Becoming Acumen Fellow: A Journey of Moral Courage and Imagination
In January 2025, I came across the call for the Acumen East Africa Fellowship, a program I had admired for years. My first encounter with Acumen was in 2020, when, along with my colleagues at the IITE Institute (now SIMAD iLab), I took Acumen Academy’s Human-Centred Design Thinking course. It was a fantastic experience that introduced me to Acumen’s values and its community of moral leaders.
At the time, Somalia wasn’t listed among the eligible countries. I recall reading the fellowship pack and feeling inspired, but I was unable to apply. Years later, when I saw Somalia included in the 2025 call, I knew it was time to take a big shot!
When I tried to log in to the portal, Somalia wasn’t yet active in the system. I exchanged multiple emails with the Acumen East Africa team, and their kindness stood out. They said, “You can apply — we’d love to see your application.” That simple encouragement meant everything.
The application was long and demanding, including essays, video submissions, recommendations, and interviews, but each step was worth it. After the selection conference, where hundreds of candidates gathered online, I received the message: I was chosen. Out of the many, twenty-five were selected, and I was honoured to be the first-ever Acumen Fellow from Somalia.
The fellowship year was intense and transformative. Between my demanding schedule and travel, I made time to attend every session and lab. Each module brought new depth: Adaptive Leadership taught me to navigate uncertainty; Polarity Management helped me hold tensions with balance; and Authentic Voice reminded me that leadership begins with story and purpose.
Then came the Good Society Readings. We explored freedom, justice, identity, and power, not as abstract ideas but as living questions. What does it mean to build a good society? What kind of moral leadership does that require of us? Those conversations changed me. They reminded me that leadership is not about solving problems but about reimagining systems. It’s about asking not only what works? But what’s right?
The biggest lesson I take away from this journey is moral courage, the willingness to stand for what is right, even when it’s hard; moral imagination, the capacity to see possibility where others see limitation; and moral leadership, the daily practice of service rooted in values, not ego.
At our graduation in Nairobi, I was deeply honoured to speak on behalf of my cohort, the Class of 2025. Standing before my fellow changemakers, I realised how much we had all grown, not just in skills, but in spirit. We learned that leadership isn’t about titles or certainty, but about service, curiosity, and the courage to act.
Listening to Wanjeri, Chris Maranga, and my fellow leaders share their reflections, I realised that this journey was never just about me. It was about community, a network of moral leaders choosing to build hope in complex places.
Now, as I join the Foundry, Acumen’s global community of fellows, I carry Somalia and East Africa with me. I carry the lessons of holding opposites, speaking truth, and leading adaptively. I carry the belief that even in fragile contexts, integrity and imagination can still change lives.
The Acumen Fellowship has reminded me that leadership isn’t about having power — it’s about using it to serve. And that’s a journey I’ll never stop walking.
You can find the full speech here!