POPLI-Kenya: The Future
Training POPLI
Leaders
For the first time, POPLI-Kenya’s leadership were able to receive in-person, face-to-face curriculum training.
“There’s a lot that you miss when you can’t be face to face.” said Dr. Verna. Until now, POPLI-Kenya staff had received all of their training via virtual meetings with choppy internet connection.
“For them it was like, ‘ah-ha,’” Dr. Verna said. “Because for the first time they saw the real, full picture of the curriculum.”
Bringing physical copies of POPLI’s curriculum was one of the most valuable items packed in luggage from the USA. Multiple copies were left in Kenya.
Kenya taught what they knew. They all memorized the affirmations, they all knew them, and they all knew something about personal power and the four kinds of people. This is a vital piece of The Power of People Leadership Institute’s training, but it is only the first piece. Training the lead mentors and coordinators of Girls Taking Action and Boys of Hope showed them how to add the leadership component, service learning component, and career development component.
The future of POPLI-Kenya relies on leaders rising up to reach the youth. Equipped with in-depth training on the Girls Taking Action and Boys of Hope curriculum, POPLI-Kenya’s impact will reach even further.
Brother Shane teaching POPLI-Kenya staff.
Bondo Technical
College
The POPLI team visited Bondo Technical College to recruit youth volunteers. Dr. Verna’s message of hope was new to them.
“They had never heard,” said Dr. Verna. “It was brand new.”
The response was electric.
“Those smiles, those smiles, they lean in and they are hopeful,” said Dr. Verna. “They actually are dreaming now of their future. They feel like they do have a purpose. They can go on. They can do great things. And I challenged all of them, you know, that you're the leaders, you're the future leaders of your country. They leaned in and they got it. They got it in a major way.”
LWAK Girls
High School
The last school visit was to Lwak Girls High School, one of the oldest all girls’ schools in Kenya. Pictured, is their Human Rights Club that advocates for girls facing abuse, sexual exploitation and being sent to work instead of school. Currently, the club is meeting, conducting research and getting in touch with international leaders like the United Nations.
“These girls, they wanted to be a part of the solution of changing human rights and to make human rights better, particularly for girls,” Dr. Verna said. “They were very studious. They took notes. I just really just had a very conversation with them because they're very, very smart girls. They knew what they wanted.”
Lwak Girls High School is the foundation of a new Girls Taking Action chapter in Kenya. The POPLI team was able to meet with the principal, head mistress and leaders of the school and get their full support.
“I could even go further into leadership training because they're being leaders already in their countries,” said Dr. Verna.
Students at LWAK Girls High School.
