WE ARE THE ONES

Cohort 28 Commencement Day
Photo design: Meskith Creations

The soothing music, to the romantic dinner lights and the well decorated food was an indicator of Celebration. Talent and creativity is what most cohort 28 participants exhibited during their four week stay at Kenyatta University, Nairobi. It clearly came out today from their attires to their music compositions and instrumentals.

The participants had gotten fully engaged with the roundtable helping them to have a feel of each other and what they are passionate about. From their faces you could tell they were involved in meaningful conversations and the drinks just added a sparkle of the same.

The night was cool, and fresh and so were the transformed young leaders, but let me take you back a bit.

Leading the YALI anthem (Yet to be confirmed anthem), “We are YALI”, Dowe Music & Arts Director, Douglas Ogutu received good reception from his fellow YALI Participants. With its simple rhythmical lyrics, everyone found it easy to sing along.

Talent! Talent! African Talent is prevalent! The commencement ceremony was all in jubilation from the participants to the staff and the outside publics. The atmosphere was adorned with the aura of warmth and love. The feeling of ‘we actually did it’. The feeling of ‘we are the ones who stand for change’. The feeling of ‘I am a transformed’ young leader was all up in the air. It was not just about happiness of finishing the program but also the understanding that the participants had been equipped well enough for causing positive change wherever they go.  Apart from keeping in tabs not to be in the wrong hands of the disciplinary personnel, Imran, the program was just as intense. This was just the end of the beginning.

All happy and rejuvenated, the young crowd was empowered. The change maker voice, skills and tactics that were being inculpated for the last four weeks could evidently be seen and one could read between the lines.

What made them more confident about and challenged at the same time was Dr. Robert Nakiro’s speech of the day.  The guest speaker was articulate and send the message home.

With over 10 years of experience as a medical practitioner, Dr. Robert Nakiro gave some intelligent insights to the participants and posed a challenge to them. It was up to them to start practicing what they had gained not later but from the very same day.

The change should have already begun in the mind and what set goals the young leaders are going to impact on. One take away from the president of the Centre of Research and education is

 “Work hard and let success introduce you… the world doesn’t owe you anything just because you are a youth.”

Wisdom put together with experience and passion to see young people grow was all that could sum up the eloquently spoken Dr. Nakiro.

Yali made it even more fun for the participants by recognizing some of the efforts they made during the four-week course. Certificates were awarded to the different participants that had their exceptional abilities stand out. mean who knew James Kinuthia  (  Director,Meskith Creations) from Kenya could be a target person for the award of a volunteer to the planet Mars. His kind heart was exceptionally discovered and was voted for the award. This was just one of the many fun certificates presented to some including Yusuf Bwango from Tanzania who has noted of having exceptional capabilities of being a radio presenter.

Bidding farewell is never easy especially if you have bonded with people for some time. Sharing meals with the same people every day, having constructive conversations and a bit shrugging of shoulders here and there during group discussion was all that created memories. Memories were created out of those mere small yet bigger activities of our lives.

We all know it is never a celebration unless a cake is cut. The event was topped up with a cake cutting session, thanks to a section of cohort 27 participants who made it all memorable. Emotional it was, until young leaders had to part later in the day to impact on their various communities.

The writer of this post, Anita, is a YALI RLCEA 

Cohort 28 member and a violin student at

 DoweMusic &Arts