Open Chats with The Open Institute

Welcome to our new talk show series, Open Chats by The Open Institute! This new show brings together leaders and experts in development and governance to discuss the future of Africa and the megatrends that are shaping the world today. Our mission is to provide a platform for insightful conversations and exchanging ideas that will lead to innovative solutions and a better future for Africa. Modern megatrends shaping the world include digital transformation, climate change, and urbanisation. As prominent African leaders have pointed out, these megatrends have significant implications for Africa and its future.At Open Chats by The Open Institute, we will bring together leaders and experts to discuss these megatrends and their impact on Africa. We aim to provide a platform for insightful conversations and exchanging ideas that will lead to innovative solutions and a better future for Africa. We invite you to join us on this journey as we explore the future of Africa and the world.In our Season Zero, we start off with our new board members - including Nivi Sharma, who has dedicated her life to providing access to children, women and rural populations, first using the internet and now by building literal bridges! We shall feature computer scientist per excellence, Dr Shikoh Gitau, who has worked hard to change how major decisions are made using hardcore data science and Brian Longwe, who has built internet networks in multiple African countries for the past 30 years. -----------------------The Open Institute is a non-profit organisation based in Nairobi, Kenya that collaborates with Governments, Civil Society Organisations, Citizen Groups and Private Sector companies to find innovative ways to achieve Sustainable Development. https://openinstitute.africa/our-story/

Episodes

Open Institute | The Speak Up Session

April 02, 2026 • 55:21

Open Chats | #TheBrownEnvelope | Are Journalists Living By Faith?

What REALLY is the #BrownEnvelope?Dive deep as Director Al Kags & Winnie Kamau unpack the controversial world of #BrownEnvelope journalism, corruption in media, and so much more. Is it bribery or survival? Get the unfiltered truth!<...

February 03, 2026 • Season 3 • Episode 1 • 39:49

Episode 3 | Season Finale! Embracing Grit: A Decade of Hard Work

Welcome to the gripping finale of the Open Chat Series! In this awe-inspiring episode, our visionary Co-Founders take you on an unforgettable journey through the last ten years since the birth of The Open Institute Organisation. Prepare to be m...

July 21, 2023 • Season 1 • Episode 3 • 21:13

Episode 2 | The Story Unfolds: Exploring the Highs & Lows That Have Shaped OI

Welcome to "Open Chats" Season 1, Episode 2, where the captivating story continues to unfold as our founders Jay Bhalla and Al Kags delve into the incredible highs and challenging lows that have left an indelible mark on the Open Institute (OI)...

July 07, 2023 • Season 2 • Episode 2 • 15:33

Episode 1 | Unveiling the birth of Open Institute

In this captivating video, prepare to be taken on a mesmerizing journey as we delve deep into the origins of this incredible organization. Join the charismatic duo of Al Kags and Jay Bhalla, the brilliant founders of Open Institute, as they unr...

June 26, 2023 • Season 2 • Episode 1 • 12:33

Season 2 Trailer | Celebrating a Decade of Growth!

Welcome to our new Open Chats Season! We are excited to launch Season 1 as we commemorate a momentous milestone - our 10th anniversary in advocating for responsive governments and active citizens in Kenya and beyond.Over the past decade...

June 19, 2023 • Season 2 • Episode 1 • 0:57

Episode 5 with Davis Adieno | The value of the citizen voice in governance

Join us for the final episode of the season as our new board chairman, Davis Adieno, shares his journey of working with the government years ago to audit CDF (Constituency Development Fund) projects and how citizen empowerment played a powerful...

March 15, 2023 • Season 1 • Episode 6 • 27:50

Episode 4 with Geci Karuri-Sebina | Mentorship and Innovation to solve OUR problems

"I happily make time for young people because I remember being young with full of hopes and dreams and not always having the audience support or people to believe in me. That is a stage where people have energy and faith that they can do someth...

March 10, 2023 • Season 1 • Episode 5 • 26:56

Episode 3 with Brian Longwe | It's about time Africans Began to Build Their Own Africa

We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Brian Longwe, the CEO and co-founder of Converged Technologies Malawi, about his mission to connect people through technology and promote active citizenship in Africa. In our latest Open Chat, he sh...

March 03, 2023 • Season 1 • Episode 4 • 19:08

Episode 2 with Nivi Sharma | Rural Isolation is the Root Cause of Poverty

"There are people who can't get to a market, to a school, or to a health care facility - all these things that we take for granted are the real cause of poverty in rural areas."We had a wonderful conversation with Nivi Sharma, CEO of Br...

February 24, 2023 • Season 1 • Episode 3 • 18:53

Episode 1 with Dr. Shikoh Gitau | There are 700,000 Unmet Data Science Opportunities in Kenya

Dr. Shikoh Gitau is a Computer Scientist, and the CEO at Qhala Ltd, a Digital Innovation company that catalyzes digital transformation capabilities for organizations across Africa. We chatted with h...

February 17, 2023 • Season 1 • Episode 2 • 18:18

Season 1 Trailer | Welcome to The Open Chats With The Open Institute!

We are excited to announce the launch of our new talk show series, Open Chats by The Open Institute! This ...

February 16, 2023 • Season 1 • Episode 1 • 1:56