Participants in the BOOST Fellowship

The BOOST Fellowship is a non-profit organization, whose core mission is to equip young people with life skills and build on capacity. Boost works with tertiary institutions within and beyond Zimbabwe. The BOOST Fellowship is organized to teach, train, empower and mentor students through its paradigm of “Entrepreneur Intelligence” and “Possibility-oriented Living.” Based in Harare, Zimbabwe, it works with youth, primarily University Students and currently operates in ten universities in Zimbabwe. It has an average membership of 40 students per university, bringing to a total 400 students on the program countrywide. Three East African students: Rose from Makerere University (Uganda), Ebben (University of Dar es Salaam) Tanzania and Erick (Maseno University), Kenya participated in the program share their insights with The African Executive (AE).

AE: What have you gathered about the Boost Fellowship?

Rose: It is a programme with vision to empower youths to discover their potential in leadership and entrepreneurship skills. It is an eye opener to university students who have not discovered their potential

Ebben: The Boost Fellowship empowers university students to know their potential in leadership and entrepreneurship.

 

AE: How would you describe the training?

Rose: It helped me realize my potential in life. Through various interactions, I realized that with determination, everything is possible. The training also boosted my self esteem.

 

Ebben: I would describe it as super. It was not training per se because we had a workshop for four days and then a conference. The package offered was meant to transform a person to become an entrepreneur, multipurpose and relevant in the society.

AE: Did you find the programme relevant?

Rose: It was relevant since it made me connect my studies with problem solving in the society.

Ebben: From the training, I have resolved to no longer to live a hit and miss life. I have discovered  my reason for being and resolved to live a purposeful and quality life that tranforms my status and environment for the better..
 
AE: Did the training make you to rethink your education?

Ebben: Yes, indeed!The kind of education provided in Africa is mostly theory based and does not incorporate practical skills relevant to the society. It was borrowed from our colonial masters who had  designed it to suit their agenda. It is sort of a mass production education that does not consider quality and relevance to societal needs. In the Boost training on the other hand, what I learnt in two weeks is more than what I can acquire from the University in three years. My perception and approach to life challenges has really changed. I am out to be part of the solution instead of being part of the problem in society.

 

Rose: Our education system is exam and paper oriented, meant to produce candidates for white collar jobs. As a result, Ugandans are getting more academic papers but they can't solve a simple problem in society. We produce engineers who can't construct a simple footbridge to their homes. Opportunities abound but we don't know how to tap them. The Boost experience however  is more practical based. Students are told how to go about what they have learnt and transform it into value.

Erick: Unlike my education system in Kenya that produces candidates who wait for the government and donors to solve all their problems, the Boost ideals embrace possibility oriented living. Students set values and goals and work at achieving them. The Boost experience tranforms one from a 'wait' attitude to "I can do it' proactive one.

AE: Any lessons on leadership that you gleaned ?

Rose:Africa needs servant leaders who work for the benefit of the community. Leaders who direct their followers towards a goal, work and move with them to realize thwe goal. 
 
AE: What would you say about Africa's leadership?

 

Ebben: Leaders ought to be good listeners, empathetic, recognize uniqueness in other people,be in a position to heal, well informed, selfless and good stewards. African leaders lack all these qualities. Our leaders are geared at self aggrandizement. They don't nurture the goose that lays the golden eggs. They listen to donors more than they listen to the electorate. A new breed is howver emerging that is challenging the status quo, as more and more citizens become enlightened to hold their leaders accountable.

 

Rose: We have entrepreneurs but what hinders entrepreneurship is lack of capital and skills and the 'pull him down' or crab mentality.

 

Ebben: Africa has entrepreneurs but what they lack are skills that suit the African situation. Africans also do not know how to fully exploit their resources. In addition, they copy and paste what has worked elsewhere thinking that it will work in Africa.Skills vary from country to country but market challenges are the same.

Erick:Yes Africa has entrepreneurs but what is lacking is entrepreneurship intelligence, personal vision, possibility oriented approach and networking.

AE: What is your parting shot for leaders and entrepreneurs?

Rose: Learn to manage time in order to achieve. If you are daily failing to prepare, you are daily preparing to fail.If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there!

Ebben: Entrepreneurship is not all about capital. Be creative. Smell opportunities.Avoid the village mentality and see beyond your borders. 

Erick: Wealth creation is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.Life does not reward intention, life rewards actions. Start having a results-based life!