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Investing in African Students | Business with Purpose Podcast EP 229: Dr. Lydiah Kemunto Bosire, 8B Education Investments

Investing in African Students | Business with Purpose Podcast EP 229: Dr. Lydiah Kemunto Bosire, 8B Education Investments
Investing in African Students | Business with Purpose Podcast EP 229: Dr. Lydiah Kemunto Bosire, 8B Education Investments

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  • Investing in African Students | Business with Purpose Podcast EP 229: Dr. Lydiah Kemunto Bosire, 8B Education Investments
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Click a timestamp below to be taken to the exact spot in the episode…

I think we can all agree that education is important. My guest today is passionate about making higher education accessible and giving opportunities to incredibly bright students in Africa for development and education around the world. 

1:13 – Dr. Lydiah Kemunto Bosire’s background

  • Dr. Bosire is the founder and CEO of 8B Education Investments, a financial and education technology platform specialized in lending to African students to attend world-class global universities. 

5:48 – Meet Dr. Bosire

  • The “B” in 8B stands for billion. They want to find out what Africa needs to do in order to compete, innovate and thrive in a world of 8 billion people. 

8:51 – What led Dr. Bosire to do this work

  • She was born in western Kenya and went to United World Colleges. She found that international spaces in business and other sectors were not inclusive, and she wanted to see more people like her in those spaces. 

14:40 – Breaking down barriers and expanding opportunities

  • Dr, Bosire realized she needed more people like herself in power to help others. Her sole purpose is to address the key bottleneck, which is the financing. 
  • If financing was as available for African students as it is available to a Chinese student or Indian student or a Singaporean student, a lot more African students would be in universities.

24:41 – Narrative matters

  • Our words matter. How we tell stories matter. Because those things begin to get imprinted in our minds, in our culture, in our society. 

32:10 – Charity vs. education investment

  • It doesn’t have to be either or. It doesn’t have to be charity or education investment. It can be both. 
  • “You’re saying to somebody, ‘I see this potential in you. I see this talent in you, and I’m investing in your education for a greater purpose.” – Molly

37:45 – Not enough innovation in nonprofit 

  • There’s not enough innovation in the nonprofit space. Business can be used for good, like a nonprofit. 
  • Overall, most nonprofits don’t innovate because they just don’t have to. But businesses have to innovate.

48:03 – Get to know you questions

  • Who has influenced Dr. Bosire the most? Oprah
  • What song she has to sing along with? Frozen ballads
  • Favorite dinner – Kale and avocado
  • First thing she does when she gets home? Hug those close to her

FEATURED QUOTES

“That’s the business that I am in now, of making opportunity.” – Dr. Bosire

“If we had financing as available for African students as it is available to a Chinese student or Indian student or a Singaporean student, we would have a lot more African students in universities.” – Dr. Bosire

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES OR LINKS 

  • https://africaglobaleducation.com/
  • https://twitter.com/8B_AfricaEdu

About Dr. Lydiah Kemunto Bosire

Dr. Lydiah Kemunto Bosire is the Founder and CEO of 8B Education Investments, a financial and education technology platform specialized in lending to African students to attend world-class global universities and supporting them to succeed. 8B is on a mission to strengthen Africa’s human capital by equipping the continent’s future leaders and ecosystem builders to innovate, compete, and thrive in the knowledge economy of the 21st century.

A Kenyan national, Lydiah brings to the field of innovative finance her personal experience, and over eighteen years working on issues of international politics, development, and human rights.

Prior to founding 8B, Lydiah worked at the United Nations, the World Bank, and leading global NGOs. Most recently, she served as lead for the UN-World Bank Partnership at the Department of Political Affairs of the UN Secretariat. While completing her studies at the University of Oxford, Lydiah co-founded Oxford Transitional Justice Research.

Lydiah was a pioneer of the global youth movement around HIV/AIDS. She co-founded the YouthForce advocacy platform used at all international HIV/AIDS conferences since, and served as a founding board member of the non-profit Keep a Child Alive.

Lydiah currently serves on the board at WorldQuant University, and is a member of the UWC Atlantic College Advisory Council. She publishes and speaks on a wide range of topics, including on the role of innovative finance in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the UN and the World Bank in conflict-affected states, and the role of world-class human capital in African development.

Lydiah completed her doctorate (D.Phil) in Politics at the University of Oxford. She also holds a Master of Science from Oxford, where she attended as a Clarendon Scholar. She received an undergraduate degree with honors in Government and a Master of Public Administration at Cornell University.

Thank you to our partners of the show:

Ammas Umma 

Did you know I have an ethical brand directory? That’s what Chelsea used to start finding products for her boutique almost four years ago! Now, Amma’s Umma carries over 50 intentionally sourced brands and is the perfect one stop shop for all your gift giving needs. As a thank you to the Still Being Molly community, she is offering 20% off with code SHOPWITHMOLLY. Head to shopwithmolly.com for all the details.

GOEX

At GOEX, we believe in the power of purchase. We use a simple t-shirt to connect our customers with their apparel makers. GOEX customers sustain fair wage jobs that liberate workers from poverty and empower them in their families and communities. We are proud to be a verified member of the Fair Trade Federation. Shop sustainable, eco-friendly t-shirts and sweatshirts with purpose today at goexapparel.com.

Simple Switch

I want to introduce you all to a company I believe in that helps you more conveniently purchase with purpose, SimpleSwitch.org

Simple Switch is an online marketplace for ethical and impactful shopping. They let you shop online for more than 3,000 products ranging from everyday essentials like toilet paper and hand sanitizer, to special gifts like journals or jewelry. Every product has a positive environmental or social impact, like planting trees or fighting human trafficking.

Simple Switch is offering a discount exclusively for our listeners. Check out the marketplace on simpleswitch.org and get 20% off your first order with code PURCHASEWITHPURPOSE at checkout!

The Lemonade Boutique 

This episode is sponsored by The Lemonade Boutique, a women’s clothing with a cause store. Featuring ethically made and fair trade items from over 10 countries, every item is made by women facing extreme challenges such as trafficking, poverty, and more. Your purchase empowers women to take life’s lemons and make lemonade.  Shop at THELemonadeBoutique.com. Listeners of the Business with Purpose Podcast can save 15% by using code PURPOSE15 at checkout.

Leave a comment below with something you learned from this episode.

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Selah Farm Thanksgiving 2023 ✅
Carrying on the tradition my parents started so many decades ago. Love breaking bread with family, friends, strangers, international students, and more. Missing some family today, but feeling thankful. 🧡

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Selah Farm Thanksgiving 2023 ✅ 
Carrying on the tradition my parents started so many decades ago. Love breaking bread with family, friends, strangers, international students, and more. Missing some family today, but feeling thankful. 🧡

I thank God every single day that social media didn’t exist in 2003. #highschoolthenandnow

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I thank God every single day that social media didn’t exist in 2003. #highschoolthenandnow

She’s been gone 21 years, but it feels like I blinked.

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She’s been gone 21 years, but it feels like I blinked.

God is in the details.

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God is in the details.

Happy 30th Anniversary to the Vietnam Women’s Memorial! What an incredible day with incredible veteran friends. I pray that I was able to honor my mom 🇺🇸 She should have been here. ❤️

Happy Veteran’s Day to all who have so selflessly served. ❤️

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Happy 30th Anniversary to the Vietnam Women’s Memorial! What an incredible day with incredible veteran friends. I pray that I was able to honor my mom 🇺🇸 She should have been here. ❤️

Happy Veteran’s Day to all who have so selflessly served. ❤️

Today was so special. I had the privilege of representing my mom as she was posthumously honored (among six other incredible women veterans) at the Military Women’s Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery @womensmemorial. I was able to reconnect with and hug so many dear sister and brother Vietnam veterans that I hadn’t seen in a few decades. We hugged, laughed, and cried as we shared stories.

We ended the night with a candlelight ceremony at the Vietnam Veteran’s Women’s Memorial. And to answer your question, no.. I can’t get through listening to taps while I watch as a bunch of retired Veterans salute. 😭

This weekend, instead of taking advantage of mattress sales, thank a veteran for his or her service. 🇺🇸 #veteransday🇺🇸

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Today was so special. I had the privilege of representing my mom as she was posthumously honored (among six other incredible women veterans) at the Military Women’s Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery @womensmemorial. I was able to reconnect with and hug so many dear sister and brother Vietnam veterans that I hadn’t seen in a few decades. We hugged, laughed, and cried as we shared stories.

We ended the night with a candlelight ceremony at the Vietnam Veteran’s Women’s Memorial. And to answer your question, no.. I can’t get through listening to taps while I watch as a bunch of retired Veterans salute. 😭

This weekend, instead of taking advantage of mattress sales, thank a veteran for his or her service. 🇺🇸 #veteransday🇺🇸

My once in a decade “visiting where I grew up” photo dump 👉🏼

1️⃣ where I carved my name in the cement of the sidewalks I lobbied the town council for when I was 8
2️⃣ in front of my childhood home
3️⃣ on my sidewalks. Yes. They are mine. I put them there.
4️⃣ crying in front of the abandoned Tortilla Factory. May it rest in peace.
5️⃣ peering in the windows of the Tortilla Factory - the back room where the Tuesday night Folk Club met every week. Literally hasn’t changed in the 12 years it’s been closed.
6️⃣ downtown Herndon
7️⃣ at the Veteran’s memorial in downtown Herndon that my mom helped to dedicate when it was established.
8️⃣ visiting grandma
9️⃣ with my mama

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My once in a decade “visiting where I grew up” photo dump 👉🏼

1️⃣ where I carved my name in the cement of the sidewalks I lobbied the town council for when I was 8
2️⃣ in front of my childhood home
3️⃣ on my sidewalks. Yes. They are mine. I put them there. 
4️⃣ crying in front of the abandoned Tortilla Factory. May it rest in peace. 
5️⃣ peering in the windows of the Tortilla Factory - the back room where the Tuesday night Folk Club met every week. Literally hasn’t changed in the 12 years it’s been closed. 
6️⃣ downtown Herndon
7️⃣ at the Veteran’s memorial in downtown Herndon that my mom helped to dedicate when it was established. 
8️⃣ visiting grandma
9️⃣ with my mama

👇🏼SHARE IN THE COMMENTS: what or who are you grateful for? Tag them and tell them why! 🩵 #countyourblessings #countingmyblessings

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👇🏼SHARE IN THE COMMENTS: what or who are you grateful for? Tag them and tell them why! 🩵 #countyourblessings #countingmyblessings

Go Heels!

Kid’s first Carolina game ☑️

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Go Heels! 

Kid’s first Carolina game ☑️

30 years ago, I was nearly eight years old, and there I stood amongst a large crowd on a hot July day. I watched my mom, (in the video she’s in the blue dress on the right) as she stood alongside General Colin Powell, then-Senator John Kerry, Diane Carlson Evans, and more as she held a shovel in her hand and broke ground on our country’s first-ever monument to honor American military women: the Vietnam Women’s Memorial on the National Mall. A few months later, I stood in a larger crowd on a much cooler day in November and watched as that monument was unveiled.

Even in my eight-year-old ignorance, I knew how much the day meant to her as I’d watched her and Diane and so many other women fight so tirelessly for their fellow women veterans to be given the recognition and honor they so deserved.

This upcoming Veteran’s Day weekend marks 30 years since the unveiling of that monument, and I’m honored and humbled and endlessly grateful that this weekend, I will get to be there to represent my mom. I was asked to speak at the women’s memorial on Saturday morning and share my mom’s story. If she were still here, she would be there, just like she was every other Veteran’s Day.

I’m thankful that I’ll get to bring along my husband and kids and that they’ll get to stand in the cold just like I did all those years ago, but I pray that they know what a legacy their grandmother left and how even though she’s been gone 21 years, her memory lives on. I pray that the words I share honor her and all the other incredibly strong and brave women she served alongside in Vietnam.

If you’re in the DC area, I’d love to see you there. The storytelling ceremony will be from 9am-11am at the Women’s Memorial with a larger ceremony at the Wall at 1pm.

Side note - what I love most about this video clip is, you can hear my mom laugh. If you listen for the incredibly loud laughter… that’s her. ❤️

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30 years ago, I was nearly eight years old, and there I stood amongst a large crowd on a hot July day. I watched my mom, (in the video she’s in the blue dress on the right) as she stood alongside General Colin Powell, then-Senator John Kerry, Diane Carlson Evans,  and more as she held a shovel in her hand and broke ground on our country’s first-ever monument to honor American military women: the Vietnam Women’s Memorial on the National Mall. A few months later, I stood in a larger crowd on a much cooler day in November and watched as that monument was unveiled. 

Even in my eight-year-old ignorance, I knew how much the day meant to her as I’d watched her and Diane and so many other women fight so tirelessly for their fellow women veterans to be given the recognition and honor they so deserved. 

This upcoming Veteran’s Day weekend marks 30 years since the unveiling of that monument, and I’m honored and humbled and endlessly grateful that this weekend, I will get to be there to represent my mom. I was asked to speak at the women’s memorial on Saturday morning and share my mom’s story. If she were still here, she would be there, just like she was every other Veteran’s Day. 

I’m thankful that I’ll get to bring along my husband and kids and that they’ll get to stand in the cold just like I did all those years ago, but I pray that they know what a legacy their grandmother left and how even though she’s been gone 21 years, her memory lives on. I pray that the words I share honor her and all the other incredibly strong and brave women she served alongside in Vietnam. 

If you’re in the DC area, I’d love to see you there. The storytelling ceremony will be from 9am-11am at the Women’s Memorial with a larger ceremony at the Wall at 1pm.

Side note - what I love most about this video clip is, you can hear my mom laugh. If you listen for the incredibly loud laughter… that’s her. ❤️
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