The Kectil Program held a two-day conference in Nairobi on 13–14 August 2018 at Strathmore University. The agenda mixed youth leadership panels with sessions led by Kectil mentors and invited speakers. Topics included issues facing youth in developing countries, ethics in the workplace, funding community efforts, youth development programs in Kenya, the roles of women in society, innovation to advance society, a sustainable environment, and whether youth leaders can make a difference.
Founder and Executive Director Sherry Knowles attended in person and moderated. Dr. McLean Sibanda and Dr. Alison Montgomery joined on site. Prof. Weber Amaral (Brazil), Martin Luther King III, and Dr. Snowy Khoza joined by video. Local speakers included Nerima Wako of Siasa Place in Nairobi and Lydiah Muya of Ongoza Kenya. Honorable Paul Michel, former Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, spoke by video on the importance of an independent judiciary.
Martin Luther King III’s Skype session was a historic moment for the colleagues in the room: they heard the son of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King, and a few asked him questions directly.
The conference closed with a reception and networking evening. Those two days in Nairobi are part of the regional leadership-and-innovation series. East African colleagues still carry that week into community work. The 2027 program year keeps the same practice: gather, then serve at home.