Over 20 Nazarene Youth International (NYI) district presidents from Africa East gathered in Jinja, Uganda, for a four-day retreat.

The retreat, held from 10-13 August, was designed to provide participants with opportunities to collaborate and enhance their leadership skills.

Participants came from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Djibouti.

Seezi Bogere, the communications coordinator for NYI Africa East, said the main objective of the retreat included facilitating networking and relationship building among district presidents, as well as equipping district presidents with the necessary knowledge and skills needed to effectively lead their respective regions.

In addition, the event will help participants share the best practices, challenges, and success stories within the region to inspire them to make a positive impact in the district and provide a platform for spiritual growth and renewal.

“This retreat introduced me to new people with wonderful inspirational talks,” said Collins Otieno, NYI president of the Kenya East District. “This will lead to new opportunities, collaboration, and friendships as far as NYI is concerned.”

Otieno added that the retreat gave him time to reflect on his own goals and how he can live his life as an example.

Some of the discussions covered NYI’s mission and vision and challenged attendees to take ownership of their ministry at a district level. Bogere believes the retreat will empower the district presidents to lead with a new vision and make a lasting impact in their communities. 

One of the ways leaders discussed making an impact in their community was through initiatives focused on poverty alleviation. Those sessions stressed the importance of facing challenges head-on and using them as opportunities to make a positive impact.

“We were encouraged to take the initiative in poverty reduction efforts among our young people,” said Kagame Paulin, Rwanda South District NYI president. “By doing so, we can not only develop ourselves but also uplift our community from the grips of poverty.”

--Church of the Nazarene Africa