Our Links Africa Family is Growing

It was that time of year again when we gathered all our partners from across the African continent to share, learn and pray together. This year we focused on the theme “How Technology Can Influence Our Lives and Communities for the Better.” As in 2024, we invited leaders from various organisations to stay at our regional hub in Kenya. We were delighted to expand the reach of our Links Africa Family to 15 organisations across East Africa, with representation from Zambia, Malawi, Uganda and Kenya.

With the Links Africa Hub now operating and growing for almost two years, we were able to showcase the progress our team has made in key areas of hospitality and agriculture. We successfully hosted over 15 attendees (excluding the site team), providing meals and conference-style services throughout the three days. We also introduced new initiatives such as dairy farming and organic methods like azolla (water fern) for sustainable feed supplements, along with revolving composting practices to improve the fertility of our small model farm. During these demonstrations, we highlighted technologies in horticultural science, mechanical milking and irrigation systems.

In our training sessions, Joe Gisbey - on his first visit to the Hub - spoke about the importance of prioritising rest and practising Sabbath in our increasingly technology-driven world. Helen Harrison and Jason Bollinger, our USA Director, led sessions on trauma-responsive healing and mental health for leaders. Finally, we discussed the importance of mastering technologies such as social media and AI - rather than being mastered by them - and how to use these tools effectively in community development.

Each year, we also dedicate time for partners to share projects and programmes that are making an impact in the communities they serve. This year, we encouraged them to showcase how they are using technology to make a difference. Many innovative approaches were shared, ranging from water filtration and solar irrigation to mobile banking and social media storytelling. It was inspiring to see our partners cross-pollinate ideas, support one another and cheer each other on.

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