In the heart of Kampala, where the morning sun spills golden light over bustling streets, a different kind of energy stirred on a crisp July day in 2025. The LéO Africa Institute’s Young and Emerging Leaders Project (YELP) Reunion Seminar unfolded under the theme “Leadership at Crossroads: Reflect. Reconnect. Recommit.” It wasn’t just a gathering—it was a homecoming, a vibrant tapestry of stories woven by over 60 fellows from the 2017–2024 cohorts. Picture this: a room buzzing with the electric hum of ambition, tempered by the quiet strength of reflection, all set against the backdrop of a continent at its own crossroads.
The day began with the clink of coffee cups and the warmth of breakfast, a prelude to the real feast—reconnection. Fellows, some meeting after years, others for the first time, slipped into conversations as if no time had passed. It was like watching old friends pick up a melody mid-chorus, each voice distinct yet harmonizing perfectly. The YELP community, a vibrant mosaic of journalists, tech innovators, policymakers, and social entrepreneurs, came alive in those moments. As one fellow later quipped, “It’s like we’re all puzzle pieces that only make sense when we’re together.”
The seminar’s design was a masterclass in balance: part introspection, part inspiration, and wholly intentional. The opening check-in session, which is typical of LéO Africa Institute gatherings, inquired into the physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing of the fellows. It was like a gentle nudge to pause. “When was the last time you audited your emotional balance sheet?” one fellow mused, capturing the room’s collective realization that leadership starts with self-awareness. It was a moment of quiet reckoning, a reminder that even the most driven among us can run on autopilot, neglecting the heart’s ledger.
Then came the keynote. Hashim Mulangwa, a LéO Africa Institute faculty member and CEO of BG Green Systems and Solutions, took the stage alongside Raymond Mujuni, a 2017 fellow and Deputy Director at AIIJ. Their conversation was less a speech and more a fireside chat for the soul. Hashim, with the gravitas of someone who’s navigated the storms of climate finance and institutional transformation, spoke of leadership as a lifelong discipline. “It’s not about the spotlight,” he said, “but the compass you carry within.” He challenged the room to confront their “hungers”—those sneaky cravings for affirmation or control that can derail even the most well-intentioned leader. Raymond, with his journalist’s knack for cutting through noise, reflected on the burden of influence. “Your voice is a gift,” he said, “but it’s also a weight. Carry it with care.”
The room leaned in, hanging on their words. It wasn’t the usual rah-rah of motivational talks; it was raw, real, and resonant. One fellow whispered to another, “This isn’t inspiration—it’s alignment.” And so, it was. Hashim’s metaphor of adversity as a funnel, shaping raw potential into refined strength, struck a chord. “We enter broad and unformed,” he said, “but the squeeze of challenge makes us who we’re meant to be.” It was a call to embrace discomfort as the crucible of growth, and the fellows nodded, their own journeys flashing before them.
The day unfolded with intimate class check-ins, where cohorts swapped stories of triumphs and trials. The 2017 pioneers shared tales of mentoring newer fellows, while the 2023 and 2024 classes brought fresh energy, their dreams still sparkling with possibility. Dynamic panel discussions tackled leadership in politics, economics, media, and the arts, each session a kaleidoscope of perspectives. One panellist’s quip— “Leading in Africa is like dancing on a moving train: you’ve got to find your rhythm amid the chaos”—drew laughter and knowing nods.
A poignant moment came with the reading of The Letter from the Cathedral of Milan by Bill Shore. The story of builders who toiled for centuries, knowing they’d never see the finished masterpiece, felt like a mirror to the YELP mission. “We’re cathedral builders,” one fellow declared, “laying bricks for an Africa we might not live to see completed.” The metaphor took root, weaving through the day’s conversations. Just as Milan’s cathedral rose on the ruins of an older church, the fellows were reminded to build on the foundation of those who came before—mentors, partners like Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Uganda and the Segal Family Foundation, and the inaugural 2017 cohort that set the tone.
One fellow, Donald Ntare Byamugisha, of the 2017 YELP class, wrote a compelling article reflecting about the reunion. He surmised of 2025 as the Year of the Snake in Chinese zodiac lore—a time of renewal, patience, and rediscovery. “This reunion,” he wrote, “is our snake year, a chance to shed old skins and recommit to our purpose.” Another fellow urged his peers to see YELP not as a one-time experience but as a lifelong practice. “Our cathedral isn’t just this network,” he said. “It’s the lives we touch, the values we live, the Africa we build together.”
The closing call to action was electric. Dr. Martin Balaba, a fellow and business development specialist invited each fellow to recommit—to integrity, empathy, service, and courage; to active participation in global conversations; to sustaining the YELP network as a living, breathing force. “Let’s not just remember today,” he said. “Let’s make it the start of a new chapter.” The room erupted in applause, not just for the words but for the shared conviction that filled the air.
As the fellows spread out into the Kampala evening, there was a palpable shift. They weren’t just leaving a seminar; they were carrying a renewed sense of purpose. One fellow, reflecting on the day, said, “I came here anxious about measuring up. I’m leaving knowing it’s not about comparison—it’s about contribution.” Another, clutching a notebook filled with scribbled insights, grinned and said, “This wasn’t a reunion. It was a reawakening.”
And so, the YELP Reunion Seminar 2025 ended not with a farewell but with a promise. The fellows, these cathedral builders of tomorrow, stepped back into their worlds—journalists shaping narratives, tech innovators coding solutions, policymakers drafting change. They carried with them the spark of reconnection, the weight of reflection, and the fire of recommitment. In a world of crossroads, they chose to build, brick by brick, toward an Africa that endures.
