Eight founders of student initiatives from our partner universities participated in this year’s Annual Symposium in Nairobi, hosted by our local partner, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). The student initiative founder project aims to empower students from our partner universities to create and develop their own initiatives, with a particular focus on renewable energy and sustainable entrepreneurship.

For the third time, our partner, TU eMpower Africa e.V., organized a comprehensive training and coaching program to support the founders of these student initiatives. The program offered valuable sessions on building business models, identifying funding opportunities, navigating legal considerations for startups, and engaging in a reflective deep dive into personal values and purpose.

To provide students with real-world insights into how organizations like TU eMpower Africa e.V. start new projects, the program included a visit to the Maasai community, which is collaborating with the local student initiative. As the community gradually transitions from a nomadic lifestyle to settling down, they are building on their agricultural skills. Although they have already installed solar panels to power pumps for groundwater access, they now seek to expand this effort to include solar-powered irrigation systems — a project where the local student initiative will play a key role.

The visit was undoubtedly the highlight of the empowerment program, only surpassed by a remarkable moment with the community’s chief. "I want to show you something," he said, leading the group a few steps into the open fields, where a herd of giraffes stood gazing back at the curious student founders. It was an unforgettable experience that will be cherished for years to come!