In February 2021, Unite Program Director Anty Marche shared a link with all of our Unite Clubs across Tanzania for an application to the Yale African Young Leaders Summit (YYAS), an intensive academic enrichment program run by Yale University. The program took place virtually earlier this month in July 2021. Interested students were invited to use our Unite-sponsored laptops and internet access to submit applications. Many applied but just three were accepted — Zaituni Mjanja Ally, Zainabu Mjanja Ally, and Elina Green. These three, all of whom are fully sponsored fully by Unite as Kit Merriman Scholars, came from Masasi Girls Secondary School in southwest Tanzania. Our team in Tanzania coordinated with Masasi faculty to ensure the girls had time and space in their busy schedules to attend the week-long program. We provided them laptops as well as funds for internet access, food, lodging, transport, and more.
The YYAS program included lessons such as:
Discerning root causes of African poverty, understanding the continued spread of HIV/AIDS, and brainstorming pathways forward;
The importance of volunteerism and self awareness;
Climate change and global warming as well as what measures young leaders can take to influence positive change;
Leadership and the importance of strong listening and communication skills;
Career strategy and entrepreneurship;
Applying for university scholarships, financial aid, and navigating the application process. (The scholars heard presentations from admissions officers hailing from Rice University, University of Chicago, African Leadership University, and others.)
YYAS was a huge opportunity and success for our Unite Scholars. They each connected with a powerful network of young leaders from across the continent, and they have been paired with YYAS mentors who will advise them throughout the university application process upon their graduation from Form 6 (higher secondary) in June 2022.
Zaituni Ally, a Form VI student at Masasi Girls’ High School, participating in the Yale Young African Leaders Summit in July 2021.
“It was so exciting to be a part of this program, which involved so many students from all over Africa. I learned so many things, but perhaps I was most excited about the leadership lessons. I learned that a leader must be a role model. She must be smart and have good manners. She must be respectful of others, tolerant, and a good listener. Another important thing I enjoyed learning more about and discussing with my peers is the challenge of poaching, which is still taking place in most of our African countries. We discussed many different measures by which we can deal with the problem of wildlife poaching.”
~Zaituni Ally Mjanja, Masasi Girls’ High School, Form VI CBG
Elina Green, a Form VI student at Masasi Girls’ High School, participating in the Yale Young African Leaders Summit in July 2021.
“One of the most amazing things that I learned was from one of our instructors named Eddy. Eddy was raised in Kenya and later on got a scholarship to go to study in the US. In his story he told us that he has a file in which he keeps all the letters he has ever received in response to any kind of application he ever submitted to any program, internship, university, and job. Most of the letters are rejection letters. When we asked why he did this, he said that it motivates him and reminds him that failure is not the opposite of success but part of success.”
~Unite Scholar Elina Green
Click HERE to see a video of Elina Green in the Yale Young African Leaders Program.
Zainabu Ally, a Form VI student at Masasi Girls’ High School, participating in the Yale Young African Leaders Summit in July 2021.
“The week-long program was so amazing. I particularly enjoyed meeting, learning from, and being able to ask questions to so many alumni from different universities around the world. I learned so many things that I will share with all the Unite Scholars — specifically all about the process of applying for admissions, scholarships, and financial aid at international universities.”
~Unite Scholar Zainabu Ally