The 11th Kenya Keynote Tour is seeking to support schools and communities in Kisii and other parts of Kenya through projects aimed at addressing basic needs that can affect children’s ability to remain in school.

Top Talent International founder Isabel Donadio, who is leading a delegation of nearly 30 American entrepreneurs and professionals, said the group was using its school visits to understand community needs and identify practical ways of supporting learners.

Donadio said the delegation had visited Amasege and Ichuni schools on Thursday and was scheduled to engage students at Kereri Girls on Friday.

Basic needs to keep children in school

She pointed out that the Kenya Keynote Tour works with schools, communities and informal settlements, including in Nairobi, with projects ranging from the provision of water tanks to the establishment of computer libraries.

“We are finding ways to make lasting changes, like water tanks and computer libraries, and working with the community to meet their individual needs,” Donadio said.

She said the initiative was also concerned with ensuring children have food and menstrual support so that they do not miss school.

“The purpose of Kenya Keynote Tour is to make sure that students don’t have to miss school and do not go to bed hungry,” she said.

Partnership with the ministry of education

Ambassador Dominic Obadiah, a humanitarian diplomat and founder of Civility Voice Diplomat, said he had been working with different organisations, including Top Talent International, to support young people.

Obadiah said he had recently been appointed by the Ministry of Education to collaborate with the ministry in supporting students, particularly in Kisii and Nyamira counties.

The delegation had so far visited 11 schools along the Nairobi-Kisumu-Kisii route.

Obadiah has previously been involved in humanitarian and youth-focused initiatives, with his work including mentorship and efforts to expand opportunities for young people and communities.

The Trueness Project describes him as its National Partner Director for Kenya, with a focus on reaching communities through schools and rural programmes.

He has also previously said that children should have equal opportunities to learn and develop, with inclusivity at the centre of humanitarian efforts.

Diverse expertise

Justine Reiss, founder of The Empowered Voice Coach, is also part of the delegation. Her work focuses on helping people communicate with greater confidence, clarity and authenticity.

Reiss’s programmes teach participants techniques involving pitch, pace and physicality, while encouraging them to develop confidence in their voices.

She has also spoken about the changing creative industry in the age of artificial intelligence, encouraging creators to use technology as a tool while retaining the human qualities that make their voices distinctive.

Dr Tina Koopersmith, founder of West Coast Women’s Reproductive Center, brings a women’s health and reproductive health perspective to the delegation.

Koopersmith is a physician specialising in gynecology, fertility and integrative medicine, and runs a centre that provides fertility-related services and women’s reproductive healthcare.

The Kenya Keynote Tour combines the professional expertise of its American participants with community engagement, with the delegation seeking to connect with learners and identify areas where support can have a direct effect on their education.

Donadio said the team was targeting thousands of students through the tour and wanted its interventions to respond to the needs identified by individual communities.