Equipping young African leaders for the future of global development
The future of global development gets a lot of stage time at UNGA. But the young leaders who will actually shape it, particularly African youth already doing the work in their own communities, are too often absent from the rooms where that future is being imagined.
This session will explore what it takes not simply to invite young leaders into global spaces, but to equip them with the opportunities, networks, resources, and authority to shape what happens there. Global Health Corps and SHOFCO will bring together two perspectives on that challenge: place-based youth empowerment rooted in communities across Kenya and a global approach to developing and connecting emerging leaders.
The conversation will look beyond traditional definitions of health and development leadership. Global Health Corps fellows work across the social determinants of health, from gender-based violence and vaccination to healthcare access and housing insecurity. Their experiences raise a broader question: how do we support young people already tackling interconnected challenges in their communities to become influential leaders in institutions, research, policy, boards, and global forums without losing connection to the people and places that shaped their work?
SHOFCO is the largest community-based movement in Kenya. They provide holistic, needs-driven services to people living in informal settlements. These services include health, education, water and sanitation, and social and economic empowerment programs. In 2025, SHOFCO touched the lives of over 4 million individuals, spanning over 75% of Kenyan counties, equipping individuals with the knowledge and skills to seek tangible change in their community and society at large. At the core of SHOFCO’s work is this question: how do we empower local leaders to affect change in their own communities?
Participants will also examine the systems surrounding young leaders. What kinds of programs genuinely build leadership and agency? Where does funding help, and where can it constrain? How can organizations create pathways into spaces where decisions are made rather than simply offering young people a seat at occasional events?
The ambition is for the conversation to extend beyond the session itself, identifying opportunities for participants to continue working together on how young leaders are supported, connected, funded, and positioned to lead.
What to expect
An interactive session combining opening perspectives with facilitated small-group conversations. Participants will break into groups led by staff, alumni, and community members from Global Health Corps and SHOFCO to explore the opportunities and challenges involved in supporting youth through programs and funding.
The groups will bring their insights back into a shared conversation, with the aim of identifying ideas worth carrying forward and, where there is interest, creating a structure for participants to stay connected beyond the session.
Who this is for
This session is for funders, youth development practitioners, global health and development leaders, policymakers, social entrepreneurs, and young leaders themselves who are interested in creating stronger pathways for African youth to exercise leadership locally and in global decision-making spaces.
What you will get out of it
Perspectives from organizations working with young leaders at both community and global levels
Practical insights into what helps young people build influence, networks, and leadership capacity
A deeper exploration of how funding and programs can strengthen, or inadvertently constrain, youth leadership
Ideas for creating meaningful pathways into boards, policy, research, and global forums
Connections with others interested in continuing the work beyond the session
Hosted by
Global Health Corps
SHOFCO