Character development is a pillar of human development. Character is a set of learnable attributes that are essential for individuals to lead rewarding lives and enrich the societies in which they live.
The Templeton World Charity Foundation (TWCF) and Aga Khan University (AKU) convened a two-day regional symposium on character development aimed at supporting research and intervention work in Africa, as well as stimulating conversations to promote collaborative work on character development.
“We partnered with AKU’s Institute for Human Development because the University and the Institute are centres of excellence in the region, and I’m really impressed by the rigour and scholarship coming from this network of people,” said TWCF President Dr Andrew Serazin.
Dr Alex Awiti, AKU Vice Provost, reiterated the need for partnerships across various disciplines to contribute to research in character development.
“AKU is committed to being a leader in research, and we believe this is the beginning of a productive journey in understanding human character,” he said.
More than 40 participants from 10 countries shared their work and engaged with leaders in youth, social and economic development from around the world.
“I work in psychology and I knew the concepts around character development,” said Dr Callen Nyamwange of Kenya’s Kisii University. “However, there were many concepts I was not aware of until this symposium, making it well worth my time.”
“Research in Africa is largely untapped,” said Dr Eugene Ohu of Pan Atlantic University in Nigeria. “So having African researchers develop solutions to African problems is key, and I’m glad we’re able to come together to do so.”
The participants also received an exclusive look at the Global Innovations for Character Development call for proposals, announced for the first time in Africa. The TWCF initiative aims to fund high-quality programs in character development research and implementation projects.