Ompha Mudau
On 7 September, Elevate Africa UP held the finals for its public speaking event. This was an event that transcended the boundaries of competition, serving as a platform to nurture young voices and inspire change.
Elma Akob, the CEO of Elevate Africa UP, shared her vision of instilling a love for public speaking in the youth, as it holds significance in various professional fields. She fiercely emphasised the need for good communication in the contemporary workplace. “In every field of work, you need to speak for people to trust you and work with you,” said Akob. She believes that public speaking is essential to ensure that one’s voice is heard and appreciated. The goal of Elevate Africa UP is to reach every corner of Africa, developing talent and inspiring young voices to become powerful speakers.
The theme of the public speaking finale, “Imagine”, was selected to promote a diversity of topics and inspire participants to think big. Akab is confident that innovation and progress are driven by creativity. As a result, the topic encouraged creativity and the expression of vision. The finalists underwent training for a month, emerging as confident and passionate speakers, regardless of their final ranking. Among them, second-year Urish Naidu stood out as the winner, capturing the hearts of the audience and the judges.
“Winning wasn’t my first objective,” Naidu commented. “It was about making people change their lives. I’m happy with the result.” In his heartfelt advice to aspiring speakers, Naidu emphasised the importance of confidence and the ability to improvise with conviction, even when a speech takes unexpected turns.
The public speaking finale celebrated not only the art of public speaking but also Elevate Africa’s unwavering commitment to nurturing young talent and fostering a love for this valuable skill. As the event concluded, it reminded the audience that every word spoken has the potential to transform lives, drive change, and leave an enduring impact.