Rotimi Olawale, who recently completed the Public Leadership Credential (PLC) at Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), is the founder and Executive Director of YouthHubAfrica, a non-profit organization based in Nigeria that equips young people with skills and an enabling environment to lead and advance Africa's development. His work includes fundraising for the organization’s programs and projects and leading policy advocacy efforts nationally in Nigeria, regionally at the African Union, and internationally at the United Nations. His professional goals have been set from an early age, as he explained, “I got involved in student organizing from my college days in Nigeria, and I made it my life mission to help energize Africa's biggest resource - its young people.”
Prior to enrolling in the PLC, Rotimi had tried other online programs before with mixed results; he began the PLC trepidatiously, unsure it would be flexible enough for his busy schedule, or if the online format would be engaging. Almost immediately, the program put his worries at ease. “I was only halfway through my first course when I knew I had to finish the PLC; it far exceeded my expectations,” he said. “The PLC program is transformational. If anyone is looking for improved knowledge, an education that will challenge your beliefs, provide you with a world-class faculty but also peers from around the world to have weekly discussions and improve your global context, then the PLC is the right program for you.”
Once he dove into the curriculum, he was able to deepen his knowledge and skillset surrounding the strategy and nuances of policy design, which has had positive effects at YouthHubAfrica. “One of the things that has transformed my professional life from the program is my improved understanding of how policy is designed, especially using the strategic triangle,” he said. “This has helped me redesign how we embark on policy advocacy within my organization, providing immediate impact.”
YouthHubAfrica reaps the benefits of Rotimi’s sharpened skillset, along with his own personal and professional growth. He said, “I approach policy processes with greater confidence now. I can map the stakeholders, where they stand, how to approach them and understand their support or resistance to a policy change process.” Beyond his immediate team and organization, Rotimi is also advancing the knowledge he gained from PLC even further, mentoring and coaching his colleagues and members of his community.
Rotimi’s commitment to the young people of Nigeria remains as strong as ever, and the PLC has empowered him with the tools to serve his community and his foundation’s incredible mission even more effectively. “I have been working extensively on educational reforms in Nigeria, specifically focused on getting more children in school, since we currently have over 10 million children who are not in school. The PLC program has helped to sharpen my approach as I continue to work with other stakeholders to bring about lasting and sustainable change in improving both the access and the quality of primary and secondary education in Nigeria.”