East Africa Girls' Leadership Summit: A Week of Harnessing, Empowerment, and Action in Nairobi
In August, Nairobi, Kenya, buzzed with the energy of 37 incredible adolescent girls from across East Africa. The East Africa Girls’ Leadership Summit (EAGLS) is a transformative event convened by the Creative Action Institute in collaboration with East African partners, including Action in Africa. The goal was to strengthen these young women’s abilities and empower them to become leaders in their schools and communities.
Imagine a week filled with experiential and creative learning, all designed to equip these girls with vital leadership and advocacy skills, ignite their passion for climate change activism, and ultimately spark a powerful movement for girls throughout East Africa. They delved into analyzing the impact of climate change on girls’ education and brainstormed effective advocacy efforts to drive real change.
Key Objectives that Fueled the Summit:
Nurturing Leaders and Advocates: Developing each girl’s potential as a leader and community advocate, creating a vibrant space for knowledge exchange, sharing research, and presenting initial Creative Advocacy Practicum (CAP) plans for feedback.
Arts-Based Advocacy: Building and strengthening arts-based advocacy skills, sharing tools and resources to carry out impactful actions back home.
Inspiring Role Models: Offering opportunities for girls to connect with and learn from accomplished women leaders who serve as powerful role models.
Intersectional Understanding: Learning about the critical intersection between gender and climate change and its profound impact on girls.
Building a Movement: Forging a collective, powerful movement of girls in East Africa, ready to champion change.
The summit’s agenda was packed with diverse sessions, each designed to build specific skills and knowledge. Participants explored inclusive spaces, learning about different disabilities and the importance of empathy and support for everyone. A session on public speaking was a highlight, boosting the girls’ self-confidence and equipping them to address various audiences. The summit also celebrated cultural diversity through performances where different countries showcased traditional dances, such as Uganda’s Kiganda dance.
The Girls’ Insights After Attending the Summit
Rosemary Bethuel
Rosemary’s journey to EAGLS in Nairobi was an empowering experience centered on climate change advocacy and its effect on girls’ education. The summit brought together passionate individuals from across East Africa to learn about climate change mitigation and adaptation from experts, activists, and policymakers.
A key highlight was a visit to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) headquarters, where participants learned about sustainable development and biodiversity conservation. The summit was as much about action as it was about learning, with attendees brainstorming ways to amplify their voices, mobilize their communities, and influence policy. Rosemary left the summit empowered, motivated, and determined to continue advocating for climate justice and a sustainable future.
Ayebare Gift
Gift, a member of the Sauti Ya Dada Club, was selected to represent her community at EAGLS. She described her first journey by air as exciting and motivating. Upon arrival at the Lukenya Gateway Hotel, she found it to be a welcoming and adventurous place where she and the other girls were warmly received.
The summit sessions began on the second day, where participants met facilitators and connected with girls from Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania. Through various activities, Gift learned about the underrepresentation of women in leadership and education worldwide.
Initially, her team’s CAP focused on the high cost of education, but after attending summit sessions, they shifted to focus on climate change, recognizing its disproportionate impact on girls’ and women’s education and health. She also reflected on the value of discussing solution implementation, making new friends, and forming connections. Gift expressed deep gratitude to her mentors for recognizing her potential, noting how the summit positively transformed her life.
Nadamba Patricia Kabonge
After a year and a half in the Sauti Ya Dada program, Patricia was one of six Action in Africa scholarship girls selected by the Creative Action Institute to attend the summit. It was her first time flying and staying in a hotel for a week.
She described the summit as invaluable, teaching her time management, problem-solving, critical thinking, and teamwork. She also gained new perspectives on climate awareness and the importance of self-care.
The event was both educational and inspirational, featuring poetry and talks from youth climate justice advocates who empowered the girls as “change-makers.” Patricia highlighted a “speed dating” session at AWARD headquarters, where she received career guidance and networked with professionals. She expressed deep gratitude to Action in Africa and the Creative Action Institute for making such a life-changing experience possible.
Nabakooza Lukia
Lukia shared that throughout the week, they created leadership symbols, engaged in fun games like the “Tower Challenge,” and expressed themselves through art. They were trained in public speaking and presented their CAPs to the group. The girls also learned about the connection between climate change and girls’ education.
A highlight was a tour of the UN headquarters in Nairobi and the AWARD center, where they explored potential career paths. For Lukia, this was her first time traveling abroad. She enjoyed swimming, Zumba, and the care provided at the summit—including meals and Wi-Fi. The event concluded with a “Tunnel of Love” ceremony and a final dinner party. Lukia expressed gratitude to Action in Africa, the Creative Action Institute, her mentors Sandra and Robinah, and her peers. She pledged to apply her knowledge to “repay” Action in Africa.
Nalule Martha, Assistant Head Girl, Mbazzi Riverside High School
Nalule described her five-day summit experience as transformative, filled with learning, empowerment, and exploration. She connected with peers from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda, all passionate about leadership, advocacy, and social change.
Her workshops focused on advocacy skills through the CAP, using tools like storytelling, public speaking, and digital media. A highlight was the tour of UNEP and the International Center for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), where she deepened her understanding of the link between climate change, gender equality, and sustainable development. Nalule returned home with new friendships, knowledge, and a strong commitment to advancing women’s leadership.
