Aga Khan Academies Celebrate Graduating 1,000 Global Leaders

Class of 2019 at AKA MombasaThe Aga Khan Academy Mombasa today celebrated its 13th graduation ceremony for 85 exceptional students who join a growing legacy of global young leaders, driven by the academy’s unique curriculum and approach to education. The graduation marks a proud milestone of 1,000 such leaders across both the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa and its sister school, the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad, India.

In the words of its founder, His Highness the Aga Khan, at the inauguration ceremony of the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa (2003), “As the young men and women from this Aga Khan Academy, and over time from its sister schools, grow and assume leadership in their societies, it is my hope that it will be members of this new generation who, driven by their own wide knowledge and inspiration, will change their societies; that they will gradually replace many of the external forces that appear, and sometimes seek, to control our destinies. These young men and women, I am sure, will become leaders in the governments and the institutions of civil society in their own countries, in international organisations and in all those institutions, academic, economic and artistic that create positive change in our world.” 

The Guest Speaker at the ceremony was well-known Kenyan singer and song-writer Eric Wainaina. During his speech, Eric encouraged the graduates to create their own paths for the future, regardless if it went against the norm. 

Eric Wainaina, the Guest Speaker, spoke at the Academy and was a part of the pinning ceremony prior to the graduation ceremony.“[Life is] too short for you to miss having the impact that God put you on this planet for. Be adventurous, be bold and don’t take no for an answer. And parents, let’s throw our kids in the cockpit, and let’s say to them ‘let’s fly.’” 

The Class of 2019 were offered admissions to attend prestigious schools around the world, including the London School of Economics and Political Science, Vanderbilt University, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Northwestern University in Qatar, Johns Hopkins University to name but a few. 

Alqaim Lalani (Class of 2019), who will attend Columbia University as a prestigious ‘Kluge Scholar’ in September 2019 to study Economics and Political Science, was recently nominated as one of the Top 50 Most Influential Young Tanzanians in the field of Social Enterprise and Philanthropy. He achieved this honour in recognition of his work to support the treatment of young cancer patients in Tanzania. Alqaim said the Academy “is unlike any other. Students at the Academy are not here to simply attain an education, but also apply it in the real-world setting and serve their communities thereafter.” 

Our Alumni have ventured to different parts of the world and are having an impact in their chosen fields. Below are two examples of Alumni excelling at what they love: 

Malaika Kironde, DP2, received the Award of Excellence on graduation.Inaara Gangji (Class of 2017), a rising junior at Northwestern University in Qatar majoring in Journalism, Media and Integrated Marketing Communications, has been succeeding in her field – recently having a piece of hers featured as a top story on Al Jazeera. 

“Joining the Academy challenged my perceptions and taught me to believe that I’m capable of doing the extraordinary. I first had the opportunity to explore the field of journalism through an extracurricular club, even though my career goals were different at the time. Journalism has given me the platform to make a change by informing and by giving a voice to underreported stories. I hope to keep telling such stories and inspiring young minds to take on careers in the liberal arts as they are so crucial to fostering an inclusive future for our world.” 

Ham Serunjogi (Class of 2012), who studied at Grinell College, worked with major tech startups, like Facebook, and recently co-founded Chipper Cash, which is now the largest mobile cross-border money transfer platform in Africa. Ham says that 

“Responsible capitalism seems to be in short supply today, and it seems to many that a lot of business leaders seem to ignore the social responsibility their enterprises have in our society. As a graduate of The Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, the importance of having a net positive impact - both socially and economically - on my local community and society in general is a value that was instilled in the lessons I learned while I was there, and one that I often fall back on as I run and grow my company." 

Louis Muia, DP2, spoke as the class speaker during the graduation.These are but a few examples that provide a glowing testament to the transformation of the Academy's vision into reality: creating ethical, home-grown leaders that are both culturally-rooted and internationally-minded, perfectly placed to change the world we live in. 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors and partners who have continuously supported our mission in various capacities since the opening of the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa in 2003.