Economic Empowerment through Collaboration and Action
The Ashinaga Africa Initiative (AAI) recently hosted the highly anticipated annual Tsudoi event in 2023, where scholars from different African countries gathered to learn, network, and share their unique ideas. With a jam-packed agenda, the event had several thought-provoking presentations from notable speakers, including David Kpondehou, the founder of the African Diaspora Network Japan and Africa Samurai Consulting. His presentation was focused on connecting the African diaspora globally for economic empowerment and aimed at inspiring Ashinaga scholars to take action toward their dreams.
David began by acknowledging the African diaspora’s challenges, including language barriers and feeling like outsiders. Then, sharing his experience overcoming such difficulties, he emphasized the importance of commitment and a track record of results to build trust and partnerships with people. With his knowledge, he encouraged scholars to take action towards their goals, network with like-minded individuals, and stay focused on their aspirations, even when others doubted their abilities.
His message was powerful and inspired the Ashinaga scholars to be bold and action-oriented in their approach to achieving their goals. Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of building trust and partnerships in achieving success, encouraging the scholars to surround themselves with people who share the same vision.
The passion for bringing Japan and Africa together was evident in his presentation, and he highlighted the need for collaboration and innovation to connect the two sides. He has been networking and meeting several African ambassadors to collaborate and increase the representation of Africa in Japan. He hopes to organize more events about Africa all over Japan and encourages young Africans to be the bridge between the two sides to unleash the potential for business partnerships.
David also shared insights into the challenges faced by the African diaspora in Japan, including the language barrier and the constant feeling of alienation and being an outsider. He encouraged the scholars to take the initiative and overcome these challenges by learning the language, connecting with people, and working hard towards their goals. His message resonated with many of the students, who expressed their appreciation for his advice and encouragement.
His presentation was a powerful and timely reminder of the importance of taking action and building partnerships to succeed. His emphasis on collaboration and innovation to connect Africa and Japan was significant, given the increasing interest in Japan’s engagement with Africa. The Ashinaga scholars found his insights and experiences valuable and appreciated his encouragement to pursue their aspirations and dreams relentlessly.
David’s presentation at Tsudoi 2023 was a captivating and inspiring session for Ashinaga scholars. His message about taking action toward their dreams, building trust and partnerships, and collaborating to connect Africa and Japan was particularly relevant for entrepreneurship and economic empowerment of students.
