The International Youth Fellowship (IYF) on Saturday concluded a four-day Leadership Mind Training Forum at its Nairobi headquarters, bringing together student leaders and volunteers from its Free Weekend Academy for a transformative weekend of empowerment and leadership development.
The event, part of IYF’s ongoing mission to raise resilient, purpose-driven youth, featured globally renowned missionary and youth mentor Rev. Pablo Shin as the keynote speaker. His address, themed “Mindset Change as the Foundation for National Development,” urged young leaders to develop inner strength, vision, and a heart of service as building blocks for meaningful national transformation.
“True leadership begins when young people learn to overcome themselves,” said Rev. Shin, who has mentored youth across more than 40 countries over the past three decades. “The change Kenya’s youth need will come not only from policies, but from changed hearts.”
Representing the Principal Secretary in the State Department for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy, Dr. Emily Maina—Director of Youth Social Development—praised the government’s appointment of the youngest Principal Secretary as a landmark move to inspire Kenyan youth.
“This is a success story that uplifts the hopes and spirits of young people to pursue their dreams,” Dr. Maina said, affirming the ministry’s ongoing support for youth-centered programs like IYF’s.
“What IYF is doing is giving empowerment to the young ones. The moment they get training and skills, they are able to get jobs. This is what we think is most important for our country,” she added.
The IYF Free Weekend Academy offers holistic development programs including soft skills training, character education, and mentorship—completely free of charge. The initiative has recorded growing enrollment as Kenyan youth increasingly seek structured spaces for self-improvement and purpose discovery.
Organizers highlighted that beyond skills, the forum’s focus on mindset education is key to addressing the emotional and economic challenges facing today’s youth.
As the forum closed, participants echoed a renewed sense of direction, motivated to become agents of positive change in their communities—embodying IYF’s vision of youth-led transformation grounded in character, service, and resilience.