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YES Kenya Alumni Witness President Obama's Historic Visit to Kenya

Ken  Obama Lecture Small 1

By Chandni Khan, YES 2010-2011, Kenya, hosted by AFS in South Bend, IN and Christine Odera, YES 2010-2011, Kenya, hosted by AFS in Sheboygan, WI

On the 26th of July, YES alumni from Kenya were honored to be among approximately 10,000 Kenyans invited to attend President’s Obama speech at the Kasarani Indoor Arena. President Obama was in Kenya to attend the 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit and to meet with leaders from government, business and civil society. The goals of the trip were to reinforce the United States' commitment to expand economic growth and trade, strengthen democracy on a global scale and invest in the next generation of African leaders.

At 6:45 the morning of the event, we all met the Director of AFS-OFIE Kenya, Mr. Athman Lali and chairperson, Mr. Koitamet Olekina at Safari Park. The alumni who attended, Mohamed Abubakar (YES '09), Khadija Hussein (YES '09), Naima Nurrein (YES '10), Leah Tesfamariam (YES '10), Loius Thiong’o (YES '10), Amina Mstomo (YES '10), Jalalkhan Mohamed (YES '11), Denis Silas (YES '11), Chandni Khan (YES '11) and Christine Odera (YES '11), all looked so classy, we could have been the ones giving a speech at the podium! 

When we walked into the arena, goose bumps were inevitable. The place was filled with people of all ages and the exhilaration was unfathomable! The arena was decorated with the Kenyan and American flags, and the Secret Service was scattered all over the arena, giving the event just the touch it needed. All that was left was patience.

Finally! The man of the hour arrived, clad in a neat suit, as expected, and with a dashing smile! The crowd was in an uproar with excitement. The alumni tried their best to get his attention before he got to the podium and before we knew it, he pointed at us and waved! What a moment! A moment, which alumnus Mohamed Abubakar can naturally imitate in an uncanny but funny way.

President Obama’s speech was very moving, especially when he shared the stories of his first time in Kenya when he slept on his sister’s couch. He shared his memories of when he first tried Ugali and the moment he met his extended Kenyan family. It was a personal story that connected to every Kenyan in the arena and despite all the other political words that came after, what stood out the most was his ability to unite with us through our commonalities. It was delightful.

President Obama spoke about many things including feminism, terrorism, corruption, ethnic clashing and youth development. He condemned female genital mutilation and forced marriage, which he said did not belong in the 21st Century. He said, "the most successful strategy you can have is to educate girls who grow to be women, who will educate their children ...treating women as second class citizens is a bad thing.....it holds you back."

What called to the alumni the most was his address to the youth. “And when it comes to the people of Kenya - particularly the youth - I believe there is no limit to what you can achieve. A young, ambitious Kenyan today should not have to do what my grandfather did, and serve a foreign master. You don’t need to do what my father did, and leave your home in order to get a good education and access to opportunity. Because of Kenya’s progress, because of your potential, you can build your future right here, right now,” he said.

"I feel honored and privileged to have had the opportunity to see and listen to, face to face, one of the most influential people of the world, president of a super power, President Obama. It was exciting and very inspiring," shared alumna Naima Nurrein. The sense of inspiration received from the event was felt by all the alumni that attended. "I was really happy and inspired. My dream finally came true and I saw the man himself," expressed Mohamed Abubakar.

Speaking to Christine Odera, the Kenya YES alumni leader shared, "It was such a privilege to have been invited to attend the speech by President Obama. It felt like an acknowledgement of the effort the YES alumni put into the projects we do to better our society. This has also encouraged us to do more."

The YES/AFS alumni were more motivated by seeing President Obama than by any other alumni opportunity that has come their way. It was a moment of a lifetime that also made it clear that YES does indeed connect lives. We live to grow with our communities and guide them to a better future as young leaders with bright ideas.


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