Okendo Lewis Gayle, Founder and Chairman of the Harambe Entrepreneur Alliance partners with Ms. Arlene Mulder H’21 from BiB to produce an audio version of his book: ‘Harambeans: Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things’.
Okendo Lewis Gayle recently partnered with a new member of the 14th class of Harambeans, Ms. Arlene Mulder H’21, who launched BiB Africa – the first African audio library app preserving African stories, to produce the audio version of his first book ‘Harambeans: Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things’.
“The book tells the stories of the African innovators who I have been fortunate enough to meet over the last 14 years since starting the Alliance. I penned it with the hope of exhorting young Africans, in our Alliance and beyond, to be active participants in the realization of Africa’s potential. It relates three stories that reveal the values propelling Harambeans: deliberate audacity, enduring optimism and a wholehearted commitment to servant leadership”, says Mr. Lewis Gayle.
Obiageli Ezekwesili, former World Bank Africa Vice President, captured the essence of the book in her Foreword: “Okendo’s brief and timely reflection affords us insights into the character and innovative potential of Africa’s youth. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed watching the steady progress of Harambe. May the book inspire other young Africans and strengthen our confidence in the unlimited potential of Africa’s youth.”
“Partnering with BiB to create the audio version of the book was imperative to the glorification of innovators such as Ms. Mulder, who are devising ever more creative ways to unlock the vast potential of our continent. The book is about the Ms. Mulders of Africa – ordinary Africans willing to acknowledge and overcome their fears to launch the extraordinary ventures that will transform Africa’s challenges into opportunities”, says Mr. Lewis Gayle.
This collaboration is testament to the commitments that all members of the Alliance have pledged “to work together as one to build Africa’s Future.”
“The launch of BiB comes at a time where we have lost a global treasure with the devastating fires at the Jagger Library at the University of Cape Town. This is a reminder to all of us that these stories are critical to our own narrative and we therefore must find ways, through partnerships such as this, to capture and share them with the world. My hope is that my audiobook will encourage other young Africans on the continent to embrace risk, celebrate failure and scale market creating innovations across the length and breadth of Africa,” concludes Mr. Lewis Gayle.
Listen to the audio version of ‘Harambeans: Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things’ where Okendo narrates his first book by downloading the BiB app on the App Store and Google Play. The book is also available from Amazon.