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Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders Participant Application: CLIFFORD MWENJA I. General Information First Name

CLIFFORD

Middle Name

KIMANI

Are you a U.S. citizen or U.S. No permanent resident?

Last Name

MWENJA

Country of Citizenship

Kenya

Date of Birth

5/25/1988

Country of Residence

Kenya

Gender

Male

City or Town of Birth

KIAMBU

Married Status

Single

Country of Birth

Kenya

Have a passport

Yes (Expiration: 12/31/2019)

Current Address

Rironi, Limuru-Nairobi Highway, plot L/R No. 192 Limuru 00217 KIAMBU Kenya

Permanent Address

Rironi, Limuru-Nairobi Highway, plot L/R No. 192 Limuru 00217 KIAMBU Kenya

Citizenship of Spouse I would like to receive email updates from the U.S. government on available

Yes

resources and other opportunities.

II. Contact Information Primary Phone

+254721792220

Work Phone

+254732792220

Cell Phone Fax Email Address

cliffkimani@gmail.com

Alternate Email Address

III. Academic Institute Track Business & Entrepreneurship Choice of sector in order of Civic Leadership preference Public Management

IV. Current Professional and Educational Experience Are you currently a student?

No

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Are you currently employed?

Yes

Do you work full- or parttime?

Full-time

Job Title

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Name of your employing organization

GROWTH AFRIQUE LTD

City

LIMURU

Country

KENYA

Choose the category that best describes your organization

Local non-governmental organization

Sector(s) that your organization specializes in

Agriculture Development Youth Empowerment

Start date at this employer

12/1/2010

Number of staff you supervise

7

Name of your supervisor

N/A (AM THE FOUNDER)

Supervisor phone number

N/A (AM THE FOUNDER)

Supervisor email

N/A (AM THE FOUNDER)

V. Personal Statements Please explain how you have helped to introduce a new idea, initiative or product and how you attracted support for it.

In 2010 during my second year of college I was disappointed to learn that I would never be happy succeeding alone in a district with at least 20,000 jobless youth. A college degree and a matching white collar job for me in a sea of poverty would never fulfill me. I was moved to begin a social entrepreneurship company to promote job and opportunity creation. Consequently, I dropped out of school for a whole year to nurture this dream. Basically, I would train youth in entrepreneurial agriculture, provide farm inputs, and provide market for their produce in local grocery stores.

Within two months, I attracted funding of KES 500,000 ($6250) from the Safaricom foundation. This led to the empowerment of approximately 500 youth in my domain representing approximately 200 households. It has also attained sustained incomes of these families over 3 years. As a recognition to my efforts, I was granted two Awards by the Chase Bank - Enablis Business Competitions.

First, as "The Best Entrepreneur in Agribusiness and Agri-processing" and also "The Youngest Entrepreneur Award". I have since returned to college and finished my degree albeit a year late but with much fulfillment. The rabbits project continues to promote supplementary income and improve protein supply and food security. The employment of youth has aslo drastically reduced crime and drug incidence.

I wish to use my academic credentials to extrapolate my ideas into IT and more agribusiness to create 5000 jobs in the next five years in my County.

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Please describe a specific challenge in your community, organization, industry, or country. Include what you believe to be the key barriers to resolving this challenge.

The main problem of Kenya as a third world nation is actually poverty. Poverty encapsulates all other ills as people try un-orthodox methods of running away from poverty, among them emigrating to 'greener' pastures (developed economies). Ideally men practice corruption in many ways to cross the poverty bridge by any possible means. This corruption spreads from the public to the private sector cutting across even small organisations.

Due to heightened levels of desperation, people try to imagine that their tribes would help them in some way. In homogeneous societies (Like the Luhya), clanism takes root. In clans, nepotism takes root, fueled by greed and egocentric motives. Everybody is practically trying to outdo the other to access the small wealth that circulates in the microscopic economy. Crime levels are rife due to high wealth disparities and a bitter poor society. Incidences like the 2007 Post election violence were a pressure-release mechanism of the hate that exists veiled in a seemingly peaceful Kenya. Fraud is business language here, trust me, I have been brought up in poverty.

Taking the challenge you described above, please describe the steps you would like to take to address this challenge.

Please explain the skills and resources that you possess as well as those that you would need to acquire in order to effectively address this challenge.

The main solution to the above is actually creation of wealth and opportunities. Empowered people rarely steal or take garbage (tribal stimulation through ethnic vitriol as a divide-and-rule strategy) from politicians.

I aim to create IT, Business project outsourcing and agricultural opportunities for the youth in my country, to save them from manipulation. This is in the scale of 5000 opportunities in 5 years. I have a detailed business plan on this that I have rolled out this January with commendable progress.

My 5,000 opportunity creation program will go along way in changing the beggar culture we Africans have adopted. As you see, the solution to the problem is majorly recursive and elusive.The problems themselves hinder the solution from coming forth and make the situation more sorry than before. I believe I will be part of the brains that give this situation a red-card.

Upon my return from the Washington Fellowship, I agree to mentor and share the experience and knowledge I gained with other young African leaders. Please type your full legal name as acknowledgment of this commitment.

CLIFFORD KIMANI MWENJA

VI. Optional Internship Would you like to apply to the Washington Fellowship internship?

Yes In what kind of work environment do you thrive?

I am a social person, so basically I thrive around people when looking for rough focus. I however turn into an instant introvert when I get down to the details of swift implementation.

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How would participating in the internship impact your work and long term career goals?

I am very inspired by peoples ideas and I am convinced meeting different Africans from many parts of the continent will create the opportunity to learn from their strengths and weaknesses. I also aim to develop high-voltage networks that will prove instrumental in attaining my goals and collectively the prosperity of 5000+ youths in creation of at least US$ 31,250,000 annually right here in Kenya.

My aim is to see an Africa where folk are empowered to prosper from Africa. Bill Gates is quoted saying that by the year 2035, it will be easier to pick out a poor country than a rich country. My dream is to make this a reality for East Africa faster. Networks are a real asset towards this.

VII. Previous U.S. Experience Have you traveled to the United States before?

No

Date of Entry Date of Exit to U.S. from U.S.

U.S. Visa Host Institution (if Type (J, F, B, applicable) etc.)

Purpose of Travel (study, personal, business, etc.)

Funding Source or Sponsor (personal, US government, etc.)

VIII. English Language Reading

Writing

Speaking

Listening Comprehension

Excellent

Excellent

Excellent

Excellent

IX. Resume Resume

resume_final.pdf

X. Optional Supplemental Documents Optional File

certs.pdf

Optional File

Not available

Optional File

Not available

XI. Supplemental Questions How did you learn about the Washington Fellowship?

Recommend by a colleague/partner organization (A FELLOW CHASE-BANK ENTREPRENEUR RECOMMENDED IT TO ME)

Do you require any special assistance or accommodation due to a disability or special need?

No

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