The President of Kenya , Dr. William Samoei Ruto, visited Spelman College in Atlanta last week to solidify partnerships between HBCUs and Kenyan scholars.
During his visit to Spelman last week, Ruto signed an agreement with the U.S. to establish an exchange between Kenyan universities and HBCUs. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that representatives of Spelman College, Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University, and Howard University, along with higher education and business executives in both countries, signed the framework pact.
Additionally, according to a press release issued by The White House, Microsoft, Mastercard’s Center for Inclusive Growth, and the four schools announced the creation of EDTECH Africa. The initiative strives to establish an emerging technology bridge between historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and African scholars, facilitating educational exchanges in the rapidly changing technology landscape.
As far as technology is concerned, Kenya has established itself as the Silicon Savannah of East Africa. Its capital, Nairobi, has long been known for its innovation, and it has “been a global player in shaping the growth of the technology industry.”
The goal of the collaboration between Kenya, the U.S., and HBCUs is to enrich science, technology, engineering, and math education (STEM) and encourage economic development. This relationship has been fostered for the past 60 years, starting when then-US. Senator John F. Kennedy provided funding for “young Kenyan leader Tom Mboya’s plan to bring students from his country to study in the U.S.” Former President Barack Obama’s father, Barack Obama Sr., benefited from these “airlifts,” which occurred between 1959 and 1963, which gave hundreds of Kenyans the ability to attend colleges in the United States.
During the announcement, Ruto delivered remarks, saying “By following in the footsteps of the historic airlift, we shall empower a new generation of disruptive thinkers, ambitious visionaries, and innovative problem solvers, and thus divine a brighter knowledge-driven future where progress transcends borders, transforms lives and delivers prosperity.”
“Spelman has already had strong ties and engagement in several African countries. And that’s why we are so happy to be deepening this relationship with Kenya,” Dr. Helene D. Gayle, Spelman College president said. “HBCUs, historically black colleges and universities, are beacons of economic and social mobility for people of African descent. One of Spelman’s many pride points is our impact on economic mobility.”
Howard University President Ben Vinson III, Ph.D., was also in attendance and said, “As technology brings our global community closer together, it’s crucial that those in the African diaspora have the resources to accelerate transformation.
“I want to thank my fellow presidents at Spelman College, Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University for ensuring that our institutions can enter into a partnership with the Government of Kenya that will invest in a shared future through higher education,” Vinson continued. “This collaboration aims to strengthen Kenya’s higher education system and prepare a new generation of Kenyan leaders to drive the development of a resilient and prosperous nation.”
