Jimmy Pierre Kanizius Accepted to African Leadership Academy!

Jimmy Pierre Kanizius (Educate! student) was accepted to African Leadership Academy. Jimmy went through the same process as Joseph Munyambanza, who was accepted to the first class of students at ALA last year. The selection process Jimmy completed successfully is extremely tough. Only 100 students from across the world are accepted and there are three phases to the process culminating in a day long in person group interview in Kampala. We found out this week that Jimmy was accepted and it’s a great testament to his leadership, character, and the great support Beth, Jim, and Aimee Heckel – a Colorado family that has sponsored Jimmy and since started an incredible organization called Think Humanity (www.thinkhumanity.org) – have given him since 2007.

Jimmy was asked to bring a representative object for his interview. He brought in a calabash gourd to symbolize exponential empowerment. The gourd starts out small then expands exponentially in the same way an investment in one individual can impact thousands!

Educate! also uses the calabash to represent the transition from personal leadership to community leadership in our curriculum.

ALA will help Jimmy apply to the best universities around the world, like they’re doing for Joseph, and it will be wonderful to watch as Jimmy and Joseph bring their leadership back to DRC. They and the other Educate! students from Kyangwali Refugee Settlement will bring many positive changes to the DRC in the future.