More than 8,000 Kenyans who have benefited from government exchange programs are being called upon to exercise leadership in reviving their communities by utilizing the skills they acquired abroad.
Speaking in Nairobi during Kenya- US Alumni Fair, US Acting Ambassador to Kenya Susan Burns cast the net of knowledge of the alumni wider by rolling healthcare, economic strengthening, and livelihoods uplift through practical solutions.
Burns pointed out that “as alumni, you are the ones who are able to communicate between communities, influence policies and create solutions by using the skills that you gained outside of your country.”Furthermore, she praised Kenya’s achievements in clean energy, smart agriculture, diplomacy, and technology.
The event that invited 500 alumni to participate commemorated over 60 years of collaboration between Kenya and the US through academic, professional, and cultural exchange programs. The participants revisited their journeys and acknowledged how these programs had transformed their lives.
Kenya-US Exchange Program Alumni Association President, Benson Abila, turned to his fellow members and encouraged them to not only interact but also to engage in socio-economic transformations through activities that have practical impacts. “We must never let our travels abroad end with us; they should be the fire that lights the flame of development in our communities,” he stated.
Engineer Nora Magero, a TechWomen Fellow, who turned her fellowship into a product of innovation, spoke, and activity was like a reflection of Benson’s thoughts.
Magero established a company that manufactures solar-powered fridges made to be easily transported that help store medical supplies that require low temperatures in areas that are rural and are not well-served, a way that can be seen already saving lives.
