Alphia Faith Kemokai, Program Manager of the Young Political Leadership School Africa (YPLS Africa) under Naymote Partners for Democratic Development, has been named one of the 2025–2026 Obama Foundation Leaders, earning a spot among 35 exceptional changemakers from across Africa in the Foundation’s prestigious Leader Africa Program.
The announcement follows a highly competitive global selection process through which the Obama Foundation identified more than 200 emerging leaders worldwide for its new cohort.
The six-month leadership program is designed to equip participants with advanced leadership and civic engagement skills, empowering them to expand their impact across public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
For Kemokai, the recognition marks a defining moment in a lifelong journey of resilience, advocacy, and purpose.
Born and raised in Banjor, Montserrado County District #17, she grew up witnessing limited opportunities, teenage pregnancy, and the absence of youth empowerment programs-realities that would later shape her mission.
“Growing up, I saw so many young people with incredible potential, but no one was investing in them,” Kemokai reflected. “That was what I saw-but it’s not the path I chose.”
Her determination to take a different path began at just 14 years old after a personal experience opened her eyes to the struggles of young girls in her community.
“I remember feeling a deep, burning anger,” she recalled. “That anger became my turning point. I decided my life would not follow the path of expectation-it would be a path of purpose.”
That sense of purpose has since guided her work as one of Liberia’s most influential youth development practitioners.
At Naymote, Kemokai manages YPLS Africa, mentors girls through Girls Lead Liberia Movement and PROGAC (Progressive Girls for Transformative Change), and serves on both the UN Youth Advisory Panel and the National Youth Advisory Council to the President of Liberia.
“My work has always been about ensuring that young people are not just seen, but heard, empowered, and given the chance to lead,” she said.
Her selection as an Obama Foundation Leader, she noted, is both an honor and a call to action.
“This is a huge honor, but it’s not just about me,” Kemokai said. “It’s about every young person who dares to believe that their background does not define their destiny.”
Through the Leaders Africa Program, Kemokai and her peers will engage in virtual leadership sessions, mentorships, and collaborative projects with regional and global thought leaders.
Launched in 2018, the program was the Obama Foundation’s first regional initiative and aims to build a network of innovative African leaders driving change across areas such as climate action, governance, public health, and social equity.
Drawing on his Kenyan roots, former U.S. President Barack Obama has made nurturing emerging African leaders a cornerstone of his post-presidency efforts. The Foundation’s Leaders programs now operate in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the United States.
For Kemokai, this recognition only strengthens her resolve to continue empowering Liberia’s youth.
“Every opportunity I get, I dedicate it to the young people who remind me why I started,” she said.
About the Obama Foundation Leaders Program
The Obama Foundation Leaders program aims to inspire, empower, and connect regional cohorts of emerging leaders aged 24 to 45 to accelerate positive, lasting change in their communities and across the globe.
Participants engage in group sessions, small discussions, and one-on-one leadership coaching focused on values-based leadership and inclusive change-making. Upon completion, participants join the Obama Leadership Network, a growing global community of over 1,500 change-makers committed to creating societies where all people belong, participate, and thrive.
