A shift in mindset- A step in the right direction
I remember feeling relieved about graduating from campus. It had been a long time coming considering the long holidays we endured due to the public university strikes that frequently sent us home- relatable much?
Having achieved that milestone, I felt ready for adulting. This excitement, however, was shortlived once I realized that it meant the beginning of my career yet I had no idea where to start. Sadly, this is the story for most young individuals post-graduation. Young, eager, talented and ready to take on the world but lacking opportunity.
A great number of young people can attest to the fact that only a few get lucky enough to be placed in institutions that offer relevant work experience. What we fail to talk about is the quality of field attachments and internships. How many graduates have had to work in organizations where their daily routine revolved around filing, photocopying, filling the visitor’s book and many other activities that don’t grow their skills? Maybe it’s a grey area because no one wants to sound ungrateful; but in my case, it is such factors that discouraged me through my job search process. The fear of not growing.
“It’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential” ~Barrack Obama
My search for a place to kickstart my career led me to Impact Africa Network. It was a gamechanger. It felt unreal. During my interview, I had a conversation with Mark Karake, the brains behind IAN. From our interaction, I could tell how passionate he was about innovation in Africa and the Innovation Fellowship program. I remember thinking to myself… This is exactly the kind of energy I need to be around. I also recall him asking me to list my top three companies and when I was done, I realized that I had not mentioned Impact Africa Network. (For some reason, it felt like a trick question). I felt nervous and went home knowing that I had blown it.
Turns out I was overthinking it; since, well…here I am! A member of the third cohort of Innovation Fellows. Two months down the line and it has all been worth it. Being at IAN has been an eye-opening experience and every single day has been an opportunity to learn something new through mentorship and research.
My confidence has grown from being entrusted with the responsibility of carrying the organization’s image. I have expanded my network and discovered new things about myself. I am working with a team of brilliant young people who have helped me grow.
Most importantly, my mindset has completely shifted, I have learned to think about the bigger picture. It is no longer about just growing my professional and entrepreneurial skills, I have a front-row seat to Changing the African Narrative: and we are tapping into Africa’s innovation potential, one startup at a time. I am excited!
The work we do at IAN is bigger than us! It is about designing solutions for the problems that we face as Africans and bringing impact to our Innovation Ecosystem. I am eager to see us bring a new dawn to Africa.
IAN is the future of Africa. Best believe that!
