Kenya

May 17

Deepening Connections in Kenya

Launched in November 2021 and begun with its first class in January 2022, the Public Service Emerging Leaders Fellowship (PSELF) in Kenya is now entering its second year of equipping young professionals across the country with the critical skills for making meaningful careers in public service. In May, PSELF inaugurated the first cohort of 51 Fellows, who underwent a rigorous recruitment process and were selected from 41 counties across Kenya and spread across 26 government ministries, departments, and state agencies. Developed in collaboration with one of our partners, the Chandler Institute of Governance, our globally competitive curriculum has a deliberate focus on leadership skills for the public sector, citizen-centric public service delivery, and ethical decision-making.

Because Kenya’s first cohort was drawn from young professionals already serving in the civil service, PSELF Fellows have had an impact from day one, some already citing their aspirations to eventually lead the ministries where they currently work. They are working on issues as diverse as criminal justice, infrastructure, education, technology and more. We have Fellows developing a human-centered approach to helping the elderly access healthcare. One Fellow working in education successfully gained a grant to purchase computers and printers for a digital library. The PSELF curriculum is empowering them with the skills to use policy as a tool for solving the challenges they face in their roles.

Alongside the technical training components to the Fellowship, PSELF ensures Fellows are making the necessary personal connections to maximize their experience and sets them up for future success in the next steps of their careers. With well-established alumni networks in Liberia and Ghana, current PSELF Fellows have enjoyed opportunities to engage with graduates of other Emerging Public Leaders fellowship programs who are also leaders and innovators in the public sector. Additionally, Fellows are assigned two mentors for the duration of their Fellowship for personal and professional support and guidance.

Introducing Stella Nderitu

Stella Nderitu is the Project Manager for PSELF, where she leverages PSELF’s vast network of partners both within Kenya and throughout the continent to expand opportunities for Kenya’s next generation of aspiring leaders. She has keen interests in advocating for the empowerment of women in government, equipping Kenyan youth with the skills they need to be successful public service leaders, leading climate justice efforts. Stella is an alumnus of the first cohort of the Emerging Leaders Foundation.

Fellows

Fellows & Alumni

Khadija Mohamed

Fellow

Khadija Mohamed, a young public servant working as a Probation Officer in Lamu County, shared that the PSELF program has been transformative and practical, instilling in her skills in public policy design and implementation, human-centered design thinking, leadership, and networking, among other things. The training on citizen-centric public service inspired her to advocate for the inclusion of more women in decision-making platforms and the establishment of advocacy networks in Lamu County through her school mentorship initiative. As a result of her work, Khadija was appointed to the Board of Directors of Bomani Secondary School and as a member of the Children's Court Users Committee. Key county government stakeholders, including the Education Department officers and the Deputy Governor's Office, have expressed interest in the program she initiated.

Henry Ng'ethe

Fellow

A nutritionist and the Head of Nutrition Department at Nyeri County Referral Hospital, Henry Ng'ethe is a PhD finalist studying the role of fortification of finger millet in the management of type 2 diabetes and hypertension. He has gained skills in evidence-based approaches, policy design and implementation, and leadership through PSELF, which shaped his outstanding performance in his work station. This year, he was appointed chairperson of the strategic plan development secretariat and serves on a number of committees in the Nyeri County Referral Hospital, which he owes to his PSELF experience. He has also contributed to the development of the Ministry of Health's nutrition advocacy, communication, and social mobilization four-year strategy, as well as the mid-year review for the Kenya Nutrition Action Plan (KNAP), resulting in citizen-centric and impactful programs. Henry was also awarded with a fully sponsored internship at the Wroclaw University of Business and Economics in Poland starting in January 2023 to focus on the rheology of finger millet in Kenya.

Our Impact in Kenya

Fellows included in the inaugural cohort (51% female, 49% male)

ethnic communities represented

Fellows represent
41 counties

ministries and agencies served

By the fourth segment of training, Fellows demonstrated increased knowledge by over 20% in the following areas: citizen-centricity in public services, skills for young public service leaders, and public service leadership and ethics.

Partners and Funders

Guest User