Agape Life – How Lapid Helped Us Become Pro
1️⃣Joining Lapid
I joined Lapid Leaders Africa after being referred by a close friend whom I saw had a real transformation of his mindset. After the program, he was able to run a start-up company easily and I envied that
2️⃣. The experience
My experience in Lapid Leaders Africa in the lead self program cannot be under-reiterated
- First, I built long-lasting friendships with my squad members. The kind of friendships that transcend time
- Second the experience taught me how to always think outside the box and how to be a solution-oriented person regardless of the situation that I find myself in
- Third the experience embarks on teamwork. I fondly remember a camping experience at Sagana in Malta as well as the night hangouts we used to form with squad members to ensure that we did all deliverables. Furthermore, the night’s physical and virtual hangouts helped us bond with members of my squad/team/friends and ensure that everyone is doing well
- Fourth the experience was mind-opening as you are taught how to have a pan-African mindset even in business. This is through mentors like our CSO Esther Mwaniki who now is a citizen of the world and an entrepreneur in her own right. I found other mentors in the entrepreneurship space and teaching you practically the mindset behind their businesses are lessons I will keep dear to me.
3️⃣ Being in the design thinking class
The design class by Emmanuel Nandokha is the premise or foundation for building any business or a new idea ?
The class helped fine-tune or put into perspective the real reason behind the formulation of a business. this process enables an individual to determine the validity of any project or idea ? and whether it is worth pursuing
4️⃣ Project conception
- It is through this class that we the 12 squad members brainstormed on a variety of ideas that are viable in solving a problem but also having an impact on society
- We settled on a long-term project called AgapeLife. This involved creating a telehealth application to help low-income earners have access to healthcare through the devices that they have. Dubbed “Hospitali ya Simu” the project gained the approval of hundreds of students and persons in and around Kiambu county
Through the aid of local and foreign investors, The AgapeLife project is now complete and a building has been provided in Kirinyaga county where we are establishing AgapeLife Hospital and Cancer center (all glory to God)
5️⃣ Support Lapid Gave
- Lapid gave us access to mentors and coaches and an environment where we could fine-tune our project or put it into perspective
- I remember coach Lenny, Naphtali (CEO of Naph Shea Africa), and Jakes Kanyuira holding our hand in creating a pitch deck and teaching us how to answer questions from investors. Further, Lapid through Esther Mwaniki connected us to Amos Gachuiri current head investment manager at FSD Africa who scrutinized the financial viability of the project and led us to rethink how to reduce or eliminate any bottlenecks that would arise from the project
- Lapid through a platform called “Courage is calling” connected us to Pastor Charles Macharia (a mentor in Lapid) who further joined us with the current investors in Agapelife
I dare say that in the book of AgapeLife, Lapid Leaders Africa holds several chapters
6️⃣ Entry and winning the challenge
- Total petrol stations in Africa established a competition where they wanted a social entrepreneurship project/idea that is impact-oriented.
- There were more than 22,000 applicants (projects). They narrowed that down to 1000 projects
Our project AgapeLife came in the top 1000.
They further narrowed that down to 600 and we became the top 600
They further narrowed it down to the top 100 and we still became the top 100
On narrowing it down to the top 15 projects we, unfortunately, did not reach this position but we were informed that we performed excellently.
Being in the top 100 out of 22000 projects with hundreds of people voting for our idea was powerful
Despite the odds, Lapid leaders Africa through madam Esther Mwaniki instilled in us a culture of excellence, consistency, and resilience and that’s why we firmly believe AgapeLife will become a fully functional hospital and Cancer center in the near future.
Story shared by:
Gabriel Macharia Mwangi
CEO Agape Life + Final Year Student, BSC Economics and Finance, Mount Kenya University + Lapid Alumni
