## Notes from 02 February 2026 [[2026-02-01|← Previous note]] ┃ [[2026-02-03|Next note →]] I recently [watched an interview with Abigail Kajumba](https://youtu.be/7K263hMLNTc?si=k5mwVXCPSnTDr3bS), the executive director of [[Emerging Public Leaders (EPL)]], an organization co-founded by former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2009. The organization operates a merit-based fellowship program that places high-achieving young professionals in government ministries in five countries: Liberia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi and Sierra Leone. Supported by partners such as the Mastercard Foundation and USAID, the program strengthens the civil service by selecting approximately 50 fellows from thousands of applicants per cohort for intensive on-the-job training and mentorship. During the discussion, Kajumba detailed her vision of leadership, which centers on ethical service and systemic reform. She defines leadership not as a status symbol but as a practical commitment to "servant leadership" and technical competence. A key focus of the interview is "the heart to serve," encouraging leaders to prioritize community impact, while resisting corruption through technology and peer support networks.