The Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development’s (EJS Center) Chief Operating Officer Amini Kajunju recently joined members of the Yale African Students Association (YASA) as a headline speaker during the organization’s flagship Yale Africa Week.  

The week centered on the theme of ‘The New Road Home: Me, Myself & the Motherland,’ showcasing and celebrating countries from each of Africa’s five regions. YASA members and African experts from a diverse range of backgrounds convened to discuss reconnecting with their home countries during a time when COVID-19-related travel restrictions made returning home difficult or impossible for many.

During the event Ms. Kajunju answered questions about her career, the challenges she has overcome, and shared her expertise on community building. In response to a question about how to inspire even greater ambition in young people across the continent who might feel limited by circumstance, Ms. Kajunju emphasized the importance of community, saying: “the African continent will need all of its brothers and sisters, no matter where they live, to make the continent a great place to live and work.” 

Inclusivity and acceptance, in spite different lived experiences, were key drivers of development, she continued:

“There needs to be a reduction or even an elimination of any tension between those who have never left the continent and those who did and have come back. We all have distinct perspectives and talents that must be used to accelerate development and equality in Africa.”

Learn more about the event here.