Kurumbuka Leadership Solutions partners with TWU to train executive African leaders

The Kurumbuka Leadership Hub in Kigali, Rwanda, buzzed with energetic enthusiasm as 33 executive leaders from nine African countries gathered to embrace the academic challenge of prepping for the potential of being accepted into the Masters of Leadership degree with Trinity Western University. They gathered under the umbrella of the Abundant Leadership Institute (ALI) where they will prove their competency through 15  credits before entering as official TWU students. Another 14 students gathered in Uganda.

As a facilitator and the academic stream coordinator, recently returned from teaching at the centre, I was amazed to watch leaders from Burundi, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, celebrating in joint worship of the Jesus who is transforming their continent. The joy runs deep and the freedom to grow and learn is apparent.

Organizations like USAID, Youth for Christ, YWAM, Compassion International, Cornerstone Development Africa, Africa Restoring Bridges Initiative, Bethesda Hospital, Hope for Korah, B2 The World, Kuwasha, Acts4Water, Turame Community Finance, Irembo Peace Plan, and numerous schools, universities, and churches have sent their leaders.

Kurumbuka Leadership Solutions, which runs ALI for executive leaders and Trek for emerging leaders, is the brainchild of former TWU Vice President of Student Life, Richard Taylor. Taylor says, “I love TWU and I have a passion to invest in marginalized communities by empowering local African leaders through our Abundant Leadership Institute. The partnership creates a unique opportunity for some of the most inspiring Christian leaders on the African continent to multiply their impact.”

Dr. Don Page, the founder of TWU’s Masters In Leadership Program is also on Kurumbuka’s board and overseeing curriculum development for ALI. He says “Because every organization rises and falls based on the quality of its leaders, this partnership is an exciting opportunity for emerging and executive leaders to get trained in proven ways for successfully taking their organizations forward.

“I’m so glad to be part of the ALI (Abundant Leadership Institute) academic stream,” Emannuel Mulinzi, of Youth for Christ in Rwanda, said. “I hope to learn more to shape my leadership career.”

Erica Asiimwe, Kurumbuka’s Executive Leaders Program Director, stated that “we are excited about the synergy between Kurumbuka and TWU. This partnership offers significant value to our students and provides them an opportunity to become better equipped as global leaders.”

The agreement between TWU and Kurumbuka was signed on October 22, 2023 in Kigali with 35 ALI students witnessing the event. Dr. Phil Laird, Vice Provost of TWU Global, and Dr. Imbenzi George, Director of International Engagement (Africa), were present to join with Richard Taylor and Kurumbuka co-founder Phocas Ngendahyao, in making it all official. The signing was followed by dancing, celebration, and a traditional East African meal. 

Laird reflected on the importance of leadership in Africa by saying “The future of our societies rests on leadership. From the boardroom to the classroom, investing in the next generation of leaders is perhaps the greatest investment we can make. TWU is proud of our partnership with Kurumbuka Leadership Solutions to equip the next generation of leaders in Africa for lives of meaning and impact. Together we can truly change the world – one leader at a time.”

Kurumbuka’s mission of developing and empowering 10,000 African leaders to transform their communities by 2030 is a lofty goal. It requires training 1,000 leaders through ALI to reach an additional 10,000 leaders. The ALI model uniquely combines servant leadership principles with an asset-based approach to move leaders serving the marginalized from scarcity to abundance, dependency to agency, and isolation to community. It’s 260 alumni are already bringing hope in nine different countries as their initiatives fan hope into flame.

The Christ-centered approach of ALI and TWU, Canada’s largest Christian University, helps forge a natural bond in this partnership. Since 1962, TWU has been moving steadily into becoming a global Christian liberal arts community and this visionary partnership adds to its ongoing credibility.

At the close of the class sessions, the leaders celebrated Ethiopian student Sosena Shiferaw who is pregnant. “We are celebrating the birth of the next generation of African leaders,” someone shouts out. “Amen!” is the echo and the dance goes on.