According to behavioral theories, people can become leaders through teaching, learning, and observation. We agree. We are thus intentional about imparting leadership skills to our students through training, perception, practice, and experience over time. And for those students that stand out, we elevate them to team leads, and their roles include helping run the program and being role models to the other students and others.
We recently sat down with our new set of team leads, and this is what they had to say:
Susan
Bachelor of Commerce
Susan is a second-year Bachelor of Commerce student. She assists Esther, the Director of Finance at Moja Tu, with the accounting work. This opportunity is helping her gain more experience in accounting, which is related to her course of study. She is happy to be part of the team and hopes to be a good leader.
“I am honored to be a team lead. I love working with the team and serving the students,” she says.
Susan says being a team lead has helped her to become more confident and learn to manage different people and situations. She has also developed invaluable skills such as commitment, kindness, patience, and being optimistic. Her favorite moments as a team lead have been forming bonds with the students, coordinating video calls, and helping students when they have issues.
“Being a team lead means gaining experience and leadership skills. Therefore, I would advise the students who would like to take this role to be ready to serve, sacrifice, and learn,” she asserts.
Magdaline
Bachelor of Arts in Education, Geography, and Mathematics
Magdaline is a third-year student at Kenyatta University. When you first interact with her, you will notice her confidence. She has always been an active student and ready to lend a hand. It is these qualities that made her eligible for the team lead role.
“Being a team lead is fun. I have interacted with students, the staff, Kathy, and other Moja Tu board members. It has made me appreciate the efforts that go into the program to make it run seamlessly,” she says.
Initially, her new duties were sometimes overwhelming, but she has learned to manage her time. She has also gained decision-making skills, as sometimes one is required to make critical decisions in a short time frame.
These skills have helped her in her studies too. Her work includes coordinating the video calls, collecting student letters for their sponsors, processing them, and assisting the high school students when they are home for holidays. “This team lead opportunity has enabled me to give back to the program, and I find it very fulfilling,” she says.
She encourages other students to take up this role as it will equip them with essential skills, including time management, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
Morris
Bachelor of Travel and Tourism Management
Morris is a third-year student. He is outgoing and thus popular among the students. He is also among the eldest students in the program, so he commands respect from his peers. This has come in handy when executing his role as a team lead.
Before becoming a team lead, he was volunteering, which made him eligible for this opportunity. He was excited about this new milestone as it would help him develop leadership skills.
“It has been three months since I became one of the Moja Tu team leads. I am happy because I have always wanted to be a team lead. This opportunity will help me become a good leader,” he says.
His experience has been superb. He has learned more about the organization and has acquired essential values. “I have learned that working as a team requires hard work, dedication, and honesty,” he says.
Morris was among the first students to be enrolled in Moja Tu, and he says the organization has been a pillar of support for him. He is thus more than happy to give back. His favorite moment as a team lead is going on regional visits to meet with the high school students and attending to some of their needs. He loves traveling to many places during these visits.
“My advice to any student who wishes to be a team lead is to be disciplined and committed to serving other students,” he concludes