Suleiman Kweyu is an agriculturalist by heart. He was born and bred in Mumias, Western Kenya in a family of seven siblings with him being the last born.
His grades were below average in primary school. He remembers a time where it got so bad that his teacher caned him. High school was also tough for him after joining a rigid school that lacked necessary facilities such as laboratories. The students would visit a neighboring school to carry out their science subjects practical experiments.
Tough times sometimes come with growth and special gifts. Even though Kweyu had a hard time in school, he gives God the glory for healing him of asthma through riding a bike for 12 kilometers every day to school. He loves biking to date.
Kweyu began taking his studies seriously and managed to secure a position at the Kenyatta University to study his degree in finance. After graduation from University, Suleiman secured a low paying job in Nairobi. He applied to as many scholarships, jobs and other opportunities as possible. He got an opportunity to pursue his Masters in Economics for two and a half years at Dokuz Eylül University in Turkey.
In September 2015, he left for Fachhochschule Brandenburg University of applied Sciences in Berlin to conduct his university research for six months. He returned to Turkey early this year for his graduation.
Suleiman is the founder of Agro Kenya, an organization that offers capacity building for small scale farmers. His passion project helps increase productivity and income for farmers in Western Kenya with a vision of scaling regionally and internationally.
The young African leader confessed that he does not enjoy the city and loves living in the rural areas. That in Western Kenya, they have no barriers as neighbors nor do they need to make appointments to visit each other. His face lit up as he narrated how he randomly walks to different homesteads uninvited and opens conversations on politics, culture and that bull fight game with anyone and especially the elderly.
Suleiman is extremely excited to have been selected as a participant of President’s Obamas YALI Regional Leadership Centre in Nairobi in the Civic Leadership track.
It is a prestigious program. It has been a great journey of learning, one that has led to great African connections and networks. I have connected with well-informed facilitators and I can now manage more challenges than before. It is intense and fun at the same time.
Suleiman’s advice to young African leaders to be real, to set and pursue goals that will lead to achieving their passion. To deliberately play their role in building Africa. He says his mantra is that eggs need to get hatched lest they rot- so do people.
In 10 years, I will be the great forty. My energy will be different. I intend to empower as many people as possible right now. Agro Kenya will have expanded to many communities across Africa with the aim of offering food security. I do not want to hear of lack of food in any community, country or in this continent.
Suleiman enjoys talking to his girlfriend whom he claims is the most understanding person. He adores well cooked rice, bananas and fish. Two things go hand in hand for Suleiman, water and his swimming prowess.
