My Take On AGOFJAM2019 (and being a Candidate Fellow in general)

AGOFJAM2019 is the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Jamboree 2019. This is an event where all Allan Gray Candidate Fellows and, since this year, Allan Gray Scholars and Fellows (those who completed the Candidate Fellowship programme) come together for a weekend of entrepreneurial initiative and impactful talks from a multitude of successful South African entrepreneurs, influencers, innovators and developers. This year was my first time attending the event and it was an experience I will never forget. The event was held at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg and we were treated like royalty with goodie bags, buffet meals, engaging conversations and plentiful exposure to South Africa's entrepreneurial cream of the crop. A personal highlight for me was the New Frontiers ladies lunch on Friday afternoon where all the girls attending the Jamboree could listen to talks by some of the most impactful female entrepreneurial figures in South Africa about what it takes to be a successful female entrepreneur in a male-dominated work industry. One of the speakers was Suzie Nkambule, a trained civil engineer with a keen interest in the infrastructure development sector who also holds a key leadership position at Aveng Water.

Now you might be wondering: How does one become an Allan Gray Candidate Fellow? I officially became a CF on the 24th of December 2018 at 6:45pm. I was in the UK with my boyfriend and we were having a lovely Christmas Eve with delicious food and fantastic company with his family. Although there was so much to be grateful and excited for, I was overcome by the nervous tension looming in my heart. This is because, just a month prior, we had our Allan Gray selection camp and we were told that we would be informed as to whether or not we got the fellowship BEFORE Christmas. At this point in time, it was literally 5 hours away from Christmas and one of my friends from the camp sent me a message telling me that he had been informed earlier in the day that he got the fellowship. Why didn't they call me yet? Surely they were supposed to inform us all at once? This is it, I thought. I didn't get the fellowship and my parents were going to have to pay for my entire university tuition by themselves. But then, just as nearly all hope was lost, I got a WhatsApp call from my mom telling me that they have been called to be informed that I made it. To say that this was one of the biggest gifts of my life thus far would be a gross understatement. In fact, at the time I didn't entirely understand how big of a privilege it truly was - the news had yet to sink in. However, after 6 months of university, seeing what textbooks, meals, accommodation and tuition cost, I still cannot fully comprehend the magnitude of this blessing. The road to becoming a fellow wasn't at all easy, I'll be honest. It started in March/April 2018 when I had to fill in an extensive application form detailing several of my personal characteristics and skills, my previous entrepreneurial endeavours, how I overcome challenges and failure, etc. When my application was successful, I had to go to a 90-minute interview and simulation exercise where I had to overcome a practical entrepreneurial problem with a 10-minute presentation detailing solutions thereto and face several challenging questions from a panel of two interviewers. Once again, I managed to successfully pass this stage and I was chosen to go on a 3-day selection camp where our every move and interaction in a group setup was monitored by a group of assessors to see if we have what it takes to become high-impact, responsible entrepreneurs.

The Orbis Foundation awards its Candidate Fellows by paying the full cost of 4-year tuition fees at some of the best South African universities for almost any course or degree, including medicine in 2020, textbooks, meals, accommodation and a monthly stipend as extra spending money. To accommodate and support CFs even further, allowances are made for tutoring and counselling services where needed. What's the catch? All that is expected from CFs is a continuous dedication, commitment and involvement. CFs have to obtain an average of 60%, submit a number of assignments/submissions every semester to continuously mentor and develop CFs to reach their full entrepreneurial potential and attend events arranged by the Orbis Foundation, such as the Jamboree and the Orientation Day we had at the University of Cape Town in February this year. Fellows are not expected to "work back" their bursaries at a firm for several years after completing their degrees. Fellows are not even expected to start groundbreaking businesses or become Elon Musks and Warren Buffets. Fellows just have to be INNOVATIVE, good at spotting problems and coming up with solutions to these problems. And trust me, being surrounded by such intelligent and like-minded people who have startups at the age of 18, makes you WANT to become an entrepreneur, no matter how "bad" you might be at "business things" or entrepreneurship. Anyone, including the CEO of a company, a member of Parliament, a scientist, a doctor, can be an entrepreneur for the simple reason that all these people have to solve problems using innovative solutions.

Finally, if you are someone looking for an opportunity of lifelong mentorship, exposure to entrepreneurial innovation in the highest degree and immense financial support from a trustworthy and well-established foundation, the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation could be the perfect fit for you. Visit the @agofdn account on Instagram and click the link in their bio if you would like more details on how to apply to this amazing opportunity.

And remember: IDEAS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD!

#agofdn #allangrayorbisfoundation #candidatefellow #entrepreneurialinitiative