Leading with Love: A Father’s Reflection
This Father’s Day, Asante Africa Foundation honors the commitment and compassion of fathers across its communities. Among them is Asante Africa Foundation’s Nickson Ateku, the Country Manager for Kenya, who shared insights about his journey through fatherhood…a role he described as life-changing.
For Nickson, the journey into fatherhood wasn’t just about diapers and bedtime stories—it was transformative. “Becoming a father changed my whole perspective,” he shares.
“It brought clarity to what matters most. Suddenly, every decision wasn’t just about me anymore—it was about this little person looking up to me.”
What brings him the most joy are the small, everyday moments—the growth, the discoveries, the laughter, and the simple sound of his child calling him “Dad.” These are the moments that anchor him. Yet, like many working parents, he’s faced the challenge of balance. Leading teams and managing programs across regions often comes with demanding schedules, but he continues to make a conscious effort to create meaningful time for his child, choosing presence over perfection whenever possible.
The bond he shares with his child is full of warmth and connection, built through shared routines and playful rituals. Afternoons of puzzles and football aren’t just games—they are building blocks of trust and joy. There’s one memory that still makes him smile: the moment his child took their first steps. With a mixture of determination and clumsiness, the child let go of the walker, stumbled into a wall, and fell—only to get back up and try again. In that moment, Nickson saw resilience in its purest form.
In his reflection, it’s clear that the learning goes both ways. While he teaches his child life’s lessons, his child teaches him patience, humility, and how to slow down. He has come to believe that parenting is less about telling and more about modeling—that children absorb far more from what they see than what they are told. For him, that means embodying the values he hopes to pass on: love, kindness, integrity, and consistency.
His hopes for the future are rooted in one simple truth—he wants to be remembered as a father who was always there. Not just to provide, but to love unconditionally. Having once paid his own school fees and walked a path of personal struggle, he’s determined to give his child a different story—one built on stability, access, and support.
To Nickson, Father’s Day is not about celebration but about presence. It’s a reminder of the responsibility to show up, guide, and be a constant source of strength. This commitment—to be fully there for his child—is the same commitment that drives his leadership at Asante Africa Foundation.
Because for Nickson, fatherhood and leadership go hand in hand. And the most important legacy he hopes to leave behind is not found in titles or achievements, but in the memories of a child who always knew they were loved.