YALLF 2023 Spotlight: Godwins Oduor

Godwins Oduor, a records and archives manager at the University of Kigali in Rwanda, joined the 2023 cohort of the Young African Library Leaders Fellowship with one clear goal: to bridge the gap between traditional library management and the demands of the digital era.

The fellowship delivered on that goal in ways he had not anticipated. Godwins gained practical skills in digital storytelling, learning to edit videos and images using tools like CapCut to better communicate library initiatives to his community. He deepened his understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals and how libraries serve as essential vehicles for achieving them. Training in program development and management gave him the practical tools to design and execute high-impact capstone proposals, while sessions on digital and information literacy sharpened his ability to distinguish credible information from misinformation.

Beyond the curriculum, Godwins found that the fellowship's greatest value was the cross-regional network it created, connecting him with fellow librarians across Africa and reinforcing his commitment to making a tangible impact in his community and the broader library sector.