The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI)   connect camp in Kigali is expected to help members acquire skills that will enable them to improve their business skills.

Speaking at the opening of the YALI connect camp 2015 in Kigali on Monday, Dr Yusuf Kalyango, an associate professor and director of the Institute for International Journalism at Ohio University’s Scripps College of Communication, said the camp is an opportunity for young African entrepreneurs to learn from each other to improve on what they do.

"It is understandable that the USA has realised that Africa is not a place where to dump funds for aid but a place to partner with in development. What we do in this camp is to give these young entrepreneurs the tools they need to perform better and engage the community in development,” Kalyango said.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship (MWF) for Young African Leaders is a flagship programme of US  President Barack Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), seen as a signature US effort to invest in the next generation of African leaders as they spur growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security in Africa.

The YALI connect camps are regional week-long workshops that offer MWF alumni an opportunity to share and advance their professional skills and networks with other young leaders in their communities.

Jeanine Ampulire, a Rwandan participating in the 2015 YALI connect camp in Kigali, said the camps help to expand their knowledge.

She said, "After attending the camp held at Arizona University, I learned more about how others engage in charity. I also realised that we, the young generation,   can achieve more if we changed our mindset and commit to work hard.”

For Willy Conrad Asseko-Allogo, another camp participant, from Gabon, who is also the general manager for Les Transports citadins, a company dealing in city transport in Gabon,   there is a need for mentorship to help young Africans exploit their potential.

The YALI connect camps are funded by a grant from the US Department of State’s Bureau of Education and cultural affairs, and are administered by the Institute of  International Journalism (IIJ) at Ohio University.