A Force of Courage and Change: Dr Josephine Kulea’s Journey of Leadership and Impact

Recently awarded the National Heroes Award, Dr Josephine Kulea has solidified her mark as one of Kenya’s most courageous and transformative leaders. Her approach to the intersections of culture, human rights, and governance has demanded patience, integrity, and bravery. She has had to learn to dispute detrimental traditions with respect, create spaces for dialogue where there had been only silence, and include rather than disenfranchise the people she seeks to change. Kulea says, "This award should not be considered an individual victory but as an indication of the resilience of the girls and women I serve." She philosophises: "Every act of courage has ripples of change. Your background does not define your future. Your courage and conviction do."

Dr Josephine Kulea and the National Heroes Award medal.

Kulea heads the Samburu Girls Foundation and has been instrumental in saving over two thousand girls from being tied down to early marriages and female genital mutilation. These practices have, for decades, suppressed the voices of the young girls within pastoral societies. For Dr Kulea, leadership entails not being a figure of authority but a figure of responsibility.

The National Heroes Award certificate.

Her experience as an alumna of Futurelect’s East Africa Public Leadership Programme has strengthened her understanding of leadership as a role that involves responsibility towards listening, protecting, and lifting others. She says the programme enabled her to realise that leadership "is not just about being an advocate but a force of influence that can change communities without having to work against them." The emphasis on ethical and accountable leadership by Futurelect continues to have a lasting influence on her.

Dr Josephine Kulea at the National Heroes Award ceremony.

The future Dr Kulea sees for Africa includes leaders who lead on the pillars of empathy, integrity, and purpose. She sees more women and youth in positions of influence using the power of their voices to create a more just and humane system. "We require leaders who lead with passion and conviction." That's the kind of leadership that Futurelect fosters." Her life story aptly illustrates that true leadership comes not from power but from impact. This comes from being there and sticking to your principles, knowing that change starts with someone who dares to take that first step.