BY PHESHEYA KUNENE
MBABANE – The YALI Alumni Expo and Exhibition proved to be a remarkable success, bringing together young African leaders from various Regional Leadership Centers.
This year’s event, which was held in Cape Town from Monday to Wednesday, saw the participation of four representatives from Eswatini, who engaged actively in connecting with potential investors and partners from other countries.
During an interview, one of the four representatives, Sandile Nxumalo, expressed his gratitude for being given a chance to be part of the conference. Nxumalo said he gained a lot from the conference as he got a chance to interact and share ideas with accomplished investors.
When quizzed on how other young people would join the conference, Nxumalo encouraged young people to follow and be part of YALI’s social media platforms as that was where they normally recruited the youth that would represent the country during the international conferences.
Moreover, it was revealed that in total, there were about 500 YALI alumni who attended the event, with 400 gathering at the YALI pavilion and 100 showcasing their innovations at the prestigious Africa Tech Festival. This gathering did not only highlight the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of young leaders but also fostered invaluable networking opportunities among attendees.
The event was honored by the presence of the US Ambassador to South Africa and delegates from USAID, underscoring the significance of the YALI initiative in promoting leadership and development across the continent.
“Overall, the expo served as a platform for collaboration and inspiration, empowering young leaders to drive positive change in their communities,” Sandile Nxumalo, who is YALI Eswatini’s Communications, Events and Networking Coordinator, said.
