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Emerging Leaders’ Day: Rising Together — Building Connections to Shape Africa’s Health Systems

The Emerging Leaders’ Day Organizing Committee in Nairobi, Kenya.

Emerging leaders gathered in Nairobi to connect research, collaboration, and youth leadership to stronger health systems across Africa.

By: The Reach Alliance

“We may speak different languages, come from different institutions, and experience very different realities, but emerging leaders are asking many of the same questions: Where is my opportunity? Where is my voice? And perhaps most importantly, where can I contribute?” says John Nyagaka, Chair of the Africa Health Collaborative Youth Leaders Table.

These questions set the stage for Emerging Leaders’ Day: Rising Together, held on October 17, 2026, at Amref International University in Nairobi, Kenya. Co-hosted by the Africa Health Collaborative (AHC) and the Reach Alliance as an official side event of the 2026 AHC Convening, the gathering brought together over 40 attendees from 14 institutions and organizations to explore how emerging leaders can engage decision-makers in shaping health systems across Africa. 

“We are not simply meeting in a beautiful city; we are meeting in a place with a strong tradition of bringing people together to address issues that matter to our continent and our world,” says Eudora Sackey, Emerging Leaders’ Day Organizing Committee Member.  

“Nairobi particularly brings together many of the things that make this gathering so important: ideas, cultures, institutions, innovation and people from across Africa and beyond.”  

The day created space for emerging leaders to exchange their research, connect across institutions, and explore how they can engage decision-makers in shaping health systems across Africa. Through research presentations, intergenerational dialogue, and practical leadership development, participants explored what meaningful engagement looks like and how collaboration can translate into impact. 

Strengthening Intergenerational Leadership 

The intergenerational panel created space to consider how leaders across career stages can learn from one another and ensure emerging leaders’ perspectives are integrated into conversations about the future of health in Africa. 

“I think the perception of young people being impatient and wanting things to happen quickly is something that cuts across generations,” said Tiffany Wanjiru, Emerging Leaders’ Day Organizing Committee member.   

“But I think that what young people are saying across all different countries and continents is that there is a need for change.” 

The day also featured a Giving Voice to Values workshop, led by Reach alumna Nice Callie Ineza, focused on navigating ethical dilemmas and leading with integrity. Drawing on learning from the Education Collaborative at Ashesi University, the workshop offered insights that can inform future programming at the Reach Alliance, connecting leadership development with practical approaches to decision-making. 

Connecting Research, Communities, and Lived Experience 

Research presentations showcased African-led student research, highlighting how their work is contributing to community-based solutions and catalyzing positive change. Andrew Mofolo, a Reach researcher from the University of Cape Town, underscored the importance of emerging leaders’ determination and urgency in driving progress. 

“It’s not a bad thing that emerging leaders are relentless and eager to get things done. Africa is a continent shaped by its emerging generation. If this generation isn’t impatient to drive progress and turn ideas into action, then when will change happen?” says Mofolo. 

His remarks highlighted the importance of channeling this drive into action to help shape the future of health systems across Africa. 

The event’s commitment to collaboration was also reflected in a painting by Moffat Muchui, an undergraduate student at Amref International University. The artwork highlights the importance of building connections between institutions and communities, recognizing the value of both research and lived experience, and emphasizing the collaboration needed to drive meaningful change. 

“For me, the painting is ultimately about listening and bridging distance.” Muchui says.  

“It is about recognizing that institutions have their own knowledge and standards, while communities possess lived experiences and forms of knowledge that cannot simply be replaced by institutional understanding. The space between them is where the real work happens.” 

Together, these contributions underscored the importance of bringing different forms of knowledge and perspectives into conversations about health systems and their future. 

Participants also voted on future skills-development workshops, helping identify priorities for continued learning and strengthening the emerging leaders’ network beyond the event. 

Looking Ahead 

Emerging Leaders’ Day was co-created by the Africa Health Collaborative and the Reach Alliance, two communities committed to developing leadership capacity among students and recent graduates, driving African-led research, and supporting emerging leaders in shaping the future of health systems across Africa. 

The Africa Health Collaborative, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, brings together nine higher education institutions to strengthen primary health care systems across Africa through health workforce development, education, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The Reach Alliance is a global consortium supporting leaders to co-create climate, public health, and economic solutions with hard-to-reach communities. 

Together, the organizations are building opportunities for emerging leaders to connect research with practice, strengthen intergenerational collaboration, and engage decision-makers in meaningful ways. Looking beyond the gathering in Nairobi, participants also voted on two future skills-development workshops, helping shape upcoming learning opportunities and sustain connections across the emerging leaders’ network. 

Through continued collaboration and shared learning, the Africa Health Collaborative and the Reach Alliance aim to support emerging leaders in advancing research, innovation, and stronger health systems across Africa. 

Learn more about Emerging Leaders’ Day: Rising Together.