Liberia’s first female president Ellen Sirleaf Johnson said, “If your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough.” For me, this describes ALU’s vision of developing Africa’s next generation of leaders perfectly because it is definitely big but certainly achievable and the magnitude of the vision has positively challenged me.
Working as a Youth Admission Representative has exposed me to a different degree of dedication, service and passion for the continent. I work with a team of very passionate people including the entire engine driving the ALU team, the applicants I assist and the educators I interact with. In addition, this experience has allowed me to work with Fred Swaniker, the founder of ALU, and listening to him speak about ALU’s vision with great passion makes me reflect on my goals and what I can do to turn them into reality.
The overall experience has been very rewarding. I must say, my favorite part of being a YAR has been visiting high schools. Every week, I get to meet new people and make new friends, but most importantly, I get to meet inspired students who have the passion and will to bring change to their communities.
School visits are not as easy as they may seem. One of my major obstacles has been being “too young” for my job. Educators especially have been hesitant to allow me to speak to their students because of my age. Some ask, “aren’t you too young to be doing this?” “Shouldn’t you be in high school or something?” Although this has been a setback I have still been able to visit schools that appreciate how young I am and have even congratulated me for getting a chance to work as a YAR.
The experience of working as a Youth Admissions Representative is priceless. In addition to giving me the opportunity to give back to my community, I have also built a rich network of educators and many young bright minds. Most importantly, I have learned that age is but a number, I can do anything I want as long as I am willing and determined.
Sepiso has visited the following Tanzanian schools in Dae es Salaam
- Barbro Johanson
- Baobab Secndary School
- International School of Tanganyika
- Jangwani Secondary School
Don’t see your school on the list? Let us know and we can plan a visit!
