LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
December 2023
As the year 2023 came to an end, Bilal Muslim Mission of Kenya held a Leadership Development Program run by the capacity building group of AFED. The program was held at the Jaffery Academy in Mombasa. It attracted twenty-four participants, eight of whom were ladies. Various staff from the mission capitalized on the opportunity to gain valuable insight from the facilitators, including the mission’s education officer, a member of the media team and school and madrassa teachers. Participants were accommodated at a local hotel in Mombasa city, for the duration of the program. Participants were also well catered for and the program provided a unique opportunity for professional and personal growth. The seminar ran from 8am to 6.30pm daily, with the exception of day 1. All the sessions commenced with recitation and reflection on verses of the Holy Qur’an related to the themes covered on the day. Additionally, they were highly interactive and individuals engaged in various activities to enhance their understanding of the concepts covered. Q&A time was allocated after each session.
The four-day program commenced on the 13th of December 2023. Participants gathered at the Bilal Hall for a briefing after which they were transported to the program venue. The opening ceremony began at 2pm. In his speech, Mr. Murtaza Jaffer, CEO of Bilal Kenya thanked and welcomed the participants and facilitators and encouraged the participants to make the most of the program.
Thereafter, Mr. Shabbirhussein Pyarali Khalfan, chairman of the Capacity Building Board of AFED welcomed and introduced his team of facilitators which comprised himself and Ms. Maryam Khalfan, Mr. Mohamed Abbas Karim, Ms. Nilam Jiwa and Ms. Sajida Master.
Having meaningful influence as a leader comes after building trust and a culture of respect. Participants engaged in an essential interactive session discussing the importance of gaining respect rather than expecting others to tolerate us.
The second day of the seminar was its busiest. Qur’anic recitation and reflection of the lessons learnt on day 1 was followed by all participants introducing themselves via a specified technique.
After a tea break, the Iceberg Theory of Leadership and Teamwork was presented and exhaustively deliberated over. This theory is a useful tool for understanding the multifaceted nature of human actions. The idea that a person’s behavior can only be properly understood in the context of the factors that caused it was extensively discussed.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is an introspective, self-report personality assessment tool offering a useful perception on how one works and learns. Attendees partook in this assessment after a discussion on questioning skills and the importance of asking effective open-ended questions. The virtue of empathy and the knowledge paradox were also amongst concepts expounded that day.
Day 3 included an analysis on the role political intelligence plays in the achievement of personal and organizational goals and the power of purpose and vision. Understanding one’s own strengths and weaknesses was also addressed.
The program was concluded on the 16th of December 2023. The day began with a participatory session focused on presenting oneself in public, with an analysis on speech and body language. After lunch, facilitators and participants gathered in a seated circle at which time lessons learnt and changed mindsets were shared.
The program was concluded on the 16th of December 2023. The day began with a participatory session focused on presenting oneself in public, with an analysis on speech and body language. After lunch, facilitators and participants gathered in a seated circle at which time lessons learnt and changed mindsets were shared.
A short closing ceremony started at 5pm MC’d by Ms. Mehekfatema Molu. After recitation of the Qur’an, four participants addressed the gathering. They expressed their appreciation to the organizers and vowed to share the knowledge and skills they had gained in their respective work places and communities. In his speech, Mr. Khalfan emphasized that this was the first program of its kind to be conducted almost entirely in Kiswahili and requested a recitation of salawat on the Holy Prophet(S) and his immaculate family to thank the Almighty Allah and the Imam of our time for this achievement. He also conveyed greetings from the AFED chairman and vice-chairman, Mr. Amine Nassor and Mr. Aunali Khalfan and acknowledged the support of the AFED OB’s and its entire capacity building team. He noted that it had taken four months to fully prepare for the four-day program. Chairman of Bilal Kenya, Mr. Iqbal Sunderji expressed his hope that participants experiences would translate in appropriate ways in their respective work teams. The ceremony was concluded with the presentation of certificates to participants.
Appreciation
Bilal Muslim Mission of Kenya thanks AFED and Dr. Akber Mohamedali for their invaluable financial support, the Jaffery Academy for use of the venue and the CBG Team for its dedication and commitment towards the successful completion of this first Leadership program in Kiswahili.
The program has aroused much interest amongst Bilal Kenya and other muballigheen, teachers and young community leaders. We look forward to your continuing support.
SECRETARIAT
BILAL MUSLIM MISSION OF KENYA
MOMBASA – KENYA