Impressive tidbits from Commonwealth Essays!

We were deeply impressed with the Commonwealth entry essays by the participants of YLP, that we decided we should quote and feature some of it on this blog.

"Around five years back, if someone told me that a man born to a Kenyan father and raised in Indonesia would become the president of the most powerful country in the world, I would have laughed at that person. But today, I salute the man, Mr. Barack Obama for defying stereotypes and being an inspiration to all mankind.

"Of course, there are good leaders who were born into power, but the way I think about leadership has gone through a paradigm shift. I have learnt to broaden my mindset and believe that any body can be made a leader no matter where you came from or how much money your parents have."

~Shahaada Ahmed

"A good leader might be the one who leads the pack to the promised land, like what Michael Jackson did to the music industry, Nelson Mandela did to the South African people or Mother Teresa did to the Humanitarian causes. But it is important to remember, that they not only led, they followed"

"I am only one, but I am still one. I can't do everything, but still I can do something. And just because I can't do everything, I won't quit what I can do"

~Ibrahim Nawaf

"Whether its a man or a woman, old or young, rich or poor, a good leader has to be someone with a strong belief system"

"To be a good leader, all you need is a mind which is willing to learn, a soul that is ready to give, and a heart full of love. All you need is motivation and the drive to do good."

~Aishath Shifana Ahmed

"Times have changed, but I still believe that the lessons for our future lie in our past. I also believe, that to create change, there need not only be a single leader, but everyone could take that place."

"Determination also proves to be a strong defining point when one is born without all the means to fullfill one's life"

~Mohamed Axam Maumoon

"Whatever I become or wherever I go, my belief, my aim, my determination is to Live, Love, Learn and to Leave a Legacy for I will be remembered even when I am not around."

~Aishath Loona Moosa

"Leaders are everywhere... it could be in you, or even me"

"...we're too ignorant to listen, and discover the leader in each one of us"

~Mohamed Hisham