The HALI Indaba 2024 marked the 9th annual HALI Access Network gathering held in Rwanda from 9th to 12th September 2024. Bringing together 75 advocates of higher education access, the Indaba focused on the theme “Global Learners, Local Leaders.” The theme emphasized empowering students to leverage their global experiences to impact their local communities. The HALI Access Network continues to grow, with 39 access organizations from 16 African countries and 22 universities attending this year’s Indaba alongside HALI partners Duolingo and the College Board.
The first day of the Indaba began with friends of HALI hosting a University Fair at Green Hills Academy. The Fair attracted school counselors and over 400 students from schools across Rwanda, providing them with an opportunity to explore different academic pathways. Students engaged with university representatives attending the Indaba, gaining insights into the various programs and opportunities available at the institutions to help them achieve their career aspirations.
A key highlight from the Indaba was a panel discussion where four HALI alumni shared their journeys and how they are using their global experiences to make a difference in their local communities. The alumni are engaged in groundbreaking work in areas such as health and AI, contributing at the community, policy, and resource levels. Their stories reminded us of the important role counselors and access organizations play in bridging the gap between students and the opportunities they need to pursue higher education and reach their potential. The session also prompted us to reflect on the difficult decision our students face, whether to study locally or abroad, and, after studying abroad, whether to return home or stay abroad to further their careers.
“A counselor encouraged me to take a medical anthropology class, which was the turning point for me to discover the world of global health and public health.” Constancia Mavodza, a USAP alumni, commented about the impact of access work and counselors. Today, Constancia is the Program Lead- Health Initiatives at the MasterCard Foundation.
The alumni plenary session was so inspiring. Learning about the work done by alumni and the impact they are having back home reminded me of why I do what I do.
As our community grows, we intentionally seek ways to maintain the intimate connections for which the HALI Indaba is well known. This year, participants had an opportunity to engage in whole-group discussions & presentations and meet in smaller learning groups. In the learning groups, discussions touched on several important issues, including how to help students manage identity crisis, cope with mental health challenges, and manage the possibility of discontinuing study abroad when things don’t go as expected. Practical solutions like peer support programs, such as the “buddy system” from the Equity Group Foundation, were highlighted as effective strategies for building a strong support network that can help students navigate their transition to university life. These conversations served as a reminder that supporting students through their transition to university requires a holistic approach that balances academic guidance with emotional and practical support.
The conversations at this year’s Indaba were a powerful reminder that getting students to university is just the beginning. The real challenge lies in helping them navigate the highs and lows of university life. As educators, mentors, and supporters, we must be adaptable, innovative, and prepared to offer not only academic guidance but also emotional support. University is a journey of growth, and every student deserves the chance to flourish.
I appreciated the smaller group size learning groups, which made it easier to engage in deeper conversations with like-minded individuals. Learning groups were very useful as I learned various ways of addressing contentious issues. Discussions triggered my mindset to look at my role from various perspectives.
As part of our exploration of the Global Learners, Local Leaders theme, we had the privilege of screening “A Brief Tender Light,” a documentary that resonates with our mission. This film, shown for the first time in Africa during the 2024 HALI Indaba, follows four African students at the elite MIT in pursuit of a world-class education with intentions to maintain a deep connection to their home countries and make positive change. The film’s exploration of identity and the process of academic & social acclimatization highlighted the challenges HALI students face in adapting to their new campus communities. The film shows the four ambitious and brilliant African youths forced to decide how much of America to absorb, how much of Africa to hold on to, and how to reconcile their youthful ideals with the truths they discover about the world and themselves.
The film brought fresh insight into our discussions, especially when one of the cast members, Philip Abel Adama, joined virtually for a Q&A. His perspective reinforced the importance of intentional and holistic student support, both from access organizations and tertiary institutions, to guide students as they navigate their path as global learners and as local leaders.
The movie screening was so inspiring; seeing the impact of our daily work manifest on screen. The Birds Eye view that the movie made possible showed access in action and the impact it has on the livelihood of whole families
My highlight from the Indaba was watching the film Brief Tender Light and meeting Philip. He espouses the Global Learner, Local Leader theme and helped us to see how our students can lead locally while simultaneously accessing resources from other countries.
The energy at the Indaba was inspiring. Participants left feeling motivated, connected, and ready to take action within their own spaces to champion HALI students from the African continent to university and beyond. The open, candid discussions sparked fresh ideas on how to better support these students. With shared experiences and a collective commitment to advocate for better education access, everyone felt empowered to contribute to our mission. This sense of community is what makes the HALI Indaba truly special.
Fulfilling work among like-minded individuals, a hub of respect, various cultures, and for the first time in my life, I feel I understood UBUNTU
It’s an amazing network with the ability to meet many organizations/institutions in one centralized location that all have a common goal of supporting high-achieving low-income students. I appreciated the Indaba meeting counselors from various schools or organizations. I would describe it as “life-changing”. I hope to attend again in the future.
Thank you to the Rwanda Logistics Team, Julius and Stella from Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village, Fonda, Norris, and Divine from Bridge2Rwanda, and Cleo from Gashora Girls Academy for your hard work in making the 2024 Indaba a success. And to the Indaba Agenda Committee Abraham from Meto, Elisa from Ashinaga, Rebecca from Education Matters, Rebekah, HALI Co-Founder, Ryan from YYAS, Banele from Imagine Scholar, Helen from Our Moon, for curating engaging and thought-provoking content that brought about meaningful conversations. Thank you to all the facilitators for guiding the discussions and enhancing the learning experience.
We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to our sponsors this year— the African Leadership University, Duolingo, and Rise—for their support in bringing our community together in Rwanda. Your partnership is invaluable in our efforts to bring opportunities closer to our communities while building the capacity and connections of counselors across Africa.
We are very grateful to our sponsors this year not only for enabling us to bring counselors to the Indaba but also for the intentional work they do to open doors for HALI students. We have a long-standing history with each of our sponsors this year. We have supported thousands of students across sub-Saharan Africa through the Rise global talent identification process and partnered with ALU in their recruitment across the continent. Duolingo offers our students free access to their English Testing platform through their access initiative, and we’ve also benefited from learning from their refugee university access program with the UNHCR. We highly recommend that more universities accept the DET in their admission process, as it is so much more accessible, affordable, and contextualized to the needs of low-income students.
As we look ahead to 2025, we are excited about how these discussions will translate into action and growth in our access programs, with Kenya set to host the 2025 Indaba!
Get a glimpse of the Indaba here.
Murakoze!