A nationwide entrepreneurial leadership programme called Ignitions has taken root at Rhodes University this year, and it aims to push selected students to use their unique skills and knowledge and enhance their entrepreneurial mindsets.
Ignitions encourages students who are recipients of Allan Gray Orbis Foundation scholarships – who are known as Allan Gray Fellows – to embrace the foundation's goal, “to develop high impact entrepreneurial leaders”, said the foundation's programme officer, Jonathan Dickson.
A nationwide entrepreneurial leadership programme called Ignitions has taken root at Rhodes University this year, and it aims to push selected students to use their unique skills and knowledge and enhance their entrepreneurial mindsets.
Ignitions encourages students who are recipients of Allan Gray Orbis Foundation scholarships – who are known as Allan Gray Fellows – to embrace the foundation's goal, “to develop high impact entrepreneurial leaders”, said the foundation's programme officer, Jonathan Dickson.
Dickson was in town last week to check-in and discuss the Ignitions programme with the 15 fellows at Rhodes. It was introduced in January this year with the aim “to ignite and stimulate fellows to question and improve the world around them, while growing in their self belief”, Dickson said. He believes it enhances their abilities to use their individual experiences to identify inefficiencies and problems, and rather see them as opportunities for innovative solutions.
The fellows come from different academic disciplines, and underwent a lengthy selection process, which included submitting an 18-page application. They submitted references from an educator and community leader, and were interviewed and had to undergo a maths and English literacy test. The shortlisted candidates then attended a three-day camp at Maropeng, Gauteng.
The fellows can now work on their business ideas in their own time, and so far brainstorming has produced ideas like prank t-shirts, and realising that there is a lack of stationery for sale on campus. But as one fellow, Selowkwane Morake, said: “It’s easy to teach someone how to start a business, but to have an entrepreneurial mindset is priceless.”
Highlighting the five capabilities that have been demonstrated by the best innovators, Dickson said that the programmes tries to, “ignite their sense of associating, questioning, observing, experimenting and networking – to ignite fires in their minds.” He believes these students can travel in whatever direction they choose – as long as they are deepening their hunger for finding opportunities, questioning things and instituting improvements in society.
Fellows that have proven themselves will be eligible for funding for post graduate studies and, after gaining some work experience, will also be in a position to apply for start-up capital at preferential rates and terms for viable high growth business ideas as approved by E2, the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) vehicle of Allan Gray Limited. “It’s like having a rich, old uncle,” explained Dickson.
Bruce Haynes, a fellow who studies journalism and botany, said: “Entrepreneurs are individuals who mobilise resources to effect change,” and this is exactly what the Ignition programme hopes for them to achieve. It expects fellows to use their entrepreneurial mindsets to bring change to South Africa's social and business landscapes, with the hope of alleviating poverty through job creation endeavours.
