Nairobi: At least 4,949 Wings to Fly and Elimu Scholarship scholars were equipped with leadership, life skills, and career readiness through the Equity Group Foundation (EGF) 17th Annual Education and Leadership Congress, held in Dadaab, Kakuma, and Nairobi from 10th to 14th August 2026. The Congress brought together 1,996 Wings to Fly scholars currently in Form 3 and Form 4 and 2,953 Form 3 refugee scholars under the Elimu Scholarship Program.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Congress was held under the theme, ‘Lead, Solve, Sustain: Turning Challenges into Solutions’. The 2026 Education and Leadership Development Congress aimed to inspire scholars to embrace creativity, think critically, and develop innovative solutions to real-world challenges. The program also equipped scholars with knowledge, tools, and strategies to become ethical leaders and agents of positive change.
Through plenary sessions, the Congress explored value systems and ethical leadership, focusing on promoting responsible and ethical behavior among scholars. Participants learned from the personal experiences and insights of successful leaders from government, academia, the nonprofit sector, and industry. During the Congress, scholars participated in mentorship, leadership development, and life skills sessions designed to strengthen academic excellence, resilience, ethical leadership, and community service.
They engaged with representatives from the Ministry of Education, the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), gender champions, industry leaders, professionals, and alumni of the two scholarship programs, who shared practical guidance on education pathways and career preparations. Key sessions focused on helping scholars confidently navigate the national education system while strengthening mental resilience, self-awareness, and identity.
Scholars also explored how to thrive beyond displacement, embracing diversity and inclusion, and gaining practical guidance on university readiness and campus life. Powerful testimonies from accomplished alumni brought the lessons to life, challenging participants to pursue excellence and step forward as values-driven leaders in their communities.
Speaking to the scholars, Equity Group Foundation Executive Chairman and Managing Director and CEO of Equity Group Holdings Plc, Dr. James Mwangi, emphasized the Foundation’s commitment to supporting more than 60,000 scholars. “Our goal is to give every scholar an equal opportunity to realize their potential, regardless of their circumstances. For 17 years, it has been a journey of great fulfillment, walking alongside scholars and witnessing their growth and transformation,” Mwangi stated.
Mwangi stressed the importance of embracing science and technology, encouraging scholars to develop relevant skills and use technology to create solutions to challenges facing their communities and the continent. “An opportunity can open a door, but it is the choices you make, the skills you develop, and the problems you choose to solve that ultimately determine what you do with that opportunity,” he added.
The 2026 Education and Leadership Congress comes barely a week after 121 Equity Leaders Program (ELP) scholars from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) secured admissions to leading global universities, each with comprehensive financial scholarships valued at Sh2,791,962,093 (USD 21,643,117) for the 4-year duration of their studies.
