Leadership Symposium – August 2017

Beacon Scholars presented their summer Citizenship Projects and Joy Juma (CEO Netfund and Beacon Home Country Mentor) addressed the Beacon Community.

The day began with the introduction of new Beacon Kenya Rep Anne Babu, and a welcome to visitors from various schools including Brookhouse, Peponi, and Vanessa Grant Girls School.

Trustee Ajay Sood then recognised outstanding leadership and academic achievements of Beacon Scholars in the past year:

• Farzana Huysman – First Class grade in her second year at Cambridge, to add to her First in her first year
• Darryl Ursin – First Class grade in his first year at London School of Economics
• Malaika Njema – top 5% in her Scholarship Exams, gaining a strong scholarship to King’s College Taunton, UK
• Maria Beebe – International Student Award by CIS in recognition of her contribution to the promotion of global citizenship and the development of international awareness in the community

Ajay then talked briefly about the expansion into Tanzania, adding 3 more UK universities, and the new Transitions Programme.

KEYNOTE Q&A

Susan Kiragu then introduced the Keynote Speaker, Joy Juma, who has joined the Beacon as a Home Country Mentor. Joy talked about her background in Conservation studies and how she has achieved her current position as CEO of Netfund (National Environment Trust Fund), a State Corporation where she has been responsible for Green Initiatives and setting up an Incubator. She discussed what motivated her to come back to Kenya after studying overseas, and why she thinks it is possible to make a big difference in the country. Her Q&A with Susan was elightening and inspirational.

SCHOLAR CITIZENSHIP PRESENTATIONS

The Symposium has as its centrepiece Beacon Scholar presentations of their summer Citizenship projects. All Scholars made presentations; new Scholars spoke briefly about past citizenship activities.

The presentations were of an even higher quality than last year. Scholars are encouraged to share their presentations with their schools and Mentors.