We are counting down to our first Kectil Southeast Asia Conference! Registration for the conference just closed. We have an excited group of Vietnamese youth and even one Kectil Colleague joining from Laos!

We are pleased to confirm that the conference will be moderated by Sherry M. Knowles, Founder and Executive Director of The Kectil Program. She has attended and led all of Kectil’s local conferences and is very much looking forward to meeting the youth.

We are also pleased to confirm that a Kectil Senior Mentor and Youth Representative, Mr. Joel Odota, will also be present at the conference and will assist with discussions. Mr. Odota is finishing a Masters of China Studies (Politics and International Relations) at Peking University in Beijing. He previously graduated from Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda with a Bachelor of Arts in Education. Mr. Odota co-founded the Lamwo Youth Forum for Change, a youth-led initiative in Lamwo District, Uganda to train young leaders in governance, business and entrepreneurship, and public management.

The Kectil Program is enthusiastic to meet with these youth leaders to discuss issues in Southeast Asia and brainstorm ways they can make a positive difference.  Our mission of identifying, nurturing and engaging talented youth in developing countries has led us to create a collaborative youth network that goes beyond country, religion, culture, race or gender. We appreciate the youth leaders of Southeast Asia who are eager to voice their perspectives on local and global issues and how they plan to change the world for the better. We are also happy to strengthen the Kectil connection with this area of the world.

Stay tuned to our Facebook and Instagram pages to follow the Kectil journey! Sherry Knowles will also take time to do sightseeing in Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap, Cambodia (Angkor Wat), with her son Chris (also a Director of Kectil) and Chris’ wife, Elizabeth! They will be sending photos to post of the journey so follow along!