The Seal the Gap Teens Mentorship Boot camp, organized by eMentoring Africa, was held at St. Catherine of Siena, Kitisuru, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM over three transformative days. The program brought together 10 vibrant teens, aiming to empower them with practical skills, foster self-awareness, and inspire innovation.
With a unique theme for each day, the boot camp covered critical areas such as entrepreneurship, mental health, financial literacy, and emerging technologies (VR & IoT). Facilitators and experts shared insights and guided hands-on activities to equip the participants for future challenges.
Day 1: Exploring Entrepreneurial Mindsets and Career Compass
The first day, focused on entrepreneurship and career development, was facilitated by Elnorah Chao and Wachira Speaks.
Elnorah Chao introduced the concept of entrepreneurship, encouraging teens to understand the basics of starting a business and what goes into crafting a solid business plan. The teens were divided into groups of 3-4 members to brainstorm innovative business ideas. Each group presented their business plans, followed by feedback and thought-provoking questions designed to deepen their understanding of business development.
Meanwhile, Wachira Speaks energized the participants with team-building activities and engaging icebreakers that fostered collaboration and creative thinking.
The day ended with fun games such as jigsaw puzzles, emphasizing the importance of problem-solving and teamwork.
Day 2: Youth Wellbeing (Mental Health) and Self-Development
The second day spotlighted mental health, culture, and self-development, facilitated by Joy Tanti.
The session began with Esther, the Director of eMentoring Africa, highlighting the importance of agriculture. She challenged the teens to recognize its value in everyday life and gifted them farm produce at the end of the day’s session as a memorable takeaway from her session.
Joy Tanti led impactful discussions and activities focusing on personal growth and cultural influences. Teens engaged in self-reflection by writing letters to their future selves and explored their heritage through a family tree exercise. They also discussed intergenerational knowledge gaps, sharing perspectives on what they believe their parents know that they don’t and vice versa.
A storytelling exercise inspired by Esther, encouraged creativity and collaboration as teens worked together to craft flowing narratives, fostering both critical thinking and teamwork.
Day 3: Financial Literacy and Emerging Technologies
The final day combined lessons in financial literacy and emerging technologies, providing participants with tools to envision and shape their futures.
Esther, Director of eMentoring Africa, opened the session with the thought-provoking question:
“How much money would you like to earn?”
This sparked insightful conversations on personal aspirations, paving the way for facilitator Mr. Andrew Gichure to delve into financial literacy. His session emphasized the distinction between needs and wants and touched on the importance of saving and investing for financial security.
The afternoon was dedicated to exploring technology:
- Stephen Okwiri introduced participants to the fascinating world of Virtual Reality (VR). Teens experienced interactive applications, from gaming to virtual tours and even deep-sea diving, showcasing VR’s vast potential.
- Ian Chege took the teens through the Internet of Things (IoT), demonstrating how IoT can provide innovative solutions to real-world problems.
The day concluded with a celebratory awards ceremony, recognizing the creativity and effort of the teens in their business plan and storytelling presentations which were read out loud for all to hear to determine what story had a great flow and made sense.
The Seal the Gap Teen Mentorship Bootcamp was a resounding success, blending inspiration, knowledge, and practical skills. Over three days, the teens delved into vital themes, guided by expert facilitators, and emerged more confident and prepared to tackle their futures.
We asked the teens for feedback on how the BootCamp was and they shared their reflections:
- Austin: “The 3 days were interactive and gave me something to do.”
- Margaret: “I made new friends, learned so much, and I’m happy I came.”
- Shannice: “I was excited to make new friends. The activities were great, and I’m happy I attended.”
- Paula: “I enjoyed the icebreakers and sessions. I learned something that will help me.”
- Nico: “It was great! I loved the lessons, especially the VR sessions, and meeting new people.”
- Elsa: “I learned new things and enjoyed myself.”
- Christian: “It was a great experience. I learned something new.”
- Pam: “I learned new things and enjoyed myself.”
- Lucy: “It was great. I learned about business, which can help me start something before I join campus.”
- Andrew: “I learned new things, enjoyed the icebreakers, and learned about IEEE.”
The sessions emphasized the importance of mentorship in shaping resilient, informed, and innovative leaders. As the teens left with newfound knowledge and experiences, the bootcamp stood as a testament to the transformative power of eMentoring Africa’s vision for youth empowerment.
Looking forward to more impactful mentorships in the future.