Bifm Head of Retail – Setshwano Ngope
Botswana’s rising stars continue to paint the country in a positive light. The most recent opportunity to fly the country’s flag high comes in the form of a group of young Batswana set to attend the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) programme in the United States. 15 representatives from Botswana have been selected to attend the programme to be held at various locales within the United States.
The program is set to bring together 500 of Africa’s most promising young leaders to top US universities for a 6-week academic and leadership institute in one of three areas: business and entrepreneurship; civic leadership; or public management. Academic study at a US tertiary institution will be supplemented by workshops, mentorship and networking opportunities with recognised industry and thought leaders, as well as internships across the US for selected participants.
Amongst the incredibly talented and impressive array of local candidates set to depart for the US is Ms. Setshwano Ngope, Head of Retail at Botswana Insurance Fund Management (Bifm). Ngope was selected based upon the valued role she has played within the community, both in and outside of her financial services career. She has made a concerted effort to assist in uplifting and educating women and the general public about personal financial management, through various financial literacy engagements – the latest engagement being participation at the 5th annual Women in Business & Leadership Conference, giving a talk about Women & Financial Independence.
Ngope said, “It’s been a tremendous honour to be selected and one I hardly expected. Programmes such as these are so incredibly vital, and we need to learn from them in many ways. For a start, to embrace existing platforms such as these to challenge ourselves to grow personally and professionally. Secondly, we need to make the most of these opportunities, and encourage more similarly opportune platforms, to show what Batswana are truly capable of.”
The prestigious YALI programme, held between June and September 2014, was conceptualised and championed by US President, Barrack Obama. The programme aims to empower young African leaders through academic coursework, leadership training, mentoring, networking, and follow-on support. YALI was launched in 2010. The programme was introduced in order to support young African leaders as they spur growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across Africa. The application process was facilitated within Botswana through the local US Embassy, with nominations for candidates deemed to fit the required criteria open to the public earlier this year.
As part of her involvement within the YALI programme, Ngope will spend 6 weeks on leadership training at Northwestern University in Illinois. She will then attend a 3 day summit in Washington DC hosted by President Obama, before continuing her fellowship with an 8 week internship at a financial institution in New York City.
The selected representatives from Botswana not only stand to benefit from the increased exposure and knowledge, the programme will afford them an opportunity for personal and professional development, as well as a chance to profile Botswana organisations on the international stage. With the world having increasingly cast its eye on Botswana and her riches, the stage is set for young leaders to make Botswana shine once more.
