Resourceful Graduate Aims to Give Back to University

Every day, Africa University alumnus Gad Maiga witnesses to the transforming grace of Jesus Christ. “My social involvement has evangelistic consequences,” he said. “Being, doing and saying are at the heart of our integral task.”

Born and reared in the Kenyan village of Muberi, Gad was the third of seven children. In Nairobi, he worked with the United Methodist youth ministry and founded a small music school in 2011. “I managed to support my family, plus enroll in several life-skills courses while applying for scholarships to advance my studies,” he said. In 2013, he received a scholarship to attend Africa University.

“Africa University made me an entirely different person,” Gad said. “AU is filled with resources and counselors that helped me succeed. From internships to volunteer work, my resume was already booming even before I got my degree.” Gad earned a Bachelor of Science degree in agribusiness management.

Today he plays three roles: agribusiness officer, photojournalist/communicator and youth coach. “As an agribusiness officer,” Gad said, “I initiated the UrbanRural Support Network in Africa.”

Since 2018, more than 1,000 youth and women have been trained in integrated agricultural techniques. Gad is also a photojournalist/ communicator with the United Methodist Kenya-Ethiopia Annual Conference. He uses print and electronic resources to communicate across all levels of the church. iPhot Os, a nonprofit he founded, highlights disenfranchised communities through photography, creating gorgeous landscape and portrait photos that, upon closer examination, often highlight problems.

As a youth coach, Gad initiated the “Y-Reality Show,” a safe space for young people.

“We emphasize passion, opportunities and life purpose, based on Christian teachings,” he said. Above all, Gad strives to model the sharing that allowed him to attend AU.

“The generosity at AU has inspired me to help others and give back to the community,” he said. “I hope, one day, to help students achieve their goals just as Africa University helped me.

– Barbara Dunlap-Berg