By Azzan Mustafa Ndolo, Project & Program Coordinator at Mwanga Wa Kesho Initiative
My journey into leadership and community impact did not begin in a conference hall or fellowship program. It began in a restaurant.
During a summer break in my teenage years, I worked part time as a waiter. While I learned discipline, responsibility, and the dignity of hard work, I also discovered something deeper about myself. Outside my shifts, I found myself drawn to youth led walkathons, campaigns, and social impact initiatives happening in my community. I was fascinated by how young people could mobilize around a cause and create tangible change. What started as curiosity soon became commitment.
When the devastating earthquake struck Turkey and Syria, I felt compelled to act. I volunteered with a local NGO to help coordinate a humanitarian response event in Tanzania mobilizing youth and community members in solidarity. Together, we raised over $3,000 for earthquake relief efforts. That experience transformed my understanding of leadership. It showed me that leadership is not about position it is about stepping forward when responsibility calls.
As my exposure grew, I was entrusted with greater responsibility at Mwanga Wa Kesho Initiative, where I have served as a Project Coordinator for the past two years. There, I orchestrated the “Kutana na Kesho Yako” event series, engaging over 500 young people in career guidance, entrepreneurship, and personal development. I drafted sponsorship proposals, cultivated partnerships, and secured collaborators one providing scholarship opportunities and another offering food support to ensure accessibility for all attendees.
I also secured over $2,000 in sponsorships and in-kind support by building strategic relationships with organizations such as Restless Development, Success Hands Initiative, and SSC Capital. For our inaugural Mid-Year Bazaar, I mobilized $300 in funding, beverage sponsorships, and a free venue, reducing projected costs by 40% and ensuring efficient resource use. Beyond fundraising, I led storytelling and digital engagement strategies that increased our online visibility by 35%, allowing us to reach even more young people.
At the same time, I coordinated the Project Dream Mental Health Awareness Program, facilitating communication between volunteers, trainers, and students. I developed workshop outlines, built partnerships with schools and mental health professionals, and created coordination systems using tools like Trello. In communities where mental health conversations are often stigmatized, helping create safe spaces for young people to speak openly has been deeply meaningful.
At 19, I was selected as the youngest member of my cohort at the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI RLC East Africa), chosen among 100 participants from over 1,000 applicants. There, I completed advanced training in civic leadership and public management and was recognized as a Top 10 Pitch Presenter for developing an innovative community project solution. Since then, I have represented youth voices at the World Bank End Poverty Campaign and FEMNET’s Beijing+30 Regional Consultation in Addis Ababa. I have also served as a UPG Sustainability Leadership Fellow, co-facilitating sustainability training for 21+ participants across Africa, and joined the Next Generation Foresight Practitioners African Sensing Network, applying systems thinking to shape a more sustainable and equitable future.
Most recently, I was selected as one of 15 finalists out of 400 candidates for the Young Courage Awards 2025 a recognition that affirmed the power of consistent, values-driven action.
What motivates me is simple: I believe potential is universal, but opportunity is not. I have seen brilliant young people limited not by talent, but by access. That belief drives me to build platforms, create spaces, and mobilize partnerships that expand access to education, leadership, and innovation. I am currently developing a digital platform to connect African youth with global opportunities, inspired by my own journey of exposure and growth.
My favorite Kiswahili proverb says, “Kidole kimoja hakivunji chawa” one finger cannot kill a louse. It reminds me that real change is collective. From serving tables to serving communities, my path has been shaped by curiosity, strengthened by resilience, and guided by purpose. I do not just aspire to succeed I aspire to build systems where many more can rise alongside me.
And this is only the beginning.