A gentle Nairobi morning on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, welcomed 250 delegates from 21 countries to Strathmore University for the highly anticipated BeDoCare 2025 Conference. The 3-day gathering, co-organized by Strathmore University, Harambee Africa International, and BeDoCare, marked the African debut of this global movement. Following Rome (2022) and São Paulo (2024), Nairobi became the third chapter of BeDoCare, uniting policymakers, business leaders, academics, NGOs, and students around the intertwined themes of education, work, and social development.

Rome had laid the foundation, professionalising social initiatives and embedding care at the heart of impact. São Paulo carried the torch with its focus on youth, innovation, and sustainability across Latin America. Now, Nairobi brought BeDoCare to African soil, where the destiny of the continent is being reimagined not as a promise deferred but as a present task.

Welcoming the delegates, Dr. Vincent Ogutu, Vice Chancellor of Strathmore University, offered words that set the tone for the three days. “I am welcoming my wider family, people aligned with the values of Strathmore. This BeDoCare Conference is your chance to refill your tanks, renew your energy, refresh your perspective, and recharge for the important work ahead.”

Strathmore’s own story, he reminded the audience, is deeply tied to Africa’s transformation. Founded in 1961, at the height of independence, the university was established on the conviction that education could unlock the continent’s potential. Its founding as an interracial institution in segregated colonial Kenya was itself a defiant act of hope. A living testimony to the dignity of every person.

Linda Corbi, Project Manager at Harambee Africa International, echoed this spirit, calling BeDoCare “a space for encounter, listening, collaboration, and networking.” It was, she insisted, about “concrete actions that build a world on care, responsibility, and solidarity.”

Rev. Dr. Silvano Ochuodho, Pro-Chancellor of Strathmore University, placed the BeDoCare gathering within the wider arc of history. He recalled how, in 1957, St. Josemaría Escrivá received an urgent request to establish a Catholic university in East Africa, a vision that soon gave birth to Strathmore in 1961. Born as an interracial school in a deeply segregated colonial Kenya, Strathmore was itself a bold act of defiance. A living testimony to the conviction that there is only one race, the race of the children of God.

Dr. Ochuodho likened Strathmore, and indeed all institutions inspired by St. Josemaría, to the African baobab tree, seeds planted in difficult soil that, with time, grow into giants offering shade, sustenance, and a gathering place for generations. He reminded participants that they, too, are called to be such seeds. Attentive to the needs of their communities, responsive to the challenges of their times, and committed to mentoring the next generation. In his words, “Africa’s destiny will be written not in grand gestures, but in the patient work of care, service, and leadership that we choose each day.”

Africa in 50 Years: Challenges and Opportunities

The opening day was framed by a long-term vision of imagining Africa in 2075. What will the continent look like fifty years from now? What opportunities lie ahead, and what obstacles must be faced with courage and clarity?

The first keynote, delivered by Francis Okomo-Okello, Non-Executive Chairman of TPS Eastern Africa (Serena Group), charted the structural map of Africa’s future. Projecting that Africa’s GDP could triple by 2075, powered by a youthful population and natural resources, he nevertheless sounded a sober warning.

“Africa’s future greatness is not inevitable. It will depend on integrity, interconnectedness, and the courage to rebrand Africa not as a continent of deficit but as a beacon of resilience and innovation,” said Okomo-Okello.

If Okomo-Okello charted the structural map of Africa’s next half-century, Dr. Julie Gichuru, President and CEO of the Africa Leadership and Dialogue Institute (ALADI), captured its beating heart. Her address, ‘Telling the African Story,’ challenged participants to reclaim narrative sovereignty.

She began with a proverb, ‘One who does not clean his mouth before eating will complain that the food is sour.’ Too often, she argued, Africans allow others to tell their stories, often in deficit-laden tones. From the trope of poverty to political instability, Africa has been cast in narratives of lack.

But Gichuru invited the audience to a new story. One of dignity, opportunity, and diversity. “We must harness our African voices. Let us make a difference in how we shape our narrative. Let’s take ownership, be custodians of our story, and tell it ourselves.” She urged educators, policymakers, and youth to intertwine stories of resilience and innovation into national policies, making narrative a tool for transformation

The third keynote of the day came from Dr. Thulani Dlamini, CEO of South Africa’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). He focused on innovation ecosystems, insisting that collaboration between academia, government, and the private sector is indispensable.

“We are touching lives through innovation,” he declared. “But we must think differently about how to strengthen it so that innovation is not only created but sustained.”

In the afternoon, workshops brought the theme to life through practical dialogue.

The Workshop on Universities as Engines of Social and Educational Development, led by Prof. John Odhiambo (former VC, Strathmore), Alfred Kouakou (Université des Lagunes, Côte d’Ivoire), and Philémon Muamba (Université Catholique de Kinshasa, DRC), examined how universities can be catalysts for societal change. The key takeaway was that Africa needs sovereign research funds, industry-academia partnerships, and a clear mandate for universities to have a positive impact on their communities.

The Workshop on Overcoming Educational Barriers in Low-Income Communities. Grassroots leaders, including Lynda Kasina (Kianda Foundation) and Clifford Oluoch (Homeless of Nairobi), spoke candidly about poverty, discrimination, and structural barriers facing marginalized learners. Yet hope shone through in stories of mentorship, dual training, affordable scholarships, and job-shadowing programs. Their message was that education must not only be accessible but also empowering.

The day closed with a documentary screening by Salim Amin, a cinematic reminder of Africa’s enduring resilience.

Youth, Work, and Innovation

Day Two shifted the lens to Africa’s greatest asset, its youth. With over 60% of the population under 25, the question was how this demographic dividend could be transformed into meaningful work, innovation, and social progress.

The morning opened with an address by Rev. Javier Castillo, Vicar General of Opus Dei. His keynote, “Sowing Love, Reaping a Culture of Gift,” reflected on the legacy of St. Josemaría Escrivá, whose vision inspired institutions like Strathmore and Kianda Colleges.

“True care lies in recognizing the dignity of every person as a child of God,” he emphasized. “Our institutions must not be cold structures, but living testimonies of fraternity and service, grounded in the daily yes of individuals committed to a culture of gift.”

He outlined three dimensions of St. Josemaría’s legacy:

1. The family as the first school of love and forgiveness.
2. Professional work as a vocation of service to the common good.
3. Care as the most humanizing response to fragility.

It was a deeply spiritual reminder that behind every policy or innovation lies a human face, a call to dignity.

Practical Pathways for Youth

The baton then passed to Prof. Africa Ariño of IESE Business School, whose keynote explored how companies can strengthen competitiveness by co-creating with communities. “The future of Africa,” she said, “is in Africans’ hands.” Her message was a clarion call to leapfrog by investing in agriculture, energy, and financial services, sectors that multiply impact while ensuring that prosperity uplifts entire communities.

The morning continued with a panel on shaping leaders for the evolving job market and strengthening youth-led startup ecosystems. Guillaume Fandjinou set the tone with a stark warning. “If we fail to address youth unemployment, time becomes a ticking bomb.”

Prof. Enase Okonedo, Vice Chancellor of Pan-Atlantic University in Nigeria, built on this by underlining the two essentials of any thriving ecosystem. Access to finance and access to skills. Yet she invited participants to reflect more deeply. “What is the ultimate purpose of what we are doing? Is it directed toward the common good?”

Adding a corporate lens, Regina Mukiri, Head of Community Impact and Engagement at Standard Chartered, reminded the audience that Africa’s many social challenges conceal equally vast opportunities. “Our task is to identify problems, create sustainable solutions, and drive meaningful impact for the common good.”

The afternoon shifted from broad vision to targeted engagement, as delegates dispersed into four parallel workshops, each exploring practical levers of transformation.

In the Workplace Skills session, Elizabeth Macharia of the Commonwealth highlighted the essential skills demanded by an evolving economy, including digital competence, sustainability literacy, and emotional intelligence. Integrity, added Cedrick Tombola, must remain the anchor. “Sustainable performance is impossible without it.”

In the Vocational Training workshop, Austin Omeno urged educators to weave entrepreneurship into curricula, transforming trainees into job creators rather than job seekers. Cécile Kianda pressed for reforms that make vocational training attractive to young Africans, elevating it as a credible pathway to success. Marie Noelle Tanoh emphasized the need for industry collaboration to align training with market demand.

Meanwhile, the Agriculture session emphasized Africa’s most enduring backbone. Prof. Simon Wagura Nderitu, Director, Strathmore Agri-Food Innovation Center (SAFIC) and Betty Kibaara of the Rockefeller Foundation spoke of the need for robust business models and research-driven approaches to strengthen agribusinesses. Farming, they argued, must shift from subsistence to innovation-driven enterprise.

In the final Youth Leadership workshop, Dr. Hermann Okou and Charly Nshokano called for faith in young people, urging institutions to entrust them with real responsibilities and instill values of ethical leadership. Dr. Ogutu grounded this in practice, saying, “We must debate with the youth, answer their difficult questions, and mentor them with patience, even through their mistakes.”

As Day 2 closed, Dr. Caesar Mwangi, Executive Dean, Strathmore Business School, left participants with a rallying call. “Transforming Africa is not someone else’s job. It is our shared responsibility.”

Reclaiming Africa’s Narrative and Building Sustainable Futures

The final day of BeDoCare focused on reclaiming Africa’s voice globally while rooting progress in sustainability, ethics, and inclusion.

Perhaps the most dramatic keynote came from Prof. Luis Franceschi, Assistant Secretary General of the Commonwealth. He opened with a startling metaphor, recalling being served spiders, scorpions, and centipedes in Bangkok: “No matter how much you fry a spider, it remains a spider.”

For him, Africa has often tried to “eat” corruption by masking it with laws and regulations. But without justice, he warned, even the strongest infrastructure collapses. “Justice is the true purpose of law,” he said. “Without it, bridges fall, airports crumble, and trust evaporates. But when justice stands, innovation flourishes, jobs multiply, and trust becomes a renewable resource.”

Quoting Cicero and Achebe, Franceschi urged ethical leadership as the invisible infrastructure Africa needs most. “You can choose to be a protector, a hero, a patriot, a saint, or you can choose to be a predator, a coward, a traitor. Ethics is the choice that makes all the difference,” Challenged Prof. Franceschi.

Women, Green Technologies, and the Church

The morning continued with a vibrant focus on green technologies and environmental sustainability, where Prof. Izael Da Silva (Strathmore University), Eng. Albert Mugo, and Dr. Eng. Fenwicks Musonye (EPRA) challenged participants to see energy as the cornerstone of Africa’s future. Prof. Da Silva’s reminder that “we must decide to be agents of change if we are to achieve a sustainable Africa” resonated deeply. He called for harnessing the continent’s vast solar resources, backed by capacity building through institutions such as the Strathmore Energy Research Centre.

From energy, attention shifted to women’s entrepreneurship, a session that underscored how empowering women is key to accelerating inclusive growth. Stories of women-led enterprises showed how innovation, resilience, and leadership are re-shaping communities and opening pathways for future generations.

Another highlight was the panel on ‘The Church’s Role in Development in Africa,’ featuring Archbishop Anthony Muheria of Nyeri and Sr. Rosemary Ndege of the Sisters of Emmanuel, moderated by. The conversation reminded delegates that the Church has long stood as more than a place of worship. Through various initiatives, it is a pillar of education, healthcare, and social cohesion. Archbishop Muheria described the Church as a moral compass in turbulent times, cautioning that “development without values is development without direction.” Sr. Rosemary grounded this vision in lived reality, sharing how faith communities in Murang’a empower women and youth through education, livelihood programs, and pastoral care.

A Gift and a Responsibility

Three days, 250 participants, 21 countries. BeDoCare 2025 reminded us that Africa’s future will not be handed down. It will be written, story by story, innovation by innovation, generation by generation, by those bold enough to Be, to Do, and to Care.

And as Corbi declared in her opening remarks, “This conference is both a gift and a responsibility.” A gift because it offers encounter and learning, and a responsibility because it demands action beyond words.

The seeds planted in Rome and São Paulo have now taken root in Nairobi. And like the African baobab tree, they will grow, providing shade, sustenance, and a gathering place for generations to come.

Article written by Stephen Wakhu, Jemmy Kamau and Teresa Nekesa.