Monday, December 8, 2014

YALI Nairobi ends 2014 with Awesomeness

YALI network Nairobi ended 2014 on a high.

We were privileged to host fantastic Esther Passaris 
 
Fantastic Esther Passaris at YALI Nairobi meet at the iHub

Esther is one of the few people who embodies all the core principles of YALI in one person
  • Entrepreneurship
  • She is the founder of Adopt a light a social entrepreneurship venture which had such great impact when it was founded that beneficiaries in Kibera thought it was a government project
  • Public Management
  • Esther had personal experience in dealing with a government agency and experienced challenges faced contracting with City Council
  • Civic Leadership
  • Esther has had three attempts at Public office unlike many contemporary Kenyan leaders her motives were different
She runs Driving Kenya Forward foundation and is a philanthropist through and through.So needless to say the whole YALI network was eagerly awaiting for this meeting. 
SHE CAME SHE SAW SHE CONQUERED
Esther came and she exceeded all expectations speaking to the YALI fraternity of her own personal experience in family, business, money, politics and answering their own personal questions on everything from security and discrimination issues, starting a business from scratch... getting investment.
Personal Experience sharing

YALI members asked Personal Questions Esther answered them all


Kennedy Steven hosting Esther Passaris
Most of all she spoke on how to be a person... finding a personal identity, having a relationship with your money and how to be truly rich - leading a rich life in all aspects.

QUOTABLE QUOTES ESTHER PASSARIS AT YALI

Esther Passaris - Man in the Mirror
That conversation with the person in the mirror is so crucial
If you have that little voice that says you are bad, you can't do this, it's a waste of time. 
You have got to change that conversation with yourself
You know we all have conversations with yourself that derail us detain us we have to change that conversation
I believe when you change the conversation you having with yourself you will change your life
Esther Passaris - the name
It's a name it means nothing
It's the carrier of the name that gives it meaning
You give your life meaning

Esther Passaris on Success
What is success? 
Success is not money. Success is you being able to look in the mirror and say to that person you see. I Love You. You are amazing and you have done so well. You are a good person. You are beautiful or you are handsome inside out. I am proud of you. How many of you can look in the mirror and say that?
Esther Passaris on Success
You can be with money - 
You can't be without money
So don't have any illusions -  Have a relationship with money 
Engage your senses, because if you don't engage your senses with money and have a relationship with money you will not be rich
Adopt a light was my relationship with money. My need for money.
Esther Passaris tells it like it is at YALI Nairobi

Esther Passaris - On Ideas
You cannot sit on an idea
Don't be fearful about implementing
Doesn't mean if you trademark if its something you can trademark or you patent it it's not going to be stolen from you. Look at Adopt a Light.
Don't let fear but let faith guide you alright - go for your dream get started
Because right now you are suffering from Excusitis - excuses for not implementing.
I'll tell you what will be the saddest thing and I have seen this happen in my life when you actually ignore an idea and think you can do it tomorrow and then somebody else does it
Your idea is in other people's brains it's not unique to you . Get it done - be the person who came up with the first project on that idea.
Others will follow - you can't protect it my darling you can't.


Esther and other YALI members listen to Esther Passaris at YALI Nairobi
Esther Passaris on Integrity
Integrity, honesty... values... you cannot live right if you don't have them
Do I think all these people who do wrong will be successful? Majority no.
Because the foundation of your success has to be based on right. It cannot be based on wrong 

Esther Passaris on Venture Capital
If you have got the people that you have talked to and they are willing to invest get started. Keep the majority shareholding, alright. If they are putting in the money and they want you to take the minority. Take 30 percent not less because 30 percent gives you a seat in the board of your idea. If they are pulling the money be tough keep 51... alright but I know it's tough

Everybody that I went to wanted to take control of the company I still own it 100 percent I refused because everybody was like... will put in this money that you need and we'll take 80 percent. I refused. So good luck.
Esther Passaris on Social Entrepreneurship
That's when I came to learn about this term called Social Entrepreneurship where you do a business and you do good, alright? 
I didn't go out looking for it... I stumbled into social entrepreneurship and I love it and if I go forward in my life... any business I do will have social good because... I'll tell you one thing we all have a role to play in improving our world. We can be part of that change
BELATED BIRTHDAY
YALI Nairobi gave Esther a belated birthday surprise and also acknowledged her as a "Shujaa" coincidentally Esther was born on Mashujaa day October 20th
Yummy

Happy Belated birthday Shujaa

Sing a Song

Chill time

  
Esther Passaris on why she agreed to be a guest at YALI

YALI Core team with Esther Passaris
Left 
Tolu and Nyambura Right John Paul 
I saw you desperately trying to find somebody to speak - I saw you were getting closer to your day 
I saw somebody trying to do something and having no one that's coming forward - let me help him out. 
So I was doing a good deed.
I was giving him a speaker which he desperately needed
I was coming to talk to some young Kenyans because if I want change in Kenya then I have to be available to talk to Kenyans
I cannot want to change and not be part of the process
So join the process make it work for you and then it will work for everyone else


Personal Engagement with the young people after the session

Esther Passaris - Parting Shot for YALI Nairobi
YALI Nairobi Network group photo with Esther
You don't need to start off trying to make YALI work for everyone
You need to make YALI work for you first
Because once it works for you everyone else will come on board
Sometimes we try and get so many people into something and then it fails and everybody loses
If YALI can solve the problems of ten of you and you can solve the problem of another ten and it goes on like that and we have a ripple effect of solutions to problems
You could be the ten that bring in the million
So the people that are in this room make it work for you and then bring other people in.
 


quotable quotes by Esther Passaris at YALI Nairob

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

HIGHLIGHTS FROM NAIROBI YALI MEETUP ON 25TH OCT

Well now that it's all been done - we have all applied for the YALI 2015 fellowship the deadline was 5th November right? ... it is time to look back at all that was said - so we can be all said and done, right?

Don't blame me for being nostalgic - I love the way we do it at YALI Nairobi... so looking back is the real deal for me - don't get me wrong I am a natural visionary... but this is YALI exception allowed.

So anyway 25th was really awesome and here are the highlights

OUR HOST THE IHUB WAS AN AWESOME VENUE

YALI NAIROBI MEMBERS ARE THE MOST AWESOME NETWORK IN THE WORLD

DIANE OUR MODERATOR, GUEST PANELIST HANNAH AND ERIC


HEAR IT FROM THE 2014 HORSES MOUTH 2014 YALI FELLOWS MOUTH

That's right we had real fellows in the house - they have been there, done it and now they want to make great things happen for the rest of the Young Leaders Nairobi Network and for Kenya.

HANNAH TELLS IT LIKE IT IS

ERICK BREAKING IT DOWN

CHARLENE TAKING IT HOME
Members of the network got to hear firsthand from YALI 2014 fellows Erick, Hannah, Maurice, Victor and Charlene on how to apply for future fellowships, they also described the YALI experience in the States in detail and shared the huge responsibility they have taken up on coming back home.

ERIC AND HANNAH SHARING EXPERIENCE



Q&A FULL CLIP


The Fellows also encouraged all the participants to go for opportunities available to them
PETE - AN ENTREPRENEUR FOLLOWS PROCEEDINGS


TOTAL SUPPORT

Embassy staff Ken and Michael were present and Michael took eager attendees through what was probably the burning issue of the day "How do I make a good application that truly reflects who I am and makes me top 500?"
MICHAEL - "YOU GUYS HAVE THE ANSWERS"


CHALLENGE ON THE WAY FORWARD

Elizabeth raised a challenge that has been close to the heart of the Nairobi-Kenya Yali Network agenda...


1. We have 46,000 applicants and 500 get selected what can we who share this common passion come together and do as young leaders with or without making the cut for the fellowship

2. Other than coming and having a meetup once a month how much more can we impact each others projects and create synergies if we are working on similar projects?

3. Can we have a forum where people with real projects on the ground engage with Young Leaders?

Tough questions - but on the bright side... we are all Young African Leaders I know in our hearts we hold all the true answers.

NEXT MEETUP
The core team is organizing the next meetup and we have in mind Elizabeth's challenge... What can we make of this coming together?
TOLU SUMMARIZING ISSUES

See you on the 29th of November - More YALI awesomeness


YALI NAIROBI CORE TEAM PLANNING THE NEXT MEETUP

Thursday, October 23, 2014

MEET YALI 2014 FELLOWS IN NAIROBI

On Oct 25th at 1400 hrs we will have the grand opportunity of hosting YALI alumni at the ihub Community space on Ngong road opposite Uchumi hyper to talk about their experience to aspiring applicants and also to inspire members of the YALI network.

We are still keeping it a surprise on who you will meet.

However just to heighten or reduce the suspense here are some of the 2014 YALI alumni.













Wednesday, October 22, 2014

We Did it Once - We are doing it Again Nairobi YALI meetup

It is that time of the month again - yep you guessed right.

Young leaders is Nairobi are meeting at the iHub at Bishop Magua house on 25th October at two PM to chart the way forward on their network.

This is an awesome opportunity to learn how to apply for the Mandela Fellowship which closes in two weeks and to hear from alumni

The last meetup was at the iHub UX lab

Highlights in photos

Nyambura Muturi leads brainstorm session



Young Leader expressing her feeling in color



Nyambura breaking it down

Dee following proceedings


Meal is waiting

Tolu and Nyambura planning for next event

Phil documenting


Our gracious hosts iHub UX lab

Expectations met