YALI2015

I wanted to take a minute and breathe a little before writing down all my thoughts and the emotions that were still very much on high alert when I got back to my home country Senegal.

I never thought I would be blown away like this by this fellowship because after having lived in so many countries and worked for the best companies in the world, one becomes less impressionable.

Since the very beginning of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, I keep surprising myself as I became very open with others and on top of that, it came so naturally.

Meeting hundreds of strangers for the first time in the same environment can be very intimidating and uncomfortable but I felt like I was home with my friends and family.

Cracking jokes and just talking about things like life, our countries and business of course.  

 Not very common right? Well that’s what you get when you camp 500 young leaders in the same environment. Lots of energy , excitement, ambition and I would say the most important of all a COMMON VISION for AFRICA. That’s definitely what bonded us.

I had so many highlights during this experience along the way but I can easily share with you what I consider to be my TOP 3.

-        It has to be meeting with 499 other fellows from other African countries . I definitely learned more about Africa here in the United States. Ironic right?

From a human point of view it is so enriching but then even business wise, I have been able to connect with key people in countries where I know my business can thrive.  

-        Meeting with Obamas.  Yes Obamas! I was highly privileged and honoured to meet President Barack Obama and his amazing wife,  Michelle. To be honest, I’m still in my little bubble, relishing those special moments.

-        And then having the opportunity to pitch my business idea and get funding for it . That was just mind blowing! I know I was prepared to pitch to anyone but having to experience it and getting the YES is something very humbling and a major confidence booster.  

Just to tell you a little bit about the project that brought me to this program and is allowing me to live my entrepreneurial dream. I created a beauty company named LYVV COSMETICS.  The first line is all about make up by a woman of color for woman of color. So my target lives in Africa and outside as well. 

I had so many key moments in the last 3 months but at least with these you can understand better the impact that the Fellowship had on me personally and professionally. And I am serious when I talk about this Fellowship as a life changing opportunity. You can tell why.  

 To my fellows I thank you so much for this priceless experience that we shared together. This is only the beginning anyway and I’m excited about the future and all the projects happening now and those that are going to happen soon.

To everyone else there is just one thing to do, grab a chance at this wonderful opportunity by doing one simple thing: APPLY!

Applications go live from the 1st of October here :

https://youngafricanleaders.state.gov/washington-fellowship/apply/

Yours truly

Hey guys

Already 6 weeks in and I still can’t believe how time flies . My fellowship in UW- Stout has been very revealing for me in so many ways . But before I go any further I need to share a story.

I must admit that the first time I heard that I was going to spend 6 weeks in Wisconsin I was like WHAT? I say that because this is not my first time in the United States and I’m used to bigger cities bigger states so I was a bit worried quite frankly. And so I started to do some research about Wisconsin and the Midwest just to prepare myself :)

Now after 6 weeks I understand more that the fact I was brought here was not random at all. It definitely helped me having a better understanding of the American way of life . Because let me tell you that the Midwest lifestyle is very different from the other parts of America ( West & East).

I am very lucky to spend this amazing time with amazing people . While being here one thing that i have learnt is that wherever you may find yourself in this world you can have a crappy time if you don’t have the right people around you. This group of Fellows is a great representation of what my dear Africa is right now. A mix of talent , hard working people and also they know how to have fun. 18 different countries across the continent are represented in UW – Stout , so you can imagine the diversity .

Throughout the experience we had the opportunity to visit many corporations, global and local that certainly brought me to think about the challenges that African companies face on a daily basis. Issues like Ethics and Sustainability For instance in Africa it is rare to find companies that are 100 years old. There is a need to bring some type of change . We are a group of young entrepreneurs and we want of course to make money and have profitable businesses but most importantly we need to be sustainable so that the next generation can have something to build on and work with .

I was also lucky enough to travel across 3 big states in the U.S. : Wisconsin (of course 😉) Minnesota and Illinois .

Now that I have understood all my leadership classes and mastered the art of the “Elevator Pitch” , I can say that I am more than ready to meet with the President of the United States, Barack Obama.

Washington DC here I come !!!

Be on the look out for pics and videos !

Victorine S

Salam everyone, I'm Selly Raby Kane, the silent carp with big glasses of YALI Senegal. 

 For information, I am fashion designer from Dakar and I was selected by the Mandela Fellowship Program for young african leaders of  2015. Clark Atlanta is my new home and yes, I'm back in School with militarized sunsets and sunrises. But this is another post, let’s jump into the heart of the matter: The departure for the US of A!

You see, the experience we are living is worthy of a thriller movie.

Departure day, Thursday june 18th: After what we can call an afternoon of harassment by Big Daddy Kane who was concerned about my slowness in packing my stuff and getting ready, I gave up to his pressure and finally reached the airport 3 hours too early.

All the YALI from Senegal and Guinea eventually met at LSS Airport. We ganged up, YALI Invasion, then we all left Dakar for Paris our first stop before the US. From that moment on, things went south for me. My phone was stolen , I had a fight with a bipolar steward from Delta but I guess these can be considered as collateral damages of the first part of the story I am about to deliver.

For this adventure, we left our country, forgetting the comfort of our lives, of our current statuses to redefine the goals we have set for ourselves in our careers, prospects, respective ambitions.

How to impact the world?

The billion dollar question.

We came to the US as we believe we have a contribution to make to the answers for our continent’s interrogations.

We left because we were chosen; we came because oh well, the name Obama triggers strange connections in our heads.

A concentration of 500 young Africans left the continent for a program that identified them as an essential part of the solution.

Here we are, facing our responsibilities. “What you gonna do YAALI ?!” (Professor Kimbro’s voice from CAU)

I have landed at Clark Atlanta, Martin Luther King’s Fief. We live in a residency facing a building in which the resistance to the oppression exerted on the black community was forged. It's simple, under each stone of Atlanta resides the story of resilient men and women who didn’t just talk about changing the world, they made it happen. They went to coal, strong of their stubbornness and re-shaped the future of countless black and global communities worldwide.

I have even crossed Cheikh Anta Diop’s portrait in a church ... Inspiring

To me, these are the people that set the tone decades ago.

It doesn’t take a lot of people to change the world, it’s not a matter of statistic it’s a combination of Faith, Will, Impulsion and T I MI N G.

(*Munya, bright YALI From Zimbabwe)

I, Selly Raby Kane believe this is the time to shake the lines and speak the voice of our continent in our own verbs, through our own narrative.

I want to impact the Creative industries of my continent by contributing to the  rise of it’s underground art scenes.

I want to speak the voices of the ‘’OTHERS’’ from the continent and help us, making a living of our alternative creativity.

I am a woman of images. You will see more than you’ll read from me. It is time for me to be Quiet and to show you what my eyes have seen since june 19th!

Well well well! Only three days to go and I feel like a steamroller has literally passed over my body…and more than one time! Anyway, it’s fine by me, I’m going to survive all the pre-departure preparation,  all the stress, all the excitement, take my plane (by the way I have a plane phobia so If you heard about somebody turning a plane upside-down -not literally of course- because she is scared, that would be me) and have a great journey. I’m so eager to meet new people, to discover the US, to learn some new things! But one thing saddens me so…what about my Senegalese fellows who will not be there with me?

Because let me tell you something, Senegalese Fellows are a tight team, a fierce one and most of all, a bright and fun one. Luckily, I will have the one and only El Hadji Mamadou Diongue with me in Miami. He doesn’t know it yet, but he will be my sidekick, we will be like Batman and Robin. Of course, I will not be Batman. What kind of crazy dude thinks that he is a bat? Have you ever seen a bat? Those things are ugly and scary as hell…Huh huh, I won’t have it, I prefer to be a male character than a bat.  So Robin it is!

Back to the subject…I don’t know how it happened because on a human history scale, we only know each other since yesterday. But the time I get to know each of them was precious and I’m sure that every single person on this team is going to be a game changer. Look at us, do you feel that energy!

Now that you have seen this picture, I can make my transition about the topic of this article! Did you see how Barcelona won the Champions League…I feel bad for the Juvies (Koba and Sonko don’t cry…luckily, we had some tissues for them), it was almost painful to see that…Nah…I’m joking, I don’t feel bad at all.

Well I know, I’m like a diesel car, it takes time to start but when it’s done, it’s like a hurricane. Actually, the real subject is that Team Senegal was invited last week-end by Minaj a.k.a Vicky Victorine at her place.

1) For an informal meet-up

You see that…We were laughing, drinking. Our rap artist, Papa Aly Gueye was entertaining us, specially Minaj.

2) To watch the Champion’s League finale 

Yeah Yeah! Team Barça…

3) To take pictures of us as we are so photogenic

4) To meet fellows from last year and and 5) To have a good time drinking and eating some good Senegalese appetizers. 

So the meet-up…Everybody was not able to come, and those who did not come were really missed. Thanks to Selly Raby Kane, one of our stylist and stylish member, a professional photographer was with us to grasp the energy and it was amazing. We laugh, we smiled, we run, we jumped, we acted like we were stars but…seriously, have you ever seen a bunch of crazy people goofing around in the streets of Dakar followed by a photographer…Let me tell you that instead of stars, we were more perceived by the people in the streets like animals in a zoo.

But we did not care and that’s what’s good with our team! See that!

After the photo-shoot, we gathered around in Minaj’s house and it was really nice. Personally, I had the chance to talk with Koba, a 2014 Mandela Fellow, and it was great to have some useful piece of advice before leaving. As others 2014 Fellows were also there, everybody had the chance to talk about their journey and about ours to come. So this was interesting at different levels, we learned that the program will squeeze the very last drop out of us. Now that I am writing that, I reconsidering what I said about those bats…Maybe we should all be bats to be able to drink the very last drop of the program instead of the other way around. We also learned that we need to be careful with everything we do and say during the program, attitude is everything…And as we were already told by the Embassy, we have a responsibility to represent our country the best way we can. 

That was the serious part, but you know how parties are like, there is always a hidden side…The light and fun one, GOSSIPING…We actually learned that they were YALI weddings and YALI babies…Do you believe that? It’s great but I need to make a statement right now. NEPOTISM is not good, so those beautiful babies should not be Mandela Fellows by birth. If one day they want to follow the steps of their parents, they will have to suffer like us. 

Well I think that’s all, the pictures will speak for themselves…but I must tell you one last thing, Minaj told me that after I left the party, a few people stayed till 3 a.m.! Don’t ask me what happened over there, I was not there. I guess that what happens in Minaj’s house stays in Minaj’s house :)

Sadly, Aissatou Sene the fourth Musketeer was not there and Minaj, Selly and I missed her. We will take a picture of the four of us very soon!

That did not stop us to feel like stars! Not to worry, It passed as soon as the reality hits us again!

AND NOW…to end with a firework….Drum rolls everybody. I present you the dream team:

From left to right: Maguette Niang a.k.a The Health-carer, Poppa Ali Gueye a.k.a. Packo Pat Ghetto, Aboubacar Sidy Sonko a.k.a the IT Boss. At the bottom right we have Abdou Diaw a.k.a. Mr. Investment. On the second line, we have at the bottom left, the great Koba (2014 Mandela Fellow) a.k.a The Teacher, Ndeye Awa Guèye (2014 Mandela Fellow) a.k.a. Jjiguène Tech Girl, Me a.k.a. The Puppet Master (sorry guys, I was named like that after this picture but I am no Master and you are no Puppets), Karamoko Badiane a.k.a. The African Optimist, Victorine Sarr a.k.a. Minaj The Networking Gal, Selly Raby Kane a.k.a. The Stylish Girl, Boussoura Talla a.k.a The Electronic Cleanser and last but not least, El Hadji Mamadou Diongue a.k.a. Batman!

N.B.: two people on this pic are not MF but they are supporting us so, big up to  CorneilleTowendo (on the front) who’s an IT entrepreneur and Jean-Jacques Kokuvi (the tall mixed guy behind) who’s also a marketing entrepreneur.

What a heavy task to write something “cool enough” after Elsa first article right?! But I will try not to disappoint too much :) First of all let me try to explain how I met these beautiful ladies . I met Aissatou at a bootcamp before we even knew we will be selected for this program . After a few conversations, we discovered that we applied & were waiting for the final answer and that is definitly what brought us together.

As soon as we knew we were good to go, we connected on social media with Elsa & Selly and we finally had the chance to meet at our Pre Departure Orientation (PDO). From the moment we met, we got along well and decided to do this blog thing together. 

Coming from such different background, it could have been a hussle for us but we took it like an opportunity to reach more people and try to help them understand the program and how it could benefit them in the long run.

Right now, in the back of your heads , you are probably wondering why I even applied for this? 

Well , it’s when you have one of those “haha moments and you are just realizing something. I have been working on opening my business for a while now  and when I first heard about the program, I just thought it was the perfect way for me to start my “entrepreneur life”. My goal after the fellowship is that i have all the tools to branch out and run a succesfull business. Also, I have to say that beyond meeting President Obama, I’m very excited to meet all these incredible individuals who are move shakers in their respective countries.I really can’t wait to see what is ahead. So guys buckle up, because the plane is taking off and it is going to be a YALI ride :)

Ça ne va pas être facile d’écrire quelque chose d’assez cool après l’envolée lyrique de Miss Elsa mais bon, je vais essayer de ne pas trop vous décevoir :) Je tenais d’abord à vous expliquer comment j’ai rencontré ces talentueuses femmes. Un ami m’a présenté à Aissatou lors d’un bootcamp avant même qu’on n’apprenne notre sélection. Le fait de savoir qu’on avait postulé au programme nous a clairement rapprochées. Juste après l’annonce de notre sélection , nous avons commencé à rentrer en contact sur les réseaux sociaux avec les autres Fellow dont Elsa et Selly. C’est lors de notre orientation de départ à l’ambassade des États-Unis que nous nous sommes tous rencontrés et le courant est bien passé entre nous quatre. Vous comprendrez que la décision de faire ce blog ensemble est venue assez naturellement! Et là vous vous demandez probablement pourquoi j’ai décidé de postuler à ce programme? C’est très simple. Je travaille depuis un moment sur un projet d’entreprise et quand j’ai entendu pour la première fois parler du YALI, je me suis dit que c’était l’opportunité parfaite pour commencer ma vie d’entrepreneur. J’espère qu’à la fin de cette expérience , je pourrai voler de mes propres ailes et lancer avec brio mon business. Je dois aussi dire qu’au delà de la rencontre avec le Président Obama , j’ai très hâte de rencontrer cette nouvelle Afrique au pays de l’Oncle Sam et de nouer avec mes Fellow des relations qui vont s’étendre au delà du programme. Alors attachez vos ceintures les amis, parce que ça ne va pas être de tout repos.

Premier blog, premier article! So here we go…ou plutôt here I am car pour l'instant je suis seule face à mon écran…Oui oui, je parle a little bit english, atout majeur quand on a la prétention de faire un blog qui se veut être le carnet de voyage d'une Odyssée américaine…Ok…le terme d'Odyssée est peut-être un peu too much dans la mesure où contrairement à Ulysse, je ne pars que six semaines. En y réfléchissant bien, il y a peut-être aussi  le fait que je ne rencontrerai probablement ni cyclope, ni monstre marin, ni sirène. Mais bon je pourrai tout de même dire que j'aurai vécu dans le pays d'Homer…Simpson certes, mais Homer tout de même! 

Bon un peu de sérieux et petite explication, car après tout, des millions de personnes vont aux Etats-unis tous les ans. Mais mon expérience est spéciale, je ne vais pas là-bas en simple touriste. J'y vais pour rencontrer le Président Obama! Ça le fait quand même :-). Explications: le lundi 23 mars 2015 je reçois une lettre de l'Ambassade des États-Unis au Sénégal, m'annonçant que ma candidature au programme Mandela Washington Fellowship a été retenue. Je fais partie des 500 jeunes leaders africains sélectionnés pour aller aux États-Unis. J'ai donc six semaines pour découvrir l'Amérique, grâce il faut le dire à cette initiative lancée en 2010 par Mr. President OBAMA himself. Détecter et former les leaders africains de demain! Brilliant example of soft diplomacy I must say? Je suis persuadée que Ms Olivia Pope aurait soutenu une telle initiative :-). 

Revenons au vif du sujet! Après avoir hurlé de joie, dansé, trinqué, nargué mes amis, ma famille, oublié même l'usage du français (oui oui…j'ai un peu honte mais we are only human, right?), je me suis posée et  ai vraiment réalisé la chance que j'avais de pouvoir vivre une expérience aussi enrichissante. Six semaines de formation intensive en administration publique dans une Université américaine! Que demande le peuple ? Et c'est là que s'est abattu sur mes épaules quelque chose de terrible! 

Le sentiment de RESPONSABILITÉ…Au delà de ce que je vais apprendre et vivre personnellement, j'ai une responsabilité envers mon pays. La responsabilité de le représenter dignement bien évidemment, mais surtout d'y revenir armée de nouveaux outils, concepts, méthodes pour contribuer plus efficacement à son développement! Au delà de mon pays, il y a le continent, ce continent qui mérite de peser dans ce monde, ce continent qui doit changer d'image et enfin montrer ce qu'il est capable de faire. Je lisais un article il y a quelques semaines qui expliquait à quel point le “continent a faim”. Bien évidemment qu'il a faim. Il a faim de développement, de progrès social, de réussite, de reconnaissance et de respect! 

Ben dis donc! Cette petite envolée lyrique et patriotique m'a fait du bien mais il est temps de ranger les violons…Je vais recommencer à danser, trinquer, narguer mes amis et ma famille…car je ne vais pas partir sans annoncer solennellement que, non contente d'avoir été sélectionnée, j'ai la double peine d'avoir été affectée à la Florida International University in MIAMI. Heureuse qui comme Elsa va faire un beau voyage! 

N.B.: lors de notre PDO, on nous a fait remarquer que nous étions des privilégiés mais pas spéciaux. Il me semble important de le garder en tête. Cette aventure va tous nous aider mais rappelons nous quand même qu’il y a sur ce continent, des personnes bien plus spéciales que nous tous réunis. So…restons humbles!

First blog, first article! So here we go…or rather…here I am because…to be precise, I am just sitting by myself in front of my screen…Actually, in the French version of this article, I was adding a little English here and there to point out that I have arrived …As far as this article is in English I will add a little French because after all, a little posh have never hurt a fly…so…J’aime Paris et Le Fric C’est Chic .So back to my first article. I talk about those languages issues because when you have the pretention to write a blog which claims to be a travel book of my American Odyssey…you better be on point with your English. So I’ll do my best. Well, about the word “Odyssey”, I am may be exaggerating a tiny bit because, unlike Ulysses, I will be only be gone for six weeks…The other little differences I see with Ulysses’ Odyssey, is that I might not be meeting a Cyclopes, several see monsters, nor a single Mermaid. But, I will definitely be able to say to everybody that I stayed in the country of Homer. Ok…I’m talking about the Simpson one, but a Homer is a Homer!

Now, let’s be serious. I won’t explain everything because we did it in our share article but my fellows and I are not going to the US to chill, we are not tourists. Our experience is special; we are going there to meet President Obama!  The one and only! How cool is that?

I also won’t talk about our Pre Departure Orientation, it has already been covered but I will talk about the very moment I received this letter from the Senegal US Embassy the 23th March 2015, it was a Monday…Normally, you say, “Thank God it’s Friday”…but let me assure you, THAT Monday was worth a lot of Fridays . It was the day I was announced that I will be a Mandela Fellow. I made through the selection and I am now part of the 500 young African leaders selected for this 2015 promotion. I have six weeks to “discover” America thanks to this initiative launched by President Obama himself in 2010. Detect and train the future leaders of Africa…What a brilliant example of soft diplomacy. Olivia Pope and Frank Underwood would applaud.

Back to the subject…After having screamed and jumped into the air, danced, toasted, scoffed my friends and family (yes…I am a little bit ashamed of myself but a girl can only be human, right), I realized that I was privileged to be part of such an adventure: a six-week intensive training in Public Management in an American University? Really, Que demande le people? And it was at this very moment that it hits me, a terrible feeling. 

RESPONSIBILITY. Beyond my insignificant person, the fact that I will benefit from a unique professional, cultural and personal experience, I feel that I have a responsibility to represent my country with dignity.  And beyond that, I have the obligation to come back in Senegal to serve, armed with new skills, concepts, process etc., to better contribute to the development of my country. And beyond my country, there is this continent: Africa. This continent WHO (it’s not a grammar error) deserves to have a say in this world, who deserves to speak, this continent who needs a change of image and finally, this continent who MUST show to the world what she (yeah…I did it, I decided just like that, that for me Africa is a women. Sorry guys, it’s nothing personal) is capable of. 

A few weeks ago, I was reading an article about how “Africa is starving”. Of course Africa is starving, but she is starving for development, for social progress, for success, for recognition, but more importantly, Africa is starving for RESPECT. Everybody knows RESPECT from the great Aretha Franklin. It’s the same for Africa: “What you want, Baby, Africa got it. What you need, do you know we got it? All we’re asking is for a little R.E.S.P.E.C.T.”! Those who have ears should hear! 

So…after this lyrical and patriotic musings, it is now time to come back to earth…I will continue to scream and jump into the air, dance, toast , scoff my friends and family because…there is another great thing about this program… I am going to the Florida International University of MIAMI…Say whaaaaaaaaaaaat? MIAMI…As a French poet, Joachim du Bellay, wrote “Happy, the man who finds sweet journey’s end”…For me it will be “Happy, the Elsa who will have a sweet journey”!

N.B.: we were told during our PDO that we were privileged but not special. It’s important to keep that in mind. This adventure will definitely help all fellows in their activities but there are more people out there, way better than all of us…So we must keep it humble! 

Ce blog a été créé de concert avec trois autres fellow de cette année 2015 et toutes les quatre, nous allons tenter de partager avec vous cette expérience qui a déjà commencé à changer nos vies . Le programme Mandela Washington Fellowship For Young African Leaders est une initiative du Président Barack Obama visant à choisir 500 jeunes leaders africains en fonction de leur secteur d’activités respectif - Business & Entrepreneurship - Civic Management -et Public Management. Cette année, plus de 50 000 candidatures ont été enregistrées et, à l’instar de l'année précédente 500 jeunes africains ont été sélectionnés dans le cadre de ce programme très compétitif. L'aventure a réellement commencé cette semaine quand nous avons fait notre orientation de départ à l'Ambassade des États Unis à Dakar . Des photos viendront à l'appui pour vous permettre de mieux comprendre l'univers dans lequel nous étions plongées . Pour vous aider à mieux nous connaître, voici un petit mémo de qui nous sommes et de ce que nous faisons dans la vie. 

AISSATOU: Créatrice de mode et propriétaire de la marque Belya. Elle participe au programme pour la partie Business et sera à Chicago, Illinois .

ELSA : Diplômée en Relations internationales et travaillant dans le secteur de l’enseignement supérieur et de la recherche. Elle participe au programme pour la partie Public Management et sera à Miami, Floride.

SELLY : Créatrice de mode et propriétaire de la marque SRK. Elle participe au programme pour la partie Business et sera à Atlanta, Géorgie.

VICTORINE : Diplômée en Marketing et travaillant dans l’industrie de la cosmétique. Elle participe au programme pour la partie Business également et sera dans le Wisconcin.

Nous nous ferons une joie de partager avec vous notre histoire et bien évidemment cette magnifique aventure qui nous tend les bras . 

This blog has been created with my three other fellows from Senegal and together we are going to share with you this experience which has already started to change our lives. The Mandela Washington Fellowship For Young African Leaders is President Obama Initiative to select the best 500 young African leaders regarding the field they are in. - Business & Entrepreneurship - Civic Leadership - Public Management.There are more than 50 000 applications every year, but only 500 are selected, making that program very competitive. The adventure has really started this week when we had our Pre Departure Orientation (PDO) at the U.S. Embassy in Dakar. Photos are coming up! In order for you to know more about who we are and what we do, here is a little memo:

AISSATOU: Fashion designer and owner of the Belya brand. She will be going to Chicago under the Business track.

ELSA : Specialist in International Relations and working in the Higher Education & the Research sector. She will be going to Miami under the public management track.

SELLY : Fashion designer and owner of the brand SRK , she will be going to Atlanta under the business track.

VICTORINE : Marketing specialist & working in the cosmetic industry. She will be going to Wisconsin under the Business track.

My wonderful three Senegalese fellows and I are delighted to share with you our story and this adventure so enjoy guys and keep the questions coming!