Sharing my experience : Mandela Washington fellow Mahamane F Djitteye (Hadj)
Being selected as a Mandela Washington fellow in 2017 in Mali was a blessing for me because I was born in the fabled desert city of Timbuktu. This city is land locked, arid, poor but a power house when it comes to art, architecture and literature. For most people, Timbuktu is the end of the world. But for me it’s the beginning of the world where a brilliant future is possible. The fellowship was one of the most professional development rewarding experiences in my life.
I applied for the fellowship track of civic leadership skill and assigned to be at Wagner college in Staten island, New York--one of the most beautiful campuses I ever seen in my life.
I attended lectures, academic sessions, and interacted with professors, mentors, host families, hub leaders and other African folk’s fellows about civic engagements.
2017 mandela washigton fellowship opening ceremony at wagner college, I was explaining the jealous window of timbuktu to the audience.
I learned as follows: Methods on how to write a leadership development plan, how to make an elevator pitch, to write a grant proposal, how to become effective leader and - a thoughtful leader.
With the group discussions and other team activities during our academic sessions, I realized the importance of allowing different ideas on table, meaning the impact of using DEMOCRATIC leadership style instead of Autocratic leadership style.
Other learning apart from the Academical classes, was being amongst different leaders who have different cultural background, religion, and language but still we come together in achieving one Goal of bring impact in African communities.
2017 Mandela washington fellow at wagner college , visit of the united nations head quarter
Visiting American businesses, institutions, social enterprises NGO’S and rehabilitation centers was another dimension of the experience. We visited Carnegie corporation, citizen generation, Samaritan village, lifestyle, Associated press, just to mention few.
I met also organizations like: global Integrity, National Endowment for democracy, national democratic intitule, freedom house, international youth foundation, the USAID, the US department of state, just to mention few.
Am with Vartan Gregorian is the twelfth president of Carnegie Corporation of New York
At the Washington DC summit form the 1st to 3 August 2017, being amongst different African leaders as well, sharing ideas on NGO management, helped me to start thinking of implementing the ideas I had long ago about starting the new NGO. Above all professional relationships were built and communication is continuing with the networks I made in US and African Fellows. Some of these organization leaders became members of my international advisory board for managing the “Timbuktu Land of peace and culture Association” a nonprofit youth organization focusing on culture as a catalyst for lasting peace, ending violent extremism, promoting education, good governance, civic leadership and bringing development opportunities on the edge of the Sahara Desert.
2017 NGO management team at washington D.C Summit
In Washington Dc, I also visit the Museum, the national gallery of art, National gallery of art sculpture . and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial with my coach in cultural heritage and leadership Ambassador Cynthia Schneider CEO of the Timbuktu renaissance.
All these opportunities and building relationship with our peer collaborators and American professionals could not be possible without the leadership of the Vice President of Wagner College Ruta shah Gordon and all her team, Shani Carter, Sadiq Suleman, Curtis wright, roshan and Aliya. This amazing team make our stay at Wagner college unforgettable. I learned from my friend Roshan “take it easy “this quote helps me to understand and face challenges both while I was in the US and now back home in Timbuktu.
with Ruta shah Gordon, vice president of Wagner college , at howard university
We also volunteered in community service during the Mandela service day with the fellows of Howard university of Washington DC. I experienced the American cultural heritage by visiting the national museum of Staten island, the historic Richmond town and the African burial ground thanks to my hub leader Claire Regan, professor of journalism at Wagner college. She is now a member of the advisory and editing board of the Timbuktu land of peace and culture online news media’s publishing website.
with professor claire Regan, celebrating my birthday ceremony at wagner college
Every year the President of Irex Visit one host university, the 2017 institute was my host College Wagner College. I had the privilege to talk and explain my work to the president of Irex : Kristin M. Lord , she shared her knowledge about the last information gathered from the book she read about the ancient manuscripts of Timbuktu.
am with the president of Irex Kristin M. Lord
At Newseum Cynthia Schneider explained to me the important role American journalists played during the coverage of the 9/11, and histories of great photographers. As a grass-roots journalist I learn a great lesson that day while Cynthia explaining me the history of a great photographer who suicide himself “as a journalist sometimes you are facing on making a decision so you must always balance of being a person and being a journalist. “
My experience as an African, people used to have a bad narrative about US and how American folks are busy in a way that they are unable to help when needs an assistance, now my experience is that narrative is false because one of the most surprising things I experienced in the US is that people really FRIENDLY and willing to assist where they can.
With cynthia Schneider in front of the white house
Back in the fabled desert city of Timbuktu, on the 10th August 2017, while walking in the winding streets my people called me “the American “in digital age we must learn how to survive and thrive. I use social media to share every activity we did in the US and street photography of great building from Manhattan, Brooklyn, Harlem, Bronx, New jersey, Washington DC, Maryland.
Most of the people I influence on the social media, whom I identify them as my followers in the street of Timbuktu, highlighted how I made them to be more involve and connected with me while I was in US, as they could see most of the things I am experiencing through Facebook, twitter, Instagram daily.
My presence in US was truly welcomed with warm hands and care, I never felt like I was in a foreign country. Fellows from South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Ivory Coast and others made me feel at home, as I was spending most of my time with them, they tend to be my family not my colleagues.
If you are selected, go to the United States with an inquisitive mind and a commitment to learn all you can. That attitude will allow you to return to Africa with people-oriented initiatives that would transform your community and our continent at large.
fellow at wagner college with the president of wagner college
During my 7 weeks in the United States of America, I experience the American food, the American sport, on the fourth of July I was invited by my host family, Mr. Scott Warren to attend a baseball game in the Bronx between the New York Yankees and the Toronto team of Canada. That day I understood the passion and patriotism of the Yankee fans to support their team. Even though they lost the game, it made me love the Yankees and now I am also a follower of Yankees.
“The Mandela Washington fellowship really changed my life. And I believe it can bring impact to another AFRICAN fellow who is making an impact in his or her community, who has the same vision as the late Mr. Nelson Mandela and ex-President Obama, of which is to be a change in your community.”
with wagner college staff during the closing ceremony of the fellowship.
From the bottom of my heart I would like to thank the ambassador of the US in Mali, Mr. Ambassador Paul A. Folmsbee and the cultural affairs and education officer Mr. Stephen Christian, Mr Aboubacar Cisse and Adama Kouyate for giving to youth leaders of Mali and opportunity to not just get educated but to thrive.
with Mr Ambassador Paul A Folmsbee, us embassador in Mali
I have a deep passion for learning and studying and this Mandela Washington Fellowship co-sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Mali is changing my life. My American host college, Wagner, really touches my heart because it’s a school of liberal arts and I have a deep passion for the arts as a researcher of the cultural heritage of Timbuktu.
Editor: John H. Sime
