Day One Wrap: Surrendering
Motives, Forging Manyattas,
and an ‘Impact’ Mandate
Cohort 3 Intensive: Naivasha, Kenya
Amahoro Onboarding Intensive Day One Wrap: Surrendering Motives, Forging Manyattas, and an ‘Impact’ Mandate
The intensive began with a powerful exercise in vulnerability. Fellows shared their “why,” with some, like Drucillah, honestly citing the stipend as a critical tool to keep their ventures running. Facilitator Emmanuel Ivo Ekosse then delivered a startling twist: he asked the Fellows to “scratch all of this and surrender everything.” The point, he explained, was that the reasons they thought would motivate them “were sometimes going to be the keys that would hold them back.”
As Fellows processed this, Emmanuel clarified the session’s core purpose. “Your identity is your anchor,” he stated. “Everyday you should be reflecting on who you are and why you are here.” He reminded them of the power of self-definition: “A name is very important, because what you call yourself you will become.”
Fellows were given an overview of the 12-month program and formed their core working groups. Michael Adu, Lead on the Fellowship Curriculum, took the Fellows through what to expect during the intensive and the full 12-month program, outlining what will be expected from them at different times.
Following that, Emmanuel Esse guided the Fellows as they formed nine ‘Manyattas’—their core groups for the fellowship. The teams took time to craft their unique names and “war chants” to define what they stand for. The names already reflect a powerful mindset; one Manyatta, for example, chose ‘agolon’, meaning “power, strength, and resilience.”
The fellows were immediately put to the test with a high-speed competition through Naivasha town. The race was designed to push them to their limits where they would have divergent views in their groups and to form bonds that would carry them throughout the year.
The challenge quickly revealed group dynamics. Some teams, unable to secure a cab, had to walk for over half an hour, turning the trek into an unexpected bonding session as they enjoyed the scenic route. Others “decided they had to win by any means possible,” collaborating with locals in Naivasha to maneuver through town and solve riddles. For some, “confusion in their groups” and disagreement meant they struggled to cross even the first checkpoint.
Despite the varied outcomes, it was a “unique opportunity for the teams to work together and this bond.”
The day concluded with an insightful and candid fireside chat with Amahoro Coalition’s Curator, Isaac Kwaku Fokuo Jr.
Isaac delivered a powerful and challenging mandate to the new cohort, framing their fellowship as a revolution. “I am scared for you because you have no choice,” he stated. “Your revolution is not to fight using guns for independence, but your revolution is to ensure that by 2035 Africans are employed, you have grown from hiring one person to more than 10 people.”
He was unequivocal about the program’s goal: “Impact means execution. The world does not reward potential. It rewards impact. Impact is basically, what have you done?”
He also urged the Fellows to embrace failure as a prerequisite for growth. “If you do not fail, you are not moving forward. You should always fail fast… Failure brings stress and stress moves you forward.”
Isaac brought the day full circle, tying the cohort’s mission back to the morning’s theme of identity. “If you know who you are as a person, the other stuff you will figure out,” he said. “You will relentlessly pursue getting better and be there. It will be your motivation to do better and get better.”
