By Parfaite Ndjudi and Silas Otieno

At USIU-Africa, we take pride in shaping leaders and changemakers. One of our students, Parfaite Ndjudi is living this vision. Perfaite Nduji is a third year International Relations student with a concentration in Developmental Studies and a Mastercard Foundation Scholar passionate advocate for youth empowerment. On December 26, Parfaite will launch the Leadership Initiative Fellowship and Training (L.I.F.T) Program in Kinshasa, a program designed to shape a new generation of leaders.

The L.I.F.T Program is a transformative mentorship initiative designed to equip high school students in Kinshasa, targeting a diverse group with a ratio of 70% girls and 30% boys. The program aims to equip young people with essential leadership, entrepreneurial, and self-awareness skills. The program’s mission is to unlock the immense potential within young people and to prepare them to lead with values of integrity, creativity, and vision. By nurturing values from an early age, the program promotes the growth of empowered leaders ready to contribute to meaningful change in their communities.

"This program is not just about building skills, it’s about shaping values, unlocking potential, and creating ethical leaders who will inspire their peers and uplift their communities," she said.

Parfaite shares how her own journey as a Mastercard Foundation Scholar and experiences at USIU-Africa inspired her to create L.I.F.T. She reaffirms the transformative role education has played in her life.

"Education has shown me that we can become changemakers, innovators, and role models, I’ve had the privilege of learning and growing, and I want to give back by creating opportunities for others to thrive," she added.

Her belief in starting mentorship early stems from her desire to build a foundation of strong values and leadership in young people. She notes that high school students in Kinshasa have so much untapped potential and she believes that with the right mentorship and resources, they can achieve incredible lasting impact.

According to her, Kinshasa, like many other regions, faces challenges in providing young people with opportunities to grow into effective leaders and hopes to address these gaps through L.I.F.T program by offering leadership training, encouraging self-awareness, and promoting civic responsibility.

"Investing in young people today means investing in the future. Through this program, we are building ethical, dynamic leaders who will be at the forefront of change," she emphasized.

She added that the L.I.F.T Program hopes to create a lasting impact, where empowered students will go on to inspire others and uplift their communities. She highlighted that by emphasizing good governance, self-confidence, and entrepreneurial skills, the program prepares young leaders to overcome challenges and drive meaningful change.

Additionally, Perfaite stresses that the L.I.F.T Program is more than just an initiative, that it is a movement driving transformative leadership and inspiring lasting change. She proudly acknowledges the significant support from USIU-Africa in bringing this vision to life and warmly invites partnerships and contributions from individuals and organizations eager to join her in realizing the program’s ambitious goals.

"You don’t have to be in Kinshasa to make an impact. Share our story, partner with us, or support us in any way you can," Parfaite urges.

Parfaite’s journey exemplifies the transformative power of education, mentorship, and leadership. She is not only nurturing leaders through the L.I.F.T Program, but inspiring an entire generation to believe in their ability to effect positive change. For anyone willing to join the course in supporting the program, follow the L.I.F.T Program on Instagram: @lift program, email inquiries or partnership offers should be sent to liftprogram@gmail.com