AiduTalent George Omiro studies Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Nairobi after graduating high school in 2016 thanks to an Aiducation scholarship. He has already attended several Aiducation mentorship academies as both a participant and coordinator. By attending those Academies George took his chances and benefitted from the mentoring program. Read his story here…

Written by George Omiro.

“We all strive to achieve excellence in our different areas of specialization and apart from the career, we also have our social life which is very important aspect of life. I must say, our environment, the people we get to interact with in our day to day activities have a great influence in molding of our character. We tend to perceive things, listen to what people say about who we are and try to sieve through the tons of information and people’s views and then make an informed decision. When we constantly get positive feedback from people, our minds become oriented to being optimistic and we perceive ourselves as successful. In as much as we grow and mature, there seems to be a vacuum that needs to be filled in our lives. This is where guiding and counselling, being mentored comes in hand. At one point in life we had someone who we looked up to; a person you adored and wished to follow in their footsteps, and that person is non-other than our mentors.

A big thanks goes to Aiducation International, Swiss Re and all the stake holders for coming up with the mentorship programme that forms part of every academy. This programme enables the participants and the mentors, who are employees of companies to have a one on one open session where you can share ideas, your social life; it is an interactive platform where both parties are free to explore myriads of topics including family, challenges they face amongst other things that the participants feel free and comfortable to share. From my previous encounter and the academies, I have attended, I can enthusiastically say it has been a golden opportunity to meet and interact with mentors from diverse origins, getting to know the inside scope of corporate world from people with vast experience.

I remember attending Financial literacy academy in the summer of 2015 and it was during the mentoring session that I got insightful advice pertaining to career choice, a topic that I had really yearned to get expounded on. It is an intrinsic human nature for most people to shy off from being inquisitive but once you decide to come out of your cocoons, your comfort zone and share your thoughts, those unanswered questions with a mentor, then the world will be a better place for all of us as we get to learn new things. Getting to be mentored by a mentor from another company comes with lots of benefits and important teachings to carry with you home. I am an introvert, tending to keep to myself and feeling okay in my comfort zone. Honestly, I had a difficult time coping up with some social aspect of life for instance making new friends, networking, speaking my mind out aloud but through the mentoring sessions, I have progressively improved and finally come out of my cocoon! Being an introvert isn’t a problem at all but keeping everything to myself and being in my own world was the thorn in the flesh. Am so very glad and more than rejuvenated for the invaluable input the mentors impacted in me and for always keeping me motivated.

After attending more than three academies and engaging in the mentoring sessions, a big question kept crossing my mind; What will become of the mentoring sessions after every academy? How will the mentors get feedback on the tips they gave us during the mentoring sessions? They say Luck is when preparation meets opportunity, a new programme was launched, Long distance mentoring! The second face and continuation of the one on one mentoring. In a nutshell, you get allocated a mentor of your choice and most preferably the one you met with at the academy. You then organize and make arrangements through email and phone calls on the topics you want to be mentored on. it has been an enjoyable and one of a kind experience for the last eight months to be mentored on different topics ranging from Leadership skills, creating influence, networking amongst other topics of my choice. As a first-year student at the university, I have gained so much knowledge and apply the teachings from the mentoring sessions in real life situation. Am no longer that shy and reserved boy! Though still an introvert but am open minded, frank and outgoing. A big thanks and appreciation goes to the mentors for always setting aside time for distance mentoring despite their busy work schedule and for their invaluable input. To my fellow Aidualumni, lets embrace the mentoring sessions and if you haven’t enrolled in the long-distance mentoring, you’re missing a lot! Its high time to join and enjoy the fun while It still last. Let this be a springboard to your success as you wait to join the corporate world.

As I wind up, remember we can be as strong as we would want to be and we can as well be as weak, it all lies in the way we perceive things. If you can realize who you are, where you have come from and where you are going, then you’re treading in the right path. Remember no man is an island, we still need the guidance, assistance and moral support from our mentors. Living a purpose filled life and realizing your true self is comforting and eventually you get to fulfil your dreams."