Congo Initiative Founder and President of the Université Chrétienne Bilingue du Congo (UCBC / Christian Bilingual University of Congo) Dr. David M. Kasali has been awarded Scholar Leader of the Year for 2014 by ScholarLeaders International. This distinguished award was given “in recognition and celebration of [Dr. Kasali’s] outstanding achievements and contributions, and to provide him a new platform to share from his experience.”
Presented at the annual Great Lakes Initiative (GLI) gathering in Uganda, which is hosted by the Center for Reconciliation at Duke Divinity School, this award signals broad recognition of Dr. Kasali’saccomplishments. Over 100 African leaders of universities, church denominations, and non-governmental organizations gather every year as part of the GLI to participate in a week of reflection, prayer, and mutual encouragement. In his remarks, ScholarLeaders Vice President Evan Hunter noted that, “David is a man of great vision. Where others saw limitation, challenge, and hopelessness, David and [his wife] Kaswerareturned to Congo, called by God with a vision of hope.”
Two-time Academy Award winner and Congo advocate Ben Affleck, introduced Dr. Kasali at the 2013 Clinton Global Initiative annual gathering:
There are very few of us here today who would wake up one morning and say, ‘I am going to start a university in a war torn area.’ [Yet], this is what Dr. Kasali did. It is the audacity and fearlessness of Congolese men and women like Dr. Kasali that inspired the genesis of ECI (Eastern Congo Initiative). In my travels to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, I have been simply astounded at the level of tragedy, with more than 5 million people killed as a result of the conflict since 1996. But I was even more inspired by the local community leaders that we met who were trying to rebuild their communities. UCBC is one of our strongest partners and we are absolutely delighted that Dr. Kasali can be here today to join us.
After completing his Ph.D at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Deerfield, IL), Dr. Kasali served for 8 years as Vice Chancellor of Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology (now Africa International University). In response to a devastating war that claimed the lives of an estimated 5 million people, and compelled by a vision for holistic transformation of Congolese society, Dr. Kasali founded Congo Initiative. In 2007, Dr.Kasali founded UCBC as the primary focus of Congo Initiative. UCBC now has over 500 students. Congo Initiative is shaping a new future for the Congo by training and developing skilled men and women of strong moral convictions and wisdom to lead and serve their own people.
To learn more about how you can respond to David’s vision, click here.
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