Entrepreneurial Leadership curriculum is a model called BUILD (Believe, Understand, Invent, Listen, and Deliver). BUILD is ALA’s unique approach to problem-solving and the underlying framework for our teaching of youth entrepreneurship. Using this model, ALA students immerse themselves in project-based learning, whether on the ALA campus or at a local community service site such as an orphanage or day-care center in a nearby township. Students utilize the framework to identify a real-life challenge and develop a human-centered and innovative solution. The approach to grading in Entrepreneurial Leadership is particularly important. Segun points out that traditional letter grades would be poor representations of the nature of leadership development. “What does a ‘C’ in Leadership mean to a student? Is it a reflection of how they have grown as a leader, or a reflection of how they

Segun Olagunju has been one of the primary architects of aLa’s approach to Entrepreneurial Leadership since joining the academy in 2010.

have regurgitated information?” At ALA, the focus is experiential, practical, and developmental: students are evaluated according to growth, with regular self-reflection and feedback from their peers and faculty coaches. “We don’t teach our students to be entrepreneurs. We teach them to be entrepreneurial. That is the key difference. We need entrepreneurial people in every facet of life and society….” ALA’s Entrepreneurial Leadership model is expanding beyond the campus of ALA itself, developing entrepreneurial leaders and instilling an entrepreneurial mindset in youth across the continent and globe through a complementary suite of program offerings, such as ALA’s Global Scholars Program, BUILD camps run by ALA students in their home countries, a curriculum licensing model, as well as an innovative new teacher training program launched earlier this year. These programs will allow ALA to dramatically extend its reach in developing entrepreneurial leaders well beyond the walls of the Academy. In his current role as the Director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, Segun feels a sense of urgency in exporting ALA’s Entrepreneurial Leadership curriculum across the continent. “We recognize that we need a greater critical mass of young leaders. Twenty years from now, we will have almost 70 percent of our population between the ages of 15 and 35. If we don’t begin to change our educational approach on the continent now, we may miss that window… We need to accelerate the work that ALA does by reaching out and building a network of schools across the continent who will deliver a 21st Century educational experience in the same way that we have at ALA.”

Developing Entrepreneurial Leaders Segun Olagunju

SEGuN OLaGuNJu, NIGErIa & uNITED STaTESdIRECtOR, CEntER fOR EntREpREnEURIAL LEAdERShIp

We don’t teach our students to be entrepreneurs.We teach them tobe entrepreneurial. That is the key difference. We need entrepreneurial people in every facet of life and society.…”

5Schools that aLa actively advises in Entrepreneurial

Leadership curriculum

12african countries

represented by trained educators

87Educators trained in aLa’s

Entrepreneurial Leadership curriculum to date (~70% are african)




Now Director of Arts and Culture and Head of

Department of Creative Arts, Gavin has held

various leadership positions in residential

and student life over time. He helped identify

students for the inaugural class, and in 2008,

deferred his Master’s degree to join ALA and help

build its foundation from the frontline. He describes

his journey to ALA as one of service to the mission.

His role began with taking charge of ALA’s base

camp: its residences. He and four other Fellows were

the only staff who lived on campus at the time, and

shouldered the tremendous responsibility of taking

care of students outside of class. When he joined

ALA, there were no structures, policies or schedules

in place, and he says the modus operandi was, “If it

works, just do it.” Those bold decisions in ALA’s early

days broke ground for the robust Residential and

Student Life programs that exist today.

“We were all on a steep learning curve. None of us

had previous experience in caretaking. There were

a lot of day-to-day operational questions like, ‘What

happens if something floods? What do we do if a

student collapses? What is the policy for a student

who breaks the rules?’ It was all-hands-on-deck, and

everyone pitched in to make things happen.”

As practices were fortified through cycles of

feedback and reevaluation, they became policies,

procedures, systems, traditions, and cultures that

weave the fabric of student life at ALA today. And

as Residential and Student Life programs have

evolved over time, so too have unique traditions

become permanently embedded in ALA culture

and student life. Celebratory events such as Taalaw

(opening ceremony), Graduation, Founders’ Day

and the Student Government inauguration, each

with their own distinct “Gavin Peter” flavor, are now

indispensable components of the ALA community

experience.

Gavin also introduced the orientation program for

new students, which he still leads today. His own

overwhelming experience when arriving at ALA informs

his commitment to fostering lasting connections and

shared experiences of welcome for newcomers to the

community. Though covering much administrative

ground, the program is infused with abundant

laughter and playfulness.

“The question I asked myself was, ‘How can we make

people undergoing the traumatic experience of leaving

home (for some, leaving their cities for the first time)

feel warm and homey?’ We thought about what these

students should be writing each day to their parents.

The first day should be: ‘I’m safe and have a lovely

roommate.’ The second day should be ‘I’m so excited to

be at this awesome school.’ I wanted students arriving to

feel comfortable and safe and, most importantly, to feel

charged and energized about being at ALA.”

The culmination of orientation is Taalaw – ALA’s annual

opening ceremony which, to date, remains a highlight

of the ALA calendar. It is a grand celebration which

sees “a parade of nations,” – students of each country

welcoming fellow nationals with vibrant song, dance,

and traditional attire. “This is a real African moment,”

he says. “A moment where students truly feel:

I have arrived.”

Gavin also created the programs that assign each

student to a “House” – named after major African rivers,

and a residential “Hall”. He describes this as one of the

most successful community-building programs to date.

“By giving students these identities through a House

and a Hall, we tell them they are part of a group, which

challenges them to become passionate about something

that may be outside their comfort zone… It is a powerful

bonding experience.”

Throughout all of Gavin’s roles at ALA, he has sought to

authentically embed key elements of Africa, of home,

and of community into student life and learning at ALA.

“One of my strongest goals is to build a community,

keeping people connected to something that is African.

Students and staff often say they feel very attached to

ALA’s ideals - the abstract feeling and sense of belonging

that comes from ALA.”

Gavin Peter has been the pulse behind aLa, molding our culture, traditions, and residential programs, and building a purpose-driven community.

Creating Pan-african Culture and CommunityGavin Peter

GaVIN PETEr, ZImBaBwEdIRECtOR Of ARtS & CULtURE

SIXHouses called Volta, Tana,

Zambezi, Niger, Nile, and Congo

EIGHTresidential hall communities split across

male and female wings

One of my strongest goals is to build a community, keeping people connected to something that is African. Students and staff often say they feel very attached to ALA’s ideals - the abstract feeling and sense of belonging that comes from ALA.”




Right before I joined, I remember

asking ‘Do you have a university

guidance resource center? Do you have an office

set up for counselors? Do you have computer

facilities for students to look at applications?’ The

response was, ‘Nope, nope, nope. Just start from

scratch.’ The uniqueness of ALA’s program meant

that there was no other model we could turn to.

We literally were starting from scratch.”

Within days of ALA’s grand opening, Chemeli

was on campus helping students with university

application preparation. That marked the start of

ALA’s University Guidance program and, together

with Laura Kaub, then Director of University

Guidance, she began laying the groundwork

for what is now a robust program highly regarded

by universities around the world. One of their first

steps was establishing ALA as a test center for the

SAT, ACT and TOEFL tests. While these tests are

required in many university applications, they do

not provide accurate assessments of ALA students.

“Most of our students had never even heard of the

SAT, and here we were, helping them get ready to

take this test in less than six months; a test that

universities place a lot of emphasis on… ALA’s

curriculum doesn’t prepare students to test.

Our curriculum is designed toward engagement

and discussion.”

Over the past eight years, ALA’s University

Guidance team has made significant strides in

getting universities to look beyond the SAT as

the major assessment tool when screening ALA

students.

“I am really pleased to see how we have been able

to influence thinking on the use of SATs. More and

more, universities are focused on how students

Chemeli Kipkorir joined in 2008, and was aLa’s first university guidance counselor. She has helped build a college counseling system that attracts the best universities from around the world looking to recruit top african students from aLa.

are performing at ALA, what activities they are involved

in, what community service projects they have taken

on. They look at ALA students at very different levels

compared to other international students.”

As the University Guidance team built the program,

their approach has evolved into a highly individualized

design, which tries to find the best fit for students, rather

than force-fitting students to a limited set of universities.

Counselors work closely with each student’s “advisory

family” to create a list of universities that would be a

good fit for each student. The team also helps students

find universities that are more likely to offer financial

support. “Part of what we do is provide financial advice

for families. We never push a family to go into financial

debt in order to support their children to go

to university,” says Chemeli.

Sometimes this may mean encouraging a student to take

a gap year after ALA to pursue an internship, rethinking

what they want to do, and then getting into a university

in the following year with financial aid. Other times it

means exploring universities outside of North America

with greater financial aid resources.

The team has built relationships with universities around

the world to create scholarship opportunities for ALA

students. In addition to North America and Africa, our

students now have a presence at Jacobs University in

Germany, NYU Abu Dhabi in the U.A.E., NYU Shanghai

in China, Sciences Po in France, Yonsei University in

South Korea, and more.

Chemeli looks forward to building more partnerships

with universities around the world, and getting them to

invest in and benefit from ALA students. Her greatest

source of pride at ALA is seeing how the University

Guidance program has created education pathways for

ALA students over the last nine years.

From its humble beginnings, University Guidance at

ALA is now a robust program, which sees 98% of ALA

graduates go on to university within 12 months of ALA

graduation, and 93% of them graduating from university

in less than five years. She attributes the success of the

program’s approach to the Founders’ leadership.

“They never ever placed quotas on getting a certain

number of students into Ivy League schools. They want

students to design their own path and that is very

encouraging. It broadens students’ thinking about their

own pathways to success.”

Curating university OpportunitiesChemeli Kipkorir

CHEmELI KIPKOrIr, KENYadIRECtOR Of UnIVERSIty GUIdAnCE

$90m awarded to aLa students in university financial aid

to date

98% of aLa students go on to

university within 12 months of graduating

31Countries where aLa students

have attended university to date

More and more, universities are focused on how students are performing at ALA, what activities they are involved in, what community service projects they have taken on. They look at ALA students at very different levels compared to other international students.”

146universities attended

by aLa alumni to date




on career interests, job applications, and connections

to opportunities. When students launch their own

initiatives, the program provides support to help them

scale their organizations.

The success and strength of the LLE model is evident

in the alumni network and peer support. Though we

have had only three cohorts of ALA alumni complete

university, we can see signs of a very active alumni

network that is driving the ALA mission - they are

coming back to Africa, making impact through their

own initiatives, giving back to ALA, and giving back to

each other.

“The peer influence model is paramount to LLE’s

success. Increasingly, I’m seeing that students actually

lean on each other a lot more than even reaching out to

us, which is exactly what we want. It is like a powerful

cocktail of young people with different strengths and

backgrounds who are all coming back to serve Africa.

That’s where the future of this network lies.”

The LLE model is unique in that it is the only mechanism

on the continent that is deliberately shaping a pan-

African network of young leaders, connecting and

coaching them towards opportunities; and at the same

time, conditioning the employment market across the

continent to reverse the brain-drain, and shift away from

post-colonial mindsets of reserving high paying jobs for

the elite or expatriates.

By creating internship and job placement opportunities,

ACN is changing the employment ecosystem itself -

actively creating an internship market that did not

exist before, shifting youth perceptions of returning

back to Africa from “obligation” to “opportunity,” and

influencing the market to focus on talent over traditional

social capital. The LLE program is a tremendous

investment for an institution the size of ALA to make.

But, Sharmi sees LLE as a mechanism that transcends

ALA’s gates.

“It is fundamental to the mission – it is the tail-end

of our model and we have to do it at a number of

levels. LLE directly seeks to address the immense

inequality in social capital that exists on the

continent. Getting jobs in Africa is not easy. We need

to connect employers to students, and students to

opportunities. In order to transform the continent,

our students need three times, four times, five times

the type of investment in terms of time, money, and

effort. It is an investment towards a social good and

the continent’s future.”

Sharmi oversees the systems and

partnerships through which ALA students

build a network and connect to the

opportunities they need to thrive and make

an impact on the continent beyond ALA.

“We learned a lot from placing ALA’s inaugural

class into jobs. It was an incredibly important

proof-point in our model, and we did a really great

job with close to 70 percent coming back to the

continent with full-time jobs,” says Sharmi. “Since

then, we have built out the full-fledged value

chain of lifelong engagement, which is not just

about getting jobs, but the whole spectrum – What

happens after ALA? Are students supported at

university? Are they connecting to each other? Are

they finding internships? Are they coming back to

jobs? And, are they giving back to ALA?”

These questions underscore a belief that underpins

the Lifelong Engagement (LLE) model: Building

a powerful network of next-generation leaders in

Africa requires a deliberate set of interventions

that kick-start well before students graduate, and

continue throughout their lives, creating a virtuous

cycle of engagement, growth, and opportunity. The

interventions have specific goals of building peer

support and social capital, providing coaching, and

opening up and connecting students to concrete

opportunities on the continent.

Sharmi describes the way her program works as

“advocates passing the baton”. The University

Support team welcomes students into university,

and provides coaching through the first three

years. Students then transition to the Africa Careers

Network (ACN) team, which provides active coaching

Since joining aLa, Sharmi Surianarain has been a key architect within aLa’s institutional engine. Her current role as Vice President, Lifelong Engagement, reverberates aLa’s core mission of developing a powerful network of leaders who will work together to transform the continent.

Building a Lifelong NetworkSharmi Surianarain

SHarmI SurIaNaraIN, INDIaVICE pRESIdEnt, LIfELOnG EnGAGEMEnt

It is like a powerful cocktail of young people with different strengths and backgrounds who are all coming back to serve Africa.”

of the latest cohort of university graduates (Class of 2016) were placed

in jobs or graduate school within 3 months of graduation

80%

of aLa alumni complete their undergraduate degree within

5 years of enrollment

93%Jobs created by

aLa alumni ventures to date

Young leaders in the ALA network

318 853

of job placements for aLa’s first 3 cohorts of university

graduates are in africa

68% Internship placements secured by aCN to date

(86% are in africa)

1042




2016Financials

inCome Statement | For the year end, June 30th

*In Millions (ZAR)

2016 2015 2014

REVENUE 153.6 152.4 84.8

Other Income 0.0 0.2 0.9

Operating Expenses (108.3) (83.4) (70.4)

OPERATING SURPLUS 45.3 69.2 15.3

Investment Revenue 4.3 1.7 0.8

Profit (or loss) on Forex 6.6 0.0 (0.5)

Finance Costs (2.3) (1.1) (1.6)

SURPLUS FOR THE YEAR 53.9 69.8 14.0

opeRatinG eXpenSeS

ProgramExpenses

Administrative Expenses

Fundraising Expenses

82%

12%

6%

baLanCe Sheet | As of June 30th

Audited financials available on request.

*In Millions (ZAR)

2016 2015 2014

Current Assets 159.3 92.3 40.4

Non-Current Assets 144.0 109.4 79.3

TOTAL ASSETS 303.3 201.7 119.7

Current Liabilities 51.0 50.3 33.1

Non-Current Liabilities 62.2 15.3 20.4

TOTAL LIABILITIES 113.2 65.6 53.5

NET ASSETS 190.1 136.1 66.2

303.3 201.7 119.7

TOTAL LIABILITIES& NET ASSETS

Lara rabiu joined aLa as Chief Financial Officer in 2013 from a financial leadership role at mcKesson, a major pharmaceutical distribution company. as CFO, she has stewarded an aggressive investment program and ensured that aLa weathers the challenges of operating in sometimes turbulent african markets.

Financial & Organizational InformationLara Rabiu

Lara raBIu, NIGErIaCHIEF FINaNCIaL OFFICEr

We have committed R120M to two flagship projects: the now complete Nelson Mandela Residence, which expanded our student population by almost 40%; and the Pardee Learning Commons, which will serve as the hub for campus learning and will be completed in September 2017.”

ALA has carefully managed its operating

budget such that we can invest in an

aggressive Campus Master Plan created in 2014. We

have committed R120M to two flagship projects: the

now complete Nelson Mandela Residence, which

expanded our student population by almost 40%;

and the Pardee Learning Commons, which will

serve as the hub for campus learning and

will be completed in September 2017.”

With our new construction, we will improve our cost

structure and mission impact, developing more

young leaders for Africa each year. We will also

ensure that our young leaders learn in high-quality

spaces that promote entrepreneurial thinking,

dialogue, and independent exploration.

We also continue to make progress in financial

sustainability, a core objective of our ALA 2017

strategic plan. In 2016, revenue from programs

jumped to R31M, an increase of over 45% versus the

previous year. Our diploma program, camps, and

school advisory revenue streams show the promise

of strong growth going forward, though we remain

concerned about the effect of macroeconomic

challenges in key markets on the continent.

It is certain that philanthropy remains core to our

effort of building a lasting institution, and will

for several years to come, particularly for growth

capital to enable our sustainability by ensuring

the competitiveness and attractiveness of our

core facilities. Philanthropic investments continue

to enable a campus master plan that will set the

stage for a sustainable future – and ensure that we

maintain our commitment to developing leaders

from all backgrounds across the continent.

SoURCeS oF ReVenUe FoR opeRationS

R 150M

R 100M

R 50M

R 0M

Programs Partnerships Philanthropy

152.4 153.6

88.2

2015 2016

106.8

22.2

23.4

34.5

30.9


Annual Report 2016 - African Leadership Academy African Leadership Academy - Annual Report 2016


SenioR LeadeRShip

Chris BradfordCo-Founder & CEO, ALA

Lara RabiuChief Financial Officer

Hatim EltayebDean of the Academy

Josh AdlerVice President, Global Programs

Uzo Agyare-KumiDean Emeritus

Dr. Frank AswaniVice President, Strategic Relations

Tim McChristianExecutive Director, African Leadership Foundation

Margaret MeagherVice President, Partnerships & Impact

Sharmi SurianarainVice President, Lifelong Engagement

boaRd oF tRUSteeS

Selwyn BliedenHead of Africa Coverage, Commercial Property Finance, Barclays Africa Group Limited


Jon CummingsDirector,McKinsey & Company

David GeralPartner, Bowman Gilfillan &Executive Chairperson, ALA

Nicola Harris Founding Trustee,The Click Foundation

Jacob HinsonChief Investment Officer,Kagiso Tiso Holdings

Itumeleng KgaboeleseCo-Founder & CEO,Sphere Private Equity

Lillian Maboya, ALA ‘09, Sales Analyst, General Electric

Margaret NkrumahFormer Principal, SOS Hermann Gmeiner International College

Khumo ShongweSenior Advisor,Royal Bafokeng Holdings

Fred SwanikerCo-Founder, ALA & CEO,African Leadership University

aFRiCan LeadeRShip FoUndation boaRd oF diReCtoRS

Elizabeth Berry GipsEducation Consultant & Chair, African Leadership Foundation


Ed BrakemanManaging Director,Bain Capital

Alex CummingsFormer Executive Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer,The Coca-Cola Company

Jon CummingsDirector,McKinsey & Company

Scott EisnerVice President, African Affairs & President, African Business Center,US Chamber of Commerce

Joan LonerganHead of School Emerita,The Hewitt School

Alan MainFormer Global President,Bayer Medical Care

Richard OkelloCo-Founder & CEO, Sango Capital

Laura WaitzFormer Senior Managing Director,The Blackstone Group

Angela ZaehVice President, Growth & International,Student.com

Leadership & GovernancePatrick AwuahFounder & President,Ashesi University Hakeem Belo-OsagieChairman,Etisalat Nigeria Dr. Myma Belo-OsagieManaging Partner,Udo, Udoma & Belo-Osagie Dr. Nick BinedellFounding Director,Gordon Institute ofBusiness Science Ed BrakemanManaging Director,Bain Capital Gary CohenChairman, IBM Africa &General Manager,Global Communications Sector

Robert CollymoreCEO,Safaricom Limited

Dr. Okechukwu EnelamahCo-Founder & CEO,African Capital Alliance

Carly FiorinaFormer CEO,Hewlett Packard Tunde FolawiyoManaging Director,Yinka Folawiyo Group

Bradford GioiaHeadmaster,Montgomery Bell Academy

Amb. Donald Gips, Ret.Partner,Albright Stonebridge Group

Wilfred GriekspoorDirector Emeritus,McKinsey & Company John Antony HoodPresident & CEO,Robertson Foundation

Christopher KhaembaInaugural Dean,African Leadership Academy Acha LekeCo-Founder, ALA & Director,McKinsey & Company

Lai Cheng LimFormer Principal,Raffles Institution, Singapore

Wendy LuhabeFounder & Chairperson,Women Private Equity Fund

Temba MaqubelaHeadmaster,Groton School

Jacko MareeFormer Chief Executive,Standard Bank Group

Rick MenellFormer Senior Advisor,Credit Suisse

Phumzile Mlambo-NgcukaFormer Deputy President,Republic of South Africa &Executive Director, UN Women

Festus MogaeFormer President,Republic of Botswana Peter MombaurCo-Founder, ALA &Managing Director,Tana Africa Capital

Futhi MtobaChairman,Deloitte Southern Africa James MwangiCEO & Managing Director,Equity Bank Phuthuma NhlekoFormer CEO,MTN Group

Sizwe NxasanaFormer CEO,FirstRand Banking Group

Gbenga OyebodeFounder & Managing Partner,Aluko & Oyebode

Isaac ShongweFounder & Non-Executive Chairman,Letsema Holdings

Ibrahim SlaouiChairman & Managing Director,Mafoder John ThorntonFormer President & Co-CEO,Goldman Sachs Dr. Ralph TownsendHeadmaster,Winchester College

Global advisory Council

Mimi AlemayehouExecutive Advisor & Chair, Blackstone Africa Infrastructure LP

Carroll BogertPresident,The Marshall Project

Amy BrakemanPresident,Umsizi Fund

Amb. John Campbell, RetRalph Bunche Senior Fellow for Africa Policy Studies,Council on Foreign Relations

Amb. Johnnie Carson, Ret Former US Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of African Affairs

Molly CashinCo-Chair,Global Education Initiative for Jesuit Refugee Services, USA

Wilfred ChilangwaPortfolio Manager,Fidelity Investments

Gary CohenChairman, IBM Africa &General Manager,Global Communications Sector

David ColemanPresident & CEO,The College Board

Michael DenningHead of Upper School, Noble & Grenought

Ted DintersmithVenture Capitalist

Cheryl DorseyPresident,Echoing Green

Kevin EfrusyPartner,Accel Partners

Molly EfrusyPresident,Efrusy Family Foundation

Jim FlemingPartner,Columbia Capital LLC

Amb. Donald Gips, RetPartner,Albright Stonebridge Group & Chair, US Advisory Council

David IssroffPrivate Investor & Founder, Issroff Family Foundation Lisa IssroffCo-Founder & Executive Director,Issroff Family Foundation

Tony MarxCEO, New York Public Library

Dominique MiellePartner & Senior Portfolio Manager, Canyon Capital Advisors

Sarah O’HaganConsultant

Nicholas PianimManaging Director,DAG Ventures

Margaret RaffinIshiyama Foundation

Julian RobertsonFounder,Tiger Management

Sarah Robertson

Spencer RobertsonFounder & CEO, PAVE Schools

Margie ThorneManaging Partner,Social Weavers

Nate ThorneInvestor

Bruce WalkerDirector of the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT & Harvard

Mark YuskoFounder, CEO & CIO, Morgan Creek Capital Management

Jide ZeitlinInvestor

Mary ZientsCo-Founder & Board Chair,Urban Alliance Foundation

uS advisory Council


www.africanleadershipacademy.org 24 www.africanleadershipacademy.org 25


UPS recognizes that diverse, thriving businesses

are at the center of any vibrant community. Many

people, however, lack access to the knowledge,

tools, and resources needed to start and grow successful

businesses.

To help address this, The UPS Foundation began our

partnership with ALA in 2011 to support young African

entrepreneurs who, through key training exercises, can

serve as role models for other youth across the continent.

By engaging and empowering young entrepreneurial

leaders, we each can have a hand in providing lasting

impact in their communities simply by seeking out and

fostering this next generation of ethical and effective

leaders across Africa.

LAURA JOHNSDirector of Corporate Relations, UPS

At Nedbank, we strongly believe in identifying and

nurturing young talent. ALA develops the type of

leaders that Nedbank wishes to cultivate for the

business, and for South Africa as a whole.

The success of the two year program that our sponsored

students have embarked on, is a great testament to

the passion and commitment of ALA to create the best

possible leaders in the younger generation. This ties in

closely with Nedbank’s vision of growing our staff,

clients, and communities, and creating sustainability

on our continent.

We are proud of the students that we have sponsored

as they have graduated as inspiring, confident, talented

and well-rounded individuals. Nedbank is proud to have

formed this partnership and looks forward to continued

collaboration with ALA to create a better Africa.

DIROSHNI GOvENDERBursary Program Manager, Nedbank

Supporter Spotlight

Supporter Spotlight

UPS Nedbank

SIXEIGHT

aLa students sponsored by The uPS Foundation

aLa students sponsored by Nedbank

THrEEaLa graduates have interned at

uPS with permanent job opportunities under discussion




$1,000,000+AnonymousBezos Family FoundationEd & Amy BrakemanThe Coca-Cola Africa FoundationThe MasterCard FoundationJohn & Tashia MorgridgeOmidyar NetworkRebecca OppenheimerScott Cook & Signe OstbyFrederick S. PardeeThe Robertson FoundationW.K. Kellogg Foundation

$500,000+ActisJosh & Anita BekensteinHakeem & Myma Belo-OsagieCisco SystemsDiamond Empowerment FundELMA PhilanthropiesTunde & Reni FolawiyoGEGoogleIrv & Sukey GrousbeckIshiyama FoundationMichael & Susan Dell FoundationDerek Schrier & Cecily Cameron UPS Foundation

$100,000+ABSAAfrican Capital AllianceAgnes Varis Charitable TrustAmerican Schools & Hospitals Abroad (ASHA)Thomas & Pat BarryJonathan BeareBertha FoundationBlackstone Charitable FoundationMichael & Pam CarmenCEDAR FoundationColgate-PalmoliveCredit SuisseJon Cummings & Holly HegenerTed Dintersmith & Elizabeth HazardDebra Dunn & Randy KomisarEchoing Green FoundationEfrusy Family FoundationEquity BankCarly & Frank FiorinaFirstRand FoundationFlora Family FoundationFlour Mills NigeriaNeil & Peggy GetnickIBMAsue & Ifeyinwa IghodaloImago Dei FundIntuit FoundationIsibindi Trust

Issroff Family FoundationChandra JesseeJP Morgan Chase FoundationTemp & Kerry KellerBob & Dottie KingDavid & Kelsey LamondAcha LekeStephen & Sue MandelMichele May & David WaltSusan McCawMcKinsey & CompanyMcKinsey for ChildrenDominique Mielle & Juan CarilloJames Mwangi & Jane NjugunaWill & Brooke Muggia NedbankPhuthuma NhlekoGbenga & Aisha OyebodePembani GroupTom & JaMel PerkinsPPC CementPRANA - StiftungPromasidorRita Allen FoundationTom & Stacey SiebelSilver Point CapitalStandard BankTembo Twiga FoundationJan & Tom ThomasNate & Margie ThorneMatthew Tierney & Dana Orange

TronoxTullow OilUS Department of State

$25,000+AnonymousMichael AjukwuAllan GrayBloombergBolloré Transport Logistics The Buffin FoundationJames & Julie BradfordJudson & Catharine BradfordChristopher & Barbara BrodyLarry & Jennifer ClarkCanadian High Commission, South AfricaAlex & Teresa CummingsNomsa & Francis Daniels Danish Embassy, South AfricaPatrick & Kara DennisDonor Circle for Africa - Silicon Valley Paul & Sandra EdgerleyEmmanuel EdozienJohn & Laura FisherJim & Sheila FlemingJohn & Claire FlynnElizabeth & Donald GipsGoogle Employee Giving Program

Walter & Julie HaasPaul Harris & Nicola HarrisKen & Julie HershSandra HoffmanConnie & Dennis KellerDerek & Lisa KirklandBarrie LandryLouis Dreyfus FoundationLouis Dreyfus GroupPhil & Ellie LoughlinKendall Family FoundationAlan MainThilo MannhardtTemba & Vuyelwa MaqubelaNonkqubela MazwaiBusi & Peter MombaurMarisa MullerMedia Trust Ltd (Nigeria)MTV NetworksMuse Family FoundationNemec Family FoundationNielsenMark Nunnelly & Denise DupreOld MutualOsaze & Ibukun OsifoPernod RicardNicholas & Erika PianimAlice & Ben ReiterSAB MillerNicole Sermier & Franco TapiaKhumo & Ndileka Shuenyane

Thomas & Carrie SiegelSilicon Valley Community Foundation Southern Star Shipping Co. IncGregory & Laura SpivyIn memory of Alasdair StewartStanford Graduate School of BusinessFIS GlobalThomas SvanikierEdna SwanikerTendy NigeriaTheseu TrusteesLaura WaitzAngela ZaehJon & Carlyn Zehner

$10,000+Bear & Pam AlbrightTom Epley & Linnae AndersonPeter & India BairdMeg & Tomas BergstrandAlan BowserCharles Schwab Charity FundWilfred & Patricia ChilangwaThe Coca-Cola CompanyGary & Lauren CohenDaniel E. Hogan Jr. Charitable FoundationCaroline Donahue

Norbert DoerrDrumcliff FoundationAdebayo EdunJenna & James EllisEgg FoundationEMSENI TrustExpeditors InternationalBob & Nancy FareseRuss FaucettJohn & Laura FisherLawrence FoxGenentechGregg GonsalvesGarth & Lindsay Greimann Brian & Elizabeth HarperHarvard Model United NationsDeborah Hazell & Said NurhBo Hopkins & Ranji NagaswamiCurtis JacksonPeter KellnerKraft Foods FoundationKupanda CapitalKaren & Sam LambertLionel LammensJohn LanghusLuanda International SchoolLaura & Scott MalkinJonathan MalpassMatchboxologyMichael McCafferySusan & Thomas McCarthyMicrosoft

Miles Moreland FoundationSarah & Peter O’HaganCharles OkeahalamRichard & Omega OkelloOch-Ziff Capital Management Ernie & Kim ParizeauMark PattersonThe Pzena Investment Charitable FundRob & Ann QuandtDuncan & Meredith RandallRichard W. Goldman Family FoundationJesse RogersRichard RosenCindy SkarbekSouthwest DevelopmentAshley & Robert SternfelsSonia Survanshi & Joshua McFarlandWill & Genie ThorndikeLandry TientcheuWalbridge FundJay WalkerAdam WinkelChee Siew YawMary & Jeff Zients

with Gratitude

Our deepest appreciation goes out to our extraordinary donors who have helped make the ALA vision a reality.

African Leadership Academy was founded to

transform Africa by developing a powerful

network of over 6,000 leaders who will

work together to address Africa’s greatest

challenges, achieve extraordinary social impact,

and accelerate the continent’s growth trajectory.

In 2008, we opened our doors to our first crop of young

leaders, and recently admitted our largest ever class of

132 students. In September 2018, we will mark ten years

of identifying, developing, and connecting young African

leaders, by welcoming our tenth cohort of students to

our campus.

Our Decennial year will centre on reflecting on and

celebrating our progress to date, while investing towards

the impact we want to have in the next ten years.

Until then, we continue to build towards this significant

milestone in ALA’s history. This past year, we began

construction on a new Pardee Learning Commons, and

devised a pilot course that fuses our forward-thinking

Entrepreneurial Leadership, African Studies, and Writing

and Rhetoric curricula.

We invite you to join us in the year ahead as we prepare

to kick off our celebrations.

Coming Soon

ALA’s Decennial Year

In September 2018, we will mark ten years of identifying, developing, and connecting young African leaders




ALA’s flagship two-year pre-university program centered on Entrepreneurial Leadership, African Studies, Writing and Rhetoric, and the Cambridge A Levels.Each year, ALA identifies young leaders between the ages of 16 and 19 with demonstrated leadership potential and a strong sense of purpose. Through our unique curriculum at the Academy, they develop the skills, mindset, and network to contribute towards our mission of enabling lasting peace and shared prosperityacross the continent. After they graduate, ALA continues to cultivate these leaders throughout their lives, in university and beyond. We support their growth through access to internships, career opportunities, and high-impact networks of people and capital that will empower them to create transformative change.

A three-week leadership program for teens aged 15 to 19.Our school break (June-August) program engages young leaders in social entrepreneurship, design-thinking, leadership training, adventure, and cross-cultural exchange, preparing them to create change in Africa and around the world. Participants practice leadership by working with social ventures, learn from South African entrepreneurs and community members, develop skills through team-based challenges, build a global network of peers, and discover the history, beauty, and diversity of Africa.

ALA’s curriculum sharing, school advisory, and educator training arm is enabling leadership academies globally.The Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership seeks to accelerate the reach and influence of the Academy in order to catalyze a critical mass of effective and ethical leaders for Africa and the world. We equip educators and next-generation schools with curricula, workshops, trainings, and advisory services that encapsulate ALA’s pioneering 21st Century educational development experience and expertise.

A portable toolkit of content and teaching materials that allows a team of ALA student facilitators to run community-based Entrepreneurial Leadership camps.As part of their leadership journey, ALA students and alumni often take the initiative to run Entrepreneurial Leadership camps in their home countries, embedding them in the practice of leadership through applied learning. The curriculum is based on BUILD, a unique framework for teaching entrepreneurship.

A study abroad/gap year experience where students become catalysts of global change.Young people from around the world immerse themselves in ALA’s community of young African leaders and international faculty, unique curriculum centred around Entrepreneurial Leadership and African Studies, and dynamic campus life at our boarding school on the outskirts of Johannesburg. This transformative experience includes two strands: honors-level Study Abroad for current high school students and internship-based Gap Year for high school graduates.

The Anzisha Program comprises a suite of activities that nurture, celebrate and scale Africa’s youngest entrepreneurs – firmly focused on youth under 22 years old.The centerpiece of the program is the Anzisha Prize, Africa’s premier award for young entrepreneurs aged 15-22 who have developed successful businesses, implemented sustainable solutions to social challenges within their communities, and are contributing to combating the youth unemployment challenge in Africa. Each year, 12 finalists become Anzisha Program Fellows who receive ongoing support to scale their ventures. Additional Anzisha Program activities are aimed at supporting and providing tools to a broader group of young African entrepreneurs, in order to strengthen the youth entrepreneurial ecosystem across the continent.

A platform that connects young African talent from ALA and The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program to high-impact internship and job opportunities across the African continent.ACN seeks to partner with a wide range of organizations, across the public, private, and social sector in order to offer meaningful professional opportunities to members of the ACN network. ACN members form a community of talented young people who are committed to contributing to the overall development of the African continent.

An annual leadership conference for young leaders around Africa and across the world, simulating the activities of the African Union.ALAMAU was established in 2013 as a platform for young leaders to develop implementable solutions to African development challenges through diplomacy and international cooperation. Delegates to ALAMAU serve as representatives of various African governments in organs of the African Union, affording them the opportunity to study complex African issues, understand the positions of African countries, and learn to successfully negotiate without compromising national interests.

Our ProgramsAfrican Leadership Academy

anZIsha PRoGRaM

aFRICa CaReeRs neTWoRk (aCn)

ala Model aFRICan unIon (alaMau)

TWo-yeaR PRe-unIVeRsITy dIPloMa

Global sCholaRs PRoGRaM (GsP)

adVIsoRy & PRoFessIonal deVeloPMenT seRVICes

buIld-In-a-boXCaTalysT TeRM




Give to aLa

Get Involved

african Leadership academy seeks to transform africa by developing a powerful network of over 6,000 leaders who will work together to address africa’s greatest challenges, achieve extraordinary social impact, and accelerate the continent’s growth trajectory. we invite you to join us on this exciting journey.

A cornerstone of the ALA experience is the Student Enterprise program, which sees ALA students running businesses or non-profit organizations for a full year, advised by Johannesburg-based professionals who volunteer as their board members.

As part of our fundraising approach and lifelong engagement model, ALA simultaneously raises philanthropic funds and directly supports graduates studying and working abroadthrough a variety of events throughout the year. We are able to grow and connect our ALA community with the help of our dedicated supporters, ALA parents, Graduate Host Families, and Regional Chapters around the world.

The GSP Educator Program provides the opportunity for certified professional development in the emerging field of youth Entrepreneurial Leadership education. For educators, this program presents an opportunity to see a new model of learning within residential programs. Those who join us will become BUILD-certified educators, helping to create an unforgettable experience for students who join our Global Scholars Program.

Africa-based and multinational organizations can access a steady pipeline of top pan-African talent by partnering with our Africa Careers Network (ACN). Established in partnership with The MasterCard Foundation, ACN connects outstanding young talent from ALA and The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program to professional opportunities across the African continent.

ALA’s Executive Seminars are intimate workshops with a small group of interested students that cover specialized subjects. Seminars provide students with the opportunity to learn from thought leaders who have profound impact across different sectors and industries in Africa and the world. Leading a seminar is a great way to share your expertise and knowledge with ALA’s young leaders.

To achieve our mission of developing the next generation of African leaders, ALA has attracted a diverse “staffulty” (staff and faculty) of global changemakers: world-class professionals who share our values and passion for Africa and her youth.

hosT an ala eVenT

noMInaTe a younG leadeR

sPonsoR an ala sTudenT

sPonsoR a CaMPus sPaCe

Make a GeneRal donaTIon

JoIn ouR GuesT sPeakeR seRIes

PaRTneR WITh ouR CaReeRs and InTeRnshIP PRoGRaM

JoIn ouR eduCaToR PRoGRaM

JoIn ouR TeaM

beCoMe a hosT FaMIly To GRaduaTes

JoIn a sTudenT enTeRPRIse adVIsoRy boaRd

After they graduate, most of ALA’s young leaders pursue university studies away from home, with the majority attending higher education institutions in North America. Graduate hosts play an important role in this transition to life after ALA.

Twenty percent of the young leaders at ALA are brought to our attention by community members who nominate them. You may know a young person aged 16-19 years who has shown leadership potential in your community. Tell them about ALA.

A powerful way to develop future leadership for Africa is to directly invest in leaders themselves - by providing sponsorships for students from disadvantaged communities to attend ALA. We admit students on a need-blind basis and almost all ALA students require financial support to attend ALA.

As we expand and refurbish our campus, we are creating learning and living environments for the next generation of Africa’s leaders. Add your personal footprint to the legacy of ALA by funding a campus space in honor of you or someone important to you.

By contributing financially to ALA, you can help ALA further its mission of identifying, developing and connecting Africa’s future leaders.


Annual Report 2016 - African Leadership Academy African Leadership Academy - Annual Report 2016


Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

MaRGaReT Mead

[email protected] www.africanleadershipacademy.org

African Leadership Academy

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