Young development professionals and students could pitch solutions to global landscape challenges to a panel of experts in a Dragon’s Den Style Event. © Andrew Wheeler for Wild Dog Limited / WLE_CGIAR 2015 all rights reserved worldwide.
Waiting for my visa to be processed, I kind of got nervous. I wondered if I would get it, and prayed I would get it; and I got it. Having been working with Marina from YPARD and the marketing team, I had already reviewed most blogs of the 50 innovators and they were an amazing 50 I was eager to meet.
Each youth had a story and a passion they presented in their blog and I was eager to meet all of the people behind these ideas and concepts that were featured. I was excited to be part of the Finance and Trade team that was going to develop a solution for smallholder farmers, and I dearly hoped that I lived to the mantle I was given, an opportunity to have ideas and words develop into impactful action.
At Tree Adoption Uganda (TAU), where I work, we aim at combating climate change, youth unemployment and illiteracy, and agriculture being the main economic activity in Uganda, we work with several small scale farmers. Therefore the solution we were to develop had a lot of significance to me.
Leaving for Paris.
While I passed through the hustle and bustle of Kampala Taxi park, being asked whether I was going to the various destinations in Uganda, I felt like telling everyone that, “No, I’m going to Paris, and I’m part of a team that will develop a solution which you will most likely see here back home.”
I was so eager to meet my team mates and the steering committee with whom I had met online through the innovative introductory webinars, Skype calls, and padlets; find a feasible solution, meet the mentors and my long term mentor; learn and share what I know, and network in addition to attending the GLF.
It was a long way from home, and worth it, with the beautiful scenery in Paris. The cold winds hit me hard at first, I had previously perceived that the presence of the sun meant that it was as warm as it looked, but over the days I adjusted and it became more fascinating than cold.
The Workshop
I was finally in Paris, and gladly got a metro trip from the CEO of TAU so as to get to know my routes right and find the venues for my activities, read the map and find the right metro.
On the first day of the workshop at BeeOTop, I was finally glad to meet my teammates and the steering committee. A memorable activity on the first day was the photo hunt that also helped us to become conversant with Paris, the metro and our teammates and through the chats along the way and on the metro, I got to find out more about what they do and aspire to do and I was sure I was in the right place and got ready to work for the best solution.
The unique thing about the workshop was the fact that the steering committee had strategically taken us through the important aspects of what we would be doing and had prepared us for the tasks we were to handle through the online webinars we had with them. The workshop served as a great opportunity to not only further understand the presentations but also reminded us and helped us put them into practice.
These are skills, whose importance superseded the time in Paris, but are also of great importance in our day-to-day tasks; for example: active listening, pitching, teamwork, networking and the chronological dissection of problems to find solutions. These made it more than just lessons for the landscapes challenge but those for a lifetime.
On the following days of the 4-day workshop, we met our challenge partners and mentors and were also given a chance to understand the challenges of the teams other than the finance and trade challenge. This was a great concept to me, as it helped me further understand how important each member was regarding the solutions they were to develop to the crucial challenges.
I was more particularly inspired to learn that I could also learn from another group’s mentor and this further emphasized the landscapes approach to me: the fact that there is an interconnection in life and the need to use an integrated approach to address challenges. It was amazing because even while addressing the challenges, we found a lot of similarity in our different countries, from Canada, Peru, Vietnam, Kenya, Iran, Netherlands, USA, Mexico and Uganda.
I was also proud to be part of a team of young people who were passionate about agriculture and livelihoods. All through our discussion, it was further revealed that we wanted a solution, and we worked together, each of us with various ideas, each of us with tremendous experience and insights, each of us with that hope to make the change, to make it happen.
It was astounding that we could all have these various ideas, and yet still find consensus as a team. The guidelines of the steering committee were further put to use and this became part of us – practicing active listening but also active participation and contribution with respect. One of the things we were told to also keep in mind was to be comfortable being uncomfortable, that enabled us to freely contribute.
We also got a chance to free up our minds and have fun from the fun breaks in between sessions. This was great for further solution development and also to further interact with other young people and mentors. We practiced our pitch, gave constructive criticism to each other, and prepared for the awaited Global Landscapes Forum and Dragons Den.
GLF and Dragons Den.
On the first day of the GLF, I was glad to meet my long-term mentor Peace Musonge. It was part of the many opportunities I got from the Youth in Landscapes initiative, having been selected to be one of the five long-term mentorship pairs.
Being part of a youth led NGO (Tree Adoption Uganda), I was indeed looking forward to meeting, learning and sharing with my mentor, who is also a young social entrepreneur. We attended most discussion forums together and had a lot to share but only spared some since we were to communicate for the next 6-12 months and even longer. This was a timely and worthwhile opportunity for TAU and me and I am so grateful to for it.
From attending the various discussion forums, exhibitions and the Pecha Kucha- style night, networking with the various individuals at the GLF, I was indeed in the right place. With great minds sharing their knowledge and experience, I was like a kid in a (landscapes) candy shop. We also got further insight as a team from the discussion forums about small-scale farmers and we got ready for the awaited Dragons Den.
Much as we would meet in person to discuss the solution we had developed, the discussion also continued on whatsapp, and email. We were all captivated and engrossed with the challenges and passionate about the people we represented. We wanted it so bad that at one time I woke up and called a friend at 4 am just to tell them that we needed to find the solution for the farmers.
On the day for the Dragons Den, we had already gone through the structure of our pitch and the important “Ask” for our pitch. The steering committee still took time to give us final tips before presentation and as I stood beside the podium, while we pitched our solution, I could not be more proud. We were later on invited for a meeting by our challenge partners Livelihoods to further assess our solution.
I was reminded that we are the leaders of today, that the involvement of youths on such global platforms and discussions is crucial, that we as youths have a say and responsibility to take action and the importance of thinking Landscape.
I am so grateful and proud of the finance and trade team, the youth innovators, the team mentors, the steering committee who took their time and committedly prepared and supported us and the whole experience, Cambridge Institute of Sustainable Leadership and Tree Adoption Uganda for supporting my engagement in the Youth in Landscapes Initiative, my long term mentor, and everyone who made a contribution or supported this event and me in any way.
I feel empowered and energized to do more and will carry on the lessons learnt.
My one French word for the whole experience is “ incroyable ”.
Daphne Stella Nansambu is one of the 10 young champions who worked on the “Finance and Trade” Landscape challenge with Youth program’s partner: Livelihoods Venture.
Learn more about the Global Landscapes Forum Youth program, meet our 50 youth champions, discover the 5 Landscapes challenges they took up and the solutions they developed and pitched at the Dragon’s Den on 6th December 2015, in Paris.
