The highly anticipated Cohort V of the GRiC Africa Youth Leadership Program has officially launched. This year, the program saw an overwhelming response from youth across East Africa, with hundreds expressing their interest. After careful consideration, 22 participants were selected from Uganda, 25 from Tanzania, and 44 from Kenya, totaling 91 young leaders who will take part in this prestigious program.
During the orientation and launch on Thursday last week, Samwel Mwai, the Program Coordinator from GRiC Africa, urged the participants to fully commit to the learning opportunity. He emphasized the requirement for at least 80 percent attendance in both virtual and physical training sessions to qualify for graduation that shall take place from Nairobi Kenya in November this year. The program spans six months, with sessions held twice a month. Additionally, project proposal and development sessions will be conducted in person at country level.
Each participant will be paired with a mentor to help navigate life’s challenges, ensuring they get the most out of the program. Patrick Ocen, GRiC Project Coordinator in Uganda highlighted the program’s critical role in shaping the participants’ careers. He announced the placement of the youth, “as part of the initiative, some youth will be placed as volunteers with GRIC partner organizations across the region, gaining invaluable experience.”
Program Success and Impact
Sharon Achan, a previous fellow placed at FICH, fondly recalled the moment she was named the first runner-up during the project proposal presentation at the graduation in Nairobi. She plans to implement her project in Oyam District. The program has also facilitated the recruitment of several volunteers, also known as fellows, as full-time staff at their host organizations. Notable examples include Achan at FICH and Denis Otim Oluma at CFI, a GRIC-FICH partner in Uganda.
Denis Opio Olabo, who rose through the ranks to become the president of the Alumni Association and is now employed at FICH, shared his journey. He described the challenges of transitioning from university life to volunteering in the rural community of Akongatar but expressed how he has grown to love championing positive changes in rural areas, “joining YLP in 2022 was challenging, I had to make a choice that I never regretted ever since, it is just the beginning of learning-how to write CV, create Linkedin profile and applying for a Job. Luckily because of my input, my value was appreciated-I am now the M&E Officer.”
The six fellows from Cohort V placed across six GRIC Uganda Partners have pledged to actively participate in the program to transform their lives and build their careers.
Upcoming Sessions
The first virtual session on Mental Health is scheduled for May 23, 2024, at 2:00 PM Nairobi time. Participants can join via the following Zoom link:
Meeting ID: 822 6929 8218
Passcode: 221583
For a complete guide to the six-month sessions,click here
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