The next few weeks are already showing up to be hectic, which is why when I drew up my study plan for my April exams, I myself doubted if I was ever going to abide by it with all the things on my plate.
On Saturday, March 3, I am headed to Cape Town, South Africa.
My program starts on Sunday with the Harambe Alliance Convivium, a dinner in Cape Town on Sunday with a cross-section of young African entrepreneurs and representatives of leading South African groups in the public and private sector for the purpose of exploring the nexus between the development of the continent and youth entrepreneurship.
On Monday, March 5, I am one of the entrepreneurship roundtable discussants at the ‘Roundtable Discussion with Honorable Trevor A. Manuel and Africa’s Social Entrepreneurs’ to be held at the Good Hope Chamber of the South African Parliament. Our roundtable discussion will shed light on the challenges and opportunities of active participation of Africa’s youth in the private sector as a source of skilled labor and entrepreneurial innovation.The goal is also to engage with South Africa’s public and private sector on effective ways to unleash the entrepreneurial potential of Africa’s youth.
Tuesday, March 6, will start off with a visit to the South African Medical Research Council (MRC) Innovation Centre. I am particularly interested in the work they are doing around the primary care space in preparing clinical guidelines for clinics especially as it relates to the adoption of health technologies. As can be seen here, the centre has done some good work and has been quite well-funded since 2007, and I am interested in best practices especially around government-industry linkages that can be leveraged elsewhere.
Still on Tuesday, I will be attending the Economist’s Africa HealthCare Conference at the Convention Square in Cape Town, together with influential healthcare stakeholders from government, providers, suppliers and patient groups to confront and explore key issues around healthcare systems in Africa. With the theme, ‘Transforming Africa’s healthcare systems—where should change happen?’, I do hope it’s not just another talk shop, and does really offer some actionable steps towards improving the future of healthcare in Africa.
On arriving back in Oxford on Wednesday, March 7, I am headed to the TATA Idea Idol 2012 Grand Finale & Start-Up Exhibition, Oxford Entrepreneurs’ prestigious flagship business idea competition. While my team made it through to the semi-finals, we were not among the 6 finalists ,so it should be fun to watch the pitches and cheer them on.
March 27, God willingly, I am off to Istanbul, Turkey, where as a 2012 MIT Global Startup Fellow, I will be presenting at the annual MIT Global Startup Workshop (GSW), which brings together entrepreneurial leaders, financiers, students, professors, government agents and private parties to build a global support network for entrepreneurship.
The MIT GSW is the world’s premier workshop dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship and building entrepreneurial ecosystems globally. Each year in a different location it brings together over 300 entrepreneurial leaders, executives, next generation entrepreneurs, professors, financiers, government agents and private supporters to build connections between cultures, regions and backgrounds.
On Friday, March 30, I will be leaving Istanbul for Washington DC, where I will be joining President Bill Clinton, my favorite show host, John Stewart of the Daily Show and other selected invitees at the Fifth Annual Clinton Global Initiative University Meeting at the George Washington University from March 30-April 1.
Did I mention I have six exams to write in April? So help me God!
The Afropreneur - Idris Ayodeji Bello 
I am highly impressed reading through your action-packed schedule for coming weeks. My joy is that a youth who shares my faith and nationality is making this great effort to reposition Africa. I am not surprise you have made this achievement (with assistance of Allah), my little acquaintance with you at the level of MSSN during your days at OAU shows your worth. My prayer is that all our actions should be counted for us not against us on the day that when there will be no actions but reward.
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How best to begin than to say Alhamdulillah! Allah knows why I found about you now and in this way,I have no regrets.
I just took a journey through your world via your interview on Bellanaija then to this website. A glimpse at the beginning of the interview prompted me to send the links to a friend from secondary school whose passion for development and growth of Islam, Africa, Nigeria, and the world is at par with mine.
I am a 25yr-old medical Doctor presently serving in Lagos state, with interest in Informatics, Entrepreneurship, social service, global health and so on. I would be delighted if you would accept my request/add me to your connections on LinkedIn and if you could contact me via e-mail(can’t see yours).I could use some mentoring from you as I intend to start a Masters Degree in Management in Clinical Informatics at Duke University Fuqua Business School in August.
Apart from sharing my mum’s maiden name(Bello), I was opportuned to run a medical elective at Oxford Medical School-Churchill Hospital in 2010 during my medical study added to being a muslim, I feel at home reaching out to you.May you excel in your exams. Salam Alaykum!
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Thank you fOr your very kind words. Kindly send me an email at IDRIS DOT BELLO AT AFROPRENEUR DOT NET
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