CHARLES MSILANGA: Inspiring Youth Through Public Speaking

Kindly introduce yourself to us.
I am Charles Msilanga, an individual who was brought to this earth to transform people’s lives with wisdom and glorifying to God Almighty. I am an economist, accountant and also a passionate motivational speaker and public speaking coach.

I am also a director of a CBO called Youth Empowerment Program Initiative (YEPI) which inspires youth and women on entrepreneurship, leadership and environmental conservation.

Tell us about Lemorini.
Lemorini is a company that was found to develop people and organisations to become relevant, unique and outstanding in their personal lives and market place. We do this by offering executive coaching, management trainings, soft skills training and transformation talks.

We also have another wing of consultancy where we advice on how to start a business, tax consultancy and advisory including online marketing solutions and website design.

What is your inspiration?
I was born and raised in Barsheba, Kisauni sub county. I grew up to see a lot of the young people who had lots of potential, get to drugs and misuse their lives. I always wanted to be different and stand out. It was never easy and the peer pressure was intense! By the grace of God, I overcame it all! Therefore, my inspiration comes from that story. That I can also help some young people out there to stand out from the crowd and lead lives of influence and significance, regardless of the external pressures that can come around.

Courtesy; Charles Msilanga

How did you become a public speaker? Was there a training/course you passed in relation to that?
My journey in motivation and public speaking never started recently. It started when I was in Form 3 at Khamis High School. I had an opportunity to attend a forum where a great speaker transformed my life and made me discover my true self. He then made me borrow money from our guidance and counselling teacher, Mrs Daido (God Bless her so much) to purchase a book named `The Greatness Syndrome’ by Pepe Minambo. This book made me make a u-turn for my life. It was autographed “To Economist Charles” and this motivated me till I was able to join campus to do Economics. Something that I had told myself that I could not achieve, I finally achieved.

My first day at Campus made me have a strong conviction of “what am I doing to other young people, who the speaker who inspired me cannot reach?” Then I decided to get into the industry of transforming my generation through speaking. This was in 2014 and since then, I have never ever looked back. The inspirational book I bought became like my Bible and till to date it is among my closest assets ever!

I can say that I had passion for motivational and public speaking. However, I had to get some extra training to make me eloquent in speaking. I joined The African Centre for Public Speaking, led by Dan Mugera. He trained and coached me to sharpen my skills as a speaker. He also became my mentor and to date our relationship is very strong!

What makes a great speaker?
To be a great speaker you should be, think and feel your content.
1) Be the real person who is airing out the content. Don’t preach water and drink wine.
2) Think of the right things that will make you a great and outstanding speaker.
3) Feel your content while speaking! This will air out the passion you have for your audience and participants.

When you follow this. You will be true to yourself, others and to God.

People talk of Certified Public speakers, who certifies these speakers?
I am certified under the African Centre for Public Speaking. While there is no legal body in Kenya that certifies speakers, the Public Speaking Centre to me is a place where you can have their certification and you will be able to apply the content they teach.

Courtesy; Charles Msilanga

What is your advice to those who would wish to venture into entreprenuership?
Entreprenuership is not as easy as people out there say it. It involves late nights, early mornings, loneliness, being broke, disappointed, unsupported, losing money and many more!

However, I believe that is the way to go because good things come to those who wait but great things come to those who work for them! Therefore, entreprenuership requires patience, perserverance, dedication and persistence!

As a public speaker, what challenges do you face?
In Africa, speakers are not valued or respected. Where people think you are doing this for fun yet in real sense, this is what feeds you. However, things are changing and soon a revolution is going to happen.

When I was starting this business of motivation, there were people who could laugh and pity me. This motivated me so as I can be able to prove them wrong! Flashfoward. These same people today are now my greatest fans!

Lesson: People will always not believe in your goals and visions but if you believe in them deeply, they can see it from you and learn it from you then they will celebrate with you! Whatever it is that is haunting you to do or perform in life, you just have to get out there and show them how it is done!

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
I see myself tranforming the world and going to different countries around the world to inspire my generation. I also see Lemorini Global solutions having its presence in Kenya, USA and Europe!

Courtesy; Charles Msilanga

What qualities would you term as the most important in generating the leaders of tomorrow?
Passion, Comitment and focus. These are very important values which I think every youth should own. Unfortunately the youths today want money without working. A house without building, good relationships without sacrificing and this does not work that way.

To gain something we must loose our comfort and get into the ocean of greatness, influence and significance. Your education can give you a salary but your talents and gifts can make you a fortune.

Finding your purpose is a critical thing to human existence and I can connect this with looking or searching for the things you love to do and the things that elecrify you to do more, be more and stretch more!

When you find that thing, then you may have finally found your purpose. And remember, let money never be the driving force because when money is not there, your force will not be there as well.

Sometimes we try but there is peer pressure from all over. How do you manage the pressure?
Vision and purpose. When you discover your vision and purpose you become an eagle. Eagles fly with eagles and not pigeons.

Automatically, you will be able to stand out and connect yourself with individuals who will support, cheer and develop you! Anyone who derails your goals and dreams is a poison you need to eliminate!

What is your parting shot?

The best motivational speech you can get is not from people who tell you that you can do something but those who tell you that you can’t. This should motivate you to prove them wrong, and get to become the individual you want to be!

You deserve no approval from anyone regarding achieving your goals and dreams! People will discourage you, laugh at and pitty you. However, at the end of the day, you are the only one who can see the vision clearly than anyone else! Let people throw stones at you and discourage you but that can never break you. The only thing that can break you is YOU.

Therefore, everyday, wake up dreass up and be the best version of yourself! You owe no one anything as far as your goals and dreams are concerned!

Bonus: Register for our online course on entreprenuership and learn how to build your idea into a business