Zum Auftakt der neuen Bewerbungsphase haben wir mit zwei Teilnehmerinnen der vergangenen Jahrgänge gesprochen: Etornam Fianoo-Viadza, Young Leader 2022, ist CEO und Mitgründerin von Spiika, einer Plattform für Online-Sprachunterreicht. Anna-Laura Seifermann ist Projektmanagerin für Ost- und Südafrika bei Viamo, einem multinationalen Social Enterprise, das sich auf Mobiltechnologien insbesondere im Bereich der Entwicklungszusammenarbeit fokussiert. Sie hat im Jahr 2021 an dem Programm teilgenommen.
Why did you apply for AGYLE?
Etornam Fianoo-Viadza: I wanted to expand my network and also connect with like-minded young leaders.
Anna-Laura Seifermann: I applied for AGYLE to connect with like-minded young leaders from different African countries and Germany. Also, the possibility to brainstorm and design possible business solutions with people from different backgrounds seemed very exciting.
How did you benefit from the programme?
Fianoo-Viadza: Connecting with like-minded people has rekindled my passion for impact. I came back with fresh climate focused ideas that I will soon pilot.
Seifermann: Besides making friends across different countries, the programme gave me some more learnings about different realities and how diverse the business world is in Ethiopia, Ghana, Germany, Rwanda and Tunisia. Especially the live week was full of learnings and discussions where we all could uncover some of our blindspots.
In your opinion - why is the cooperation between Africa and Germany more important than ever?
Fianoo-Viadza: The climate crisis is a global crisis and sharing ideas is one of the most potent ways of finding creative solutions to our collective problems. With Germany being one of the countries leading climate action in Europe, such collaboration helps in terms of exchange of useful best practices.
Seifermann: What is most important at this very time is to have an eye-level collaboration and cooperate with the intention of creating a corridor. Across the African continent, there are a lot of innovations and technological advancements as well as talent that Germany could massively benefit from. Furthermore, an exchange of entrepreneurs from Germany and African countries can create synergies and learnings on both sides and open up new avenues of growth for all the involved countries.
In your line of work - how can digital technologies and innovations help to make the world more sustainable and inclusive?
Fianoo-Viadzar: E-learning replacing paper-based education greatly reduces the pressure on trees. In addition to that, e-learning helps us to spread quality education unlimited by geography.
Seifermann: Technology and innovation can enhance social inequalities for example by enabling people's access to savings through mobile money and thus providing financial inclusion. Another innovation is to utilise Interactive Voice Response and have people listen to information in their local languages on their basic phones to overcome barriers of internet connectivity and illiteracy. However, the key is to involve marginalised groups instead of continuing to design from the lens of a Western person and create technology that does not work for the people.
Alle Young Leaders der vergangenen zwei Jahrgänge können Sie auf unserer Website kennenlernen.
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