Becoming a YALI alumnus is a milestone that symbolizes persistence, resilience, and belief in one’s dreams. Andrew Kayani's journey, however, was far from easy. Today, as a proud graduate of the YALI Regional Leadership Center East Africa (RLC EA), he share his story to inspire young leaders across Tanzania and Africa.
As the founder of Kayani African Safari, Andrew was drawn to YALI’s mission to empower Africa’s young leaders. His first two applications were met with rejection, but he refused to give up. In May 2023, Andrew's company Kayani African Safari hosted the YALI RLC EA - Alumni Chapter of Tanzania during their Nairobi Homecoming. Immersed in inspiring alumni stories, Andrew vowed to try again this time with renewed focus and guidance from mentors like Miss Dorikas John.
His determination paid off when he was waitlisted for cohort 59 and later invited to join cohort 60. The program was intense but the support of facilitators like Mr. Athman Fadhili and Miss Lydia Munikah kept him going. On December 19, 2024, Andrew officially graduated as a YALI alumnus, a moment that felt surreal yet deeply rewarding.
His YALI journey taught him how resilience is a key to success and to whoever aspiring to join YALI transformative program must keep pushing forward without giving up.
Reflecting on his journey, Andrew reminds young African leaders that rejection is a stepping stone towards learning, growing and persisting rather than a failure.
