Newsletter

 

Guest Editorial

Beyond the Border:  From a Refugee Childhood to a Legacy of Global Leadership
Charles Kabera (Rwanda)
kabcharles@yahoo.fr 

Below is the Forward from a book, Charles is writing!  He recently retired from his long term position at the Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA):

Leadership is often mistakenly viewed as a destination in a specific office, a high-ranking title, or a final salary grade. But after thirty years in the heart of Rwanda’s civil service, I have come to see that true leadership is a journey of perpetual becoming. It is a commitment to the “long game” of institutional excellence and personal integrity.

This journey did not begin in a boardroom or a university lecture hall. It began in the red dust of the Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. I was born into a world of “temporary” shelters, the child of parents uprooted by the upheavals of the 1960s. In that settlement, the concept of a “border” wasn’t just a line on a map; it was a wall that separated me from a home I had only heard about in stories.

I wrote this book for the young professional who feels displaced, the student who lacks resources, and the veteran leader who is beginning to think about the legacy they will leave behind. I want to show you that your starting point does not dictate your destination.

My path from Nakivale to the Ministry of Justice, and eventually through nearly three decades at the Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA), was paved with the realization that the only thing no one can take from you is what you carry in your mind. Whether it was mastering the French language to integrate into a new Rwanda, or pivoting back to English at ULK in 2003, every academic hurdle was a step away from the limitations of the refugee camp and toward the freedom of global leadership.

The title of this book, “Beyond the Border,” is a promise. It is a promise that no matter the hurdles you face whether they are academic barriers, language transitions, or the “ghosts of fear” that whisper that you aren’t enough you have the capacity to cross over. Throughout these chapters, you will see a recurring theme: the power of the “inner garden.” My life was fundamentally altered by the principles of the International Institute For Global Leadership (IIGL), which gave me the philosophical tools to turn thirty years of service into a legacy of Knowledge Management.

As you read, do not just look at the titles I held. Look at the resilience of the refugee child who refused to stay small. Look at the discipline of the man who realized that integrity is the only currency that never devalues. If I could navigate this path from a settlement to the boardrooms of global leadership, then I am certain that you can make it too. 

(Charles is an IIGL Graduate; Mentor and Board Member!)

 

What Others Are Saying

The Origin of IIGL

Michael Lightweaver (USA)

Lightweave@aol.com

Have you wondered how IIGL came about?  This is the ‘prequel.’ In 1980 I was fired as the director of a non-profit organization as a result of policy issues with the board of directors.  I was feeling very much the victim. Soon after I was introduced to the “Law of Attraction” and began my 45 year journey in learning about the power of the mind; our beliefs, thoughts and attitude. Desiring to share this transformative information with others is what gave birth to IIGL in 2002. 

Over the past many years I have used all of the various techniques which have been offered; such as vision boards, affirmations, visualizations and positive thinking. All of them have been valuable and helpful. Yet it is only last year that I discovered that the real cornerstone of successful manifestation is one’s frequency.  The Universe does not give us what we want but gives us who we are.  Our experiences are simply a mirror of our consistent frequency. 

This understanding was what inspired me to create the “Holy Order of Perpetual Gratitude” last year because gratitude is the “abracadabra” that unlocks the door to conscious creation. The treasure behind that door is our frequency. Like a mirror, our outer experience is simply a reflection of our inner state; our frequency, and perpetual gratitude is the number one practice to upgrade our frequency. 

I have had many requests from IIGL students asking what is the next step, especially from those who are graduates. I see the “Holy Order of Perpetual Gratitude” as that next step. Each week I send members a YouTube link to videos related to frequency enhancement, so for those who take it seriously, it is really a mentorship program. I invite you to visit the link and check it out. There is also link at the website if you wish to sign up as a member. There is no cost and you can participate at whatever level your circumstances permit. https://perpetualgratitude.org

What our Students are Reading
Change your Thinking; Change your Life (Ebook)

This is a self-help book that provides a step-by-step system for personal and professional success by transforming your mindset, self-concept and beliefs.  It teaches readers to use mental power, positive thinking and visualization to unlock their full potential, set and achieve gals plus attract the resources needed for a more fulfilling life, drawing on Brian Tracy’s experience as a successful businessman and speaker.

 

Students/Graduates In Action
Congratulations to IIGL Board Member and Graduate on his Achievement!

Recently IIGL Board Member and Graduate Mwesigwa Enock Joseph (Uganda) mwesigwaejosoph@gmail.com received an outstanding achievement! Enock is one of seven students from WorldQuant University that has completed all four academic programs that hey currently offer!  They have more than 8,000 alumni yet only 7 have earned this achievement! Well Done Enock! 

 

Valuable Resources for Personal and Planetary Transformation
Toastmasters
Toastmasters.org

Since 1924, Toastmasters International has transformed nearly eight million lives through a simple, yet powerful, mission: empowering individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. What sets Toastmasters apart isn’t just what you learn it’s how you learn it. Currently they have a global community of 13,800 Clubs!  Every meeting is a safe opportunity to:

Practice both planned speeches and unplanned responses

Give and receive meaningful feedback

Step into leadership opportunities

 

News

2026 Annual Meeting Set for May 16

IIGL will be holding it’s Annual Meeting on May 16 via Zoom.  Please look for a reminder email on the IIGL Message Board with directions sent by (IIGL Corresponding Secretary) Kathleen Oweegon about how to join the meeting via Zoom.  The reminder email will be sent on or before May 7 and will include the timing for the meeting.  Email Deb or simply reply to this email if you have questions.  All financial contributors, graduates and active students are invited! 

 

Help IIGL Recruit New Students!

Feel free to share this newsletter or just this poster with your friends, family, co-workers and colleagues to help IIGL continue to grow and flourish globally!  Thank you to those who have referred others! 

 IIGL Book Sales Continue…
The IIGL Board of Directors shared that the IIGL book, “Creating Your Path Through Leadership” book sales continue to provide a Royalty payment to IIGL each month. It has also helped new potential donors understand more about IIGL!  The book is available both on Kindle and in Paperback on Amazon.com!  Check it out!   Here’s the link:  https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1… 

 

Meet Our New Students

 We had 2 new student this month.

Kadogo Mongeli (Kenya)

I was born into a family of 8 siblings four boys and four girls, i am the 3rd born child and also I am married blessed with three children two girls and one boy, they are in junior secondary school.  I do come from a humble family background whereby my parents are peasant farmers, planting kales, bananas, cabbages and coffee plantation, this is what made us go to school and be who we are today.

Khadijat Abdullahi Ibrahim (Nigeria)

I see leadership as a responsibility to serve, guide, and help others grow. My journey has been shaped largely through education, entrepreneurship and community engagement, and these experiences have influenced the way I approach leadership and impact. Teaching has been a central part of my professional life. As an educator, I work closely with young people every day, and this has strengthened my belief that education is one of the most powerful tools for shaping the future.

 

To view complete profiles, Click Here

Student Progress
We had 7 students from 4 countries complete a total of 9 books in April. These students were from Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria and Sudan.

Cecilia Kithinji (Kenya) 

* PsychoCybernetics

Francis Maundu (Kenya)

* The Rules of Work

Kadogo Mongeli (Kenya)

* As a Man Thinketh

* Jonathan Livingston Seagull                                   

Nadia Echchikhi (Morocco)

* The Law of Attraction

Khadijat Abdullahi Ibrahim (Nigeria)

* As a Man Thinketh

* Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Ajeigbe Aremu Jimi Rexford (Nigeria)                               

* Full Steam Ahead

Mohammed Abdalkarieem Saeed Adam (Sudan)

* Success through PMA

Statistics

New Enrollments
3 enrolled in April
12 enrolled in 2026

Book Assessments
9 in April                                                                                                                                          41 in 2026

Books Shipped

0 in April

0 in 2026

Cost of Books
$0 in April

$0 in 2026

 

You Make It Possible

We extend a special thanks to the following individuals and/or organizations who contributed to IIGL last month. Your ongoing support makes this work possible.

Deb Silver (Israel)

Lynne Murguia (USA/AZ) In Blessed Memory

John Hornecker (USA/NC)

Michael Lightweaver (USA/NC)

Lynda Eze (USA/TX)

Deb Rosen (USA/WI)

Patrice Zorn (USA/WI)

Kathleen Oweegon (USA)

 

Make A Difference
Dream Team 22
Please join Dream Team 22 as our goal is to have 22 people contributing $22 per month.  We understand that money is energy and that to sustain and build IIGL we need a lot of people pouring their energy into this endeavor on a regular basis. We also know that not everyone can afford to commit $22 a month – especially our students, who live in countries with economies in which this amount can be equal to a weeks’ salary. So we are offering two options for those who wish to become a part of the Dream Team. One can commit to a $22 a month contribution or to spending 22 seconds each day holding the vision of IIGL becoming financially sustainable by the end of 2026!

Please join the Dream Team and help us create an energetic foundation to support the transformational work of IIGL! You can really make a difference in the world by making a modest contribution of time or money.  To make the $22 a month commitment or a one time donation, click the link below.  To become a member of the Dream Team 22 by committing 22 second a day to help us hold the vision, contact Deb for details:  drosen2@wi.rr.com

Checks on US banks, payable to the International Institute For Global Leadership, can be mailed to IIGL, 11537 N. Lake Shore Drive, Mequon, WI  53092 USA. Contributions may also be made by credit card by clicking the link below. Contributions are tax deductible under the 501 (c) 3 tax code of the United States Internal Revenue Service.

 

To Contribute By Paypal, go to www.paypal.com and make donation to iigl.globalleadership@gmail.com

 

To Contribute By Credit Card, go to global-leadership.com