ALA Hosts Education and Health Sector Gatherings in Kenya and Rwanda

In June and July, members of the ALA network convened in Kenya and Rwanda, connecting people and ideas around two of Africa’s greatest opportunities: imagining the future of education and healthcare on the continent. As we pivot our network towards addressing the continent’s grand challenges and greatest opportunities, the ALforEducation and ALforHealth gatherings provided the platform to explore collaborations between ALA’s young leaders and other practitioners in both fields.

At the ALforEducation conference in Nairobi, Kenya held from June 27-28, more than 150 participants convened on the theme: “Re-imagining Secondary Education: Preparing Africa’s Youth for the Future of Work, grappling with the question of how to grow a pan-African movement to accelerate shifts in education systems in Africa.

ALA Hosts Education and Health Sector Gatherings in Kenya and Rwanda

“As part of this conference, we decided that we needed to engage deeply with education with what is happening on the ground. So we embarked on field trips to go inside six different organisations that were transforming secondary schools or transitions to work after school in Africa. In each of these school we did what African Leadership Academy calls a “BUILD Lab” – a design thinking exercise which helps get to the root of a problem and propose potential solutions. It was deeply exciting and invigorating to see how these organisations are already shaping the future of education in Africa and to see how this network formed around the challenges and shared the experiences that they had in addressing similar challenges from similar challenges,” said Chris Bradford, CEO of African Leadership Academy.

ALforEducation 2019 highlight video

At the ALforHealth gathering in Kigali, Rwanda from July 19th – 20th, more than 100 participants convened on the theme: “Quality Care & Sustainable Solutions: The Promise of Innovation in Africa’s Healthcare”. In her keynote address, Dr Ola Brown, Founder and CEO of Flying Doctors Nigeria drew a direct correlation between healthcare provision and economic growth, asserting that “Healthcare is an investment, not a cost”.

According to Dr. Ayobami Oduntan, ALforHealth Network Manager, “We wanted a conference that focused on innovative solutions that address the gaps in access to quality healthcare. All the sessions were designed around the 8 Grand Health Challenges that we sought out to address through the conference”.

ALforHealth 2019 Day 1 highlight video

Gatherings such as ALforEducation and ALforHealth are a chance for young leaders from the ALA network (ALA graduates; ALA staffulty; Anzisha Fellows; MCFSP ALA Scholars) to meet, connect and build relationships with each other, with external stakeholders, with employment partners, parents, and with leaders from the continent.

ALforHealth 2019 Day 2 highlight video

About the ALA 2023 Strategic Priority of Unleashing the Network:

In line with ALA’s Strategic Priority of Unleashing the Network, the academy seeks to enable a thriving, impactful and visible network of African leaders, comprising a group of like-minded people who will work together to address Africa’s greatest challenges, achieve extraordinary social impact, and accelerate the continent’s growth trajectory.

With over 700 graduates now hard at work around the world, ALA must purposefully and intentionally gather our network. Each gathering will have a clear program and purpose to advance our vision of lasting peace and shared prosperity in Africa. Gatherings will celebrate and highlight the work of our alumni and network and will foster new connections between investors and entrepreneurs, job seekers and employers, mentors and mentees, and peers facing similar challenges.

As an academy we seek to support the professional and personal development of our alumni through these events, helping them to build and develop connections within the ALA community and beyond. Our Diploma program is just the start of a lifelong relationship; we want to engage our alumni well beyond their time at the Academy to ensure they are connecting to create meaningful and lasting change on the continent.

To learn more about our 2023 three strategic priorities click here.

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