Our History
The Beginning of a Dream
In 2003, Fred Swaniker, a Stanford MBA who is originally from Ghana, began dreaming of a way to develop future leaders of Africa, regardless of income.
The Development
Fred began developing the African Leadership Academy, which would offer a world-class education and promote ethical and principled leadership among top high school students from all over the continent.
The Summer Academy
As a way to develop the curriculum and bring together students from Africa and around the world, Fred created the Summer Academy at Cape Town.
The Union
That’s when Fred joined forces with Andrew Motiwalla, a returned Peace Corps volunteer, to lead a new organization that provided summer leadership experiences to all interested teenagers.
The Birth
Building on the success of the Summer Academy at Cape Town, and believing in the potential of every young adult to be a global leader and make an impact, Global Leadership Adventures was born.
The Growth
GLA continues to grow! We now have summer volunteer programs for high school students in Africa, Asia, Europe & Latin America every summer.
YOU & NOW
When you join a GLA program this summer, you will leave your legacy in the hands of entire communities. Come make your mark on history with us.