The average university students in Africa will wait to graduate before they seek to exercise the power of knowledge to impact their communities. Not so for Sierra Leon born Sylvester John, who as an undergraduate at the University of North Florida (U.S.A) in May 2000 helped establish a Center for Education, Free Enterprise and International Trade in Ghana. He eventually brought the Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) initiative to Africa.Sylvester spent more than 10 years in Ghana and Togo. He officially established SIFE in Africa (specifically in Ghanaian universities) in 2000
Sylvester Theodore John was recently promoted to serve as Senior Vice President, International Students In Free Enterprise Inc.. SIFE creates a global partnership between business and higher education and prepares university students to meaningfully address real world issues that entrepreneurs and business leaders encounter. Mentored by faculty advisors and business leaders, university students conduct projects annually which are then judged by business leaders drawn from 45 countries across the World.
In September 2001, as head of SIFE Africa, Sylvester established an African-wide program that has since spread to 11 countries; has active participation from over 150 universities and 4,800 students annually and has witnessed the implementation of over 400 projects.
In Kenya, Sylvester John helped launch the SIFE Kenya chapter that has seen over 2,300 university students' gain from business interactions, SIFE projects, and international business competition popularly referred to as SIFE World Cup. In October 2005, under his leadership, University of Zimbabwe SIFE Team stunned the world by scooping the coveted SIFE World Cup at a competition in Toronto.
Those who have interacted with Sylvester will testify to his strong will power to transform Africa and the way the continent conducts her business with the global community.//The African Executive
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