By: Drake Ssempijja
If there is a time the word “pleasantly surprised” ever had meaning to me, it’s been my stay in Athens, Georgia at the J.W. Fanning institute for Leadership Development. The reception has been wonderful from all involved including staff at the Institute and the wider Athens community. I have particularly been impressed by the “all-hands-on-deck-attitude” at the Fanning Institute as everyone has shown a tremendous amount of dedication to make me feel at home and that everything goes in the right way. Some highlights of my experience so far:
The program curriculum: The program is centred around what the University of Georgia is all about which is to “teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things”. It has been tailor-made to perfectly fit within my work in Uganda. It has been designed with a wider view of leadership, that emphasizes values that have helped me to develop a deeper insight into what I do and to think outside of my comfort zone. The common leadership curriculum has taught me a lot about teamwork, patience and the spirit of Ubuntu which is something I intend to use back home.
Interactions: Since the commencement of the fellowship, I have been able to meet a group of young, talented and passionate Africans doing amazing development work in their communities, countries and the continent at large. Through interactive sessions, I now know that we are all passionate about issues that affect our communities, ranging from food security to women and children’s rights. This has given me an opportunity to network with these like-minded individuals giving me a broad understanding of the issues affecting different communities on the continent and how these issues are interlinked with one another. I have also been able to meet, greet and network with Americans that are doing amazing things in their communities through government, NGOs and charities at the different networking events at the institute. I have also enjoyed the Africa in Athens event, the speed networking and the trip to Atlanta.
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