Introduction
In this life, the magnitude of our dreams determines what we seek, and at only 16 years old, I am living my dream life. July has been a month of transformative experiences for me as I embarked on my first-ever trip to South Africa, the said rainbow nation.
Earlier this year, I had the privilege of being selected to participate in the Chevron Engineering Leadership Program, an initiative organised by the African Leadership Academy. The African Leadership Academy is a pan-African institution that empowers and educates young Africans through a comprehensive leadership development program, fostering their ability to create positive change and impact within their communities and beyond. The program began with a grand opening ceremony that brought together students, teachers, mentors, and coordinators from all corners of the African continent.
I was surrounded by talented young people from Ghana, Namibia, Angola, Egypt, Nigeria, and Uganda and proudly represented Cameroon. We were immersed in a vibrant atmosphere where brilliance thrived. For 12 days, I was not only taught to be a leader but also had the privilege of learning from other exceptional leaders. Within 12 days, we collectively brainstormed and developed amazing solutions to combat the effects of climate change on our continent. I was taught to think like a true engineer, following the steps of asking, imagining, planning, creating, and improving in my design process.
This year's theme revolved around incorporating technology to address the challenges of climate change. In my team, we proposed an innovative idea to enhance traditional irrigation systems in Somalia by utilising artificial intelligence (AI). Our concept involved creating a smart irrigation system, empowering both local and large-scale farmers to survive periods of drought and mitigate the problem of food insecurity caused by these conditions.
During my stay, we focused on developing traits such as collaboration, African identity, critical thinking, effective communication, and ethical values. Each day we had collective discussions It was during this incredible journey that I was honoured with the prestigious Africanist award for my commitment to Africa's present and future. This award recognized my innovative engineering solutions aimed at tackling the challenges faced by Africa. It was truly humbling to be acknowledged among such brilliant minds.
One of the highlights of my stay was meeting Mr. Justice, an engineer from Nigeria who is working at Chevron. He introduced us to various engineering fields and exposed us to cutting-edge technologies. Another inspiring encounter was with Ms. Katila Dompetelo, a female engineer from Angola also works at Chevron. She shared her life journey and imparted invaluable lessons, reminding us that our paths may differ while we are all on this journey together.
During my time in South Africa, I had the honour of meeting Mr. Hakim, the CEO of the African Leadership Academy. Seeing and conversing with him in person was a significant milestone for me. Additionally, Miss Michelle Peters conducted a career seminar where I learned that "the choice of a career is an expression of personality."
A teacher who stood out to me was Miss Efua Adabie, whose guidance left a lasting impression on me. Mr. Phenyo Emanuel and Leslie Moloto also played pivotal roles in shaping me into a better individual for Africa's future.
This journey has been nothing short of remarkable. I am grateful for the connections I made, the knowledge I gained, and the inspiration I received from extraordinary individuals. As I reflect on my time in South Africa, I am more determined than ever to contribute to Africa's progress and shape a brighter future for the continent.
Fongang Carine'24 | Open Dreams
Lovely, Carine! Outstanding report, no wonder why you are awesome!
Such a fantastic report 👏🏾. Congratulations Carine and best of luck with future endeavors