Thursday, April 2, 2009
Welcome to the SE101: Africa (2009) Blog
We have just started our project. Check back for blog entries later this year.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Back in Africa, Part 16 – "Unexpected and Expected Blessings"
Just the Two of Us
As I mentioned in Part 1, we originally had 15 students and two faculty as part of the team when we started out in late January/early February. While it would have been nice to have a larger and committed team with us, Nancy and I both feel that we have benefited a great deal from being on the ground from start to finish. Being involved in all aspect of the program has enabled us to come up with creative and exciting ideas to make the program even better. In fact, we have already looked into making the development of SE 101 "2.0" a guided independent study course in my MBA program. Over the next few months, I will be working with Nancy to improve and expand the curriculum, based on our experiences teaching it, as well as based on our knowledge of the Kenyan business community and culture. Nancy's vision is to "perfect" the program in Nairobi and then to adapt it for the rural areas. Who knows, perhaps this program can serve as a model for other countries in East Africa and beyond?
Graduation Day
Today was graduation day. After two long days of completing the business plans, we finally were able to celebrate all hard work over the past three weeks. I suggested last week that we should make it a cultural day as well so I asked everyone to wear traditional Kenyan clothing, if possible (I wore my traditional shirt). The ceremony was held in the church hall at my site in Kimathi. In addition to the graduates, attendees included representatives from the Ministry of Youth Affairs, ICT, past graduates, and church elders. After opening remarks from Nancy, each graduate read out their personal mission statement. It was inspiring to hear them speak passionately about faith, family, friends, community, and self-actualization. Next, Nancy and I handed out the graduation certificates and pens as each graduate came to the stage. Over the remaining part of the ceremony, some of the guest speakers gave words of encouragement and commendation for their achievement in the program. I gave the "closing" remarks - I spoke about how much Nancy and I have been inspired by their commitment to their communities, touched by the friendships we have made, and impressed by how much the students have learned and grown over the past three short weeks. I said that our role is but to be a small catalyst to unleash their potential: this is just the start - success is within them and it is up to them to pursue it. I also mentioned that joining the SE 101 program in its third year has been great timing for me because I witnessed the coming together ofthe pieces - the involvement by the Ministry of Youth Affairs, church groups, universities, and businesses to carry out the mission and vision of the program. It was personally gratifying to see all the hard work by Nancy and her previous team members pay off. I closed the ceremony by saying how I hope to return next year not only to continue building the program, but also to witness their growth as entrepreneurs.
Posted by Kirby Leong
As I mentioned in Part 1, we originally had 15 students and two faculty as part of the team when we started out in late January/early February. While it would have been nice to have a larger and committed team with us, Nancy and I both feel that we have benefited a great deal from being on the ground from start to finish. Being involved in all aspect of the program has enabled us to come up with creative and exciting ideas to make the program even better. In fact, we have already looked into making the development of SE 101 "2.0" a guided independent study course in my MBA program. Over the next few months, I will be working with Nancy to improve and expand the curriculum, based on our experiences teaching it, as well as based on our knowledge of the Kenyan business community and culture. Nancy's vision is to "perfect" the program in Nairobi and then to adapt it for the rural areas. Who knows, perhaps this program can serve as a model for other countries in East Africa and beyond?
Graduation Day
Today was graduation day. After two long days of completing the business plans, we finally were able to celebrate all hard work over the past three weeks. I suggested last week that we should make it a cultural day as well so I asked everyone to wear traditional Kenyan clothing, if possible (I wore my traditional shirt). The ceremony was held in the church hall at my site in Kimathi. In addition to the graduates, attendees included representatives from the Ministry of Youth Affairs, ICT, past graduates, and church elders. After opening remarks from Nancy, each graduate read out their personal mission statement. It was inspiring to hear them speak passionately about faith, family, friends, community, and self-actualization. Next, Nancy and I handed out the graduation certificates and pens as each graduate came to the stage. Over the remaining part of the ceremony, some of the guest speakers gave words of encouragement and commendation for their achievement in the program. I gave the "closing" remarks - I spoke about how much Nancy and I have been inspired by their commitment to their communities, touched by the friendships we have made, and impressed by how much the students have learned and grown over the past three short weeks. I said that our role is but to be a small catalyst to unleash their potential: this is just the start - success is within them and it is up to them to pursue it. I also mentioned that joining the SE 101 program in its third year has been great timing for me because I witnessed the coming together ofthe pieces - the involvement by the Ministry of Youth Affairs, church groups, universities, and businesses to carry out the mission and vision of the program. It was personally gratifying to see all the hard work by Nancy and her previous team members pay off. I closed the ceremony by saying how I hope to return next year not only to continue building the program, but also to witness their growth as entrepreneurs.
Posted by Kirby Leong
Back in Africa, Part 15 – “The Beginning of the End”
After two intense weeks, this is going to be an even more intense final week. All the hard work done so far will be pulled together into one coherent plan. I'll be wrapping up the final two workshops on Monday and Tuesday, with Wednesday and Thursday allocated for completing and typing business plans at Jose's Kimathi Information Center. I can already see the weariness setting in to the faces of the students, the facilitators, and of course, Nancy and me, but I would not have it any other way. Starting up a business and becoming an entrepreneur is hard work and I want everyone to look back on these three weeks and be proud of what they have achieved.
Still, this is going to be a bitter sweet final week. While on the one hand, we are looking forward to the end of the grind, on the other hand, Nancy and I feel we have collectively made 60+ friends. I have enjoyed seeing my students' evolution from being shy and unsure of themselves, to being more confident and sure-footed. I see my role as being a small catalyst to help them unleash their potential. While this program has been an intense learning period, the real hard work has just begun. As my student John pointed out, success is within all of them - my hope is that we have given them the tools, knowledge, and guidance to achieve it.
Nancy asked me if this has been a transformational experience and I said no, that it is more of an evolutionary experience. I went through my transformational experience when I was in Sierra Leone 14 years ago. I have been a little surprised, though, at how comfortable it has felt being here. After finding my bearings in the first three days, it has felt like a second home. I wrote in Part 1 that I cannot explain "why Africa?" but I have come to see that it is because I admire their community-mindedness, friendliness, and culture. Of course, that is not to say that I do not see the complicated issues plaguing this country and continent but it is because of all these issues that I admire their spirit even more. I will go back to Canada with a better understanding of what community, gratitude, and simplicity really mean.
Posted by Kirby Leong
Still, this is going to be a bitter sweet final week. While on the one hand, we are looking forward to the end of the grind, on the other hand, Nancy and I feel we have collectively made 60+ friends. I have enjoyed seeing my students' evolution from being shy and unsure of themselves, to being more confident and sure-footed. I see my role as being a small catalyst to help them unleash their potential. While this program has been an intense learning period, the real hard work has just begun. As my student John pointed out, success is within all of them - my hope is that we have given them the tools, knowledge, and guidance to achieve it.
Nancy asked me if this has been a transformational experience and I said no, that it is more of an evolutionary experience. I went through my transformational experience when I was in Sierra Leone 14 years ago. I have been a little surprised, though, at how comfortable it has felt being here. After finding my bearings in the first three days, it has felt like a second home. I wrote in Part 1 that I cannot explain "why Africa?" but I have come to see that it is because I admire their community-mindedness, friendliness, and culture. Of course, that is not to say that I do not see the complicated issues plaguing this country and continent but it is because of all these issues that I admire their spirit even more. I will go back to Canada with a better understanding of what community, gratitude, and simplicity really mean.
Posted by Kirby Leong
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