Established in 2015, the YALI Regional Leadership Center (RLC) East Africa is one of four regional leadership centers in Africa that provide leadership training in three distinct tracks: business and entrepreneurship, civic leadership, and public management and governance. In 2022, the management of the RLC transitioned to Kenyatta University in Nairobi, a local public institution, where it is supported by a growing number of African and international partners from both the public and private sectors. Young leaders are competitively selected and upon completing the unique and life-changing curriculum, emerge equipped and passionate to re-write the African development narrative. Since the Center was established, over 5,000 participants have graduated from the program and are now transforming themselves, their communities, and their countries. Collectively, they are setting new standards of excellence for ethics, governance, and innovation in public and private sectors across East Africa.
Curriculum
The RLC’s core programming is offered in three tracks of study, including business and entrepreneurship, civic leadership, and public management and governance. In addition, the RLC has supported alumni job creation: 50 percent of alumni reported creating at least three new jobs in their enterprises, RLC leadership has established a regional network of alumni chapters in 14 East and Central African countries and linked alumni to U.S. Embassy resources. In addition, the RLC partnered with Power Africa to provide leadership training to 53 young women in the energy sector from ten countries. Also, the RLC adopted a distance learning model and online platform to provide training to participants unable to attend in-person training. The Center has also added blended learning cohorts which offer a mix of virtual and in-person training.