I am passionate about people.

This passion informs my Christian walk. Ultimately, Jesus came for people – to save, to turn our lives around, to give us a better present and eternal future. I do my best to follow Him well, and beyond that, the greatest thing I can do is help people find Him and live this life. I believe in investing in the next generation, believing that their lives, purpose and achievements will far surpass us. I see my words and stories as part of that process of positively influencing people to greater living.

This passion informs my leadership. I believe being a leader is about being able to influence people, bringing out the best in them, giving them opportunity to make the most of what God has for them. I believe in leadership founded on integrity and backed up by skillfulness. I’m not perfect, far from it, but I believe in ever striving for higher ideals, so that those that look up to me will always have a great example to follow – in failure and in success.

It is also this passion that first led me down the path of development, my other pet subject, for development is essentially about people – not that we always get that right. I believe in ideas that can change the lives of entire communities, even nations. I believe in bringing about lasting change. I believe in giving young people space to express their ideas, but coupled with responsibility on their shoulders. I believe in the potential of Africa, in the possibility that we, as young leaders, can shift the direction of this continent. I believe that if we don’t speak out – and follow it up by concrete action – we will be to blame for the failures of the years to come.