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

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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.

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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.

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