She is the youngest ambassador that Kenya has ever had. At only 28
years, Yvonne Khamati-Kilonzo is now Kenya’s head of Chancery and
deputy permanent representative to the Kenya Mission to the United
Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON). UNON comprises all UN offices in
Nairobi plus UNEP and UN-HABITAT.When President Kibaki appointed her as ambassador in May 2007 she was all of 25 years old! This automatically qualified her as the youngest envoy ever in Kenya and the whole of Africa in this era. (The youngest-ever ambassador from Africa was Salim Salim of Zanzibar, who was appointed ambassador to UN at 22 in the 1970s.)
In Kenya, and indeed throughout Africa, the head of state appoints ambassadors or high commissioners. Khamati-Kilonzo’s appointment came after her nomination and election to the East African Legislative Assembly in Arusha. Following a deadlock with Kenyan nominees that brought the EAC to a standstill, her party, Ford Kenya, entered into talks with the head of state.
Her appointment to Foreign Affairs was a result of those talks. “It wasn’t what I had planned, but I believe that God has a plan for my life, and that this was part of it. I fought hard. I called Honourables Musikari Kombo and Moses Wetangula many times to tell them that I preferred to go to the parliament in Arusha. Every time they listened calmly and told me diplomacy was the best career choice for me,” she says.
Before her current posting, Khamati-Kilonzo served as the international coordinator of the World Youth Organisation on Climate Change. She was a research fellow at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa before returning home to run the Musikari Kombo Foundation. She has also served as secretary of AFC Leopards, and is currently a member of its committee.
EARLY YEARS
When
Khamati-Kilonzo turned 18 she already had the world at her beck and
call. At this tender age she joined several heads of states and
governments in The Hague, Netherlands, to negotiate the Kyoto Protocol
on behalf of the youth. This milestone in her life heralded the start
of a new journey into the international environmental arena, which
inevitably paved her path to international diplomatic circles.In 2002, aged only 21 years, she made history by becoming the youngest person to be elected in the executive committee of the political party, Ford Kenya.
Khamati-Kilonzo went to school in the UK. Her mother, Dr Beatrice Khamati Njenga, is the head of education at the African Union. She says,”My mother is my mentor, advisor, and friend. She has always supported me, and when I ran for parliament in Makadara, she joined me full-time on the campaign trail!” Her father, a retired scholar, runs a private business.
For Khamati-Kilonzo, the most memorable part of growing up was when she was in Buile Hill High in Salford, England, and her teacher said that she had to move two classes up because she seemed to know everything. She then had to take the British government 11+ IQ exam, which she did reluctantly.
She didn’t want to pass because it would take her away from her friends and neighbourhood; being moved up two classes had already identified her as a nerd and a geek. Much to the pleasure of her family, she passed and, to her horror, she had to start attending a grammar school and wearing a distinctive blazer.
“In hindsight, that is when my teachers started giving me opportunities to learn many things. I read a book a day. Any book on any topic from chemistry to theology,” she reminisces.
Khamati-Kilonzo spent the greatest part of her teenage life and schooling in Manchester, England, before returning to Kenya and joining St Christopher’s School, briefly, then Peponi School. She first completed a diploma in sociology and criminology at University of Nairobi. Then she joined United States International University for a course in international relations before joining the American World University (AWU) to study counselling psychology. She intends to finish a joint BA/MA programme at AWU by next year.
Her family, which she describes as being close-knit and God-fearing, travelled alot. “They helped me learn the importance and significance of family. My best times were those spent in Eregi with my grandparents. We loved each other, and they spoiled me. I loved the food, sweet bananas and sugarcane, and ugali and chicken for breakfast.
Today her siblings live in Saudi Arabia, Europe and Africa. Her mother was quite strict and church was a key part of their life. There was also a lot of music, and Khamati-Kilonzo can play the piano and violin. She also received voice-training lessons and has performed at the Royal Manchester Opera House.
“For a long time I believed I would become a musician, and though I am sure now that my mother had no intention of letting me do this, she supported me in learning the instruments, and performing both at church and in school.”
In 2009 she married Vincent Kilonzo, after a courtship that lasted seven years. The youthful diplomat pays school fees and buys scholastic materials for several children in different primary and Setondary schools.
“I pay fees for a total of 11 children in Ngumbulu Secondary School in Katangi, Yatta, and at Yumbuni and Our Lady of Queen of Peace primary schools.”
She also supports the activities of Kilele Foundation in Eastern Province, which distributes dry food to help keep children of school-going age at school. Khamati-Kilonzo is also a mentor with the CRADLE (The Children Foundation) and gives talks on leadership, career development and human rights to girls at secondary schools.
She says, “Only those who have been helped can speak for themselves on how it has changed their lives, but I know that it has blessed me, for it is far better to give than to receive. The Bible, in Philippians 2:4, says ‘Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others’.”
TALKING DIPLOMACY
Khamati-Kilonzo admits that the responsibilities and challenges of her work have been both worthwhile and interesting. Being an ambassador was tough in the beginning. “Here I was, not expecting it, very young, female, with many responsibilities. There were mixed reactions – surprise, support, and animosity.
I learnt early enough that people despise that which they can’t understand. I have learnt not to blame those people, I just feel sad for them because it takes much more energy to be negative, to dislike, to fight. It has made me take a keen interest in taking up young women to encourage and to push them to perform the best they can.
Terming her career as one big highlight, she says, “Shortly after my appointment as ambassador I went for my first briefing meeting. The secretary there ignored me completely for almost 10 minutes. I asked one more time if I could meet the person I had an appointment with. She didn’t know that I was actually the person who had an appointment.
I tried to hold back my laughter as I calmly told her, “I was the one he was waiting for”. The secretary says Khamati-Kilonzo looked too young. “I remember the appointment vividly because it is great for young people to hold high offices. I felt proud to be recognised at only 26.”
Khamati-Kilonzo says she has learnt humility, tact, and how to love and defend Kenya at all times.
“When I leave diplomatic circles, I will take with me tonnes of knowledge and experience, a huge network, and many friends.”
She also says that women are gifted with the ability to multitask. “An average rural African woman ploughs the farm, feeds the family, performs her wifely duties, and wakes up very early to go searching for firewood!
Her life is not very different from that of an average modern African woman. The majority of households are women-led, but there has never once been a strike by women to complain about their responsibilities.”
Khamati-Kilonzo has been lucky to have mentors, women who have stood
by her, advised her and given her a shoulder to cry on. She says her
mother has always prayed with her, advised her, quarreled her back to
sanity, and been her number-one cheerleader. Ida Odinga (Kenya’s prime
minister’s wife) has also been very kind and caring. “Ida talks to
counsels me and tells me things that every young woman should know.”Yvonne Khamati-Kilonzo
- Family: She is married to Vincent Kilonzo.
- Childhood: Spent early childhood in Buruburu, with many of her siblings.
- Interests: She is an environmental specialist, and has studied psychology, sociology, criminology and internationalrelations.
- Is good at public speaking.
- Career highlights: speaking about the environment and climate change issues to sev¬eral world leaders and heads of states when she was 17. She became an ambassador at the age of 25.
Yvonne Khamati-Kilonzo has been involved novel projects, including the ongoing slum-upgrading programme, which was initiated by the Kenyan government and UN-HABITAT. Two of the informal settlements that will be upgraded are Kibera in Nairobi and Manyatta in Kisumu.
Khamati-Kilonzo, a keen environmentalist, says that it is satisfying to see tangible results of multilateral partnerships, diplomacy, and negotiations. She also says that working in a station like the Kenya Mission to the United Nations Office in Nairobi can be quite challenging, because there are many political and technical issues to consider, including the handling of the environment, and of human settlements in fragile ecosystems.
Considering a diplomatic career?
A diplomat is a representative of his or her government, who mediates between different nations. Yvonne Khamati-Kilonzo says her tasks include
- Reviewing political and economic developments in Kenya
- Developing foreign policy
- Reporting on the activities of her office
- Negotiating treaties and agreements with other nations
- Protecting the interests of her country, and of its citizens abroad.
7 Women to Watch in Kenya
The new age movers and shakers
Empowered, empowering and flowing with creativity, there is a new crop of Kenyan women movers and shakers causing ripples on our male dominated landscape. These women have a global approach to their business and a powerful online footprint.
TRUE LOVE spoke to them and asked industry insiders to give their
opinion of the growing talent and tell us why they have proved so
exceptional. This list is by no means exhaustive. It is but a glimpse
on a rarely scratched surface. By Carol Odero
WANURI KAHIU, 30 DIRECTOR, PRODUCER & SCRIPT WRITER
Her name may be on everyone’s lips now but when she was being profiled on CNN’s The Screening Room last year, Wanuri Kahiu was referred to as an artiste whose praises are never sung at home. She has managed to earn so many accolades we are having a hard time keeping track. She has five films to her credit and a stint as a production assistant in The Italian Job.
In 2009, her film From A Whisper won five awards out of an astounding 11 nominations at the African Movie Awards (AMA) including best director. By the time we were going to press it had garnered yet another for its lead male actor just around the same time her short Kenyan sci-fi film Pumzi won best short film at the Cannes Independent Film Festival. Yet, Wanuri’s career has only just begun.
THE NEW AGE STORY TELLER
“I really don’t like bottled water. It takes more water to make the bottle than the amount of water sold in the actual bottle. That is what triggered Pumzi. I am inspired by things that make me angry.
From A Whisper, a story about the 1998 bombing of the American Embassy in Nairobi, I felt needed to be told from an individuals’ perspective, how it affects them and how they come to terms with loss rather than the story of a nation. What I love about film is that it can communicate. It is a record. In ancient times storytellers could predict the future, kind of like seeing alternate realities. Pumzi was one possibility. It shows what might happen if we head in a certain direction.
I am involved in the entire process from writing scripts to casting and the most challenging thing about making films is funding. I have to look for grants and investors to finance my film. I don’t have balance in my personal life. My work takes over my life. Anyone who is in it has to be involved in the films so if film making is not your thing then you can’t be in my life. Making films can be really lonely because writing and directing are solitary experiences.”
BOB NYANJA, FILMMAKER, ON WANURI:
Wanuri has definitely raised the quality of storytelling. I am happy that we are in the same fraternity. There is a level of sophistication to her work that is appealing to a wide range of audiences both locally and internationally.
SHAIJA PATEL, 39 PERFORMANCE POET, PLAYWRIGHT, AUTHOR, POLITICAL ACTIVIST
One way to describe Shailja Patel is “modern thinker”. She uses not just her mind, but her spirit, pouring molten fire from her heart and soul into words before throwing an unexpected punch.
So powerful is her poetry that it has earned this third generation Kenyan of Asian origin a litany of international awards including the nomination for Premio Lettarario Camaiore in Italy and African Guest writer fellowship from Sweden, Indian American Women Empowered, Ford Foundation Award, National Performance Network Creation Fund Award and residencies at the University of California and Santa Barbara, The University of California in Merced, and Nordic Africa Institute in Sweden. No stranger to controversy, she has had her share of criticism as well as heckling.
She will be publishing Migritude, her one-woman show in August in
time for her performance at the StoryMoja Hay Festival in August.
She has expanded her work from the feminist prequel to Bwagamoyo, which is Migritude II where she takes on masculinity. The latter was perfected in April at the Sundance Theatre Lab in Uttah in the USA, yet another opportunity courtesy of her formidable, life altering words.
She performs across continents and has had her work translated into several languages, challenges the establishment, our minds and comfort zones. One would even go as far as tracing the spoken word phenomenon in Kenya back to her.
THE WORD WARRIOR
“I have always been fascinated by words–from the age of two when I would copy them and show them to my mother. Growing up I wanted to be Enid Blyton! When I first saw a poetry slam in San Francisco, it was like a bucket of cold water poured on me. It woke me up. Starting out, I used to shake so much they gave me the name, ‘one who comes to tremble at the mike.’
Fear is the body’s way of preparing itself for performing. Before Sundance I was terrified but I was around people who make me grow. After 9/11 I got involved in activism and outgrew slam. I have gotten heckled and censored in the US for a political poem and in Zanzibar when I mentioned the word ‘clitoris’ on stage and said Bi Kidude was God.
This was after Bongo artistes had rapped with lyrics disrespectful to women. All poets across Africa were always women. They were the ones who kept stories alive. The challenge for a female performer is having the courage to be angry and ugly on stage.”
SITAWA NAMWALE, AUTHOR, CUT OFF MY TONGUE AND POET ON SHAILJA:
Shailja is incredibly bold and steps out of the norm to do things her way. She dares to tell a story not often told, that of the Asian immigrant. She makes us understand what it feels like not to belong. Telling our stories powerfully is critical. She did not just write Migritude and leave it. She perfects it. She has taught me how to do that and she is the one who inspired my journey into poetry. She cares about society and takes things on.
ANNE KIGUTA, 25 KTN PRIME NEWS ANCHOR
There is a very clear cut path leading into the KTN Prime news anchors’ seat. It is a process that starts at one o’clock, moves into the 11pm news then graduates to the coveted 9pm slot. Not so for Anne Kiguta. As soon as she appeared on air she was hosting the coveted prime slot, fitting a little too easily into the shoes of her equally enticing predecessors. The blogosphere fired up, challenging her seamless, and what at the time, was felt to he unearned, entry.
Yet she has been a journalist since 18, starting out at Hope FM where she learnt the ropes for three years, moving to Capital FM for four years as a news reporter. She may not have won any awards as of now, but Anne holds a great deal of promise as witnessed by her noticeable premier.
RUNNING IN HEELS
“I am a journalist. I studied at Daystar University and I go out
into the field. What people do not know is that KTN had been trying to
get me on air for the past three years. Once in, when they needed me on
air I was pregnant and just beginning to balloon. “I have learnt so
much from those who were there before me.
When they were on air I was behind the camera, watching everything that they did. The KTN team was great. Lilian Kanene took me shopping and Anjlee Gadhvi was so kind to me. I am not used to seeing my face everywhere. I have had to get used to the fact that when people look at me, it is not because my fly is open.
“What I don’t like is that I should be typeset. I am a mum. I shop, pick potatoes and love my ripped jeans. There is more to me than reading news. I am glad that this came at a point in my life when I am grounded. I am married and have a daughter (six months in June). When I get home and I am taking off layers of make up I tell myself that I am leaving the corporate world behind and not to take it all too seriously. My daughter has this stare when I walk in, like my make up is too much. Then she coos and pulls my hair, messing with the careful way I had placed it, then I realise that I am a mum.”
“In the next few years I see myself running my own broadcast house. I want to start something community based. I have spoken to a couple of people about it. It would not need to be English speaking to start with because it is about getting to the grassroots. We will take things like the global financial meltdown and show them how it affects their unga.
A lot of Kenyans are removed from politics and I would like them to be aware of things they can do and could change. We don’t understand the power of one and how that is what makes a difference. I can only report news for so long. It gets to you and at the end of the day I am Kenyan. I have always felt something needs to be done. The Kenyan story is not just about poverty and burning churches in Kiambaa.”
KATUA NZILE, MANAGING EDITOR KTN ON ANNE KIGUTA
We identified Anne over a year ago if not more. We basically head hunt and(set up) an interview with me. We want to get presenters who know what they are doing and my policy is very simple: if you are a full time news anchor then you must be able to report. You must know the challenges reporters face out there in the field.
When we bring in someone they usually work their way up doing the Late Night news. However, that is not cast in stone. When we met Anne we were of the opinion that she was ready for Prime. As for Anne’s future she is going to be one of the best broadcasters not just here but beyond. She could go international.
MORAA GITAA, 33 AUTHOR, BLOGGER
Getting published is a dream for any writer more so for Moraa Gitaa. Already she has published Crucible For Silver, Furnace For Gold, a book that plunged head on into HIV & Aids and interracial relationships. She writes of things others shy away from. Moraa has two more books due.
One, a novella, comes out in time for the August Storymoja Hay Festival. In September there is a full length coming of age novel. She won first prize in the adult fiction category of the National Book Development Council of Kenya Award in 2008. Moraa’s deepest passion however, lies in taking books to the young more so considering her own 16 year old daughter’s dyslexic childhood.
“There is a lack of interest in our publishers for novels. They say the market only exists for text books and that Kenyans do not read. I don’t believe that. I am in the process of registering a foundation to help children with dyslexia. Most of them are usually very intelligent but teachers think they are slow, and hence they lack patience for them.
My own daughter was dyslexic and the pubic schools did not know what
to do with her. I had to take her to a private school. I used to tutor
children in my house but where I live they do not allow businesses to
be conducted in apartments. So now I am in the process of organizing a
fundraiser to create a learning centre for children with learning
disabilities as well as those infected and affected by HIV & Aids.
When I wrote Crucible I had a lot of friends who had died from Aids related complications. It took years, from 2002 till 2005 to get it published. Crucible was published in Canada. I have been informed that my book has been used in Kenyatta University and University of Nairobi for comparative studies on writing and as a thesis.
Once in a slum I remember when these children somehow found a Sh100 story book. They all wanted to share it so that they would all read it. They did that by carefully tearing off the pages and handing them out so every one of them could read. It moved me to tears.”
She is one of the most disciplined writers I know. A lot of writers are waiting for a muse. She just gets on with it. I have a great deal of faith in her. She is learning a lot from putting her work out there. The confidence that comes from high placed reviewers as a result of exposure will do her good.
MUTHONI NDONGA, 25 FLOW POET, NEO SOUL ARTISTE, WRITER, BLANKETS & WINE CEO
When Muthoni Ndonga released her album The Human Condition in 2009, it was a mellow, soft introduction completely belying what has turned out to be her explosion all over the musical landscape. In it included the immensely popular neo soul meets afro fusion track, Cool Waters.
Then there is Mikono Kwenye Hewa, a track so alive it leaps straight out of MTV Base simply proving how incredibly versatile she is. But she was not done. Blankets and Wine was born in November 2008.
Its growth has leaped from a handful of 100 music lovers to a steady 500 to 700 fans gathering regularly on the greens to be serenaded on a slow Sunday afternoon. Mid this month, she and Dela, a fellow artiste, will begin a 12 concert tour of Nairobi dubbed the First Ladies Tour. To say that her talent is only just unfolding is sheer understatement.
THE DRUMMER QUEEN
“I think we are spirits on a human journey and that we forget that. I
wanted to focus on the experience of being human to show that we are
motivated by more than we can see. Every word in The Human Condition is
deliberated and measured. I needed them to come from the weight of the
observer. I want to tell the story in every space which is why there
will be a tour. There are stories that have not been told.
Along with the tour I will be shooting my second video towards the end of June, remixing The Human Condition just for the fun of it. I wrote and co-directed Mikononi Kwenye Hewa and would love to do more of that.
It was also the first time I tried rap. This track is a half way point between poetry and hip hop which is flow poetry. There is a lot of fusion in the album so it sounds futuristic and different. I used to perform at Dass Restaurant in Westlands but the stage was too small and I wanted to work with other musicians who can help me grow. That is how Blankets & Wine was born.
We have heard of artistes who are better known out there than they are at home. I did not want that. Now people have taken it as part of their thing, which is great. The hardest part is striking a balance between being an individual artiste and B & W.
It takes a lot of time to grow the event just as much as it takes to grow my music career. Both need nurturing. At this point in my life I love that I just wake up every day and make it.”
TABU OSUSA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR KETEBUL STUDIOS ON MUTHONI:
Muthoni is a very intelligent person and a visionary. What makes a difference is usually not how good you are as an artiste, but how distinct your sound is. In comparison to the present crop of young female artistes in her age group, she is way above the rest.
BEATRICE NDUNG’U, 24 CEO GLOBALESSENCE, MEDIA & MARKETING CREATIVE, ROYAL MEDIA SERVICES
At 21 Beatrice Ndung’u excitedly told her parents she wanted to start an online magazine. They had no idea what that was but were unwavering in their support. Thus globalessence.net was born in 2006. In three years it has sprouted extra tentacles to include the online entertainment magazine, R & B media which does creative advertising and the most fascinating one, a radio and television station with a difference to be launched by end of 2010.
Beatrice has done a number of adverts for television shows including a Nigerian television show, is working on one in Uganda and locally she is the brains behind all those radio promotions you hear on Citizen. This year she was elected as youth ambassador for Kenya by Blog Talk radio.
THE ONLINE MARKETER
“Globalessence has 12 full time employees and I want to create even
more jobs. In July I will be going to Belgium to learn more about media
in preparation for the television and radio station. I have formed a
partnership with someone for this as well as saved money from writing
ads, training people and giving talks in seminars and workshops I do to
especially encourage children.
When I wrote a proposal for the stations everyone who saw them told me I was crazy.
A lot of people think of things that cannot be done, but I just do it. I grew up in Eastlands.
I want people to know that it is possible for anyone to be successful. People pass me on the streets and see me as an ordinary person, which is good. But I want them to know anything I can do they can too.”
DENNIS NDAVI, MANAGING CONSULTANT OF NDAVI MEDIA, ON BEATRICE:
I interviewed Beatrice once for a job at Homeboyz as a creative in the marketing department and I hired her on the spot. The work involved creative marketing on air, online and on the ground. She has a very keen eye for online particularly. What will take her far is her ambition. She looks higher and dreams and because of that she will go places.
ANNE KIPCHIRCHIR, 34 FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, ART FUNDI; ARCHITECT, JEWELRY DESIGNER
What do you get when you combine art with design? Anne Kabue.
She is currently working on a website that will illuminate what goes on inside and behind the scenes of interior design and architectural projects. The idea is to walk clients through the creation of dream homes, hotels and offices. It will also feature an online market of art fundi custom made accessories, a hobby that is fast hurtling towards something bigger.
Anne’s uniqueness is her combination of interiors and exteriors. She builds this against a backdrop of Strategic Listing, an innovative yellow pages kind of directory that lists players within the construction industry. She also runs an all-female architectural firm with Teresa Odula Ikere, her partner. The pair has grown out of marketing and advertising the architectural and design industry and moved into mainstream design.
LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS
“I’m excited about the site. It will feature a greater scope of the
design projects I have worked on. Currently this includes home
refurbishing, office interiors, defining a corporate identity,
furnished apartments and a couple of creative rental villas out of
town.
I enjoy projects that present a creative challenge. In these I feel I can make a substantial contribution. I also enjoy proving that it doesn’t cost much to create an attractive environment that reflects personal style and taste, both at work and at home.
I read books that give ideas on creating a work life balance, talk to mentors and then juggle much like all mums. Creating a steady routine makes it easier to define time for the family. Sometimes it means saying no to a client when I am needed at home, but every day presents an opportunity to learn more. I am interested in making an entry into policy formulation for the building industry.
In that great picture is also a healthy, happy family and loving, upright children. It has taken hard work, late nights, early mornings and a ton of sacrifice. That coupled with firm ingraining that failure isn’t an option, will keep me getting up each day no matter what I have to face.”
SUE MURAYA, REAL ESTATE GURU AND FASHION DESIGNER ON ANNE:
Her work is brilliant. She is very creative. Her background in architecture is something inborn. She researches her beadwork for the jewelry and combined with her creativity, she is coming up with very different concepts. I also understand her moving from architecture into design. Anne is always searching for new ways to do well.
Empowered, empowering and flowing with creativity, there is a new crop of Kenyan women movers and shakers causing ripples on our male dominated landscape. These women have a global approach to their business and a powerful online footprint.
TRUE LOVE spoke to them and asked industry insiders to give their
opinion of the growing talent and tell us why they have proved so
exceptional. This list is by no means exhaustive. It is but a glimpse
on a rarely scratched surface. By Carol OderoWANURI KAHIU, 30 DIRECTOR, PRODUCER & SCRIPT WRITER
Her name may be on everyone’s lips now but when she was being profiled on CNN’s The Screening Room last year, Wanuri Kahiu was referred to as an artiste whose praises are never sung at home. She has managed to earn so many accolades we are having a hard time keeping track. She has five films to her credit and a stint as a production assistant in The Italian Job.
In 2009, her film From A Whisper won five awards out of an astounding 11 nominations at the African Movie Awards (AMA) including best director. By the time we were going to press it had garnered yet another for its lead male actor just around the same time her short Kenyan sci-fi film Pumzi won best short film at the Cannes Independent Film Festival. Yet, Wanuri’s career has only just begun.
THE NEW AGE STORY TELLER“I really don’t like bottled water. It takes more water to make the bottle than the amount of water sold in the actual bottle. That is what triggered Pumzi. I am inspired by things that make me angry.
From A Whisper, a story about the 1998 bombing of the American Embassy in Nairobi, I felt needed to be told from an individuals’ perspective, how it affects them and how they come to terms with loss rather than the story of a nation. What I love about film is that it can communicate. It is a record. In ancient times storytellers could predict the future, kind of like seeing alternate realities. Pumzi was one possibility. It shows what might happen if we head in a certain direction.
I am involved in the entire process from writing scripts to casting and the most challenging thing about making films is funding. I have to look for grants and investors to finance my film. I don’t have balance in my personal life. My work takes over my life. Anyone who is in it has to be involved in the films so if film making is not your thing then you can’t be in my life. Making films can be really lonely because writing and directing are solitary experiences.”
BOB NYANJA, FILMMAKER, ON WANURI:
Wanuri has definitely raised the quality of storytelling. I am happy that we are in the same fraternity. There is a level of sophistication to her work that is appealing to a wide range of audiences both locally and internationally.
SHAIJA PATEL, 39 PERFORMANCE POET, PLAYWRIGHT, AUTHOR, POLITICAL ACTIVIST
One way to describe Shailja Patel is “modern thinker”. She uses not just her mind, but her spirit, pouring molten fire from her heart and soul into words before throwing an unexpected punch.
So powerful is her poetry that it has earned this third generation Kenyan of Asian origin a litany of international awards including the nomination for Premio Lettarario Camaiore in Italy and African Guest writer fellowship from Sweden, Indian American Women Empowered, Ford Foundation Award, National Performance Network Creation Fund Award and residencies at the University of California and Santa Barbara, The University of California in Merced, and Nordic Africa Institute in Sweden. No stranger to controversy, she has had her share of criticism as well as heckling.
She will be publishing Migritude, her one-woman show in August in
time for her performance at the StoryMoja Hay Festival in August.She has expanded her work from the feminist prequel to Bwagamoyo, which is Migritude II where she takes on masculinity. The latter was perfected in April at the Sundance Theatre Lab in Uttah in the USA, yet another opportunity courtesy of her formidable, life altering words.
She performs across continents and has had her work translated into several languages, challenges the establishment, our minds and comfort zones. One would even go as far as tracing the spoken word phenomenon in Kenya back to her.
THE WORD WARRIOR
“I have always been fascinated by words–from the age of two when I would copy them and show them to my mother. Growing up I wanted to be Enid Blyton! When I first saw a poetry slam in San Francisco, it was like a bucket of cold water poured on me. It woke me up. Starting out, I used to shake so much they gave me the name, ‘one who comes to tremble at the mike.’
Fear is the body’s way of preparing itself for performing. Before Sundance I was terrified but I was around people who make me grow. After 9/11 I got involved in activism and outgrew slam. I have gotten heckled and censored in the US for a political poem and in Zanzibar when I mentioned the word ‘clitoris’ on stage and said Bi Kidude was God.
This was after Bongo artistes had rapped with lyrics disrespectful to women. All poets across Africa were always women. They were the ones who kept stories alive. The challenge for a female performer is having the courage to be angry and ugly on stage.”
SITAWA NAMWALE, AUTHOR, CUT OFF MY TONGUE AND POET ON SHAILJA:
Shailja is incredibly bold and steps out of the norm to do things her way. She dares to tell a story not often told, that of the Asian immigrant. She makes us understand what it feels like not to belong. Telling our stories powerfully is critical. She did not just write Migritude and leave it. She perfects it. She has taught me how to do that and she is the one who inspired my journey into poetry. She cares about society and takes things on.
ANNE KIGUTA, 25 KTN PRIME NEWS ANCHOR
There is a very clear cut path leading into the KTN Prime news anchors’ seat. It is a process that starts at one o’clock, moves into the 11pm news then graduates to the coveted 9pm slot. Not so for Anne Kiguta. As soon as she appeared on air she was hosting the coveted prime slot, fitting a little too easily into the shoes of her equally enticing predecessors. The blogosphere fired up, challenging her seamless, and what at the time, was felt to he unearned, entry.
Yet she has been a journalist since 18, starting out at Hope FM where she learnt the ropes for three years, moving to Capital FM for four years as a news reporter. She may not have won any awards as of now, but Anne holds a great deal of promise as witnessed by her noticeable premier.
RUNNING IN HEELS
“I am a journalist. I studied at Daystar University and I go out
into the field. What people do not know is that KTN had been trying to
get me on air for the past three years. Once in, when they needed me on
air I was pregnant and just beginning to balloon. “I have learnt so
much from those who were there before me.When they were on air I was behind the camera, watching everything that they did. The KTN team was great. Lilian Kanene took me shopping and Anjlee Gadhvi was so kind to me. I am not used to seeing my face everywhere. I have had to get used to the fact that when people look at me, it is not because my fly is open.
“What I don’t like is that I should be typeset. I am a mum. I shop, pick potatoes and love my ripped jeans. There is more to me than reading news. I am glad that this came at a point in my life when I am grounded. I am married and have a daughter (six months in June). When I get home and I am taking off layers of make up I tell myself that I am leaving the corporate world behind and not to take it all too seriously. My daughter has this stare when I walk in, like my make up is too much. Then she coos and pulls my hair, messing with the careful way I had placed it, then I realise that I am a mum.”
“In the next few years I see myself running my own broadcast house. I want to start something community based. I have spoken to a couple of people about it. It would not need to be English speaking to start with because it is about getting to the grassroots. We will take things like the global financial meltdown and show them how it affects their unga.
A lot of Kenyans are removed from politics and I would like them to be aware of things they can do and could change. We don’t understand the power of one and how that is what makes a difference. I can only report news for so long. It gets to you and at the end of the day I am Kenyan. I have always felt something needs to be done. The Kenyan story is not just about poverty and burning churches in Kiambaa.”
KATUA NZILE, MANAGING EDITOR KTN ON ANNE KIGUTA
We identified Anne over a year ago if not more. We basically head hunt and(set up) an interview with me. We want to get presenters who know what they are doing and my policy is very simple: if you are a full time news anchor then you must be able to report. You must know the challenges reporters face out there in the field.
When we bring in someone they usually work their way up doing the Late Night news. However, that is not cast in stone. When we met Anne we were of the opinion that she was ready for Prime. As for Anne’s future she is going to be one of the best broadcasters not just here but beyond. She could go international.
MORAA GITAA, 33 AUTHOR, BLOGGER
Getting published is a dream for any writer more so for Moraa Gitaa. Already she has published Crucible For Silver, Furnace For Gold, a book that plunged head on into HIV & Aids and interracial relationships. She writes of things others shy away from. Moraa has two more books due.
One, a novella, comes out in time for the August Storymoja Hay Festival. In September there is a full length coming of age novel. She won first prize in the adult fiction category of the National Book Development Council of Kenya Award in 2008. Moraa’s deepest passion however, lies in taking books to the young more so considering her own 16 year old daughter’s dyslexic childhood.
“There is a lack of interest in our publishers for novels. They say the market only exists for text books and that Kenyans do not read. I don’t believe that. I am in the process of registering a foundation to help children with dyslexia. Most of them are usually very intelligent but teachers think they are slow, and hence they lack patience for them.
My own daughter was dyslexic and the pubic schools did not know what
to do with her. I had to take her to a private school. I used to tutor
children in my house but where I live they do not allow businesses to
be conducted in apartments. So now I am in the process of organizing a
fundraiser to create a learning centre for children with learning
disabilities as well as those infected and affected by HIV & Aids.When I wrote Crucible I had a lot of friends who had died from Aids related complications. It took years, from 2002 till 2005 to get it published. Crucible was published in Canada. I have been informed that my book has been used in Kenyatta University and University of Nairobi for comparative studies on writing and as a thesis.
Once in a slum I remember when these children somehow found a Sh100 story book. They all wanted to share it so that they would all read it. They did that by carefully tearing off the pages and handing them out so every one of them could read. It moved me to tears.”
She is one of the most disciplined writers I know. A lot of writers are waiting for a muse. She just gets on with it. I have a great deal of faith in her. She is learning a lot from putting her work out there. The confidence that comes from high placed reviewers as a result of exposure will do her good.
MUTHONI NDONGA, 25 FLOW POET, NEO SOUL ARTISTE, WRITER, BLANKETS & WINE CEO
When Muthoni Ndonga released her album The Human Condition in 2009, it was a mellow, soft introduction completely belying what has turned out to be her explosion all over the musical landscape. In it included the immensely popular neo soul meets afro fusion track, Cool Waters.
Then there is Mikono Kwenye Hewa, a track so alive it leaps straight out of MTV Base simply proving how incredibly versatile she is. But she was not done. Blankets and Wine was born in November 2008.
Its growth has leaped from a handful of 100 music lovers to a steady 500 to 700 fans gathering regularly on the greens to be serenaded on a slow Sunday afternoon. Mid this month, she and Dela, a fellow artiste, will begin a 12 concert tour of Nairobi dubbed the First Ladies Tour. To say that her talent is only just unfolding is sheer understatement.
THE DRUMMER QUEEN
“I think we are spirits on a human journey and that we forget that. I
wanted to focus on the experience of being human to show that we are
motivated by more than we can see. Every word in The Human Condition is
deliberated and measured. I needed them to come from the weight of the
observer. I want to tell the story in every space which is why there
will be a tour. There are stories that have not been told.Along with the tour I will be shooting my second video towards the end of June, remixing The Human Condition just for the fun of it. I wrote and co-directed Mikononi Kwenye Hewa and would love to do more of that.
It was also the first time I tried rap. This track is a half way point between poetry and hip hop which is flow poetry. There is a lot of fusion in the album so it sounds futuristic and different. I used to perform at Dass Restaurant in Westlands but the stage was too small and I wanted to work with other musicians who can help me grow. That is how Blankets & Wine was born.
We have heard of artistes who are better known out there than they are at home. I did not want that. Now people have taken it as part of their thing, which is great. The hardest part is striking a balance between being an individual artiste and B & W.
It takes a lot of time to grow the event just as much as it takes to grow my music career. Both need nurturing. At this point in my life I love that I just wake up every day and make it.”
TABU OSUSA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR KETEBUL STUDIOS ON MUTHONI:
Muthoni is a very intelligent person and a visionary. What makes a difference is usually not how good you are as an artiste, but how distinct your sound is. In comparison to the present crop of young female artistes in her age group, she is way above the rest.
BEATRICE NDUNG’U, 24 CEO GLOBALESSENCE, MEDIA & MARKETING CREATIVE, ROYAL MEDIA SERVICES
At 21 Beatrice Ndung’u excitedly told her parents she wanted to start an online magazine. They had no idea what that was but were unwavering in their support. Thus globalessence.net was born in 2006. In three years it has sprouted extra tentacles to include the online entertainment magazine, R & B media which does creative advertising and the most fascinating one, a radio and television station with a difference to be launched by end of 2010.
Beatrice has done a number of adverts for television shows including a Nigerian television show, is working on one in Uganda and locally she is the brains behind all those radio promotions you hear on Citizen. This year she was elected as youth ambassador for Kenya by Blog Talk radio.
THE ONLINE MARKETER
“Globalessence has 12 full time employees and I want to create even
more jobs. In July I will be going to Belgium to learn more about media
in preparation for the television and radio station. I have formed a
partnership with someone for this as well as saved money from writing
ads, training people and giving talks in seminars and workshops I do to
especially encourage children.When I wrote a proposal for the stations everyone who saw them told me I was crazy.
A lot of people think of things that cannot be done, but I just do it. I grew up in Eastlands.
I want people to know that it is possible for anyone to be successful. People pass me on the streets and see me as an ordinary person, which is good. But I want them to know anything I can do they can too.”
DENNIS NDAVI, MANAGING CONSULTANT OF NDAVI MEDIA, ON BEATRICE:
I interviewed Beatrice once for a job at Homeboyz as a creative in the marketing department and I hired her on the spot. The work involved creative marketing on air, online and on the ground. She has a very keen eye for online particularly. What will take her far is her ambition. She looks higher and dreams and because of that she will go places.
ANNE KIPCHIRCHIR, 34 FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, ART FUNDI; ARCHITECT, JEWELRY DESIGNER
What do you get when you combine art with design? Anne Kabue.
She is currently working on a website that will illuminate what goes on inside and behind the scenes of interior design and architectural projects. The idea is to walk clients through the creation of dream homes, hotels and offices. It will also feature an online market of art fundi custom made accessories, a hobby that is fast hurtling towards something bigger.
Anne’s uniqueness is her combination of interiors and exteriors. She builds this against a backdrop of Strategic Listing, an innovative yellow pages kind of directory that lists players within the construction industry. She also runs an all-female architectural firm with Teresa Odula Ikere, her partner. The pair has grown out of marketing and advertising the architectural and design industry and moved into mainstream design.
LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS
“I’m excited about the site. It will feature a greater scope of the
design projects I have worked on. Currently this includes home
refurbishing, office interiors, defining a corporate identity,
furnished apartments and a couple of creative rental villas out of
town.I enjoy projects that present a creative challenge. In these I feel I can make a substantial contribution. I also enjoy proving that it doesn’t cost much to create an attractive environment that reflects personal style and taste, both at work and at home.
I read books that give ideas on creating a work life balance, talk to mentors and then juggle much like all mums. Creating a steady routine makes it easier to define time for the family. Sometimes it means saying no to a client when I am needed at home, but every day presents an opportunity to learn more. I am interested in making an entry into policy formulation for the building industry.
In that great picture is also a healthy, happy family and loving, upright children. It has taken hard work, late nights, early mornings and a ton of sacrifice. That coupled with firm ingraining that failure isn’t an option, will keep me getting up each day no matter what I have to face.”
SUE MURAYA, REAL ESTATE GURU AND FASHION DESIGNER ON ANNE:
Her work is brilliant. She is very creative. Her background in architecture is something inborn. She researches her beadwork for the jewelry and combined with her creativity, she is coming up with very different concepts. I also understand her moving from architecture into design. Anne is always searching for new ways to do well.
True Love Comeback Issue
After
a two-month break, largely due to unforeseen circumstances, we are
thrilled that we are able to bring your favourite magazine back.
So much has happened in the last couple of weeks and we are grateful
that you have kept hope alive together with us. We are honoured that
you believed, as we do, that East African women deserve a quality
magazine that inspires, entertains and informs. A magazine that is a
reference guide for the modern African woman in her quest for success
and personal fulfillment.
We are back, more determined than ever, to meet your needs for everything you desire TRUE LOVE to be. This comeback issue (the name christened by some TRUE LOVE readers when they discovered we were working on the July edition) is really not just a comeback for the magazine but for the team that put it together also.
All the articles have been carefully chosen to inspire in each of us a sense that comebacks are possible – that while life may not have turned out quite as we hoped, we have ‘a brand new opportunity every day to reach for our dreams.
So dig in and enjoy everything, from our fashion that is meant to keep you warm in the cold July weather to our inspiring cover story of seven Kenyan women who are making waves in their industries. And with the world currently converging on Africa for the World Cup, we thought you might want to try some culinary delights from the rest of the world. Turn to our recipes on page 92.
We all know that women and children are at the greatest risk of
human trafficking, which in many quarters is referred to as modern day
slavery. This shocking trend continues, aided largely by the widespread
networks of traffickers, rampant poverty that causes women and
children to believe the promises of a better life, loopholes in the law
and ignorance.
Our Worldview feature on page 60 gives us a glimpse into the ugly world of trafficking from a Nigerian perspective.
Finally, whatever challenges you face, we hope this issue will help you realise that you can rise above them if you have the determination, faith and resilience to do so. So here’s to all of us; to the women we were, the women we are today and the amazing women we continue to become.
Have a wonderful July!
Carols
So much has happened in the last couple of weeks and we are grateful
that you have kept hope alive together with us. We are honoured that
you believed, as we do, that East African women deserve a quality
magazine that inspires, entertains and informs. A magazine that is a
reference guide for the modern African woman in her quest for success
and personal fulfillment.We are back, more determined than ever, to meet your needs for everything you desire TRUE LOVE to be. This comeback issue (the name christened by some TRUE LOVE readers when they discovered we were working on the July edition) is really not just a comeback for the magazine but for the team that put it together also.
All the articles have been carefully chosen to inspire in each of us a sense that comebacks are possible – that while life may not have turned out quite as we hoped, we have ‘a brand new opportunity every day to reach for our dreams.
So dig in and enjoy everything, from our fashion that is meant to keep you warm in the cold July weather to our inspiring cover story of seven Kenyan women who are making waves in their industries. And with the world currently converging on Africa for the World Cup, we thought you might want to try some culinary delights from the rest of the world. Turn to our recipes on page 92.
We all know that women and children are at the greatest risk of
human trafficking, which in many quarters is referred to as modern day
slavery. This shocking trend continues, aided largely by the widespread
networks of traffickers, rampant poverty that causes women and
children to believe the promises of a better life, loopholes in the law
and ignorance.Our Worldview feature on page 60 gives us a glimpse into the ugly world of trafficking from a Nigerian perspective.
Finally, whatever challenges you face, we hope this issue will help you realise that you can rise above them if you have the determination, faith and resilience to do so. So here’s to all of us; to the women we were, the women we are today and the amazing women we continue to become.
Have a wonderful July!
Carols
John Njuki – Moving Youth into Action – Parents
Short,
stout and soft-spoken, John Njuku at 25 cuts the figure of a student –
but that’s as far as the misleading first impression gets. John does
not make heads turn on the streets but those familiar with him have a
lot of respect for him.
The Kenyatta University Environmental Health graduate founded and coordinates the volunteer group -Youths in Action. This is a community development organisation, which he registered in 2004 after his form four exams. From its genesis in Mpeketoni in Lamu district, the organisation has not only spread its wings to Uganda, Tanzania and Sudan but also in Europe.
The organisation has ambassadors in the US, the Philippines, Italy
and Germany working to help achieve the movement’s goals including
sensitisation of the youth and communities on HIV and AIDS prevention,
career counselling, advice and mentorship in schools. It also seeks
donations to fund needy students and orphans.
Youths in Action has enlisted foreign volunteers who come to Kenya to join local and national volunteers in giving free professional services in rural schools, hospitals, clinics, dispensaries, children’s homes and other institutions. It all started in December 2003 when John, the last born in a family of five, sat his form four examination at Mpeketoni High School in Lamu.
Before enrolling at Kenyatta University in 2005, he spent the two years of waiting it took to join a public university interacting with youth in the Coast province and learning about their problems.
Because of the high temperatures and humidity experienced around the coast province, especially in the afternoons, most people idle around from noon and this is especially dangerous for youth who tend to frequent illegal mnazi (coconut brew) dens. Sexual favours are also peddled in these dens and unsuspecting youth fall prey, especially when they are intoxicated.
Some also turn to drug use and engage in risky behaviours such as unprotected sex and drug use, which often leads to contracting sexually transmitted infections including HIV.
Other youth gather in maskanis (youth meeting joints) where both positive and negative peer influences come into play. John frequented a number of maskanis and mnazi dens and witnessed this. He recalls one shocking event that shook him to the core and prompted him to act. On Christmas Eve of 2004, five intoxicated youths gang-raped a HIV positive elderly woman who owned the den where they were drinking.
“This saddened me as I knew the same young men will go and have sex with other women and probably infect them with HIV. This was one of the ways HIV was spreading at such a high rate in the Coast province. I couldn’t just sit and do nothing,” John says.
John used to hang out with like-minded youth from Mpeketoni and their discussions mainly centred on how to improve themselves and society in general. After this experience, a distraught John approached his friends and they teamed up to find solutions to problems facing youth both in and out of school.
They were concerned about lack of HIV and AIDS awareness among the youth, prevalence of drug and substance abuse in schools, young girls dropping out of school due to pregnancies, prostitution and general poor standards of education in the Coast province.
“We realised there was need to talk with the youth and encourage
them to talk amongst themselves about issues facing them. Our wish was
to influence them to lead a goal oriented life. We also hoped to
encourage them to embrace behaviour change and stop engaging in risky
lifestyles. Our first points of call were maskanis and mnazi dens,
where we were sure to find the target group of youth our message was
aimed at,” says John.
It was an ambitious project but John and his friends were determined to make a difference in their community. Emerging the top student in Lamu district with a grade A in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination, and seeing his name flashed in media throughout the country gave John the confidence and boost he needed to move on with his project.
“I was thrilled to emerge the top student in the district but disappointed that only a handful of students from the district qualified to join university. Out of about 6,700 students in the district only three attained the minimum university requirements. I had sleepless nights wondering what all those students who failed the examination were going to do,” John recalls.
John was aware that lack of education materials, career guidance and proper study tactics compromised education standards in schools in the district. He came up with a plan to help students in local schools with an innovative career guidance project.
Together with his friends, they appealed to other interested youth to join them in this project. Nine other students joined, bringing the total of the group to 15. They coined the name ‘Youths in Action’ and registered the group in 2005 as a self-help project. They raised funds from well wishers and made personal contributions to get the project off the ground.
Career counselling…
Their first project was visiting schools and giving career talks and guidance, as well as counselling the youth on how to overcome negative peer pressure. They worked with education officers from the district, and with their help, Smart project was started. Apart from sensitising the youth on behaviour change and career goals and achieving success, the project also dealt with issues of relationships and sexuality.
In order to make the project self-sustaining, John sent out proposals to schools requesting them to pay a small fee to engage professionals to run the Smart project. Only two schools responded positively, as many claimed they could not afford to pay professionals to give counselling and guidance services in their schools.
The group did not despair and with the little funds available they continued with their mission. They offered free services to the schools they visited.
John, who works with Life Care and Support Centre (Licasu) as a HIV and AIDS project coordinator for Malindi district, had opportunity to visit different schools in the country while working on Smart project. He visited leading schools such as Mang’u High School, Starehe Boys Centre, Kenya High School and Kianda School where he talked to head teachers and students to find out where their success comes from. He learned lessons from these schools, which he hoped to use in his district. “I acquired important knowledge which I shared with students in Lamu and Coast province as a whole,” says John.
John’s project works with volunteers and HIV/ AIDS counsellors. The programme covers more than 25 primary and secondary schools in the district. Apart from counselling services, they also provide students with education materials including textbooks.
Youths in Action links up with local and international volunteers to fundraise for materials such as textbooks, stationery, and funds to buy uniforms for orphaned and needy children. Similar efforts are made to benefit children’s homes. The organisation has set up networks within the community that is working on providing data on orphans in the Coast Province. It is through this network that donations are distributed to orphans.
Youths in Action works with 75 volunteers in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Sudan. It also has 12 international volunteers, line ministries, arid other international organisations including the Red Cross Society, International Book Club, Idealist, Volunteer Match, Do Something, LICAS Kenya, Pandora Box among others.
Local people volunteer to provide services such as teaching and career guidance in schools near where they live. Others are involved in sensitisation of youth and the community about HIV and AIDS. In addition to schools, health care centres also benefit from Youths in Action programmes.
International volunteers..
Youths in Action advertises for placement of international volunteers from overseas to local institutions. Different professionals are placed where their services are needed most, like hospitals and schools in areas unattractive to local professionals due to lack of amenities such as electricity, good roads and clean water. It is not uncommon to find rural dispensaries manned by nurses, as there are no doctors willing to work there.
“Most of our volunteers work in the rural areas, mostly in schools and health institutions. Some of the volunteers are able to work in health institutions as well as teach in schools,” John explains. The international volunteers pay for all their expenses including travel and accommodation. Not only do they help the local people they work with, they also benefit by learning the different cultures, networking and visiting tourist destinations.
After completing their attachment, they are recruited as volunteer alumni or given responsibilities in their countries of origin as Youths in Action ambassadors. Currently, there are seven ambassadors in different countries including the Philippines, Italy, France, and Germany.
They also continue volunteering online by gathering or writing articles for the organisation’s website. They also assist in proposal writing and sourcing for donations from their countries.
Due to diversity of community needs and demand to scale up services, the group has extended its services to other jcommunities. They are currently operating in the whole of Coast province and plan to move to other parts of the country.
Young talented volunteers run Youths in Action from diverse fields of professions through members’ donations and community resource mobilisation. It has offices in Mpeketoni, Malindi, Mombasa and Nairobi. The organisation welcomes those who would like to volunteer, partner, commit themselves, work or link with them.
Contact: www.youthsinaction.org
The Kenyatta University Environmental Health graduate founded and coordinates the volunteer group -Youths in Action. This is a community development organisation, which he registered in 2004 after his form four exams. From its genesis in Mpeketoni in Lamu district, the organisation has not only spread its wings to Uganda, Tanzania and Sudan but also in Europe.
The organisation has ambassadors in the US, the Philippines, Italy
and Germany working to help achieve the movement’s goals including
sensitisation of the youth and communities on HIV and AIDS prevention,
career counselling, advice and mentorship in schools. It also seeks
donations to fund needy students and orphans.Youths in Action has enlisted foreign volunteers who come to Kenya to join local and national volunteers in giving free professional services in rural schools, hospitals, clinics, dispensaries, children’s homes and other institutions. It all started in December 2003 when John, the last born in a family of five, sat his form four examination at Mpeketoni High School in Lamu.
Before enrolling at Kenyatta University in 2005, he spent the two years of waiting it took to join a public university interacting with youth in the Coast province and learning about their problems.
Because of the high temperatures and humidity experienced around the coast province, especially in the afternoons, most people idle around from noon and this is especially dangerous for youth who tend to frequent illegal mnazi (coconut brew) dens. Sexual favours are also peddled in these dens and unsuspecting youth fall prey, especially when they are intoxicated.
Some also turn to drug use and engage in risky behaviours such as unprotected sex and drug use, which often leads to contracting sexually transmitted infections including HIV.
Other youth gather in maskanis (youth meeting joints) where both positive and negative peer influences come into play. John frequented a number of maskanis and mnazi dens and witnessed this. He recalls one shocking event that shook him to the core and prompted him to act. On Christmas Eve of 2004, five intoxicated youths gang-raped a HIV positive elderly woman who owned the den where they were drinking.
“This saddened me as I knew the same young men will go and have sex with other women and probably infect them with HIV. This was one of the ways HIV was spreading at such a high rate in the Coast province. I couldn’t just sit and do nothing,” John says.
John used to hang out with like-minded youth from Mpeketoni and their discussions mainly centred on how to improve themselves and society in general. After this experience, a distraught John approached his friends and they teamed up to find solutions to problems facing youth both in and out of school.
They were concerned about lack of HIV and AIDS awareness among the youth, prevalence of drug and substance abuse in schools, young girls dropping out of school due to pregnancies, prostitution and general poor standards of education in the Coast province.
“We realised there was need to talk with the youth and encourage
them to talk amongst themselves about issues facing them. Our wish was
to influence them to lead a goal oriented life. We also hoped to
encourage them to embrace behaviour change and stop engaging in risky
lifestyles. Our first points of call were maskanis and mnazi dens,
where we were sure to find the target group of youth our message was
aimed at,” says John.It was an ambitious project but John and his friends were determined to make a difference in their community. Emerging the top student in Lamu district with a grade A in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination, and seeing his name flashed in media throughout the country gave John the confidence and boost he needed to move on with his project.
“I was thrilled to emerge the top student in the district but disappointed that only a handful of students from the district qualified to join university. Out of about 6,700 students in the district only three attained the minimum university requirements. I had sleepless nights wondering what all those students who failed the examination were going to do,” John recalls.
John was aware that lack of education materials, career guidance and proper study tactics compromised education standards in schools in the district. He came up with a plan to help students in local schools with an innovative career guidance project.
Together with his friends, they appealed to other interested youth to join them in this project. Nine other students joined, bringing the total of the group to 15. They coined the name ‘Youths in Action’ and registered the group in 2005 as a self-help project. They raised funds from well wishers and made personal contributions to get the project off the ground.
Career counselling…
Their first project was visiting schools and giving career talks and guidance, as well as counselling the youth on how to overcome negative peer pressure. They worked with education officers from the district, and with their help, Smart project was started. Apart from sensitising the youth on behaviour change and career goals and achieving success, the project also dealt with issues of relationships and sexuality.
In order to make the project self-sustaining, John sent out proposals to schools requesting them to pay a small fee to engage professionals to run the Smart project. Only two schools responded positively, as many claimed they could not afford to pay professionals to give counselling and guidance services in their schools.
The group did not despair and with the little funds available they continued with their mission. They offered free services to the schools they visited.
John, who works with Life Care and Support Centre (Licasu) as a HIV and AIDS project coordinator for Malindi district, had opportunity to visit different schools in the country while working on Smart project. He visited leading schools such as Mang’u High School, Starehe Boys Centre, Kenya High School and Kianda School where he talked to head teachers and students to find out where their success comes from. He learned lessons from these schools, which he hoped to use in his district. “I acquired important knowledge which I shared with students in Lamu and Coast province as a whole,” says John.
John’s project works with volunteers and HIV/ AIDS counsellors. The programme covers more than 25 primary and secondary schools in the district. Apart from counselling services, they also provide students with education materials including textbooks.
Youths in Action links up with local and international volunteers to fundraise for materials such as textbooks, stationery, and funds to buy uniforms for orphaned and needy children. Similar efforts are made to benefit children’s homes. The organisation has set up networks within the community that is working on providing data on orphans in the Coast Province. It is through this network that donations are distributed to orphans.
Youths in Action works with 75 volunteers in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Sudan. It also has 12 international volunteers, line ministries, arid other international organisations including the Red Cross Society, International Book Club, Idealist, Volunteer Match, Do Something, LICAS Kenya, Pandora Box among others.
Local people volunteer to provide services such as teaching and career guidance in schools near where they live. Others are involved in sensitisation of youth and the community about HIV and AIDS. In addition to schools, health care centres also benefit from Youths in Action programmes.
International volunteers..
Youths in Action advertises for placement of international volunteers from overseas to local institutions. Different professionals are placed where their services are needed most, like hospitals and schools in areas unattractive to local professionals due to lack of amenities such as electricity, good roads and clean water. It is not uncommon to find rural dispensaries manned by nurses, as there are no doctors willing to work there.
“Most of our volunteers work in the rural areas, mostly in schools and health institutions. Some of the volunteers are able to work in health institutions as well as teach in schools,” John explains. The international volunteers pay for all their expenses including travel and accommodation. Not only do they help the local people they work with, they also benefit by learning the different cultures, networking and visiting tourist destinations.
After completing their attachment, they are recruited as volunteer alumni or given responsibilities in their countries of origin as Youths in Action ambassadors. Currently, there are seven ambassadors in different countries including the Philippines, Italy, France, and Germany.
They also continue volunteering online by gathering or writing articles for the organisation’s website. They also assist in proposal writing and sourcing for donations from their countries.
Due to diversity of community needs and demand to scale up services, the group has extended its services to other jcommunities. They are currently operating in the whole of Coast province and plan to move to other parts of the country.
Young talented volunteers run Youths in Action from diverse fields of professions through members’ donations and community resource mobilisation. It has offices in Mpeketoni, Malindi, Mombasa and Nairobi. The organisation welcomes those who would like to volunteer, partner, commit themselves, work or link with them.
Contact: www.youthsinaction.org
Set ablaze by my husband
Margaret
Wanjiru, 40, views marriage as a great institution which when filled
with undying love can conquer all odds.She was once married and enjoyed
every bit of it until things took a different turn when her husband,
the love of her life turned against her. He engraved her with permanent
conspicuous burn scars all over her body. Scars that she struggles
everyday to accept that are now part of her.
And even though she vows never to remarry, she still insists and
believes that marriage is a wonderful institution if couples respect
each other. She spoke to Millicent Kamau about the ordeal that almost
ended her life.
Being a Kikuyu, when I expressed interest to get married to a Luo
man I was apprehensive that our respective families would disapprove,
but ironically they didn’t and so we got married. For 17 years, we
lived peacefully, never at any point did we argue over our ethnic
differences. Instead we tried to fit in each other’s culture and taught
our children to embrace both.
Raising our five children was a challenging task as we both relied on odd jobs to make ends meet. I hawked tea and githeri (boiled maize and beans) and at times worked in food kiosks. My husband, on the other hand, mostly relied on casual masonry work at construction sites. We lived in a one-room house in Ronda in Nakuru town. Life was hard but we were happy.
During the 2007 general elections, we differed on whom to vote for, but this never interfered with our marriage. We respected and accepted each other’s decision. When violence broke out, we were chased from our house and so was my mother and sisters who lived in our rural home in Nakuru. With nowhere else to go, we ended up at the Nakuru show grounds where other internally displaced persons (IDPs) sought refuge.
My husband did not accompany us to the camp but instead went into hiding fearing for his life. His ethnic community was targeted in the Rift Valley province. Violence was being meted on them and being in a predominantly Kikuyu IDP camp was not safe for him.
On several occasions he was threatened and it is only by Cod’s grace that he survived. We were however in constant communication.
Life in the IDP camp was difficult. There was no food, it was unhygienic and also highly insecure. At that time, Joyce Akinyi, my second last child, was 14 months old and she kept falling sick. The worst part was that I could not afford to take her to hospital every time she fell sick. I struggled to feed our children. I would walk everyday to the nearby centre to look for odd jobs. It was risky but I had no choice.
Many are the times I did not get a job and when I did, it would only last for a day or two with a meagre salary.
I however persevered until I was able to raise money to relocate my
family to a small room in Kiti in Nakuru town, where rent was Ksh.900
per month. Later, my husband joined us though his life was still in
danger. At one time, a gang stormed the house threatening to kill him.
Fortunately, we had learnt about the raid so he hid in a sack pilled
with clothes under the bed. When the gang came they did not find him.
This incident forced him to remain indoors most of the lime. He could
therefore not look for a job.
I was forced to fend for my family. In spite of the insecurity, I resulted to hawking tea day and night in Nakuru town. It is only by God’s grace that I escaped unhurt in the streets where violence intensified everyday. I used to sell a cup of tea at Ksh. 10 and on a good day I would make Ksh.300. Most of my customers were guards and policemen, and they were indirectly my bodyguards.
While all this was going on, I got pregnant and it turned out to be a very difficult pregnancy. I suffered malaria-like symptoms most of the time. However, I tried to keep up with my work but the pregnancy overwhelmed me and I had to stop. My husband now had to fend for us despite the fear for his life. He did obscure jobs but he provided for us anyway.
On one occasion, he called to ask me to borrow Ksh.100 to buy food since he was unable to bring any as he was working late. Upon his return the following morning, I asked him to repay but he suddenly started insulting me. This caught me by surprise, as he had never done it before. I left the house to give him space to calm down but upon my return, I learnt that he had taken off with our child, Joyce.
I reported the matter to Nakuru Central Police Station and the Children’s Court and a search was commissioned. Somehow, he got wind of it and called to request me to drop the charges promising to give back the baby. At first I doubted his intentions but after he made several phone calls he seemed genuine so I went to see him. He had rented a small room in Nakuru town.
Upon my arrival, I noticed that the baby was not in the house. I asked him where she was but he refused to tell me and instead hurled insults. Within a split second, he splashed paraffin on my clothes and body, set me ablaze and pushed me outside the house.
I started screaming for help while trying to remove my clothes. I managed to put off the fire but I was still in great pain. The next thing I remember was waking up in Nakuru General Hospital with bandages all over my body. I later learnt that a Good Samaritan, whom I have not met up to this day, took me to hospital.
I suffered severe burns, with the upper limbs sustaining a higher percentage. The doctor attending to me informed my family what had happened. Interestingly, immediately after setting me ablaze, my husband called my sister claiming that I had burnt myself and he even filed a report at Nakuru Central Police stating the same.
Unfortunately, he could not be arrested at that particular time because I had not yet reported the incident. So he seized this opportunity to go into hiding.
He was eventually arrested after two months. Enough evidence had been gathered, including statements from seven witnesses who were at the scene of crime. Hearing of his case started in court but I could not testify at that time since I was in bad shape. He was kept in remand prison until I was in a position to testify.
I remained in hospital for seven months. I was devastated by what had happened to me, and the fact that my child was still missing. It was a most difficult time. I was nursing painful wounds and was also heavily pregnant.
Each time my pregnancy grew the wounds around the stomach opened. I could not move my neck because it had joined with the chin. I kept asking myself why all this was happening to me. This was a trying moment, but being a believer, I knew that God had good plans for me. I used to encourage myself with the words from the book of Jeremiah 29.11: “For I know the plans I have for you, plans not to ruin you but to give you hope and a future. Declares the Lord.”
On December 13, 2008 I gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Nathaniel Kamau, weighing 4.1 kg. I was later discharged from hospital and the hospital administration was kind enough to clear my bills. This time I ended up in an IDP camp in Mawingu in Nyandarua district where my other children where living with my brother following their eviction from Nakuru after violence intensified.
Two weeks after arriving at the camp, a kind person took me to Kenyatta National Hospital for further treatment. Skin grafting around the chin and neck was performed to disentangle the two. I was discharged one month later after which another Good Samaritan took my mother, Nathaniel and I to Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in South C in Nairobi.
YMCA accommodated us and met our needs but I was still disheartened because Joyce was still missing and her siblings were still in an IDP camp. I kept thinking about them and wishing for a miracle thai would bring us together.
Sure enough, God responded to my cry and a group of caring people bought me a quarter of an acre piece of land in Ruai in Nairobi, and built for me a four-roomed “house. Early this year I relocated to Ruai with my children. Everything in my house is from donations from kind people whom I am very grateful to.
After my condition had improved and I had settled down, I testified against my husband in court this year. He was found guilty and jailed for 10 years. I was re-united with Joyce after two years in May. She was living with my husband’s relatives in Butere district. At first, she did not know I was her mother and used to call me auntie, but now she knows.
My wounds have healed but the scars will never fade. I have discontinued taking medication but I go for checkups every six months. I have never gone to see my husband in prison. I am not yet ready to face him because his actions are still fresh in my mind. I believe that he was incited by his fellow tribesmen to turn against me. Once he is out, I will divorce him and I will never remarry. Right now I am concentrating on bringing up my children.
Kenyans should learn that tribalism is evil and counter-productive. I have been left with permanent scars and my children will now grow up without their father. Turning against each other is not worth it. I only have two words for Kenyans – STOP TRIBALISM!”
Let’s preach peace
By Millicent Kamau
Martin Luther King junior once said,” Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, hut a means by which we arrive at the goal.” These are words that Kenyans ought to seriously consider and emulate.
Margaret’s case is not an isolated one, she represents the unheard voices of many Kenyans who sustained serious injuries, lost their loved ones, or their property during the 2007/08 post elections violence triggered by tribalism and the disputed general elections.
There are people who would brush off this topic arguing that it is old news.’ Well, old news it is but a repeat of the same could just happen in a blink of the eye if we are not cautious.
The purpose of this letter is to urge Kenyans to shun tribalism especially now that the referendum on the proposed constitution is approaching, and 2012 is just around the corner.
There is no doubt everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but as we express those opinions, we should choose our words and statements carefully and also limit our opinion to what is acceptable.
Not long ago, three elected members of parliament were arraigned in court accused of using hate speeches at different public rallies. The interesting thing is that they all denied the accusations despite their live speeches being aired on several local TV stations. It pains my heart that our leaders have not taken the 2007/08 lessons seriously.
But this just confirms something about some of our leaders. They are egocentric and can do just about anything to get power at the expense of others.
Actually, let me rephrase that, at the expense of Kenyans. So this only means one thing, the ball is now on our court; we should not allow negative incitement from egocentric hateful ‘leaders’ who often forget about us once they achieve their goals.
We should not allow them to take us for a ride each time they want our votes. We should take the bolder step and say NO to hate speeches and incitement.
Remember this. Six people died and several others sustained serious injuries following a grenade attack during a rally at Uhuru Park recently. Surely, why do we want to continue hurting each other?
What good do we gain? Nothing! The only thing we gain is a dead nation! I am sure most of us don’t want to go that route, so let’s be smart and reach the ultimate goal of building our nation.
The key to achieving this is living in peace.
Being a Kikuyu, when I expressed interest to get married to a Luo
man I was apprehensive that our respective families would disapprove,
but ironically they didn’t and so we got married. For 17 years, we
lived peacefully, never at any point did we argue over our ethnic
differences. Instead we tried to fit in each other’s culture and taught
our children to embrace both.Raising our five children was a challenging task as we both relied on odd jobs to make ends meet. I hawked tea and githeri (boiled maize and beans) and at times worked in food kiosks. My husband, on the other hand, mostly relied on casual masonry work at construction sites. We lived in a one-room house in Ronda in Nakuru town. Life was hard but we were happy.
During the 2007 general elections, we differed on whom to vote for, but this never interfered with our marriage. We respected and accepted each other’s decision. When violence broke out, we were chased from our house and so was my mother and sisters who lived in our rural home in Nakuru. With nowhere else to go, we ended up at the Nakuru show grounds where other internally displaced persons (IDPs) sought refuge.
My husband did not accompany us to the camp but instead went into hiding fearing for his life. His ethnic community was targeted in the Rift Valley province. Violence was being meted on them and being in a predominantly Kikuyu IDP camp was not safe for him.
On several occasions he was threatened and it is only by Cod’s grace that he survived. We were however in constant communication.
Life in the IDP camp was difficult. There was no food, it was unhygienic and also highly insecure. At that time, Joyce Akinyi, my second last child, was 14 months old and she kept falling sick. The worst part was that I could not afford to take her to hospital every time she fell sick. I struggled to feed our children. I would walk everyday to the nearby centre to look for odd jobs. It was risky but I had no choice.
Many are the times I did not get a job and when I did, it would only last for a day or two with a meagre salary.
I however persevered until I was able to raise money to relocate my
family to a small room in Kiti in Nakuru town, where rent was Ksh.900
per month. Later, my husband joined us though his life was still in
danger. At one time, a gang stormed the house threatening to kill him.
Fortunately, we had learnt about the raid so he hid in a sack pilled
with clothes under the bed. When the gang came they did not find him.
This incident forced him to remain indoors most of the lime. He could
therefore not look for a job.I was forced to fend for my family. In spite of the insecurity, I resulted to hawking tea day and night in Nakuru town. It is only by God’s grace that I escaped unhurt in the streets where violence intensified everyday. I used to sell a cup of tea at Ksh. 10 and on a good day I would make Ksh.300. Most of my customers were guards and policemen, and they were indirectly my bodyguards.
While all this was going on, I got pregnant and it turned out to be a very difficult pregnancy. I suffered malaria-like symptoms most of the time. However, I tried to keep up with my work but the pregnancy overwhelmed me and I had to stop. My husband now had to fend for us despite the fear for his life. He did obscure jobs but he provided for us anyway.
On one occasion, he called to ask me to borrow Ksh.100 to buy food since he was unable to bring any as he was working late. Upon his return the following morning, I asked him to repay but he suddenly started insulting me. This caught me by surprise, as he had never done it before. I left the house to give him space to calm down but upon my return, I learnt that he had taken off with our child, Joyce.
I reported the matter to Nakuru Central Police Station and the Children’s Court and a search was commissioned. Somehow, he got wind of it and called to request me to drop the charges promising to give back the baby. At first I doubted his intentions but after he made several phone calls he seemed genuine so I went to see him. He had rented a small room in Nakuru town.
Upon my arrival, I noticed that the baby was not in the house. I asked him where she was but he refused to tell me and instead hurled insults. Within a split second, he splashed paraffin on my clothes and body, set me ablaze and pushed me outside the house.
I started screaming for help while trying to remove my clothes. I managed to put off the fire but I was still in great pain. The next thing I remember was waking up in Nakuru General Hospital with bandages all over my body. I later learnt that a Good Samaritan, whom I have not met up to this day, took me to hospital.
I suffered severe burns, with the upper limbs sustaining a higher percentage. The doctor attending to me informed my family what had happened. Interestingly, immediately after setting me ablaze, my husband called my sister claiming that I had burnt myself and he even filed a report at Nakuru Central Police stating the same.
Unfortunately, he could not be arrested at that particular time because I had not yet reported the incident. So he seized this opportunity to go into hiding.
He was eventually arrested after two months. Enough evidence had been gathered, including statements from seven witnesses who were at the scene of crime. Hearing of his case started in court but I could not testify at that time since I was in bad shape. He was kept in remand prison until I was in a position to testify.
I remained in hospital for seven months. I was devastated by what had happened to me, and the fact that my child was still missing. It was a most difficult time. I was nursing painful wounds and was also heavily pregnant.
Each time my pregnancy grew the wounds around the stomach opened. I could not move my neck because it had joined with the chin. I kept asking myself why all this was happening to me. This was a trying moment, but being a believer, I knew that God had good plans for me. I used to encourage myself with the words from the book of Jeremiah 29.11: “For I know the plans I have for you, plans not to ruin you but to give you hope and a future. Declares the Lord.”
On December 13, 2008 I gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Nathaniel Kamau, weighing 4.1 kg. I was later discharged from hospital and the hospital administration was kind enough to clear my bills. This time I ended up in an IDP camp in Mawingu in Nyandarua district where my other children where living with my brother following their eviction from Nakuru after violence intensified.
Two weeks after arriving at the camp, a kind person took me to Kenyatta National Hospital for further treatment. Skin grafting around the chin and neck was performed to disentangle the two. I was discharged one month later after which another Good Samaritan took my mother, Nathaniel and I to Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in South C in Nairobi.
YMCA accommodated us and met our needs but I was still disheartened because Joyce was still missing and her siblings were still in an IDP camp. I kept thinking about them and wishing for a miracle thai would bring us together.
Sure enough, God responded to my cry and a group of caring people bought me a quarter of an acre piece of land in Ruai in Nairobi, and built for me a four-roomed “house. Early this year I relocated to Ruai with my children. Everything in my house is from donations from kind people whom I am very grateful to.
After my condition had improved and I had settled down, I testified against my husband in court this year. He was found guilty and jailed for 10 years. I was re-united with Joyce after two years in May. She was living with my husband’s relatives in Butere district. At first, she did not know I was her mother and used to call me auntie, but now she knows.
My wounds have healed but the scars will never fade. I have discontinued taking medication but I go for checkups every six months. I have never gone to see my husband in prison. I am not yet ready to face him because his actions are still fresh in my mind. I believe that he was incited by his fellow tribesmen to turn against me. Once he is out, I will divorce him and I will never remarry. Right now I am concentrating on bringing up my children.
Kenyans should learn that tribalism is evil and counter-productive. I have been left with permanent scars and my children will now grow up without their father. Turning against each other is not worth it. I only have two words for Kenyans – STOP TRIBALISM!”
Let’s preach peace
By Millicent Kamau
Martin Luther King junior once said,” Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, hut a means by which we arrive at the goal.” These are words that Kenyans ought to seriously consider and emulate.
Margaret’s case is not an isolated one, she represents the unheard voices of many Kenyans who sustained serious injuries, lost their loved ones, or their property during the 2007/08 post elections violence triggered by tribalism and the disputed general elections.
There are people who would brush off this topic arguing that it is old news.’ Well, old news it is but a repeat of the same could just happen in a blink of the eye if we are not cautious.
The purpose of this letter is to urge Kenyans to shun tribalism especially now that the referendum on the proposed constitution is approaching, and 2012 is just around the corner.
There is no doubt everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but as we express those opinions, we should choose our words and statements carefully and also limit our opinion to what is acceptable.
Not long ago, three elected members of parliament were arraigned in court accused of using hate speeches at different public rallies. The interesting thing is that they all denied the accusations despite their live speeches being aired on several local TV stations. It pains my heart that our leaders have not taken the 2007/08 lessons seriously.
But this just confirms something about some of our leaders. They are egocentric and can do just about anything to get power at the expense of others.
Actually, let me rephrase that, at the expense of Kenyans. So this only means one thing, the ball is now on our court; we should not allow negative incitement from egocentric hateful ‘leaders’ who often forget about us once they achieve their goals.
We should not allow them to take us for a ride each time they want our votes. We should take the bolder step and say NO to hate speeches and incitement.
Remember this. Six people died and several others sustained serious injuries following a grenade attack during a rally at Uhuru Park recently. Surely, why do we want to continue hurting each other?
What good do we gain? Nothing! The only thing we gain is a dead nation! I am sure most of us don’t want to go that route, so let’s be smart and reach the ultimate goal of building our nation.
The key to achieving this is living in peace.
Amani: Musical Peace – Passion Magazine
Sweet.
Much like a cuddly toy. She smiles and you get the urge to pinch her
cheeks. And then give her a lollipop. And she is bubbly too. Words come
tumbling out of her as if she is in a race for the finish line. But as
soon as they stop, the sprint begins again. It is all very endearing
and quite unlike anything you would expect from a diva.
Cecelia Wairimu is not a diva. And neither is Amani, her sultry alter ego. Both women are as down to earth as they come, which is a refreshing change. “I studied marketing at the United States International University (USIU) and using that knowledge, I outlined the Amani brand. Amani is chic, edgy, bold and stylish,” Cecelia explains.
How did she choose the name Amani?
“Cecelia Wairimu just did not sound right fora stage name!”she says, laughing out loudly.
“The name Amani represents who I really am because music is my therapy – it gives me peace.”
She might have a peaceful name but she certainly chose a chaotic industry, especially for a young woman.
It has been almost a decade since Cecelia introduced Amani to the world. “My first single Move On reached number one on the Capital FM chart when Muthoni Bwika was still on radio. To get it on air, I had to befriend the watchie and sweet talk him to pass it to Muthoni. It is only after I did Ninanoki with Nameless people started to pay attention.”
Since then, her career has been on an upward spiral that has seen her become one of the few female singer/songwriters in Kenya to release a studio album and the second Kenyan woman to win the MTV Africa Music Awards Best Female Artiste of the Year in 2009.
“People recognise me everywhere I go. I cannot even buy groceries in private. Some times, I feel like I have to wear a mask because I am not allowed to have bad days. Amani is a character I walk into.”
Despite the fickle nature of fame and fans, Cecelia has worked hard to carve out a niche in the cutthroat music industry.
“I have received a lot of backlash from critics. At every step of the way, they have predicted my career’s death. But with the exception of Papi, all my songs have been popular. Even though Pop did not do well locally, it was a hit in several other African countries like Zambia, Malawi, Congo and Uganda.”
The young lady from Thika is proving to be the ultimate comeback kid. She has a knack for bouncing back and sticking to the course no matter the size of the obstacle in her path. Sheer determination saw her release her debut album Tamani despite the naysayers who ridiculed everything from her dress sense to her voice.
She stuck to her guns and eventually got a nod of approval when Channel O and MTV acknowledged her contribution to an industry that is more known for imitation than originality.
Cecelia is certainly a musical oddity given that she writes,
composes and performs her own songs. She is inspired by artistes most
would consider quite unlikely. “Not many people know that I really love
African music. I am a huge fan of Tshala Mwana, Yvonne Chaka Chaka and
the late Brenda Fassie. Many of my songs are inspired by them.”
Curiously, Cecelia also likes dance and house music. “Sometimes words interfere with the music,”she offers when I complain about the lack of melody. I make the mistake of describing her own style as kapuka and she quickly corrects me. “What I do is Kenyan pop or African pop if you like and I try to inspire people with my music.”
Her message is inspirational but that has not stopped pundits from mudslinging and rumour mongering. Amani is regular fodder for the gossip rags. “Those things do not bother me because they do not reflect who I am. I do not comment about it because that only adds fuel to the fire.
One thing I will say is that I am not pregnant.
“Sometimes there is an element of truth like with the story about AY and I. There was something going on but it ended. But for the most part, a lot of what gets reported is not true and they often cannot back up their stories.”
Currently, she is in a stable relationship which she describes as “perfect” but she is not forthcoming with the details because “…dating is private and it is something that I want to keep to myself.”
With a MAMA to her credit and impressive sales of her album (which she had the good sense to distribute via the River Road network), she continues to scale new heights. “The MAMA award has really opened doors for me especially because I want to be the best in Africa. I am working to broaden my fan base across the continent.”
From her success, you would think that she never deviates from her goal, working like a plough horse to achieve her dream but she is a true creative at heart. “I go with the flow but stick to the plan because creativity is spontaneous. And in all things, I put God first.”
If that upward spiral holds, and we have no doubt that it will, expect to hear some new material from Amani towards the end of the year when she releases her sophomore album. But while the brand ploughs ahead like a steamroller, the girl is taking a more conventional approach to life.
“Amani will do this for as long as she can and in the meantime Cecelia hopes to get married and have children. But there will be no breaks for Amani. I will figure out how to balance the two.”
Cecelia Wairimu is not a diva. And neither is Amani, her sultry alter ego. Both women are as down to earth as they come, which is a refreshing change. “I studied marketing at the United States International University (USIU) and using that knowledge, I outlined the Amani brand. Amani is chic, edgy, bold and stylish,” Cecelia explains.
How did she choose the name Amani?
“Cecelia Wairimu just did not sound right fora stage name!”she says, laughing out loudly.
“The name Amani represents who I really am because music is my therapy – it gives me peace.”She might have a peaceful name but she certainly chose a chaotic industry, especially for a young woman.
It has been almost a decade since Cecelia introduced Amani to the world. “My first single Move On reached number one on the Capital FM chart when Muthoni Bwika was still on radio. To get it on air, I had to befriend the watchie and sweet talk him to pass it to Muthoni. It is only after I did Ninanoki with Nameless people started to pay attention.”
Since then, her career has been on an upward spiral that has seen her become one of the few female singer/songwriters in Kenya to release a studio album and the second Kenyan woman to win the MTV Africa Music Awards Best Female Artiste of the Year in 2009.
“People recognise me everywhere I go. I cannot even buy groceries in private. Some times, I feel like I have to wear a mask because I am not allowed to have bad days. Amani is a character I walk into.”
Despite the fickle nature of fame and fans, Cecelia has worked hard to carve out a niche in the cutthroat music industry.
“I have received a lot of backlash from critics. At every step of the way, they have predicted my career’s death. But with the exception of Papi, all my songs have been popular. Even though Pop did not do well locally, it was a hit in several other African countries like Zambia, Malawi, Congo and Uganda.”
The young lady from Thika is proving to be the ultimate comeback kid. She has a knack for bouncing back and sticking to the course no matter the size of the obstacle in her path. Sheer determination saw her release her debut album Tamani despite the naysayers who ridiculed everything from her dress sense to her voice.
She stuck to her guns and eventually got a nod of approval when Channel O and MTV acknowledged her contribution to an industry that is more known for imitation than originality.
Cecelia is certainly a musical oddity given that she writes,
composes and performs her own songs. She is inspired by artistes most
would consider quite unlikely. “Not many people know that I really love
African music. I am a huge fan of Tshala Mwana, Yvonne Chaka Chaka and
the late Brenda Fassie. Many of my songs are inspired by them.”Curiously, Cecelia also likes dance and house music. “Sometimes words interfere with the music,”she offers when I complain about the lack of melody. I make the mistake of describing her own style as kapuka and she quickly corrects me. “What I do is Kenyan pop or African pop if you like and I try to inspire people with my music.”
Her message is inspirational but that has not stopped pundits from mudslinging and rumour mongering. Amani is regular fodder for the gossip rags. “Those things do not bother me because they do not reflect who I am. I do not comment about it because that only adds fuel to the fire.
One thing I will say is that I am not pregnant.
“Sometimes there is an element of truth like with the story about AY and I. There was something going on but it ended. But for the most part, a lot of what gets reported is not true and they often cannot back up their stories.”
Currently, she is in a stable relationship which she describes as “perfect” but she is not forthcoming with the details because “…dating is private and it is something that I want to keep to myself.”
With a MAMA to her credit and impressive sales of her album (which she had the good sense to distribute via the River Road network), she continues to scale new heights. “The MAMA award has really opened doors for me especially because I want to be the best in Africa. I am working to broaden my fan base across the continent.”
From her success, you would think that she never deviates from her goal, working like a plough horse to achieve her dream but she is a true creative at heart. “I go with the flow but stick to the plan because creativity is spontaneous. And in all things, I put God first.”
If that upward spiral holds, and we have no doubt that it will, expect to hear some new material from Amani towards the end of the year when she releases her sophomore album. But while the brand ploughs ahead like a steamroller, the girl is taking a more conventional approach to life.
“Amani will do this for as long as she can and in the meantime Cecelia hopes to get married and have children. But there will be no breaks for Amani. I will figure out how to balance the two.”
Wahu Kagwe: Queen of hit singles – Passion for Life Magazine
When she was named Africa’s Best Female Artiste at the first MTV Africa Music Awards in 2008, I was in the audience.
I watched her do the whole teary acceptance speech thing and felt just like I did when Barack Obama was named the first black President of the United States It was something that I never thought I would see in my lifetime – a young, female Kenyan being feted on an international stage for her excellence in the music industry.
“The MAMAs gave me a lot of exposure throughout the continent and
indeed the world. It got people from different countries asking ‘who is
this Kenyan girl who won Best Female Award in Africa?’ As a result, I
have had the opportunity to meet and interact with
internationally-renowned musicians and producers.”
“It has opened my eyes even wider to something I have always known – the sky is the limit. Just because I was born in a Third World country, and found myself at the heart of a very young music industry does not mean my dreams have to be limited? Limitations only exist in your mind.”
On the flight back to Nairobi after the ceremony in Abuja, Nigeria, Wahu Kagwe, and her husband, David “Nameless” Mathenge, sat directly in front of me. As she laid her head on his shoulder and slept, they were the picture of marital bliss.
Independent observers would never have been able to tell that it was Wahu who rested so peacefully on her husband’s shoulder or that it was Nameless who so naturally made room for his wife.
Wahu is philosophical about marriage but unequivocal about her decision to become Mrs Mathenge. “There’s a certain feeling of peace and calm that comes from knowing that the person you sleep next to is someone who truly loves and cares for you; who you can be your absolute self with, and who would do anything to protect you. I would definitely marry my husband again, minus a couple of things about him that bug me!”she says, chuckling.
But without a doubt, her greatest joy was the birth of their daughter Tumiso. “Tumi is such a blessing to us and brings such joy and warmth to the home! Life is much better and fuller with her in our lives.”
Motherhood may have been the one thing that turned the young entertainer into the strong woman she is today. “It is the best thing that ever happened to me because it is such a humbling experience to have the opportunity to watch a little life unfold and begin to blossom.
“I am a more focussed woman now. Since she will always use me as a yardstick against which to measure her life, I do my best to make wise decisions, and strive to be successful in all that I do, so that one day she can say, if Mum did it, so can I.”
It may seem that all her time is taken up being a doting mum, but little Tumiso has not stopped Wahu from following her own dream, rather she has given her an impetus to succeed further.
“I knew from an early age that everything happens for a reason. I also knew that human beings never fail. If you expect failure, you have not failed…you got exactly what you expected – failure. If you plan to succeed, you will succeed, because your heart, your mind and your energy is focused on that. I knew that whatever I set my heart on doing, I would succeed. It just happened to be music. I know there is so much more I can achieve. My journey to success has really just began.”
Wahu has chosen to read the signs of the times and capitalise on the
singles market, much like her husband. “Market trends are changing.
Singles are readily available online and the prevalence of piracy in
Kenya is also very discouraging. Because of this, the returns on album
sales are not what they should be. So, majority of us earn our living
from performances, endorsements and music downloads.”
If she was named Queen of anything, Wahu would be the Queen of the Hit Single. She has a gift for catchy lyrics and addictive melodies and has a string of hits like Sitishiki, Kibowwow and Mambo Bado to her name.There are no plans to retire her hit-making machinery, but she has found that since the birth of Tumiso, she has acquired a new taste.
“I normally create music depending on my mood. When I was pregnant, I was in love with reggae, so a lot of the music I did then had very strong reggae undertones. I wrote Sweet Love, Running Low and other unreleased tracks during that period.There was a time when all my music was strictly kapuka but currently I am feeling Afro-fusion, so a lot of what I am working on now is in that direction.”
But the sky is the limit for her and it is as wide as it is high. There are other things that she wants to do. “I would love to set up community talent centres across the country for talented but under-privileged children; a college along the same lines with a strong scholarship component and a programme that caters for the empowerment of the girl child.”
Obviously, Wahu has mad love for her fellow women. So why are there whispers that she is beefing with Amani?
“It is strange that 90 per cent of the public expect a beef. Sorry to be so boring but we are totally cool with each other. I think she is extremely talented, extremely gorgeous, and extremely ambitious. We have come a long way together in this industry and there is just no space for us to have bile for each other.” There you have it. You heard it here first.
By Julie Masiga
I watched her do the whole teary acceptance speech thing and felt just like I did when Barack Obama was named the first black President of the United States It was something that I never thought I would see in my lifetime – a young, female Kenyan being feted on an international stage for her excellence in the music industry.
“The MAMAs gave me a lot of exposure throughout the continent and
indeed the world. It got people from different countries asking ‘who is
this Kenyan girl who won Best Female Award in Africa?’ As a result, I
have had the opportunity to meet and interact with
internationally-renowned musicians and producers.”“It has opened my eyes even wider to something I have always known – the sky is the limit. Just because I was born in a Third World country, and found myself at the heart of a very young music industry does not mean my dreams have to be limited? Limitations only exist in your mind.”
On the flight back to Nairobi after the ceremony in Abuja, Nigeria, Wahu Kagwe, and her husband, David “Nameless” Mathenge, sat directly in front of me. As she laid her head on his shoulder and slept, they were the picture of marital bliss.
Independent observers would never have been able to tell that it was Wahu who rested so peacefully on her husband’s shoulder or that it was Nameless who so naturally made room for his wife.
Wahu is philosophical about marriage but unequivocal about her decision to become Mrs Mathenge. “There’s a certain feeling of peace and calm that comes from knowing that the person you sleep next to is someone who truly loves and cares for you; who you can be your absolute self with, and who would do anything to protect you. I would definitely marry my husband again, minus a couple of things about him that bug me!”she says, chuckling.
But without a doubt, her greatest joy was the birth of their daughter Tumiso. “Tumi is such a blessing to us and brings such joy and warmth to the home! Life is much better and fuller with her in our lives.”
Motherhood may have been the one thing that turned the young entertainer into the strong woman she is today. “It is the best thing that ever happened to me because it is such a humbling experience to have the opportunity to watch a little life unfold and begin to blossom.
“I am a more focussed woman now. Since she will always use me as a yardstick against which to measure her life, I do my best to make wise decisions, and strive to be successful in all that I do, so that one day she can say, if Mum did it, so can I.”
It may seem that all her time is taken up being a doting mum, but little Tumiso has not stopped Wahu from following her own dream, rather she has given her an impetus to succeed further.
“I knew from an early age that everything happens for a reason. I also knew that human beings never fail. If you expect failure, you have not failed…you got exactly what you expected – failure. If you plan to succeed, you will succeed, because your heart, your mind and your energy is focused on that. I knew that whatever I set my heart on doing, I would succeed. It just happened to be music. I know there is so much more I can achieve. My journey to success has really just began.”
Wahu has chosen to read the signs of the times and capitalise on the
singles market, much like her husband. “Market trends are changing.
Singles are readily available online and the prevalence of piracy in
Kenya is also very discouraging. Because of this, the returns on album
sales are not what they should be. So, majority of us earn our living
from performances, endorsements and music downloads.”If she was named Queen of anything, Wahu would be the Queen of the Hit Single. She has a gift for catchy lyrics and addictive melodies and has a string of hits like Sitishiki, Kibowwow and Mambo Bado to her name.There are no plans to retire her hit-making machinery, but she has found that since the birth of Tumiso, she has acquired a new taste.
“I normally create music depending on my mood. When I was pregnant, I was in love with reggae, so a lot of the music I did then had very strong reggae undertones. I wrote Sweet Love, Running Low and other unreleased tracks during that period.There was a time when all my music was strictly kapuka but currently I am feeling Afro-fusion, so a lot of what I am working on now is in that direction.”
But the sky is the limit for her and it is as wide as it is high. There are other things that she wants to do. “I would love to set up community talent centres across the country for talented but under-privileged children; a college along the same lines with a strong scholarship component and a programme that caters for the empowerment of the girl child.”
Obviously, Wahu has mad love for her fellow women. So why are there whispers that she is beefing with Amani?
“It is strange that 90 per cent of the public expect a beef. Sorry to be so boring but we are totally cool with each other. I think she is extremely talented, extremely gorgeous, and extremely ambitious. We have come a long way together in this industry and there is just no space for us to have bile for each other.” There you have it. You heard it here first.
By Julie Masiga
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