Kurumbuka Leadership Solutions organization, last week on Friday, presented its one-year achievements in empowering executive and emerging leaders and set out new plans for the coming years in an event dubbed “Public Launch Presentation”. After a year of operations and amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, the management of the organization prepared the event to present to stakeholders what they have accomplished during the first year and key highlights of their Strategic Plan 2020 – 2023. They also unveiled to officials, students, friends and partners the new office block - Kurumbuka Leadership Development Centre – located in Masaka, Kicukiro District. Kurumbuka is a Kinyarwanda word that means multiplication or abundance. In organisation’s context, it refers to their desire to multiply leaders, solutions in serving institutions and communities, hence contributing positively to the socio-economic transformation of nations, as explained by Phocas Ngendahayo, the Country Director of Kurumbuka Leadership Solutions. Abundant Leadership Institute (ALI) is Kurumbuka’s advanced competence-based Leadership Development Program that trains and empowers leaders to develop solutions to their organisations and within their communities. “This unique, innovative and highly practical programme has attracted students from various countries with varied backgrounds and academic credentials. Currently, we have student leaders from the East and Central Africa region namely Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and DR Congo,” he said. Six years ago, Kurumbuka started as a Wellspring Foundation for Education Abundant Leadership Institute program which expanded to become a standalone organization. Ngendahayo said that the organisation’S vision is to see empowered leaders across Africa advancing transformational and sustainable solutions to challenges of the continent. The goal, he said, is to develop and empower at least 10,000 African Leaders by 2030. “Everything rises or falls on leadership” he said, quoting American author, John Maxwell. “Everyone thrives, institutions and communities develop, nations are positively transformed, when we have a shared vision, competent leaders with right values, attitude and character. We use a Christ-Centered approach to develop and empower emerging and executive leaders who have the passion and vision to transform their institutions and communities,” he said. The organisation’s impact model strategy, he said, is to empower leaders, connect influencers, multiply solutions and realize dreams within their context. “For real change, effective change comes from within. We’ve empowered and continue to empower executive and emerging leaders. We shifted our residential programme to webinar courses due to Covid-19 pandemic. We developed and maintained online presence. We are building an interactive learning management system to be operational through our website. Our ALI Programme was consolidated as a competence-based leadership programme,” he said. He said that in the coming years, they will start an emerging leader’s programme scheduled for January 2022. “We are working to secure and develop a leadership development centre at Masaka while expanding Kurumbuka Mission in the region,” he said. Richard Taylor from Vancouver in Canada, the acting Executive Director of Kurumbuka, spoke at the event virtually messaging his call and heart to serve Rwanda, the region and Africa in the area of leadership development through service, solutions and sacrifice. Dr Emmanuel Sibomana, the Wellspring Foundation for Education Representative shared with participants how ALI inspired staff at Wellspring Foundation to grow abundantly in mentality, principles and practices. Fred Buyinza, Founder and Principal of Fruits of Hope Academy and ALI Alumni, said that the programme inspired him in the area of servant leadership, empowering leadership and Asset-Based Community Development – ABCD. “With an ABCD Approach in collaboration with our School Community we were able to build a road which gives access to our school. We also partnered to provide a clean water tank which has improved the health of our school children and the management of the school,” he said. Gilbert Kubwimana, the Founder of Love with Actions and ALI Cohort 5 Student Leader shared that his leadership has improved since he joined the ALI Programme. “I was inspired by this unique Leadership Programme to shift from scarcity mindset to an abundant mindset, mobilize resources within my community in Bumbogo, using the gifts of everyone available to build shelters for vulnerable parents as we take care of 48 children with disabilities,” he said. The Ministry of Education Representative, Valens Ngaboyere Ag. Institutional Change and International Cooperation Specialist at the education ministry welcomed Kurumbuka as a government partner in equipping leaders for excellence, positive change, values and quality of service. He promised, on behalf of the Ministry of Education, support and collaboration as Kurumbuka fulfils its mission of developing and empowering 10,000 leaders by 2030.
