At a young age, you have this sheer belief that you can change the world, and you really can. It is an important aspect of facing challenges for which every generation has a responsibility. Amy Newcomb is convinced that there is a certain level of hopelessness and cynicism that age may bring sometimes. Through her years of engaging with young people across programs around the world, she has come to deeply admire their sense of hope and enthusiasm for the future. It is an energy she says carries the human species. Young people have hope and confidence, elements that impel us into curiosity and innovation. These are the primary ingredients to understanding the multiple crises we are faced with and keep us from despair.
“The youth entrepreneurial spirit, energy, hope, love for life and being alive, wanting to bring a better existence is the essence of life.” She calls it the power of change and candidly reminds us that as long as you are a young person, no matter what area of the world, culture or circles you belong to, there is a natural energy that you bring into the planet to solve problems, be curious, love others, and to make the world a better place. She holds that it then becomes our collective imperative to create spaces for young people to make decisions and create change, utilizing the energy to rebuild from collapse.
“We adapt as human species because of the young voices of hope.”
In 2013, Amy Newcomb arrived in Harare for a site visit to meet paNhari in person and acquiesce with the program which had its roots at the University of Zimbabwe, where it grew out of the entrepreneurial energy of its student community with the support of the late Dr. Munyaradzi Madambi. She recalls the meeting having been meaningful to her especially, as this was the organization’s home ground. She was a staff member at Talloires Network and had been on a month-long trip across four countries, assessing four other programs. paNhari stood out because of the passion exhibited by its co-founders; Donald Bodzo and Phil Mlanda. They were young professionals and Amy was impressed by their skills and ability to articulate their visions for the future but more so, their trusting her with their ideas. The humor and sunshine may have been a first-time charm, but paNhari was climbing a mountain to reach a goal, and she witnessed what it took to start with such entrepreneurial efforts. As she remembers, the ideas were clear, practical responses to real challenges that largely remained unaddressed, such as youth unemployment and climate change, and the students approached them with the seriousness and optimism of a long-term vision. They would then go on to work together for the next six years, paNhari being one of the 8 recipients of the five-year grant under the Talloires Network’s first program with the Mastercard Foundation, the Youth Economic Participation Initiative (YEPI).
“It was a big responsibility, and the then political atmosphere notwithstanding in Zimbabwe, we—the Talloires network had so much confidence in them. It was a risk that we took but paNhari has proved year after year that they were worth investing in.”
Amy’s research focus during her time at Tufts University was in youth employment, in recognition of the fact that even if unequal, the world all over is crippled by unemployment. There are inundating research gaps especially with understanding the root causes, and her work seeks to address these needs. She acknowledges the fact that it is confluent of multiple factors and barely a single-issue crisis. Higher education and liberal arts play a special role in training the individual, forging a certain wholeness that employers are mostly seeking. In some cases, it is the economic sense that underlies the shortage of jobs, as evidenced by geographical variations. She has dedicated her research to analyzing these tropes and uses evidence-based findings to fill the gaps for organizations like paNhari. Having been primarily drawn to paNhari’s approach that was fueled by curiosity and an understanding of the world around, she is committed to building bridges. As she describes, they are questioning and learning as a community of people who are trying to solve problems, and that is what the world currently needs.
With over 15 years in higher education leadership, Amy believes that a critical part of impact success lies in how we learn, change, and adapt, and quality is just as important as statistics and numbers. “In learning and teaching, we are concerned about the qualitative understanding of somebody who goes through a process, what it takes to get from point A to point B, the heart and mind of a farmer in agri-food systems for example. It matters to us that we understand the context and environment within which our impact lies.” In as much as capital needs require that we prioritize numbers, KPIs and statistics to ease tracking and project scalability, she affirms that it is important that impact equally remains curious of the inner world, ideas and how perspectives are shaped by experiences.
“Our success is told by the quality of learning, the people we have walked with and the ecosystems we have cultivated. Understanding the quality of our learning allows us to refine what works, scale it thoughtfully, and share meaningful knowledge with others,” she reiterates.
Neither of these two aspects of impact measurement exist in isolation, however. They are dependent, inform one another, and are inextricable from an organization’s assiduousness which ultimately defines longevity. From a resourcing perspective and having walked with paNhari since its formative years, Amy believes they have demonstrated outstanding, sturdy stewardship in strategy and responsibility, owing to the top leadership for always staying on top of things.
“There was always the question of whether they could manage numbers, and the answer has always been a resounding yes. As the Talloires Network, we saw a group of young people who had proven themselves and demonstrated commitment. It was like talking to little bosses who are impressively organized and consistently well prepared,” She lightly recounts.
Resource limitations are common in impact but even then, it becomes undoubtedly evident that paNhari is grounded in a high level of creative visioning that enables them to navigate limiting instances. Their combination of creative agility and rigorous professionalism ensures that they remain a trusted, referable partner for any global funder, as Amy affirms.
This may serve as a powerful benchmark for young leaders: mastering the basics, even in something as simple as a realistic budget with accurate numbers, builds a foundation for employability and credibility because it builds trust in real-world situations. Don’t sleep on the details.
Her reflection carries pride, candidly speaking to a brainchild she is happy to have witnessed through all its phases, and now on the cusp of an African becoming. “I have seen them in their planning and strategizing years. In other occasions, running as fast as they can to achieve things within short turnaround times.” She recounts with deep admiration.
Epitomizing the power of human connection, paNhari is empowering young people and passing the value on to the next generation of impact leaders. This is something Amy believes is going to be a huge part of its growth in the coming years, especially considering their distinctive presence as evidenced by the collaborations and partnerships they have built over the years. “The relationship they have with Mastercard Foundation will propel them to greater heights because they are doing the necessary work and have the right reach. They are always mobilizing just as vigorously as when they began.”
This impact journey, through her eyes, is steeped in risk and is a stark reminder that doors are open to everyone regardless of who they are or their background. Having thrived with just the right speed, paNhari’s growth has been proved in both quality and quantity, and Amy is convinced that it is as much as is needed for an organization to stick around and build relationships. Their agility makes them exceptional; showing up, owning spaces, and making them worth the while.
“paNhari is not afraid to ask. They carry with them this conviction that is hard to ignore and they have the component to be big and touch every African country with their dreams of working with school programs,” She notes.
As she steps into her board role, Amy sees paNhari entering its most consequential chapter. “They have built the credibility, the partnerships, and the infrastructure. Now the question is scale. How do you take what works across multiple African countries and make it the standard for youth-led development across the continent?” She is particularly energized by the organization’s recent momentum: a refreshed board, new permanent team members, and a vibrant Youth Advisory Council that embodies the very principle paNhari was built on, young people leading from the front. With its growing footprint in climate action, agricultural innovation, and digital infrastructure for youth ecosystems, paNhari is positioning itself not only as a youth organization, but also a platform for how African-led development gets designed. “The next five years will define whether paNhari becomes one of the continent’s anchor institutions for youth-led systems change. I believe they will, and I want to help make that happen.”