The Lives, Times, & Chapters of Luminaries Making Good Happen in Africa
Reflections from Leaders and Practitioners in the Development & Social Impact Ecosystem
People forget facts but they never forget stories. Consider Nelson Mandela’s struggle for freedom in South Africa, which carries us on an emotional journey, holds our attention, spreads rapidly, and inspires us to claim our own rights.
This booklet gathers deeply analytical insights from leaders in the African social impact sector, whom we call Luminaries. These reflections are drawn from their appearances on Development Dynamics’ storytelling platform, DDwithMaqC, hosted and executive produced by our CEO Dr. MaqC Eric Gitau, PhD.
It is an invaluable resource for change makers, offering both practical knowledge and the motivation to continue the vital work of building a more equitable, sustainable, just, and inclusive Africa. Above all, it is a rich source of inspiration for practitioners seeking to make a tangible difference in their communities and to develop sustainable, locally rooted solutions.
Inside you will find our Luminaries’
- Personal journeys, challenges, and triumphs;
- Reflections on grassroots, national, and international development drawn from lived experience;
- Detailed insights and examples of impact across diverse areas of development and social change.
Our Luminaries & Their Stories
Part One: The Building Blocks For A Sustainable Continent
Dr. Wala Amakove
Dr. Wala Amakove is the CEO of Wanderlust Diaries and Beyond the Stethoscope; as well as Vice-Chair of the Kenya Healthcare Federation and Co-Chair of the SDG-Kenya Forum. At #DDwithMaqC, she goes into detail about the making of #Amakove as a mother, accomplished health programs management professional, and entrepreneur. #DrWalaAmakove‘s story is as unconventional as she is, with tons of lessons and insights to learn and glean from.
Lucy Muigai
In this episode, we feature the incredible Lucy Muigai, CEO of B Lab Africa and a Sustainability Champion. Lucy takes us through her inspiring journey, starting with her roots and heritage. She shares how her parents impacted her education, her fond childhood memories, and her reflections on her teenage years. Lucy also discusses her path after high school, the unexpected transition from engineering to accounting, and her experiences living in Australia while pursuing higher education.
Al Kags
Al Kags is the Founder and Executive Director at Open Institute where he is committed to citizen-driven open societies in Africa. He sits on #DDwithMaqC to reflect on his journey from childhood through schooling into becoming a social entrepreneur in Africa, a Business Daily top 40 under 40 Men Awardee, a Mandela Washington Fellow, Author, Writer, and Podcaster for Living Memories. On this opening episode, he shares his thoughts on why the conversations we are having with stalwarts in this industry are important.
Dr. Katindi Sivi
Dr. Katindi Sivi is the Founder and Executive Director of Long View Group. She is a much-respected social action researcher and among the top six women futurists in Africa and principal trainer at Africa Foresight Lab. #DrKatindiSivi chronicles the journey to where she’s got to in life. On #DDwithMaqC, she left no stone unturned.
Deborah Kimathi
Scottish-born Deborah Kimathi was the Executive Director at Dignitas Project, where she empowered educators to transform their schools to become so children can thrive and succeed. A legitimate change maker and leader in the Education and Child Development sector, she narrates her life and career story in profound detail to #DDwithMaqC discussing leadership lessons she has picked and built upon along the way and what she hopes and plans as she continues to influence particularly underserved communities through Education.
Part Two: A Healthy Continent Is A Wealthy Continent
Dr. Githinji Gitahi
Introducing Development Dynamics with MaqC (DDwithMaqC)™, a new storytelling for social impact platform. In our preview conversation, we sit down with the first guest, Dr. Githinji Gitahi, CEO of Amref Health Africa. Dr. Githinji shares his journey with warmth, reflection, and rich autobiographical detailan unmissable conversation for anyone interested in #storytelling and #socialimpact.
Dr. Catherine Kyobutungi
Dr. Catherine Kyobutungi is a Ugandan epidemiologist who is currently heading the Executive Director at the Africa Population and Health Research Centre (#APHRC) headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. At #DDwithMaqC, she details experiences and insights from her roots and upbringing, vast transnational educational, work, and life experiences, as well as career growth and impact in health research, development leadership, and decolonial advocacy.
Humphrey Nabimanya
Join us as we delve into the extraordinary journey of Humphrey, a remarkable youth Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) advocate, leader, and change agent. In this captivating episode, Humphrey, the founder and CEO of Reach a Hand, Uganda (RAHU), a youth-led non-profit organization, shares his inspiring story. From his early childhood to the present day, Humphrey takes us on a thrilling ride, unveiling the transformative moments that have shaped him into the incredible individual he is today. As we explore his path, we witness the birth of a movement as Humphrey establishes a youth-led and youth-serving platform that empowers young advocates.
Dr. Lilian Otiso
She is more than just statistics and achievements. She’s a passionate advocate, a fierce champion for the marginalized, and a role model for aspiring healthcare professionals. Dr. Lilian Otiso’s focus on empowering individuals, particularly women, and girls, shines through in initiatives promoting sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and tackling gender-based violence, often the root causes of HIV vulnerability. She is a leader who wields not just medical expertise, but also empathy, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to a world free from HIV/AIDS. Join us on #DDWithMaqC on this inspiring journey of Dr. Lilian Otiso, from her humble roots to her impactful work in various roles with LVCT Health, where she serves as the Executive Director. Dr. Otiso shares her personal story, reflecting on the highs and lows and how her upbringing and education shaped her remarkable career path as a renowned leader in public health.
Janet Mbugua
Join us on DDWithMaqC as we sit down with a renowned Kenyan media personality and founder of Inua Dada. In this episode, our guest will take us through her incredible journey and share with us the experiences that have shaped her into the person she is today. Janet takes us through how she discovered her voice and began to develop a sense of individuality, despite sometimes feeling like a misfit. This newfound confidence led her to take a gap year, during which she had a life-changing experience that eventually landed her dream job.
Part Three: Youth Agency: The Currency & Catalyst For Africa's Future
JKing Ngare
John (Jking) Ngare is the co-founder and executive director of the Lepta Community Organization, which builds leadership, employability, and entrepreneurial skills to enable youth-led community transformation. Lepta has programs across East Africa, offering training, mentorship, and hands-on leadership practice to young people, especially those from underserved communities. On this episode of #DDWithMaqC, JKing shares his life story, including his childhood memories and how the consciousness of his gifts from an early stage kept him alive in a place where boys his age died from criminal activities. He also talks about how the male figures around him kept him anchored and his passion for lifting others from the same background he hails from.
Nerima Wako
On this episode of #DDWithMaqC, Nerima Wako-Ojiwa, a Kenyan political analyst and the executive director of Siasa Place, shares her life story, including her childhood memories, experiences with Bullying in school, and her move to the United States at the age of 17. She also talks about her college years and downplays experiences with racism, her career path, and the lessons she learned along the way, including losing her job and finding true friendship
Joy Zawadi
In this episode of DDWithMaqC, we journey through the life of Joy Zawadi, Executive Director of Akili Dada. From her early years, school days, and university life to her passion for social justice and storytelling for impact, Joy shares her experiences and the lessons learned along the way. She opens up about her journey of self-discovery, the importance of mental health, and how strong networks led her to Akili Dada. Join us as we explore Joy’s inspiring path of leadership and personal growth.
Steve Karithi Karau
What do you get when you fuse a solid family foundation and a heart to serve needy communities while raising leaders that influence the nations? You get the man, Steve Kariithi Karau, making good happen in various ways. For the past 25 years, Steve has worked to champion child and youth development. As the founder of Youth Vest, he is transforming communities by resourcing the next generation of leaders. As a pastor of Mathare Worship Centre, he is ministering to the needs of Mathare Valley in Nairobi. As a director of Hopes Promise Kenya, he has adopted and sheltered dozens of needy children and teens and fathered them into young citizens with a positive future.
Caren Wakoli
Caren Wakoli is the Executive Director at Emerging Leaders Foundation (ELF-Africa), where she has, over the last decade, been raising the next generation of young leaders through values-based leadership. At #DDwithMaqC, she tracks her responsibility formation at a family level, reflects on experiences about campaigning and running for electoral office as a woman student leader and later in local politics in Western Kenya, and the agonizing, yet rewarding years of forming a pan-African non-governmental organization – alongside many other amazing previously untold stories of her life and career.
Mike Mutungi
Dr. Wala Amakove is the CEO of Wanderlust Diaries and Beyond the Stethoscope; as well as Vice-Chair of the Kenya Healthcare Federation and Co-Chair of the SDG-Kenya Forum. At #DDwithMaqC, she goes into detail about the making of #Amakove as a mother, accomplished health programs management professional, and entrepreneur. #DrWalaAmakove‘s story is as unconventional as she is, with tons of lessons and insights to learn and glean from.
Pauline Wanja
Pauline Wanja is an accomplished alumni engagement expert with over a decade of experience designing and implementing programs supporting public schools in the UK and Kenya. She joined Future First Global in 2012 to spearhead an alumni engagement pilot program to enhance alumni involvement in school activities. During her tenure at Future First Global, Pauline has played a crucial role in shaping alumni engagement conversations and strategies in Kenyan high schools and institutions of higher learning. Her efforts led to the launch of the Association of Alumni Communities in partnership with the Cabinet Secretary of Education office in 2017, which aimed to mobilize Kenyans to give back to their former schools. In 2018, Pauline helped convene the first local industry gathering of alumni professionals from local universities, further cementing her alumni engagement thought leader role.
Michael Ngigi
In this episode of DDWithMaqC, Meet Michael Ngigi, CEO of Thinkplace Africa. From his humble beginnings to his current success, Ngigi shares the pivotal moments that shaped his life. Together, we unpack his early childhood and upbringing, reflect on the challenges he faced during his school years, and witness his remarkable resilience in the face of adversity. Join us as we unravel the story of a leader who found new meaning in the depths of rock bottom.
Part Four: Africa's Rebirth: Intersectional Justice & Equity
Waithira Kibinda
#WaithiraKibinda is a Community Development Specialist who has been selflessly working with and for lowly-resourced women and youth in urban and rural settings including in Murang’a where she’s also a daughter, wife, and mother. On this season of #DDwithMaqC, she tells of her roots, motivations, personal life, career experiences, and aspirations in development, leadership, and governance.
Sheila Masinde
Sheila Masinde is the Executive Director at Transparency International where she is leading the charge on national accountability and curbing corruption. She sits down at #DDwithMaqC to narrate her life, growing up, schooling, and career story spanning communication for development, media, advocacy-related fields, and lessons she has learned while ascending to the top and leading an organization during the turbulent pandemic-rocked season.
Bina Maseno
Meet Bina Maseno, a passionate gender, governance, and development specialist, former political aspirant, and journalist. Bina is also the founder of Badili Africa, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting good governance and enhancing democratic participation in Africa. Bina talks to us about her early childhood and how it shaped her into who she is today. She also shares her struggles to raise fees for college and her journey to becoming a political aspirant. Her experience in the running for office and the brutal reality of the political space, especially for young women, is an eye-opening and inspiring story.
Irungu Nyakera
In this episode, we sit down with #NyakeraIrungu, the social entrepreneur, businessman, politician, and dynamic Chairman of the Farmers Party. Discover the story of his captivating journey, from his childhood in Murang’a and Starehe Boys Centre to his overseas university days, his globetrotting investment banking career, his public service career, development initiatives, and his entry into Kenyan electoral politics. Get a glimpse into his life’s lessons and how they have molded him into the leader he is today.
Andrew Ranja
In the second part of Andrew Ranja’s story, we explore his journey from high school to university, his quest for a spiritual connection, and unforgettable law school moments at the University of Nairobi. Discover his search for love and the price of integrity in the legal field. We also discuss the Taifa Teule Network, driven by Andrew’s vision to secure Kenya’s future through grassroots youth training.
