By Yassmine Eladib | International Media Manager
Luo, an Ashinaga Africa Initiative (AAI) Scholar from Zambia, is in fourth year studying Economics and Business Management in Japan. From the start, her vision has been clear: to return home equipped not only with academic knowledge, but also with practical tools and a global network to drive entrepreneurship and innovation.
“My goal has always been to study here, gain experience, and then return to Zambia to implement a project that supports entrepreneurship. I believe that one of the key drivers for economic growth is entrepreneurship, so I want to support young aspiring entrepreneurs in Zambia,” Luo says. “I want to go back not just with a degree, but with real relationships and a network I can rely on.”
Part of her "kokorozashi, a profound, purpose-driven commitment to societal betterment, is centered on building stronger connections between African and Japanese businesses. She has already begun putting this into practice through her work with the Africa Diaspora Network Japan (ADNJ), helping plan forums that bring together entrepreneurs and companies from both regions. These events have given her the chance to network, share her ideas, and gain mentorship. “When I return to Zambia, I don’t want to start from zero. I want to have already a community I can collaborate with and make use of the experience I gained from interacting with Japanese companies,” she explains.
This past August, Luo attended the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), where she participated in youth workshops and business panels on Africa’s future. Soon after, she volunteered at the Osaka Business Forum, hosted by ADNJ, which enabled her to learn about current trends in business collaboration between Africa and Japan. She sees such events as an opportunity not only to see the promising future of Africa but to represent the drive-in young Africans.
Alongside these leadership activities, Luo is completing her academic thesis, which evaluates the effectiveness of entrepreneurship training programs in Zambia by comparing Japanese and Zambian training models. Additionally, her Ashinaga Proposal is a comprehensive plan that will guide the entrepreneurship training project she aims to launch in Zambia. She is in the process of defining the project’s nature and structure, using the skills and insights she is gaining in Japan to shape it into a practical and sustainable initiative.
Through these experiences, most notably event planning for the Osaka Africa Business Forum, Luo has grown into a confident, action-oriented leader. “I’ve learned so much from event planning and public speaking to professional networking and cross-cultural communication,” she says. “Every experience is teaching me to be more adaptable, collaborative, and open to new ideas. Those are the skills I will carry with me when I return to Zambia.”
Luo’s journey reflects the impact your support makes possible. Thanks to your donations, AAI Scholars like Luo are not only receiving an education but also becoming leaders who take initiative, build partnerships, and prepare to create real change in their communities.
Links:
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
