The U.S.–Kenya Alumni Association marked 60 years of the effect of U.S. government exchange programs on Friday when it held its first-ever Alumni Fair in Nairobi
The Alumni Fair allowed alumni from across the country and region to come together and witness how exchanges have shaped leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship in Kenya.
The fair was launched by words from Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Susan M. Burns, who added it was an immense honor that one of her initial public functions in Kenya was with alumni.
“Over 8,000 Kenyans have participated in exchange programs administered by the U.S. government,” she noted. “You did not just come back home with experience and expertise you are remixing it, scaling it, creating jobs, and remaking institutions.”
Burns praised Kenya’s regional leadership, referring to the country as a diplomatic, innovation, and trade hub. She noted Kenya’s 90 percent use of renewable energy, building innovative economy, and being the “Silicon Savannah.”
“This is Kenya’s moment,” she asserted, noting that alumni are at the forefront of driving innovation, entrepreneurship, and people-to-people relationships that strengthen U.S.–Kenya relations.
Alumni at the Heart of the Legacy
Benson Abila, President of the U.S.–Kenya Alumni Association, reminded guests that the strength of the partnership lies in its people.
“At the heart of this 60-year legacy is the alumni,” Abila said. “From the Mandela Washington Fellowship to Fulbright and IVLP, these programs have produced leaders who are transforming their communities.”.
He cited such examples as President William Ruto, who took part in an exchange program in 1999, and other alumni making global waves, such as UN Mandela Award recipient Kennedy Odede and engineer Norah Magero, who raised millions to grow her clean-tech company.
Since it was started in September 2024, the association has reached out to more than 1,000 alumni through regional events and built an online membership of more than 1,200.
Entrepreneurship as a Catalyst for Growth
As keynote speaker, engineer-turned-entrepreneur Norah Magero, Tech Women Program graduate, addressed how U.S. exchanges had influenced her narrative.
Through her company, Drop Access, she manufactures solar-powered, mobile refrigerators for vaccines, blood, and insulin, enabling rural communities across Africa to access life-saving health.
“We have been able to deliver over one million vaccines and medical products to rural communities in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and Côte d’Ivoire,” Magero said. “That is the power of what alumni programs can do.”
She challenged alumni to continue leveraging U.S.–Kenya partnerships for the next 60 years, not only to transform lives but also to fuel entrepreneurship, create jobs, and strengthen research and development.
Voices Beyond Kenya
The fair also featured the testimonials of local alumni such as Ashwag Elsayed, a Mandela Washington Fellow from Sudan. Her experience in the fellowship was an eye-opener, she explained, introducing her to colleagues across Africa and increasing her Pan-Africanism.
“It was a great opportunity to engage with individuals, to identify with like-minded Africans operating within the same realm,” she said. “We created links that continue to sustain our activities back home.”
Looking Ahead
The Alumni Fair was both a celebration of the past and a glance into the future.
With over 8,000 Kenyan alumni spearheading sectors from technology to agriculture, the fair provided an insight into how exchange programs have become a powerful bridge between Kenya and America.
As Burns averred: “We’re not just looking over our shoulder at the last 60 years we’re looking forward. Together, we can make Kenya a shining star across the continent and globe.”
