Edna Tukiko does not just talk a good game; she puts in the work. After experiencing firsthand the transformative power of mentoring, she started paying it forward in 2014 by helping other youth and young professionals navigate their futures.  

Now, as the Mentorship Lead at YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation’s Youth Advisory Group, Edna has helped inform the new YouthLead Mentorship Initiative, which is aimed at connecting young changemakers to content, learning resources, and mentorship networks to enhance their leadership skills and support their professional growth. 

We caught up with Edna this month to discover the ways mentoring can positively impact people’s lives. She clued us into the benefits, sharing her inspiring story along the way. 

Here are five ways mentoring positively impacted Edna’s life. 

1. Getting a better sense of self. 

“Sylvia was my first formal mentor. I was 15 years old and had no professional role model. I am the first person in my family to go to college, and Sylvia was the first professional woman I could look up to,” explained Edna. “She helped me tap into myself by getting me to ponder important questions, such as what do I want to do with my life; when I proceed to university, what courses do I want to pursue, and what is my passion.”  

Sylvia recommended Edna do some self-analysis, so she took some personality tests, such as the Myers–Briggs Indicator Test. “I was like so many other young people trying to figure out my identity at that age. When I was younger, I was very dreamy, and Sylvia helped me to become more concrete about what I wanted.,” said Edna. “I developed independence and stopped thinking that I needed someone to come into my life to change it for the better. I could do that for myself.”  

2. Building strong, healthy interpersonal relationships. 

Her mentor’s transparency allowed Edna and Sylvia helped them bond and served as a model of how to build a strong relationship that Edna could carry forward. “She was open with me about her personal life, her spiritual life, her career, and her challenges. That allowed me to have grace for myself,” Edna shared. “I saw that I was not the only one with challenges. I gave myself patience to grow and evolve. I was able to carry over what I learned into my other relationships. I became better at communicating, sharing, and respecting other people.”  

3. Learning new career-building professional skills. 

As her mentor, Sylvia provided guidance and helped Edna to expand her skillset, allowing her to establish and maintain a stronger professional network. “Sylvia used to let me tag along to meetings and professional events for things, like fundraising events. I was able to see firsthand how she interacted with friends and clients. I began to understand how people connected and networked and how it was possible to potentially meet your future employer at such an event. I made great contacts!” she explained. 

Sylvia also introduced her to new ideas, tools, and professional platforms that allowed Edna to begin to plan for her future. “She taught me about LinkedIn and how to build a resume and professional online profile. Sylvia also taught me life skills like budgeting and setting financial goals, which I took to heart because she was a financial professional. I learned that if I wanted a particular job or income by a certain age, I needed to work backwards. If I want to be here by age 25, what do I need to do before that to get there? She helped me create a pathway for my goals,” said Edna.  

4. Understanding empathy and generosity. 

This mentoring relationship opened Edna’s eyes about what was possible. Not coming from a wealthy background, Edna saw herself as vulnerable and she had a limited view of what she could do. She shared, “Through my mentorship I understood the value of giving back and it did not have a price tag attached. I do not need to be rich in order to start giving back to my community. I have time. I have energy. I have skills. What I have learned from schools and my experiences, I am able to give back to other people. I do not have to wait to become a philanthropist.”  

While at she was pursuing her bachelor's degree, Sylvia helped Edna create a youth initiative focused on teaching young people about sexual and reproductive health. she received funding for advocacy from USAID and ran the program for two years. Edna explained, “I had the privilege of taking time out of my schedule to give back and work toward being an agent of change in my community. Striving to be a changemaker was an aspiration born out of mentoring. My mentor showed me that I could be a leader in general, not just a professional.”  

5. Expanding your horizons.  

Working with Sylvia, Edna began to change her opinions about what she could achieve. “My mentor helped me think big. In those early days, I would look at my circumstances and feel boxed in. Sylvia opened my limited world,” she shared. “Through her eyes I was able to see what was possible in my life. She gave me permission to dream big. I can achieve remarkable things, when I put my mind to it. Whenever I would find myself thinking small, Sylvia would challenge me to see other options on the table.” 

Sylvia had a tremendous impact on Edna’s life.  Edna now is a mentor herself, and she is grateful she had such a wonderful role model.  She understands personally the impact a mentor can have on a young professional’s life and credits Sylvia with setting her on the right path.  To learn more about mentorship, visit the Mentorship Initiative page.