Valedictorian
Hellen Wimile, BScM
Distinguished Pro Chancellor, esteemed guests, respected faculty and staff, proud families, friends, and my fellow graduates of class of 2025.
I stand before you today with profound humility. It is a great privilege to represent such an accomplished and inspiring graduating class.
“Atakae cha uvunguni sharti ainame.”
This Swahili proverb reminds us that to attain something of great value, one must be willing to humble themselves, persevere, and do the necessary work. Yes, today we rise. We are here because we made sacrifices, endured long study nights, self-doubts, hard clinical hours, heated research debates and research deadlines.
Today we not only celebrate academic success but recognize transformation in graduates from the School of Nursing and Midwifery (SONAM), Medical College, Institute for Educational Development (IED) and Graduate School of Media and Communication. These Institutions represent professions rooted in service- a calling that takes place in a, classrooms, hospitals and communities during times of healing, learning, and hope.
Our experience at this university has been unique and incredibly influential. Beyond knowledge, technical proficiency and through different modes of learning our experience has molded our personalities; cultivated a heightened sense of self-awareness and certainly made us significantly more confident – all of this, not derived from comfort, but confidence forged through adversity.
We learnt the value of advocating for others as well as ourselves. Advocacy is courage with a purpose, not noise. Knowing when to speak up and making the right decisions. Nelson Mandela so powerfully stated, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Let us remember our roles carry influence and responsibility whether we are speaking up for our patients, students, coworkers, or communities.
To the graduates of Masters of Education: Vibrant and energetic, you brought life into every learning space with diversity from various countries, Tanzania included. You reminded us that learning flourishes in environments with vitality, compassion, and a common goal.
To the graduates of Masters of Medicine: You have been entrusted with people's lives during their most vulnerable times, where compassion and skill must coexist. May you never waver in your dedication to integrity and healing throughout your professional lives.
To the nursing graduates: You serve individuals and families during times of uncertainty and healing with expertise, empathy, professionalism, and a steadfast dedication to patient-centered care.
To my fellow midwifery graduates: You serve as the protectors of life's inception, assisting women and families during pregnancy, childbirth, and the initial stages of life. You provide compassionate and empowering care for women’s health, mothers and newborns.
None of us reached this milestone alone. We stand here because of the collective investment of many who believed and walked this journey with us.
We-ARE because of our sponsors, the direction, and steadfast dedication of our leadership and faculty and the librarian, the registrar’s office and the student affairs office and all our support staff who work behind the scenes to make our experience at AKU seamless.
We are immensely grateful to our families and friends for their unwavering faith during our journey. We remain humbled for every vote of confidence, wiping our tears and celebrating the small steps that have now led to this big achievement.
We respectfully honor the late His Highness Aga Khan IV, whose visionary leadership and dedication to education and human development facilitated the establishment of the Aga Khan University- he will remain a legacy.
We also extend our allegiance to His Highness Aga Khan V for his commitment and purpose.
As alumni of this institution, we pledge to create meaningful change, act as catalysts in our communities, and uphold the values and mission of the Aga Khan University.
Let us remind ourselves that graduation is not an endpoint but a responsibility. May we remain lifelong learners and be part of the fight against poverty; the father of our nation stated: “Education is not a way of escaping poverty; it is a way of fighting it.”
Dear fellow graduates, let us go confidently and live the life we imagine. Congratulations to the class of 2025.
Thank you.
