Bill Gates Mentions Educate! in Speech at Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture

We're honored to share that Educate! was cited by Bill Gates in his speech for the Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture in South Africa.

In his moving speech Mr. Gates said:  "A good education is the best lever we have for giving every young person a chance to make the most of their lives. In Africa, as in the U.S., we need new thinking and new educational tools to make sure that a high-quality education is available to every single child. In Uganda, young innovators at an NGO called Educate! are helping high schools prepare young people for the workplace by teaching students how to start their own business."

The speech attests to Educate!'s conviction that youth are the solution to the most pressing challenges facing Africa today. Speaking about the promise and potential of African youth, Mr. Gates said: "One topic that Nelson Mandela came back to over and over again was the power of youth.... I agree with Mandela about young people, and that is one reason I am optimistic about the future of this continent. Demographically, Africa is the world’s youngest continent, and its youth can be the source of a special dynamism. In the next 35 years, 2 billion babies will be born in Africa. By 2050, 40 percent of the world’s children will live on this continent.... But for me, the most important thing about young people is the way their minds work. Young people are better than old people at driving innovation, because they are not locked in by the limits of the past."

Gates also discussed his personal relationship with Nelson Mandela, his journey of personal discovery in sub-saharan Africa that led him to dedicate his life to philanthropy, and some of the greatest challenges and opportunities facing the continent today.

We're proud to be recognized by such a dedicated advocate for African youth and admire the work of The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation immensely. 

You can see the video (check out 1:03:00!) and read the transcript (you can search for Educate! or look for the education session).