By KEVIN J. KELLEY
TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2015
President Barack Obama (left), Akirachix co-founder Judith Owigar and President Kenyatta at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit at the UN headquarters in Gigiri, Nairobi, on July 25, 2015. President Obama praised Ms Owigar's work when he spoke in Washington, DC, on August 3, 2015. FILE PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP.
Speaking to an audience of 500 young leaders from 17 African countries in Washington, DC, Mr Obama praised the work of two Kenyans, Richard Ruto Todasia and Judith Owigar, who helped launch civil society organisations working to alleviate poverty.
"I saw the power of youth on my trip to Kenya," the US leader declared in an address to the second annual summit of his Young African Leaders Initiative.
Mr Todosia's "Yes Youth Can" is one of the country's most prominent NGOs, Mr Obama said, adding that Ms Owigar's Akirachix programme is training young women in Nairobi's slums for jobs in the tech sector.
PRAISE FOR MICHELLE
In the town hall-style forum, the president gave the first audience question to a Kenyan woman, who asked how he keeps his balance as an African-American, a father and a husband who is leading the world's most powerful country.
Mr Obama replied by praising his wife, Michelle, for the sacrifices she has made and for the strength she shows as a role model to the couple's two daughters.
Because of Michelle's achievements, Malia and Sasha "have the expectation of being treated as equals by their partners," Mr Obama said.
Jayne Waithera, another Kenyan called on by the president, asked if he would speak out against the "atrocities" inflicted on Africans with albinism.
Mr Obama responded with a ringing endorsement of the rights not only of people with albinism, but also of African women and homosexuals.
RIGHT NOTES
Tania Ngima, a 34-year-old finance specialist in Nairobi taking part in this year's young African leaders summit, said Mr Obama "hit the right notes" both in his comments on Monday and during his visit to Kenya.
Ms Ngima studied business development at Clark Atlanta University as part of the programme that the State Department organises for all the young Africans invited to the US for a seven-week series of classes, site visits and meetings with entrepreneurs and professionals.
Because Clark is one of the historically black universities in the US, Ms Ngima said she and the other Africans studying there "felt very much at home.
RACIAL TENSION
"They also felt free to express their views, she added, but pointed out that the young African visitors were closely guarded throughout their stay in Atlanta.
A few incidents of violence had occurred in the area in recent months, she noted.
The young Africans' visit to the US is also taking place at a time of racial tension related to a series of attacks by white police officers on black Americans.
"When we look at developed countries from Africa," Ms Ngima remarked in an interview with the Nation, "we don't think their divisions are as strong as ours. But when we come here, we see that they are. And we also see that you can still be a prosperous nation despite your divisions."
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