Welcome to Crossing the Raging River — a podcast about Abundant Leadership in an increasingly divided and chaotic world.
Join us on a life-giving safari to discover how to develop the beliefs, mindsets, and tools needed to guide you and your people across the raging river you face in leadership.
Wherever you lead, this podcast will equip and inspire you to lead with purpose, resilience, and abundance.
Take the next step in your leadership journey by attending one of Kurumbuka Leadership Solutions' programs: kurumbuka.org/programs.
In this episode, Sam sits down with Maureen Chege, a Kenyan leader and Abundant Leadership Institute alumna who spent nearly 20 years in Burundi, to talk about leading across cultures. Maureen shares how a casual visit became a calling, the challenges of language, culture, and being seen as an outsider, and the principles that helped her thrive: knowing your purpose and building authentic relationships. She ends by offering advice for those developing leaders. Meet Your Host - Sam Birondwa, A...
23 Oct 2026
Raising the Next Generation of Leaders
In this episode, Richard sits down in Kenya with Rev. David Ewagata, a leader with over 30 years of experience working with youth, to talk about East Africa's next generation. The region has one of the youngest populations in the world and enormous potential, but young people face broken families, disillusionment with leadership, and a lack of gospel transformation. They close with four pieces of wisdom for young leaders. Meet Your Host - Richard Taylor, Co-founder and Executive Directo...
23 Oct 2026
Impacting Communities
In this episode, Richard sits down with Everlyne, a field partner with Hungry for Life International and an Abundant Leadership Institute alumna, to talk about empowering marginalized women and families in Western Kenya. Everlyne shares how Kurumbuka’s asset-based approach, one that looks first at what communities already bring, has helped women move from dependence to running their own businesses, savings groups, and farms. Meet Your Host - Richard Taylor, Co-founder and Executive Dir...
23 Oct 2026
From Suffering to Service
In this episode, Sam sits down with Najele Otieno, a Kenyan leader and ALI alumnus, to talk about servant leadership and the role of young people in shaping Kenya’s future. Najele shares how his suffering from a life-changing injury gave him a heart of compassion, and how the 2024 Gen Z protests led him to start training young leaders. He’s passionate about transformational servant leadership and hopes to see a new generation of leaders who care first about service. Meet Your Host - Sam...
24 Aug 2026
The Deepest Form of Localization
In this Season 2 finale, Erica opens up about her journey into asset-based community development and shares what she got wrong before she got it right. She and Sam explore why ABCD is the deepest form of localization - placing leadership not just with African-led organizations, but with communities themselves. Have feedback? Send us your thoughts! Visit www.kurumbuka.org/podcast for more resources or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. Take the next step in your leadership journ...
24 Jul 2026
Our Role in ABCD: From Fixers to Facilitators
Most people enter development work because they want to help, but what if good intentions aren’t enough? In this episode, Erica and Sam examine the shift from fixer to facilitator, unpacking why taking over development, even with the best motives, communicates that communities can't lead themselves. From the trap of paternalism to the three phases of ABCD support, they walk through what it actually looks like to create ownership rather than hold on to control, and why our goal should be to w...
26 Jun 2026
The 5 Principles of ABCD: How Communities Really Grow
What actually makes communities grow? Not outside resources, not expert interventions, but the assets, relationships, and leadership already inside a community. In this episode, Erica and Sam walk us through the 5 Principles of Asset-Based Community Development, showing what each one looks like in practice and revealing why lasting change happens when communities are seen as capable and trusted to lead themselves. Have feedback? Send us your thoughts! Visit www.kurumbuka.org/podcast for...
25 May 2026
What Model is Right for You?
In this episode, Erica and Sam ask: What if using the wrong development model is doing more harm than good? Drawing on real experiences in Africa, they break down three approaches - relief, rehabilitation, and development - and explore how treating every situation like a crisis unintentionally creates dependency rather than lasting change. They then introduce the mindset shift at the heart of ABCD, moving from seeing communities as half-empty to recognizing the strengths already present. Ha...
15 Apr 2026
Red Flags & Green Flags of Development
In this episode, Erica and Sam talk about some of the red flags and green flags of development. Tune in to learn about development models that can unintentionally cause harm and explore how you can become a more sustainable and community-oriented leader (the green flag we're all striving towards). We'd love for you to subscribe for monthly episodes that can help you on your leadership journey. Have feedback? Send us your thoughts! Visit www.kurumbuka.org/podcast for more resource...
12 Mar 2026
Why What We’re Doing Isn’t Working
Send a text In our first episode of Season 2, Erica and Sam ask: what if some of our well-intentioned efforts to help people are making things worse? Drawing on real experiences in Africa, they explore how traditional approaches to addressing poverty often overlook the strengths already present in communities, unintentionally creating dependency rather than lasting change. Your hosts: Sam Birondwa - Africa Director at Kurumbuka Leadership Solutions Erica Asiimwe - Founder of Love & Hands...
11 Dec 2025
What Do You Have in Your Hands?
In this Season 1 finale, Erica and Richard revisit the shift from scarcity to abundance through the Feeding of the Five Thousand, trace Erica’s personal journey into Asset-Based Community Development, and share powerful stories of how ABCD is transforming communities across Africa. Join us for Season 2 as we go deeper into ABCD and how it can reshape your leadership, your organization, and your community. Visit www.kurumbuka.org/podcast for more resources or follow us on LinkedIn, Insta...
26 Sept 2025
The Power of Abundant Leadership
In this episode, Erica and Richard unpack the roots of Abundant Leadership, share stories from Rwanda’s rebuilding, and explore the principles of an abundant mentality. Visit www.kurumbuka.org/podcast for more resources or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
28 Jul 2025
Leading with Purpose through Global Disruption
This episode is taken from the 2025 Abundant Leadership Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, foucsed on Leading Abundantly through Global Uncertainty. In this session, hear from Michael Messenger, International Lawyer and former CEO of World Vision Canada, as he speaks on Leading with Purpose through Global Disruption. For the full Summit recordings, visit kurumbuka.org/summit. Visit www.kurumbuka.org/podcast for more resources or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
28 Jul 2025
Leading with Principle in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
This episode is taken from the 2025 Abundant Leadership Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, foucsed on Leading Abundantly through Global Uncertainty. In this session, hear from Dale Lutz, former Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Safe Software, as he speaks on Leading with Principle in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. For the full Summit recordings, visit kurumbuka.org/summit. Visit www.kurumbuka.org/podcast for more resources or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
11 Jul 2025
The Cost of Scarcity Leadership
In this episode, Erica and Richard discuss the indignity of dependency, identifying the characteristics of scarcity leadership and why many leadership models have fueled dependency in Africa. Visit www.kurumbuka.org/podcast for more resources or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
5 Jun 2025
Navigating the Hippos, Crocodiles, and Snakes!
Erica and Richard explore the six major pitfalls in the raging river narrative, drawing from their leadership experience to help listeners avoid common mistakes in challenging situations.
5 Jun 2025
What’s Upstream Flows Downstream
This episode examines how a leader's mindset impacts their ability to overcome scarcity and embrace abundance.
4 Jun 2025
The Raging River of Leadership
This episode introduces the concept of leadership as a challenging journey, highlighting the transition from scarcity to abundance for leaders.
Reach and audience
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 21 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
24
Social presence
94
YouTube
0
Engagement
0
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