by Collins Magalasi, MLB student
5 May 2009 will remain memorable to the Bucerius/WHU Master of Law and Business Program and the Horst Köhler Scholars in the MLB Program. On this day, the three African MLB class of 2009 students Yvonne Atieno (Kenya), Collins Magalasi (Malawi) and Asheri Wimile (Tanzania), met the German President, Dr. Horst Köhler, at the President's official residence, Schloss Bellevue, in Berlin.
They were accompanied by the Co-Directors of the MLB Program, Professor Clifford Larsen and Professor Dr. Markus Rudolf, who thanked the German President for his patronage. Dr. Köhler supports the initiative "Partnership with Africa" and the scholarships that the ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius makes available for highly qualified students from Africa.
Each student had some minutes to share his or her experience with the MLB Program. Yvonne Atieno underscored that the Program transforms people and has prepared her to compete successfully on the Kenyan labour market. Collins Magalasi described how the scholarship has laid the foundation for own personal technological and political leadership in Malawi and Africa. Asheri Wimile emphasized that the multifaceted approach of the Program is unique and will improve his work in the East African Community.
In response, the President stated that he supports the scholarships because of his conviction that the solutions to the challenges facing Africa have to emerge from Africans themselves. In addition, he believes that educating Africans in Germany is beneficial to Germans just as much as it is to Africans. He himself has learned much from his interactions with Africans and is convinced that with the grooming of a new crop of young and talented leaders, the future of Africa is bright. He commended the BLS/WHU for providing the academic package that befits his vision of a true German Partnership with Africa; in the words of Dr. Köhler, “(t)he humanity of our world will be measured against the fate of Africa."
Present at the meeting were also students and directors of the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin, where two other Horst Köhler scholars are studying this academic year.