Abdulkarim Taraja
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Abdulkarim Taraja has joined ISSS in 2024. Abdulkarim is a Kenyan social innovator, dedicated to addressing complex social problems through structured dialogue and action research. He is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Elgon Centre for Education (ECE KENYA), an Organization promoting access to quality education in rural areas through academic mentorship, support, life skills, career guidance and motivational speeches in schools across Western and North Rift parts of Kenya.
Personal Life
Abdulkarim was selected as the Mandela Washington Fellow 2022 Cohort beginning in June and will be based in Syracuse University, New York State, United States of America. Prior to this Fellowship, he trained Leadership in Public Management at the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Regional Leadership Centre- East Africa in Cohort 39 and currently its Alumni.
He is also a Metis Collective Alumni Cohort 5- a fellowship designed to reimagine the state of education in Kenya and Africa.
Abdulkarim was a Co-Participant of the Reinventing Democracy in the Digital Era (African Initiative) and Future Worlds Center Agent with substantive knowledge of the Structured Democratic Dialogue Process (SDDP). He is an Ambassador of the Social Transformation Youth Program in Kenya that was established by the Inter-religious Council of Kenya (IRCK) in 2015 that is meant to socially transform Kenya.
Academia and Career
He is a founding member of Elgon Young Professionals (EYP) in his Community that is helping in improving girl child education. Taraja is an alumni of the 3rd African Model United Nations (AfroMUN) where youth were taken through International Diplomacy and Relations at the United Nations Offices in Nairobi. He is a member of Youth Alliance for Leadership and Development in Africa (YALDA) and its founder of the YALDA Kabianga Branch.
Special Interests
He is an independent writer, blogger and journalist reporting on different issues ranging from politics, democracy, governance and environment. He is currently involved in community empowerment volunteering with other interest to sensitize community's on Peaceful coexistence in the democratic processes, economic empowerment and use of social media platforms to access information jobs for youth and access leaders in power.
Video Presentations
Selected Publications
- Laouris, Y., Romm, N. R., Abdallah, A., Akomea, B. G. O., Kimbi, M., Mavura, A., Murigi, A., Taraja, A., & Wairimu, R. (2022). Rendering Africa more resilient, sustainable, and better prepared for COVID-analogous pandemics: Proposals from across seven African countries. In A.L. Fymat, N.R.A. Romm and J. Kapalanga (Ed.) COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives across Africa. Ch 2 (pp.36-61).Victoria, British Columbia, Canada: Tellwell Talent.
- Romm, N. R., Laouris, Y., Abdallah, A., Akomea, B. G. O., Ehagi, D., Gondwe, J., KImbi, M., Mabezere, G., Mavura, A., Murigi, A., Taraja, A., & Wairimu, R. (2022). The role of people as individual and collective agents in making a difference to societal outcomes, also in the COVID-19 era: African insights. In A.L. Fymat, N.R.A. Romm and J. Kapalanga (Ed.) COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives across Africa. Ch 6 (pp.97-138).Victoria, British Columbia, Canada: Tellwell Talent.