MBA at African Leadership Academy
The Winchester Symposium 2013, an annual gathering of ten schools — The African Leadership Academy (Johannesburg, South Africa), Colegio Claustro Moderno (Bogota, Colombia), Garodia International Center for Learning (Mumbai, India), Johannes Kepler Grammar School (Prague, Czech Republic), Karachi Grammar School (Karachi, Pakistan), Montgomery Bell Academy (Nashville, Tennessee), Nada High School (Kobe, Japan), Raffles Institution (Singapore), Shiyan Hign School (Shiyan, China), Winchester College (Winchester, England) — opened on March 17 its fourth symposium on a beautiful farm of 80 hectares owned by Isaac Shongwe, an entrepreneur and advocate of leadership, in the countryside of Johannesburg. MBA students Adam Biesman and Chris Habermann are attending, accompanied by teachers Robert Sawyer and Robbie Quinn and Headmaster and Mrs. Gioia. The Conference Website can be found HERE.
The following report was submitted by teacher Robert Sawyer:
The following report was submitted by teacher Robert Sawyer:
The 20 students and 20 teachers and heads of school from around the world were welcomed by Mr. Shongwe and introduced to the beauty, history, and complexity of South Africa. Fred Swaniker, one of the Founders of the African Leadership Academy, then gave an opening talk on the topic of Poverty — the focus of the Symposium. Mr. Swaniker focused on four areas of importance to this topic and its relevance in particular to Africa:
- Population, especially the average age variations of the major areas of the world: 20 years old in Africa and 35 and 45 in China and Japan. How will this age variation affect the economic and sociological developments of the world and these countries?
- Urbanization - the migration of population from the countryside to cities. Will this urban development provide the economic, personal, and educational opportunity to change the world for the better?
- Education - the significant shift in opportunities for young people in a continent like Africa. Will the availability of education provide the change for a better world and population?
- Leadership - the evolution of three generations of leaders in areas like Africa, where the world has seen revolutinaries who rid the continent of colonialism, madmen who ruined the countries, and emerging leaders who have brought peace and economic growth. Are we poised in Africa for a world of better leadership? Is leadership the key to these changes to rid the world of poverty?
Mr. Swaniker provoked the audience to consider how these four factors could change and perhaps solve the issue of poverty.
Our group then traveled to the African Leadership Academy to be formally welcomed by the students of ALA. This school community is an incredibly diverse group of students from almost 30 different African countries. The students were dressed in their native costumes and prepared a thoughtful and creative reception for the symposium. Music, poetry, and welcoming words and expressions characterized this festive and celebratory introduction to a week of stimulation and provocation about how and why the world's poverty can be improved and eradicated.
Monday's program at the ALAWIS program began with a thought provoking speech from Dr. Nkosana Moyo. (Please click HERE for a YouTube video of his speech.) Dr. Moyo, the Executive Chairman at the Mandela Institute of Developing Studies, spoke to the ALAWIS group and the ALA student body about several factors related to poverty.
- Dr. Moyo challenged the traditional view that information must be learned from older generations. He argued that young people today have access to more information than previous generations. As such, suggested that the way the world learns has changed.
- Dr. Moyo suggested that many problems with society are actually problems with leadership. By looking to please its constituency rather than looking to the future, leaders fail. He compared good leadership to an architect with a creative vision.
- Dr. Moyo shared his personal story. Although he frequently did not have shoes, he did not view himself as impoverished. He used this anecdote to distinguish between "material poverty" and a "poverty of the mind."
- Dr. Moyo challenged the students to look for the root causes of poverty, rather than just treating the symptoms. He advocated for a system of addressing problems. Even though the specific challenges will change, he believes that a consistent system doesn't have to.
After Dr. Moyo's speech, the students and faculty gathered for a discussion of the root causes of poverty. Topics covered included government, self-interest, altruism, and the threat of dependency.
After the group discussion and lunch, the students worked on essays on the following topic: "In light of your first day at ALAWIS, outline your views of the principal causes of absolute poverty."
In the afternoon, MBA students Chris Habermann and Adam Biesman were chosen, along with the groups from the Czech Republic and Pakistan, to read their essays.
Another highlight of the afternoon came when the students attended the African Leadership Academy assembly. The spirited, energetic assembly included student presentations, announcements of student elections, and a musical performance. The ALAWIS students were also invited to present one item per school as a representation of that school. MBA students chose the famed Goo-Goo cluster because it, like Nashville, conceals a great deal of variety and interest under a homogenous shell.
The evening concluded with a presentation about ALA at dinner, followed by a viewing of the film Dear Mandela.
The following report was submitted by student Adam Biesman:
The following report was submitted by student Adam Biesman:
On Tuesday, the symposium resumed with two leadership experientials, which, at the African Leadership Academy, are activities that help develop key leadership skills such as communication and compromising.
Following this brief activity, we all gathered for a talk by Mr. James Mwangi who described three of his plans for alleviating poverty. Though private sector investment was the major theme, he hopes to develop ways of solving electrical and health problems that ravage the globe.
Going further into Mr. Mwangi’s thoughts, we then divided into groups of three to select a few major solutions to poverty and to figure out the priorities of these possible solutions. The groups then presented to the symposium as a whole. These presentations left us all very divided, but also intrigued to continue this search for an overlying solution for poverty.
Based on our new knowledge, we embarked on refining our essay that we had previously written about substantial ways of reducing poverty. However, in this version, we also had to include how we would increase the dignity of impoverished people. Today, Raffles Institute from Singapore, Shiyan High School from China, and Winchester College from England all presented. The questions following the essays were very thought provoking and beneficial to adapting our views on poverty reduction solutions.
The night ended with an excursion into Mandela Square, one of the wealthiest areas of South Africa. We dined on amazing desserts in addition to seeing a vibrant part of the country. As the week is about half-way complete, we look forward to progressing our ideas and preparing them for the final accord that we will develop on Friday.
Following this brief activity, we all gathered for a talk by Mr. James Mwangi who described three of his plans for alleviating poverty. Though private sector investment was the major theme, he hopes to develop ways of solving electrical and health problems that ravage the globe.
Going further into Mr. Mwangi’s thoughts, we then divided into groups of three to select a few major solutions to poverty and to figure out the priorities of these possible solutions. The groups then presented to the symposium as a whole. These presentations left us all very divided, but also intrigued to continue this search for an overlying solution for poverty.
Based on our new knowledge, we embarked on refining our essay that we had previously written about substantial ways of reducing poverty. However, in this version, we also had to include how we would increase the dignity of impoverished people. Today, Raffles Institute from Singapore, Shiyan High School from China, and Winchester College from England all presented. The questions following the essays were very thought provoking and beneficial to adapting our views on poverty reduction solutions.
The night ended with an excursion into Mandela Square, one of the wealthiest areas of South Africa. We dined on amazing desserts in addition to seeing a vibrant part of the country. As the week is about half-way complete, we look forward to progressing our ideas and preparing them for the final accord that we will develop on Friday.
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