We all have turning points in life but my turning point was on 19th
june 2013 as i was introduced to AYLF for the first time in Limuru
Kenya as a student leader who was a guild president of Uganda
Christian University Mukono. Of course being a guild president of a
university, i knew it was satisfying enough and i knew that is what
leadership was all about, fighting your way up and looking for
survival and next post of leadership but it was different with AYLF.
AYLF's principles of leadership according to the personality of Jesus
Christ were life changing and too serious than i ever imagined before
and this to me was the beginning of my journey to understand the kind
of leader i want to be and the kind of role model i would chose to
emulate in leadership.
AYLF training on the 7 habits of highly effective people was a whole
mind blowing experience that opened my eyes to new phenomenal aspects
in leadership such as having an end in mind and putting first things
first among others that made me think deeply about my life.
The AYLF love,family of friends strategy,fun and unity despite the
diversity and difference in culture and background was yet another
whole experienced that left me challenged. I was happy at how the
group leaders merged our cultures, countries, backgrounds and
professions into one family and circle of friends all other factors
constant.
The AYLF use of small groups was a new strategy of leadership whose
influence i had never imagined. i always thought to influence things,
i needed thousands of people to mobilize and do something about
society challenges but i found it different with this group. Jesus
had a small group of 12 that he started with but finally his teaching
spread to the entire world and has changed the world.
Having all the above perspectives in mind, i left Limuru when i had
totally conceived quiet a lot of knowledge, approaches, types and
wisdom on leadership and finally my pregnancy then has grown and grown
over years to give birth to the following fruits;
In my term of office as guild president in 2013, i left a land mark
and legacy at UCU as one of the best leaders they have ever had. I
served with utmost humility, diginity and maturity using all the tools
of wisdom that had been imparted in me in Limuru. Its this time that i
appreciated the choice i had made to offer transformational and
servant leadership which was the best method i never regretted to use
during my time of service as a leader.
Still at university, I identified and formed a small group of friends
to be my circle family of friends and this small group has existed
until today. We are like brothers and sisters, we know each other than
our own families and siblings know about us, we hold each other
accountable, we are available for each other and this was one thing i
learnt from AYLF.
From Limuru in 2013, i came with determination to mentor others. Since
then i have so far over 50 mentees who have assisted in leadership by
passing on all the knowledge i kept on getting from gatherings and
events of AYLF. Among my mentees include 5 guild presidents and
several other guild leaders such as ministers and GRcs in different
universities.
I have not stopped there but I realised AYLF was doing everything
possible to provide young leaders with information but the reading
culture was so poor in the entire region thus in April 2016 this year,
i started an organization called League of Young Professionals-Uganda
(LYP) for readers and leaders. These are so far coming to 50 mentees
from diffferent professions who i send books to read, analyze and
summerise. We meet with other experienced carefully selected mentors
who are readers to fellowship in small groups and share experiences
with young professional to improve their attitude and culture in
reading. This is a typical method of leadership that i picked from
AYLF.
As a true fruits of AYLF ,the future is bright and we are taking over
all institutions in the next few years. The power in starting small is
so powerful and the bundle is so heavy and irresistable to anything.
Let every beneficiary of AYLF have a small team of young leaders to
mentor and lets do the multiplier effect over years, we will look back
and appreciate the mountain we have climbed with a smile.
Special thanks to the African Youth Professional Network under AYLF
which is up to date sharpening me as a professional.
God bless the founders of AYLF
God bless the leaders of AYLF
God bless the AYPN group leaders and all AYLF members
