The Durban University of Technology’s Ntuthuko Mchunu has been offered an opportunity to connect with other leaders and to learn about different cultures at the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) programme, taking place at the UNISA School of Business Leadership in Midrand.

The charismatic, third-year National Diploma Human Resources student was selected to join the YALI programme, regarded as a prestigious leadership initiative in Africa. The Young African Leaders (YALI) is a signature effort to invest in the next generation of African leaders.

Former President Obama launched YALI in 2010 to support young and emerging African leaders as they spur growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across Sub-Saharan Africa. The Young African Leaders Initiative is not just a fellowship, or an online community, or a place to go for regional leadership training, it encompasses all three.

For Mchunu, the decision to apply for such a programme was through a colleague of his who said it was a life-changing experience, so he decided to apply. He found the application process very stringent which took him 10 days to complete.

“After four weeks of waiting in anticipation, I was notified by the US Embassy to do a telephonic interview which was tough but I managed to impress them on the projects that I am working on in my community as a young, African leader. I am also inspired to transform Africa and the young people,” he said proudly.
Thinking that was the end of the selection process, Mchunu was then called for a second telephonic interview with the YALI head of recruitment and thankfully he managed to impress him with his strong, persuasive debating knowledge and he was subsequently chosen to be part of the programme.

Upon hearing the news that he was successful, Mchunu said it was the right timing as he had felt down and when he read he was selected to join the programme, he jumped for joy. “I was excited it was like I was in seventh heaven. I actually thought I wasn’t going to be accepted considering that I’m still young and I don’t have much experience, but when God wants to use you he will open every door for you. That is exactly what had happened. I now got the chance to get the knowledge and the skills to transform and make a difference in the community at large or even Africa,” he said.

Mchunu is no stranger to being in leadership roles ranging from being a mentor on the mentors Queen’s Young Leaders Mentoring Programme, a candidate ambassador, a premier youth diplomat ( UNASA) and secretary for (SMILE).

The dynamic speaker was also a participant at the SANUDC (South African National University Debating Championships) 2016, which was hosted by the University of Cape Town (UCT). He added that it was also a great experience for the DUT debating union as it was the teams’ first time competing nationally.

“I also participated in the SAIIA Youth Summit (South African Institute of International Affairs), last year, which was held at the Wits University. At the summit, I had a chance to meet a lot of young minds who were really remarkable,” he said.

For Mchunu, his current experience at the YALI programme has been really amazing. “This has been such a great opportunity for me to be able to interact with 134 young African leaders from 14 different Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. I’m learning so much about different cultures and exchanging different opinions and ideologies, which to me is one of the greatest things I have achieved,” he added.

This past week, he took part in debating issues and learnt about social problems in other African countries such as Malawi, and the treatment of women, racism and poverty.

“One of the key things we as young African leaders came across is that peace, stability, good governance, democracy and human rights are foundations for the development of societies and that the YALI programme and its youth has the role to promote the principles of human rights, good governance and democracy in Africa. We all can also promote peace, security and stability as we are the voice to great change,” he said.

The programme will continue until 22 December 2017.

Pictured: Luleka Mkuzo and Ntuthuko Mchunu at the YALI programme.

Waheeda Peters