Radiant Witness Project: Empowering Young Leaders to Thrive as Beacons of Kingdom Values

From August 8th to 9th, 2024, I (Mary Joyce Takali, Deputy Executive Secretary), AYLF had the privilege of representing the African Young Leaders Foundation (AYLF) at the Radiant Witness Project (TRWP) training organized by Virtue Plus in Nairobi, Kenya. The theme, “Radiant Witness—Thriving as a Beacon of Kingdom Values,” set the tone for a transformative experience aimed at empowering young leaders to harness their potential and bring about lasting change in their communities.

Day 1: Unleashing Potential and Cultivating Godly Values

The training commenced with inspiring opening remarks, which set the stage for the first session: “The Why of the Radiant Witness Project.” This session delved into the profound potential that resides within young people and how they are uniquely positioned to offer solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. The project encourages youth to evaluate and discover their capacities, urging them to channel their energy and creativity toward their communities while cultivating Godly values. Through this approach, TRWP aims to foster networks among young people, enabling them to collaborate on initiatives that bring tangible solutions to society.

Following this, Rose Kainda presented on “Personal Leadership: The Nexus Between Leadership and Purpose, Embracing Kingdom-Based Values.” This session highlighted the importance of self-awareness in leadership. Rose emphasized the necessity of holistic self-assessment and transformation, urging young leaders to influence themselves first before they can effectively lead others. This alignment of leadership with purpose, underpinned by kingdom values, is essential for creating authentic, impactful leaders.

The day concluded with a deeply inspiring testimony from Captain Maranga Peter Muruthi, a former Kenya Airways pilot. Captain Muruthi’s journey is a testament to the power of resilience, ethics, and humility. Despite facing numerous hurdles and obstacles, he remained steadfast in his commitment to integrity and honesty, ultimately achieving success. His story serves as a powerful reminder that true leadership is often shaped through challenges and trials.

Day 2: Entrepreneurship and the God Factor

Day two shifted the focus to entrepreneurship, beginning with an insightful session by Dr. Roselyn on “Introduction to Entrepreneurship and the God Factor in Business.” Dr. Roselyn challenged participants to explore what they could create with their hands to bring change to their communities. She emphasized that young people are change agents capable of holistic transformation when they discover their identity in God. The session also addressed the characteristics of a successful entrepreneur, including being energetic, novelty-oriented, tolerant, result-driven, profit-oriented, resourceful, and efficient.

The next session, led by Mr. Henry Mwanaki, explored “Entrepreneurship as a Tool to Flourishing Communities.” Mr. Mwanaki underscored the importance of entrepreneurship not only as a means of making a profit but also as a vehicle for solving pressing community issues. He highlighted the necessity of working towards sustainability and profitability, stressing that business is the only long-term solution to poverty in Africa. His advice to the young leaders was clear: pick a focus area, become an expert in it, stay informed, consult experts, identify market demands, and, most importantly, begin the entrepreneurial journey.

The day concluded with a group activity where participants formed teams to identify pressing issues within their communities. Each group was tasked with brainstorming potential solutions, laying the groundwork for future collaborative efforts.