Thenjiwe, on her first year as Imagine Scholar leadership
In 2020, Imagine Scholar alumna, Thenjiwe Ndimande returned to Imagine Scholar upon the completion of her degree to join our staff team as Associate Program Director. Her return marks the start of a long-awaited staff transition in which alumni will take over key leadership positions throughout Imagine Scholar, ensuring that our organization is run by the community it serves. Below is Thenjiwe’s reflection on her first year as a member of staff.
“When I first joined Imagine Scholar as a student almost 10 years ago I had big dreams and visions of changing the world! I would start by opening up a big organisation that would be globally renowned for being the largest, most effective poverty alleviating, peacemaking provider of quality education in the world. I desperately wanted to be the change I wanted to see in the world and, well as far as I knew it, that is what the world needed: food security, equality and education. Thirteen-year-old me was determined! Now at age 23 I am still very much drawn to that vision, only now I realise that the world doesn’t need another tall building or a logo to change. The world is changed by a can-do attitude — the right mindset and a strong commitment to beliefs. I am so grateful that I wake up everyday knowing that I am part of a team that is working to cultivate extraordinary future leaders. Leaders with playful excellence, and a strong will to be an inspiration to their communities and the world.
My experience at Imagine Scholar has been filled with delightful moments of personal and professional growth, inspired by the many thoughtful individuals who have continued to show their care and passion for the students. I am always in awe of how much I learn from my surroundings; I have learned so much about the humility and passion that goes into running a non-profit. My personal favourite is learning about pedagogy and all the thinking tools, skills and thinking systems that go into designing the Imagine Scholar curriculum.
For me, it is the young boys and girls I have the privilege of interacting with every day that fills my days with lots of energy and kindles the drive to be better each time. The transition from being a student to alumna was easily managed and shared with a group of other transitioning leaders. The alumni to staff transition is rather a different story, in a good way. It demands that I see myself in a position of leadership, the coach not the student. This has encouraged me to practice difficult decision-making skills, which have proven very fruitful thus far. I have enjoyed taking on a different role but mostly being the “connector neuron” between students and alumni and our staff. I believe and hope that I am able to bridge that gap and that I offer a different perspective to the two groups. I am excited to see and welcome the many other alumni who will return to the Imagine Scholar community, seeing it through for years to come. I cannot wait for Imagine Scholar alumni to make more magic in this community.”
