Spotlights

Although it has been a few years since he graduated from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, Alqaim Lalani, Class of 2019, says his years at the Academy had a major bearing on his academic career and strongly influenced his outlook on life. Now, as a graduate of Columbia University in New York, Alqaim is giving back to the Aga Khan Academies community that he says shaped his life and gave him so much.

Muskaan Bhaidani is an alumna of the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa who was in the Class of 2020. Graduating with an impressive International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) score of 44 out of 45, Muskaan is now attending McGill University in Montreal, Canada.  

Since he was 4-years-old, Ayaan Allarakhia has had a passion for music that has shaped his whole life. Over the years, the Grade 9 student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa has developed and strengthened his musical and performance skills. Now, after writing and releasing his own song and music video, Ayaan is on a mission to spread his love for music to all.

During the winter break, Naail Lakhani gained firsthand exposure to professional environments through internships at organisations, demonstrating learner agency and real-world application of skills.

Residential school nurse Milka Gatungoh has supported the physical, emotional and mental well-being of the Academy community since 2010. Known for her compassion, she played a vital frontline role during COVID-19, providing care, education and psychosocial support to students and staff.

Qamili Dave, Class of 2017, discovered her passion for culinary arts through an Academy internship at Serena Beach Hotel. The experience shaped her career path, building confidence, professional skills and a strong foundation in hospitality.

Mwanapwani Said joined the Academy through the Talent Identification Programme in 2017. Since then, she has availed herself of every opportunity to thrive. Her experience at the Academy has shaped her outlook on life and she has been inspired to make a difference in society.

Since he joined the Academy in 2015, Titus has been a transformational leader. He is passionate about continuously developing effective teaching practices, thus giving students the best learning experiences. As he expresses, “There is no greater joy than nurturing young learners and witnessing them grow into more responsible, reflective and increasingly independent individuals.”

When Raphael Mwachiti, a Diploma Programme (DP) student, got admitted to the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa on a fully funded scholarship through the Talent Identification Programme (TID) in 2015, he knew it was a life-changing opportunity.

During her time at AKA Mombasa, Samantha Caras has transformed the University Counselling department by providing numerous resources to students and helping them apply to different universities around the world.  

Aleesha Suleman, a graduate student at UCL-Qatar, has never lost sight of what has always been important to her: giving back to her home country of Kenya. 

Growing up on Funzi Island, Diploma Programme student Cinzia Torriani has seen the effects of climate change on marine life and local livelihoods. Through projects in sustainable farming, public speaking and community service, she advocates for environmental action that supports both ecosystems and communities.

Raghuveer Vyas, Class of 2016, pursued global liberal studies at NYU and developed a strong focus on climate policy and international relations. Through research, advocacy and leadership roles, he continues to work on global challenges affecting vulnerable communities.

Year 9 student at AKA Mombasa Alyssa Jamal has played golf for almost her whole life – a sport that has taught her the importance of determination and focus. 

Ambuj Ranjan, Class of 2020, worked with the people of Junju on creating a sustainable filtration system to provide clean and safe drinking water for the settlement.

Fiona Makena Kinyua graduated from the Teacher Preparation Programme at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa in June 2019 and is taking classrooms by storm, one student at a time. 

Hussein Jiva graduated from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa after what he feels was a transformative journey.

Mahek Shah, a Diploma Programme student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, is driven to change the fact that the aviation industry is male dominated through her initiative called "Wings for Women." This young aviator chooses to be a pilot and not a passenger. 

With a determination to change her country into a land of opportunity for all, Anzhela Mirzoeva, a recent graduate from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, will further her education at the Connecticut College in the United States by studying International Relations and Human Development. 

By using mentorship and seeing the potential in all of her students’, Harriet Chadwick, a Humanities teacher, helped her students understand and appreciate Humanities, while also encouraging them to become leaders.

For Alqaim Lalani, his recent graduation from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa brings him one step closer to realising his dream of attaining a deeper understanding of how economics and politics affect the world around is. Alqaim will be enrolling at Columbia University in fall 2019, as a prestigious Kluge scholar.

With a community-centered and open-minded mindset, Clare McLaughlin, an Academy fellow, promoted new ideas and programmes, which enabled the Academy to grow in many ways.

With the support of his colleagues, Stephen Nyundo, a Mathematics teacher and head of the department, has helped students implement strategies to help themselves and others in Mathematics.

Throughout his time at AKA Mombasa, Ryan Herman, an Academy fellow, has worked on various projects and programmes at the Academy, all aimed at helping students realise their academic potential and more.

Meet Bilal, currently a student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa. For Bilal, studying at the Academy has instilled in him the value of learning whilst always thinking about the bigger picture: understanding how his studies today will impact the world tomorrow.

Students Cinzia Torriani (year 10) and Alisha Doshi (DP1) interviewed Alison Hampshire, the new Head of Academy at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa. They discussed important themes in education, passions, dreams and life lessons. 

Josephine Awino, alumna of the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, will be attending Wellesley College for her undergraduate studies in environmental science. She shares a reflection on her personal journey at the Academy in which she developed a sense of self and fostered her passions.

Paul Davis, the Dean of Admissions at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, has led the Talent Identification Programme for nearly ten years. The programme identifies students in Year 6 in Kenyan government schools, in deprived socio-economic and educational areas of Kenya, who are academically able and show leadership potential. This May, seven of these students graduated from the IB Diploma Programme. Paul shares their marvellous stories. 

Muriuku Njonjo graduated from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa with the receipt of a full scholarship to the University of Waterloo in Canada. He shares a personal reflection about his time studying at the Academy: "The Academy changed my way of thinking, my way of doing things and informed my purpose in life."

Kamila Janmohamed graduated from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa this year. Upon anticipating her upcoming start at Yale University, Kamila reflects on the intellectual growth and strong sense of self she has developed over the past four years at the Academy.

Joshua Abuto tells an inspiring and promising tale of what drives him to sustain his vision of making a difference in the lives of his fellow citizens in Kenya. A 2016 graduate of the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, Joshua is currently in his second year at the University of Texas at Arlington on a scholarship where he is studying computer science and engineering. 

Saifan Aswani, a student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, knows the value of taking the time to appreciate his surroundings. He credits his experience of the past three years at the Academy for instilling in him the discipline of hard work, an appreciation of diverse cultures and the motivation to pursue this responsibility.

In his final year of the Diploma Programme at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, Shad Bherani is ambitious, curious, and driven to become an engineer. Shad aspires to use his education and career as an engineer to give back and to serve his country and its people, by assisting in Pakistan’s development through technology. 

Samy Natho Jina is not only a dedicated student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa - he is also a skilled and talented self-taught computer coder. Samy says, “For each and every project, I have spent countless nights out of my own free will fixing incorrect lines of code. It is my dream to make sure this talent and passion I have for software development and computers can be used to make this world a better place.”

Through a personal reflection, Arzoo shares her experience at AKA Mombasa as she reflects on her journey in her final year: "Through the Academy I have made many of my dreams a reality."

Being a global citizen, leader and environmental enthusiast is no easy task. Prabhdeep Lochab’s story is a testament to the hard work, dedication and commitment that goes into innovating “green” solutions for a sustainable future.

Nuala, the Learning Student Support Coordinator in Mombasa, endeavours to improve social outcomes through strategic planning and capacity building at the local government and community level. She explains her role, her journey and the culture of pluralism at the Academies.

An alumus of AKA Mombasa and University of California Berkeley, Rahim reflects: "The Academy helped me to grow to be the man I am today by instilling values of social conscience and intellectual curiosity that I continue to hold precious today."

Faliha Mukhi, Class of 2017, is studying Global Business and Digital Art at the University of Waterloo. Her parents credit the Academy for helping her discover leadership and creativity through environmental initiatives, IT projects and internships.

Meet Sadiq, a student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa. Open-mindedness, confidence and time management are some of the many characteristics he has developed at the Academy that will help him achieve his dream of becoming a journalist.

Mary considers her time at the Academy in Mombasa to be a gift. With compassion and leadership, she is determined to help students with similar backgrounds succeed and receive the same opportunities she was granted.

Danish is global citizen with a creative approach to life. One of his many achievements is the award-winning app, Orai, which aims to make anyone become a better public speaker using artificial intelligence. 

Meet Saumya, a student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa. A musician and a leader, she shares her wisdom on what it means to make a true positive impact.

“The Academy helped instil within me a need to contribute to community where possible and a sense of self confidence and teamwork.”

Introducing Ivy, a student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa. Her innate drive for self-growth and desire to give back to the community makes her a true home-grown leader.

“I believe that with education, people have the power to tackle and solve problems that affect their communities,” reflects Kelvin Njue, a graduate from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa who has benefitted from the Ontario Tuition Waiver Programme.

Ruhi Kamal Manek, an alumna of the Aga Khan Academies Mombasa, took away one enduring lesson from the Academy: the importance of engaging in thoughtful and careful consideration of diverse opinions.

Meet Felix, a student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa. With a keen early interest in science, he shares his dreams for the future and explains how the Academies have helped foster his ambitions.

This is Stephen, a student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa. His passion for community service shines as he expresses the growth in perspective he experienced through his education at the Academy.

Aleem Mawji shares his journey of self-discovery, which began at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa and continued towards creating tangible change.

“I have had the opportunity to grow and learn as both an educator and an individual through my interactions at the Academy and through daily life in Mombasa," reflects Andrew Jones, a teacher seconded to the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa from Ontario. After his time at the Academy in Mombasa, Andrew has gained insight into three best teaching practices that he will share in Ontario.

Aga Khan Academy graduate Joshua Tibatemwa swam for Uganda in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. He credits the Academy with growing him not just academically but "as a person.” He plans to return to Uganda, saying, “If I want things back home to change, I have to work to be the change.”

Lucy Mwandawiro has been a chemistry teacher at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa for 11 years. However, she has grown and developed in many more areas, such as her involvement with the Educating Girls in Science project and her role as a dorm parent in the residences. Here, she shares some insights about her journey at the Academy.

“I think that at the end of the day what everything comes down to is how we can be citizens of the world and how we can change the world that we live in to make it a better place for ourselves and children that follow us. And part of that also means giving back to your own community,” says Karishma Bhagani.

“I think one of the biggest assets the Academy has is the diverse cultural background in the student body. Having players coming from all over the world from so many walks of life adds a unique element to playing as a team.”

Kashyap Gohel, who graduated from the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa, tells us about his experiences and how the Academies contributed his many accomplishments.

Christine Robertson is a veteran Ontario teacher who began a secondment to the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa in April 2016. She talks about her experience of coming to Kenya and her first days of getting to know the Academy.

Ham Serunjogi, an alumnus of the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, is a natural leader, bold thinker and team player. A recent graduate of Grinnell College in Iowa, Ham traveled widely before landing a job at Facebook. He has a passion for making connections that give back.

"There are a lot of values that the Academy instilled in me that I carry to this day. It has taught me the importance of being aware of the community around us as well as giving back to the community whenever possible," says Class of 2012 alumnus Fatema Sheikh. 

“I believe [the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa] is where I shaped my values that I still hold to this day. It is also where I saw and felt the importance of building a community, no matter how large or small.” Indeed, the importance of these values to Mirabelle Arodi is obvious in her actions after graduation from the Academy.

It is a different system that gives me more advantages and privilege.