Beyond the White Coat: VOALS Empowers Pharmacy Students at University of Nairobi

Beyond the White Coat: VOALS Empowers Pharmacy Students at University of Nairobi

Dr. Yetty Folami 

Olufemi Odeyemi, Nairobi, Kenya — The Chandaria Auditorium at the University of Nairobi came alive on Tuesday as pharmacy students gathered for "Beyond the White Coat: From Pharmacy Student to Healthcare Leader," a transformative outreach organized by the Voice of Africa Leadership Summit (VOALS) in partnership with the university's Department of Pharmacy.

Dr. Yetty Folami, Founder of iLEAD Synergy and Convener of VOALS, set the tone with a compelling address on leadership and identity, challenging students to see themselves not merely as future dispensers of medication, but as healthcare leaders and patient advocates in their own right.

Modupe Mabawonku (Lady Mo)

Modupe Mabawonku followed with a deeply personal session, sharing her journey through pharmacy practice and entrepreneurship across Nigeria and the United States. Drawing on her own life story, she urged the students never to give up on their journey, no matter how difficult the path may seem.

Uche O'Keem

Uche O'Keem closed the speaker sessions with a moving address on mental wellness for healthcare professionals, reminding the room that those who care for others must first learn to care for themselves.

Prof. Faith Okalebo of the Department of Pharmacology, alongside other staff of the pharmacy faculty, lent the university's full support to the occasion, underscoring the institution's commitment to nurturing well-rounded pharmacists.

In a heartwarming show of appreciation, the students presented Dr. Yetty Folami with a special traditional headpiece, crowning her a Kenyan queen for the day.

The highlight of the evening came with the Academic Excellence Awards, as top-performing students from Years 1 through 5 were called forward to receive laptops donated by the Amsha Africa Foundation in recognition of their outstanding performance. Five students, five years, one shared celebration of excellence.

By the time the session drew to a close, one message had settled firmly in the hearts of those present: pharmacists are not just dispensers of medication, but the final safeguard for patient safety.

#voalskenya2026