Princeton in Africa News | March 2025
PiAf's 25th Anniversary Gala!
Princeton in Africa's 25th Anniversary Gala is quickly approaching and tickets are selling FAST! The event will bring together leaders from Africa, the United States, and the diaspora to celebrate and honor 25 years of collaboration, impact, service, leadership, and commitment on the continent. Your presence and involvement at this milestone event will help launch us into our next chapter of growth, and have a tremendous impact on countless individuals and communities in partnership with our organization.
Join us along with our incredible Honorees and MC for an unforgettable evening. Get your tickets by clicking HERE or scanning the QR code above!
Annual Fellows Retreat: Zanzibar!
One of the great traditions of the Princeton in Africa fellowship is our annual retreat - an event that brings the cohort together for several days of leadership development and training, as well as team-building activities. With Fellows spread out across the continent, the retreat is often the first time that many are able to meet in person.
In late February, the 2024-25 Fellows gathered in Stone Town, Zanzibar for their annual retreat. The 4-day event was jam-packed with a wide range of professional development sessions, team-building activities, shared meals, and general fellowship. The retreat was led by several members of the PiAf team, as well as PiAf alumna, Sarah Louis (2022-23, Kakenya's Dream, Kenya) who assumed the role of Alumni Coordinator. We are incredibly grateful to Sarah for helping to plan and lead several of the sessions. Further, she served as a tremendous resource for the Fellows to discuss their fellowships and future career goals!
Beyond the professional development activities listed above, the retreat also featured a walking tour of Zanzibar with local guides, a group cooking class, a spice farm tour, and plenty of time for the Fellows to deepen their personal and professional relationships. "As a staff member, it was inspiring to see our Fellows fully embrace the retreat experience, setting aside insecurities to be present and intentionally vulnerable with each other as they discussed their fellowships and their plans for the future," stated Ngan Chiem, PiAf Program Coordinator.
The final day of the retreat culminated with a Professional Sectors panel that included Dr. Caroline Asiimwe, Executive Secretary, East African Kiswahili Commission, Kurtis Lockhart, Founder & Director of the Africa Urban Lab, ASE Zanzibar, and Sarah Louis, Associate at MiDA Advisors. During this session, Fellows engaged in active dialogue with each panelist and left with a deeper understanding of the opportunities available to them as they prepare to launch their professional careers. "The retreat was an invaluable opportunity to connect with other Fellows, exchange experiences, and gain new perspectives. I left feeling more inspired about my placement and what I can accomplish during the remainder of my fellowship," states Sarra Hussien, current Fellow working with International Rescue Committee, Kenya.
Meet Nexus Fellow: Sarah Namagonya
While she thoroughly enjoyed all of her experiences up to the completion of her undergraduate degree, a 4-year work commitment with the World Food Program that required her to travel across the country conducting research on food insecurity, drove her to pursue a master’s degree in International Relations with a focus on Peace and Conflict Studies at the United States International University (USIU ) in Kenya. It was during this experience that Sarah first learned about Princeton in Africa. “The school was posting about the program and it really called out to me,” she states. As she began to research the opportunity, it quickly became clear that the program was just the opportunity she was looking for to bridge her studies with her desire to more fully engage in the humanitarian sector. “The PiAf program really resonated with my passions and my desire to grow as a professional.”
After undergoing a rigorous application process, she was accepted by the IRC in Nairobi, Kenya as the Grants & Accountability Nexus Fellow. To say that she hit the ground running would be an understatement. “One of my first big tasks was to build a portfolio of data and information on the efficacy of IRC’s programs that the Country Director could utilize for an upcoming trip to the U.S. to advocate for more funding,” she states. Recognizing IRC’s significant impact in the region, Sarah seized the moment as an opportunity to connect with the many field offices operating across the country to ensure that their work would be fully represented in her report. Additionally, Sarah was tasked with a business development project of collecting data on new funding streams that may further support the IRC’s work and mission. “This included everything from individuals to embassies, and required a tremendous amount of research to create appropriate engagement plans,” states Sarah. Finally, she is supporting the organization's efforts to remain in compliance with all grant activity.
With more than half of her fellowship already completed, Sarah is excited to expand into a deeper understanding of donor/partner relationships and areas of compliance. “Much of my earlier work, before becoming a Fellow, was on the implementation side. At this time, however, I get to learn about the considerations and processes required to secure grant funding. We have to think about how to mold to various funding opportunities while still remaining aligned with the goals of the organization,” she states.
In her free time, Sarah enjoys exploring the unique similarities and differences that exist between her home country of Malawi and her host country of Kenya. After a full day of work, she can often be found taking long walks in the evening with members of her community, exploring the beautiful Nairobi neighborhoods that surround her. She has been enriched by the local restaurants, enjoying a diversity of cuisines from around the world, as well as the national parks.
“My experience as a Fellow has been beyond my wildest dreams. I’m around an amazing team of talented people. Plus, as a Nexus Fellow, I get to interact with my co-Fellow, who has taught me so much.”
The significance of her fellowship is certainly not lost on Sarah. As she continues to detail the profound impact of the partnership that the two have forged, Sarah highlights the diverse perspective and immense drive exhibited by her co-Fellow, Sarra. The two young women have quickly become close friends, supporting each other through their work activity and shared experiences, while building a bond that will forever support each individual’s ambitious goals for the future.
