Inspiration from Africa

Yesterday I got a chance to meet 25 amazing young community activists from Africa who are visiting the U.S. for six months through the Mandela Washington Fellowship.

These young leaders are being hosted by our own University of Delaware and TeenSHARP, an organization aimed at developing student-leaders and improving college access. This group makes up just one of 20 Mandela Fellowship cohorts spread throughout the country.

The personal stories these leaders told were incredible. They come from all over the continent, from Somalia to Cape Town. And though they generally came from very modest means, they focused immensely on improving the lives of others over their own personal gains. Some are building micro financing projects to assist women and farmers, while others work to identify hundreds of the most vulnerable children in their communities to make sure they are protected and educated.

At one point during our conversation, a quote from the one and only Nelson Mandela perfectly encapsulated the amazing work these young people are doing:

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

An inspiring group. It was honor to meet them.

Visit this page for more information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, and click here to learn more about TeenSHARP.