Partnership with Herbert Smith Freehills Enhances Scholars’ Professional Capacity and Networks

Partnership with Herbert Smith Freehills Enhances Scholars’ Professional Capacity and Networks

Ashinaga empowers  Ashinaga Africa Initiative (AAI) Scholars with the education, skills, and experience they need to become compassionate leaders for sub-Saharan Africa. Each AAI Scholar works on their kokorozashi – a life-long dream to help others – during their time at university. However, extracurricular experience is crucial to developing the professional skills that are necessary to turn these ambitions into reality.

Ashinaga works closely with companies to facilitate Scholars’ access to professional opportunities, gain real-life experience and develop their networks. In 2021, we were delighted to partner with Herbert Smith Freehills, a leading international law firm. In this partnership, Herbert Smith Freehills provides mentoring support and placement programs for AAI Scholars studying law in the UK and France. During the program, mentors support Scholars with setting their own goals in terms of career planning, academic and personal development, and give them advice on how to best achieve these goals. Scholars also attend an ‘Insight Week’, where they have the opportunity to gain first-hand experience by shadowing a solicitor and learning how Herbert Smith Freehills functions.

 

“The program has had a great impact on my career plan. I have opened up to different routes I can take in the law field, as well as how to get there”

 

Tlalane is one of the Scholars who joined this program. She is studying law at the University of Edinburgh and aspires to empower women in her home country, Lesotho. She shared how this program encouraged her to achieve her kokorozashi to be a ‘voice for the voiceless’.

She said:

“The program has had a great impact on my career plan. I have been exposed to to different routes I can take in the law field, as well as how to get there. My network in the field has increased and I am definitely more open to exploring more in the field of law to eventually use it to defend human rights victims – which is my end goal.”

In order to propel AAI Scholars into being future young leaders for the African continent, it is important to provide opportunities for cutting-edge professional skills training. Together with Ashinaga’s solid academic and personal development curriculum, our partnership with Herbert Smith Freehills helps maximise Scholars’ potential and prepare them to make an impact.

“We are delighted to be supporting the Ashinaga programme. This initiative aligns with the firm’s 10 Actions for Change and reflects the commitment of our Africa practice to support the next generation.”

 

Herbert Smith Freehills set out ‘10 Actions for Change’ to build a world where everyone regardless of their ethnicity could thrive. Working with Ashinaga has contributed to accomplishing one of these goals. Nina Bowyer, Herbert Smith Freehills’ global co-head of the Africa group, said:

“We are delighted to be supporting the Ashinaga programme. This initiative aligns with the firm’s 10 Actions for Change and reflects the commitment of our Africa practice to support the next generation. The take-up internally well exceeded our expectations and I would like to thank all of our lawyers who volunteered to act as mentors in this meaningful initiative.”

We are looking for partners to empower orphaned youth around the world and achieve the UN’s SDGs and your CSR goals together

 

Ashinaga has worked with nearly 5,000 private organizations in Japan and abroad. As one of Japan’s oldest and largest charities with more than 20 programs around the world, Ashinaga can offer a wide range of options for partnership. Providing a mentorship program for Scholars is just one example of this. Whether it’s nominating Ashinaga for your organization’s Charity of the Year, providing pro-bono services, or matching employee donations, we can tailor a partnership plan for your CSR goals.

Over the past 55 years, we have provided access to education for more than 110,000 orphaned students across the world. By partnering with Ashinaga, we can together achieve the UN Sustainable Goal 4: Quality Education, which directly contributes to Goal 1: No Poverty.

Interested in partnering with us?

Email: partnerships.uk@ashinaga.org to discuss opportunities.