karibu magazine 4th edition

FOURTH EDITION 

30th July 2019 

KENYANS IN THE UK MAGAZINE 

SWEET 

TOOTH 

Instagram: sweettooth.xo 

Tel: 07415499934 

ATIENO’S 

TREASURE 

CHEST 

THE OGUDAS 

LIVING BETTER 

AFRICAN 

WOMEN IN 

EUROPE 

DIASPORA 

DOCTORS 

2015-2019 COLLECTION OF 

PHOTOS 

Shammah 

Splendid 

School 

Project 

Page 40-41

Ethiopian Airlines is delighted to be a part of the Kenya in the Park event and wants to wish everyone 

attending a happy and fun day. 

Do drop by our tent as we’re here to answer any questions you have or if you’d simply like to have a 

chat with us and learn a little about Ethiopian, that’s fine too. What you may be surprised to know is, we 

began operating from London Heathrow in 1973 and since those early days we’ve grown in team size and 

expanded further into the U.K. by adding Manchester to our UK routes. 

Flying to Africa 

From London Heathrow, we operate a daily service to Addis Ababa using the Airbus A350 and from 

Manchester it’s a 4 times weekly service using the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. 

From our hub in Addis Ababa you can connect seamlessly to another 61 African and 28 International 

destinations including Mombasa and Nairobi. 

Addis Ababa Bole Airport 

When transiting through the recently expanded passenger terminal at Bole Airport you can stay 

connected with friends and family by using the airport’s free Wifi, pick up some last minute gifts, grab a 

bite to eat in one of Bole airport’s restaurants, or recharge and relax in one of the lounges. 

Transit Tours 

For those who’d like the opportunity to see a little of Addis Ababa, there are numerous transit tours 

available which include an overnight stay at the new luxurious Skylight Hotel located a mere 3 minutes 

drive from the airport. 

Tours on offer include a visit to the National Museum, a cultural night with traditional Ethiopian food, 

dancers and coffee ceremony, and even a sunrise balloon ride over the city. 

So, if you’d like to know more about Ethiopian’s products and services drop by our tent. We’ll be 

delighted to see you! 

W: www.ethiopianairlines.com/uk/EN

Greetings and welcome to this year’s issue of Karibu Magazine. 

In our last issue we featured quite an array of inspirational people like Sarah 

Ikumu who has gone to (say what she’s been up to)……….. and Mzee 

Nduva. 

We aim to be informative as well as entertaining and, in this issue, we have 

a broad range of articles and contributors that will feed your mind as well as 

entertain. We are privileged to have exclusive and profound contributions 

from ….. (list contributors) 

There are no events to reach the epitome of networking that transcends 

Kenya in the Park, and this year it’s bigger and better as it will run for 2 days 

on 27 and 28 July. These fun filled days will not only bring people together 

but new business opportunities and collaborations at a deeper level. 

Since our last issue, there’s been progressive positive image of Kenyans 

abroad and the appointment of H. E. Mr Manoah Epipisu as The High 

Commissioner in the UK. Earlier this year, he presented to the Queen his 

letters of credence. 

We have also seen the emergence of several initiatives that enhance and 

promotes our cultural diversity and business acumen but solidifies our 

unity as Kenyans in the UK. These initiatives not only promote individual 

ventures but shines a spotlight on Kenya in the global presence. 

At Karibu Magazine, we encourage contributions from all Kenyans 

in the UK and look forward to many years of fast thinking 

collaborations. 

________________ 

Lydia Tett Olet 

Chief Editor

CONTENTS 

3 LETTER FROM the chief EDITOR 

_______________________________________________________________________________________ 

6-7: ATIENOS AFRICAN TREASURE CHEST 

»» 

p.6 

»» 

p.08 »» 

p.hotos 

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

8-9: feature: DESTINY SUPPORT CIC 

_______________________________________________________________________________________ 

12-13: feature: ROBIN ODONGO 

_______________________________________________________________________________________ 

13-17: feature: african women in europe 

_______________________________________________________________________________________ 

18-: feature:shamlal puri 

20-: joy zenz - a.w.e founder 

22: life in the uk 

26-29: kenya in the park team 

32-33: singer - wasam rosemary 

34-37: kenya in the park photos 2015 - 2019 

38-39: kenya country profile 

_______________________________________________________________________________________ 

40-41 shammah school kibera 

42: KENYA NATIONAL ANTHEM 

44-45: OGUDA’S FAMILY ADVICE 

»» 

p.45 

_______________________________________________________________________________________ 

46-48: kenya in the park photos 

50: diaspora health 

52: 

54-55: love always wins - mr & mrs itheka 

56-57: 

58-59 : lioness 

60: secrets of health - emmah muya 

72-73: rugby 7 

_______________________________________________________________________________________ 

78: thanks to friends & sponsors 

_______________________________________________________________________________________ 

4 

»» 

p.45 

4THEDITION 

|JULY 2019 

»» 

p.50

EDITORIAL 

TEAM 

Publisher. (Mrseed) 

Mr Peter Njiri Karanja 

Tel: +447951220695 

admi.karibu@gmail.com 

Editor in Chief: 

Lydia Olet. 

Tel: +447853207075 

info.karibu@gmail.com 

Sub Editor 

Lydia Jepchirchir 

Smith 

Graphics & design. 

mrkeya (Noah Keya) 

mrkeya@gmail.com 

+447401307994 

Marketing, Advertising 

and Circulation. 

Mercy Kiminta. 

Tel: +447403159285 

sales.karibu@gmail.com 

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5

Atienos 

AFRICAN 

TREASURE 

Chest 

Atieno’s African Treasure Chest. 

Let me introduce you to AATC (Atieno’s African 

Treasure Chest) vision & mission. 

Our mission is to provide African clothing 

and accessories to people of all cultures 

and nationalities. Our approach 

incorporates entertainment and Fashion 

(FashionTainment) as avenues to explore 

the many ways our beautiful and functional 

pieces can be worn. From special occasions, 

formals functions to casual everyday wear, 

we guide you into the appropriate way to 

rock the unique pieces and express your 

individuality. AATC specializes in Kenyan 

accessories and clothing as we take 

seriously the promotion of our culture 

and the positive globalization of its 

beauty. 

Fashion is the central part of our 

everyday endeavor! AATC has 

organized and participated in 

fashion shows an photoshoots. 

We encourage the models to 

express their personalities 

through our clothing lines 

and accessories with the 

help and guidance of 

Shawn Thompson the 

owner of S Fire Production, 

specializing in body 

building, sculpting and 

conditioning by the same 

trainer responsible for Shaq 

O’neal, Roc Shabbaz. 

Shawn Thompson is 

also known as Mr. 

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Spearman. He is an important part 

of developing a professional delivery 

of AATC’s vision when demonstrated 

on the runway or on film. He trains 

and coaches the models on walking 

with poise, standing in power poses 

and facilitating them to project an 

image of confidence when wearing 

our products. His expertise as a 

professional personal trainer gives 

him a keen eye for proper balance 

when presenting bodies as a canvas. 

The details in putting it together is 

executed by AATC’s artistic Director, 

Atieno Ayegba & makeup artists 

with various specialties; from tribal 

body painting, whimsical facial 

transformation, to accessorizing. 

Atieno is a multi facetted, multi 

layered artist that knows no limits 

when expressing Kenyan cultures 

and removing the stigma of African 

Fashion and making it Global Fashion! 

She dances and she also trains. Atieno 

Ayegba is an international boss lady 

working with the likes of Steve Waruta 

(owner of Domino-Banjuka hits) for 

the release of their first music single. 

AATC is an international company 

extending its reach and showcase 

from London (Kenyans in The Park 

annual event in the UK) to Houston 

(East African Chamber of Commerce) 

and Atlanta (USA). 

What is a company if it doesn’t reflect 

the values and beliefs of it members? 

Philanthropy is an important part as 

well to the delivery of our services. 

Organizing or participating in events 

that have a purpose and that can 

be beneficial to the global and local 

communities as well is primordial. 

AATC is in preparation for the next 

project; a fashion show to bring 

awareness and support to Angalia 

for Imbako Public Health (NGP 

specializing in education for young 

girls in rural parts of Kenya). 

In addition, we partnered with a 

talented professional that understand 

the vision behind the mission and 

is able to create seamlessly using 

our products as the backdrop for 

encouraging and promoting Kenyan 

culture with excellence. Such 

professional is Brayo Judah. A world 

renown photographer, performer 

& choreographer, working in close 

collaboration with celebrities such 

as Fally Ipupa and Nameless. He 

is the creator of The African Body 

Movements System and the prodigy 

behind the lens. Incorporating Brayo 

Judah’s life work with the AATC creates 

an infinite cycle of creativity and 

cultural empowerment. Traveling the 

world and training several dancers, 

Brayo Judah is able to build a bridge 

for the Kenyan culture by infusing it 

to the African diaspora and beyond. 

For example, Natacha Zamor has 

been trained in the art of Chakacha 

by him, and is exposing the western 

world to this aspect of our culture. 

She is the CEO of TampaBay Afrofit, a 

company that provides avenues for 

health & wellness using an afrocentric 

approach. 

AATC’s vision incorporates all layers of 

artistic expressions in order to deliver 

a well rounded product representing 

fashion in an entertaining way and 

promoting Kenyan culture, beauty 

and uniqueness throughout the 

world! 

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7

DESTINY SUPPORT CIC 

I believe we all have a special “calling”. 

That calling is our life purpose. 

Everything that happens in our life, 

shows up to move us on to the path of 

self-discovery. 

A long time ago, when I was about 

seven years old and that’s a long 

time ago! Just before the start of my 

school term, my parents bought me 

the necessities of school life - school 

clothes, books, pens, rulers, paper and 

much more. 

I recall that not all the children at 

my school were as blessed as I was 

and became aware that many of the 

children were disadvantaged. They 

did not have new clothes and could 

not afford to buy books they needed. 

Having a pen and paper was a luxury. 

Seeing so many disadvantaged 

children, I began to question God and 

myself. Why did other children not 

have the necessities that I was blessed 

with? I did not get an answer to this 

question. So I began to share what I 

had been blessed with. I shared and 

shared until there was nothing left by 

the end of term. The word ‘sharing’ 

does not exist for most children at the 

same tender age of around 7 years old 

– but for some reason I was compelled 

to share. 

Many many years later, when I told my 

daughters about this - they too did 

not understand why I had to give away 

everything and go without! Children 

are honest in their feedback! But I did 

not have an answer! Except to say that 

“I believe we all have a special calling”. 

And the seeds of our life purpose are 

planted in our hearts when we are 

still children. As were the seeds of my 

destiny. 

Pain and hardship is a great catalyst 

for change. I know from my personal 

experience that some of the darkest 

moments in my life have put me back 

on track in a more positive direction. 

I recall the Catholic Church providing 

us with accommodation and financial 

support. I have since followed the 

faith, attended catholic schools and 

most importantly, my children have 

continued on the same path. 

As I look back now - Destiny Support 

was destined to be. Destiny Support 

was born and destined to CARE as 

described below:- 

CLIENTS: a diverse, hard-to-reach range 

of people living within the community 

ACTIVITY: reaching out to people 

and enabling access to services and 

opportunities 

REGION: Slough and environs 

ETHNICITY: individuals from across 

Slough’s many communities. 

Destiny Support CIC is over a 

decade old grassroots, voluntary led 

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organisation and engages with over 

1,300 individuals each year referred to 

us by over 40 statutory and community/ 

voluntary sector partners, or their 

families and friends who either feel, or are 

vulnerable, lonely and isolated for various 

reasons. We provide tailored support that 

enables people to overcome small hurdles 

leading to an improved quality of life 

through one to one individual support to 

our clients of all ages with multiple issues. 

We are open to everyone but we aim to 

engage people who other organisations 

or agencies may have difficulty reaching. 

We provide a holistic and integrated onestop 

shop service via various inter-related 

projects that offer practical independent 

living support services for hard to reach 

disadvantaged individuals and families, 

many of whom suffer from loneliness and 

isolation in the Slough and surrounding 

areas. Our core work is to provide 

early intervention and preventative 

services to enable more people to fulfil 

their potential through information 

and support on a range of issues for 

example, income maximisation including 

access to benefits, budgeting, housing, 

employment and access to local services. 

That is why we offer personalised and 

holistic support for vulnerable people in 

order to lead their lives independently 

within our community. 

What we do 

We offer an information and support 

service 3 days a week. 

We run a weekly social and skills club for 

adults with special needs and their carers 

We provide volunteering opportunities 

with training. 

We offer employment support to get 

people back into employment, training 

or education through a variety of projects 

including basic IT session for people with 

no computer skills 

I have gained a lot of experience over 

the last 12 years of running my own 

organisation as a ‘social enterprise’. 

Managing a team, finances and overall 

aspects of business operations has been 

challenging especially raising funds and 

uncertainties during the era of austerity. 

Resources and capacity issues have been 

on my mind each and every step of the 

way while trying to ensure that I do not 

give up in delivering a very valuable 

service and this includes personal success 

achieved in sustaining the business over 

the years in operation while national, 

larger organisations have closed down. 

Being resilient and the determination 

to achieve has helped me to embrace 

change, learn new ways of working while 

developing ideas and most importantly 

working alongside a dedicated Board of 

Directors, Staff and Volunteers. 

Because we stand out as an organisation 

that works with real people facing real 

issues, Destiny Support was showcased 

in a Channel 4 documentary (Job Fairy 

Godmother) assisting a volunteer get 

back to full time work and is regularly 

featured in the local newspapers. Being 

recognised for the work that we do has 

enabled us to achieve a range of quality 

marks and awards in recognition of our 

quality service including being invited to 

Buckingham Palace Garden Party by Her 

Majesty the Queen last year. The quality 

marks and awards include Best New 

Social Enterprise Award in 2008, Simple 

Quality Protects - Gold and Platinum 

Awards, Matrix Standard 2019, The Social 

Enterprise Mark and the Queens Award 

nomination this year in recognition of our 

work. 

My journey started in 2007 while 

working in a supported housing 

project. Accommodation was always 

and is still an issue. With a long waiting 

list and lack of housing, most of the 

clients would be placed in B & B’s or 

shared accommodation or wherever the 

vacancies were available. They often felt 

vulnerable and isolated. I would go out 

to them and offer support outside my 

working hours. 

It eventually dawned on me that there 

were more people out there facing 

difficulties in their lives. My personal 

experience was a contributing factor 

as well as my customer service and 

corporate experience while working as a 

Media Manager for an advertising agency 

and assistant Treasurer at Public Relations 

Society of Kenya (PRSK). 

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9

Destiny Support was then set up and 

finally registered as a Community Interest 

Company in 2009 - to offer support 

services to vulnerable people living in the 

community of Slough with multiple needs. 

Building on connections and networks 

with local partners and businesses like 

property agents, recruitment agencies, 

solicitors, employers, statutory and 

voluntary sector, the Police and GP’s 

enables us to provide a holistic support 

service as a ‘one stop shop’. Our experience 

over the years we have been in operation, 

shows that working with ‘real people’ 

as opposed to questionnaires with tick 

boxes though data is important, has made 

Destiny Support stand out and address 

the real issues that normally would slip 

through the net. We recognise that 

delivering community based services 

require effective coalitions with local 

partners in order to deliver tangible 

outcomes for our clients to achieve 

sustained results. The Whole Person 

approach that we use has proven effective. 

How do we know and what makes us 

good at what we do? 

For one, we do what we love and enjoy! 

Making hard work fun! 

The passion is evident from our amazing 

team of trained volunteers and staff. Most 

of them graduates or from neighbouring 

universities and all come with different 

skills set including many languages. 

Destiny Support would not have survived 

this long without our volunteers – these 

are our biggest asset! 

Slough has a very diverse population, with 

over 100 plus languages spoken in schools. 

Most of our clients come from different 

backgrounds with multiple and complex 

issues. Information overload being a huge 

barrier to those who do not understand 

how systems work, including most of us in 

the room. 

We do not promise to produce results 

overnight but slowly work with our 

clients to the surface, changing hearts, 

perceptions, minds, attitudes, futures and 

empowering them to take responsibility 

to lead independent lives. Every day, we 

support frightened, despairing, lonely 

and angry clients who only need to talk to 

someone and feel listened to. 

Our aim is to eliminate the blame culture 

by being intermediaries between statutory 

bodies and the community we serve, to 

have an understanding of how services 

are provided. We ensure that clients are 

not dependant on our services but equally 

have a duty of care and work closely with 

other agencies to remedy the situation for 

the benefit of our clients. 

We also understand that people must be 

reached in different ways, so we constantly 

adapt our approach to engage with our 

clients. I have been overwhelmed by 

the increase of clients who require our 

services. 

Our satisfaction is when clients leave with 

a smile and say - thank you, shukriya (in 

urdhu), ahsante (in Swahili), jindabre (in 

Polish) Tuhada thanwad (in Punjabi)! 

The question that faces most strategic 

decision makers is: 

“What do we have to do today to be ready 

for an uncertain tomorrow?” 

Not sure I have the answer! But, remaining 

flexible and considering options as events 

unfold is important. 

Destiny Support is open, flexible and we 

have learned to adapt. This is not a 9 – 5 

10 

4THEDITION 

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job! All our projects are set up to meet 

an identified need while supporting our 

clients. 

We are about pushing boundaries, 

continuously challenging our capabilities 

by reviewing how we deliver services. 

Working in a family environment and 

having a laugh is our coping mechanism, 

while remaining professional. 

External organisations have also 

recognised the achievements of Destiny 

Support. This is evidenced by the awards 

and quality standards achieved in its short 

history. 

Looking ahead - what does the future 

hold for us? 

We cannot afford to be complacent. We 

still have a lot of work to do! 

While we aim to make a change for every 

client we serve, resources are high on our 

objectives list to enable us support more 

people and ensure sustainability. It’s not 

about numbers. It’s about the impact on 

people’s lives! 

I recall the then Mayor of Slough during 

the launch of Destiny Support in 2009, 

saying at the time, ‘It’s not about where we 

come from but where we are settled and 

who we serve!’ Coming from Kenya this is 

home and I have realised that I am in the 

right place to serve the community am 

part of. 

We are all equal, problems or any 

changes in our lives does not choose our 

backgrounds. 

We do not compromise our standard of 

service but continuously improve and 

learn through mistakes or errors. Those 

who care - help! I am proud to be in 

Slough and serving this community. 

Believing in our work does not guarantee 

success but if we don’t believe in our work, 

we are guaranteed failure! Success is not 

measured by the heights one attains, but 

by the obstacles one overcomes in its 

attainment. 

Our vision is to continue working towards 

creating a world that includes everybody 

in their community, where people can 

live independently and be respected as 

citizens who play a part in society. Destiny 

Support is a tested and working model 

that I hope to pursue and set up in Kenya 

and utilise the experience I have gained. I 

am currently in my final year of a Masters 

in Business (MBA) programme and will be 

undertaking my dissertation in Kenya to 

help towards my goal of running a similar 

social enterprise and hopefully help shape 

policies. 

Everyone matters - ‘we all need 

Significance, Security and Self-worth and 

hope to give back to those who have lost 

it’. 

Some words from Mother Theresa that 

inspire me a lot. 

People are often unreasonable and selfcentred. 

Forgive them anyway. 

If you are kind, people may accuse you of 

ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. 

The good you do today may be forgotten 

tomorrow. Do good anyway. 

Give the world the best you have and it 

may never be enough. Give your best 

anyway. 

Sue Njuguna 

Founder & Head of Operations 

Destiny Support CIC 

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11

ROBIN ODONGO 

aka ODONGO ROBBIE WUODCARO 

WRITER/DIRECTOR/ACTOR/PRODUCER 

12 

I 

am Robin Opondo Odongo a.k.a 

Odongo Robbie Wuodcaro. Born 

and brought up in Pala Village, a 

Lakeshore village along Lake Victoria 

in Siaya County in Kenya. 

I Moved to Kisumu town in 2004 

after I completed my KCSE to stay 

with my brother in the shanty 

Manyatta Estate with the intention 

of doing any odd job to earn a living 

because I couldn’t afford going to 

college due to financial challenges 

despite scoring good points (B-) in 

my KCSE final examination. 

In 2004 I joined, LAGNET THEATRICS 

acting a set book for almost one 

year. The acting opportunity was cut 

short when I lost my mother and I 

had to go back home. Being the last 

born, I had to remain behind after 

4THEDITION 

|JULY 2019 

the burial to take care of my ailing 

father. 

While at home, I formed a theatre 

group called NYAYUGRO nurturing 

so many talents back in the village. 

In 2007, my father succumbed to 

death and I decided to go back to 

Kisumu after the burial to hustle and 

follow my dream in art industry. 

In 2013, I started LEQWOOD 

PRODUCTIONS, a film/TV production 

house based in Kisumu. 

In 2015 while working in the hotel 

as a laundry attendant, I took my first 

loan and this enabled me to produce 

my first ‘Luo’ film featuring “DHING 

GO JAWAJAWA” which never got 

much publicity due to poor quality 

resulting from lack of equipment. 

From the critics, I have learned a lot 

in the film industry. It’s been a long 

and rocky journey since I started. 

Late 2015, I produced a ‘Luo’ TV 

series “THO LURO” which was airing 

in LOLWE TV, a Luo local TV station, 

which came to a halt after few 

episodes due to lack of payment 

from the station. 

In 2017, I wrote, produced and 

directed my second Luo Film 

“SEREDO 1” in partnership with FINIX 

ENTERTAINMENT. The film won the 

award of the BEST FILM IN DHOLUO 

in LAKE INTERNATIONAL PANAFRIC 

FILM FESTIVAL in 2017. In 2018 the 

film was nominated to Nairobi Slum 

Film Festival under the category of 

the BEST FILM IN VERNACULAR.

In 2018 due to public demand, I 

produced “SEREDO 2” in partnership 

with Finix Entertainment and 

Wakawaka Productions. Besides 

receiving a massive welcome from 

the audience, the film won an award 

for THE BEST FILM IN VERNACULAR 

and the award of THE BEST ORIGINAL 

SCORE in ANNUAL RIVERWOODS 

INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. The 

same year, the film got nominated for 

LAKE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 

under the category of the BEST SCRIPT 

WRITER. 

It was also nominated to KALASHA 

INTERNATIONAL FILM AND TV 

FESTIVAL under the categories of THE 

BEST FILM IN LOCAL LANGUAGE and 

the BEST ORIGINAL SCORE. 

Currently I am working on an English/ 

Kiswahili TV series called HOTEL 

MAMBOLEO which I have done 13 

episodes and still pitching for a slot in 

any possible TV station. 

In 2019 I have a lot in store, I am 

writing a ‘Luo’ film and an English/ 

Kiswahili film both scheduled to 

be shot before the end of 2019 this 

depends on financial support I will 

get. 

My biggest expectation in 2020 is the 

film “RAISING OF THE PHOENIX” a story 

by Lydia Tett Olet and Dr. Pam Obare 

Mogaka which I wrote and we’re 

planning to shoot anytime from 

now God willing. 

I have a dream of making Kisumu 

a film hub in East Africa hence 

stopping the culture of our 

talented youth travelling to the 

Capital City Nairobi to make it in 

the film industry. 

Despite the challenges of financial 

support and lack of proper 

equipment, we’re moving in the 

right direction. 

My biggest fear is the risk to start. 

I never attended a film school but 

through consistency, hard work 

and prayer, I have made it to the 

circle of the most promising film 

makers in Kenya. I’ll never stop 

until I reach my dream of winning 

an Oscar Award. 

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13

AFRICAN WOMEN IN EUROPE 

The AWE award was 

started in 2010 

About AWE 

AWE was started in 2008 and it is 

a private initiative registered in 

Germany. 

Our mission 

To reflect a positive image of an 

African woman by creating an 

atmosphere where women can 

network, support, encourage and 

empower each other. 

Aims and Objectives 

*Empower African women. 

*Support upcoming and existing 

entrepreneurs. 

*Positively reflect the image of an 

African woman. 

* Informative and easy to manage 

networking platform. 

*Connect and form sustainable 

partnership among members. 

* Organise face-to-face Networking 

Events i.e Awards, Conferences and 

Workshops 

The growth of AWE has been a great 

success with an overwhelming support 

of women in Europe and Africa. We 

salute all the women who tirelessly 

work hard not only to achieve their 

personal goals but are a positive 

influence to the community at large. 

Our vision is to extract and recognize 

the potential within and without, and 

empower women to reach out to other 

women and the communities they 

daily interact with as they achieve 

their full potential. 

AWE recognizes women in the market 

place who go above and beyond 

their call of duty in our AWE AWARD 

CEREMONY, which are held in various 

venues in Europe. This is held every 

other second Year. 

AWE conferences are also great 

platforms where we organise tailored 

workshops to fit our member’s needs. 

Women learn and network with each 

other. 

We encourage you to visit our website 

www.africanwomenineurope.eu and 

read more about our work. To join 

is free but you can also pay a yearly 

fee to get regular information and 

discounts to join our events. 

About AWE Awards 

The AWE award was started in 2010. 

The aim is to recognise and honour 

African Women living, working, and 

studying in business in Europe. The 

need for the Award came from an 

assessment conducted through the 

African women in Europe website 

which has over 1000 registered 

members. There was the need to 

honour these women for being good 

14 

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AWE Awards 2017 

AWE 2015 Winners 2011 

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15


role models in their communities. 

Candidates from all over Europe (AWE 

members or non-member) apply for 

the Awards. An appointed judicial 

board select the most qualified 

nominee in each category. Thereafter, 

the awards are presented to the ward 

winners during the Award ceremony. 

The ceremonies are held in different 

cities in Europe and everyone is 

invited to join the Awards ceremony. 

Objectives and aims 

*Empower and recognise African 

Women in Europe 

*Educate members through speeches 

and workshops during the Award 

ceremonies 

*Support upcoming and existing 

entrepreneurs by marketing their 

work 

*Organising a networking Event. 

PAST EVENTS 


AWE Awards 2018 was held in Berlin, 

Germany on 23rd September 2017. 

The Event attracted over 350 men 

and women all over Europe. 11 

women and men received winners 

Awards and 30 Award Achievements. 

AWE Conference 2016 

AWE Awards 2015 was held in 

Düsseldorf, Germany on 20th June 

2015. The event attracted over 300 

men and women all over Europe. The 

Conference had different Workshops 

with different Topics to fit different 

needs of AWE members. 


Awards 2015 was held in Geneva, 

Switzerland on 20th June 2015. The 

attractive theme “Leadership and 

Honouring Women Rights” attracted 

over 300 men and women all over 

Europe. 10 women received winners 

Awards and 10 Award Achievement 


The 1st AWE award was held in the 

trendy city of Berlin on the 18th July 

2011. 

The event attracted over 80 

participants living in cities across 

Europe such as Amsterdam, Geneva, 

London, Hamburg, Berlin and Paris. 

The main cities in Europe were more 

than adequately represented during 

the event. 


The sterling efforts of Kenyan women 

living in Europe were recognised 

at a major awards ceremony in 

central London on June 29th of 

June. Some 200 African men and 

women from the UK and mainland 

Europe attended the African Women 

in Europe (AWE) awards ceremony a 

biennial event held to acknowledge 

the achievements of the continent’s 

diaspora. Poppy Majingo, Minister 

Counsellor at the Botswana High 

Commission was the chief guest. 

AWE Other Projects 

AWE BOOKS 

AWE has launched its own Volume 

1 book with stories written by AWE 

members to empower, motivate 

others and also to leave a legacy 

behind. 

AWE GPS Mentorship 

This is one of AWE projects aiming 

to share AWE member’s knowledge 

and experience to support women 

and youth residing in Europe and in 

Africa through mentorship. 

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AWE Zoom Online meetings & Trainings 

This is an online Radio show hosted and run 

by volunteers. AWE members and guests are 

interviewed weekly to discuss about their projects, 

products and services. 

Upcoming Project 

AWE Investment project in Africa 

AWE members will collectively invest in 

African projects aiming to support AWE Africa 

Entrepreneurs. 

EVENT ORGANISING TEAM 

AWE Event Team Organisers have provided highquality 

event for over 9 years. We carefully listen 

to our guests’ wishes, learn from our past events 

and do everything we can to exceed our guests’ 

and sponsors’ expectations. No matter how big or 

small the event will be, we go above and beyond to 

make the planning process enjoyable, unique and 

memorable as possible during the day. 

Joy Zenz 

AWE founder 

Based in Germany 

AWE Awards Project 

Co-ordinator 

Programs and Events 

Co-ordinator 

Wambui Njau 

AWE Co-Founder 

Based in UK 

Marketing & Events 

Co-ordinator 

AWE Public Relation 

Thank you. 

For Details 

Contact Event Organiser: 

Joy Zenz 

Tel: +49 17383 96949 

Email: Info@africanwomenineurope.eu 

Website: www.africanwomenineurope.eu 

Milka Muigai 

AWE Administrator 

Based in UK 

Event Supporter 

Hilda Hoyer 

Based in Germany 

AWE Administrator 

Event Supporter 

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17

Shamlal Safari 

in photos 

Photo 10 Shamlal Puri on assignment in China 

Photo 6 Shamlal Puri on a 

reporting as ... ment at the 

India-Pakistan border. 

Photo 8 Good old days of 

typewriters ... Democratic 

Republiuc of Congo) 

Photo 7 All those years of 

his presenc ... ernational 

awards and recognition. 

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Photo 2 Team spirit SHAMLAL PURI (rig ... t Adlink International Media Group. 

Photo 5 Shamlal Puri 

(right) with his te ... vering 

an international motor 

rally. 

A random selection of 

SHAMLAL PURI’s books. 

Photo 9 Shamlal Puri 

photographed wit ... fter 

an assignment in the 

desert..jpg 

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| JULY 2019 

19

BIOGRAPHY 

Joy Zenz 

Joy Wanjiru Zenz is the founder of 

African Women in Europe. (AWE) 

The CEO of African Market in Europe 

(AME) Awarded as one of the African 

living legend in Germany 2018, Winner 

of 2018 African Business Support 

Award (The Voice Awards Amsterdam), 

Nominated for International Diversity 

Leadership Award in 2018. 

She was born in Kenya, a mother living 

in Germany. Her aim is to connect 

African Women living in Europe and 

around the world through AWE platform 

irrespective of their geographical 

locations. Joy started her website in 

2008 and now has over 4000 actively 

involved women networking among 

each other. 

African Market in Europe is a Market 

solution for customers to find African 

Products and Services in Europe on 

one platform. It is a bridge between 

both continents. 

She is a Professional Event Organizer. 

Together with her team she has been 

able to move one step forward from 

networking online to face to face 

networking by organising successful 

events for the past 10 years. (Köln, 

Madrid, Rome, Paris, Berlin, London 

and Geneva). AWE Host AWE Awards 

every second year to acknowledge the 

achievement of its members in different 

categories. 

Joy Zenz Compiled the First AWE 

Book. A collection of 11 Co-authors 

including herself sharing true stories. A 

reflection of the strength and positivity 

of AWE Women. 

Prior to raising her children, Ms Zenz 

has worked in Administration offices 

in UK. She has a Diploma in Institution 

Management. She has worked in 

Pharmaceutical Companies in Basel 

Switzerland as an Administration, Communication 

and event Co-ordinator. 

She is currently involved in branding 

Africa and Europe by joining up in 

different ventures with African companies 

and European Investors. Through 

African Market in Europe Website, 

she is able to market client’s goods and 

Services. 

Joy believes in African women Empowerment 

here in Europe. Through 

the AWE platform, African women 

have been able to connect and build a 

positive image of African Women in 

Europe. Through the Awards women 

have reflected true icon to the future 

generation. 

She has a passion to encourage 

women and Africans in the Diaspora 

especially in Europe to start 

investing in Africa through partnership 

and connecting investors 

in Europe and Africa to the right 

market and being the bridge .She 

believes people in Diaspora are 

the ones to build the African 

Continent. 

Joy believes in working together 

as a team and her Motto is 

“Together We Are Strong” 

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21

LIFE IN 

THE UK 

LIFE IN THE UK: Jeniffer Mwangi 

My name is Jennifer Mwangi. I’m 

a Project Manager within the NHS 

currently working and living in 

London. I came to the UK in 2002 

when I was 15 and life here sure 

did give me the shock of my life. 

Growing up in Kenya, I always had 

this fairy-tale idea of life abroad 

from what I had watched on TV. 

However, I quickly learnt it was the 

exact opposite. Nothing could have 

prepared me for what I was about to 

experience coming here. The culture 

shock as well as not knowing what to 

expect definitely threw me off. 

Learning how to fit in, having to start 

all over again and making new friends 

was indeed a challenge. Nevertheless, 

I slowly learnt to navigate the system, 

pursued my education and now 

working on breaking the glass ceiling 

that we often face when pursuing our 

careers. 

When I look back at the young girl 

that I was, I didn’t know how much 

inner strength I had within me, I 

didn’t know how much potential I had 

within myself. I realise that I allowed 

society to dictate to me who and 

what I should be, rather than knowing 

who I was as an individual and who 

God made me to be. 

When I look at today’s society, I 

realise that there are many young 

girls currently facing similar or 

even greater challenges. With 

the rise of social media and other 

societal pressures, I realise just how 

much harder it is for the younger 

generation. I write this letter as an 

ode to my younger self, hoping that it 

may encourage someone today and 

possibly in the future. 

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23

Design by Alex email: lensdesign07@gmail.com 

For latest news and happening in our Communities 

www.misterseed.com 

WHO WE ARE 

The biggest community website outside Kenya 

Over 5,000 people have bought properties 

through the website 

Peter Karanja well known as 

Mr. Seed of www.misterseed.com is 

the first Kenyan to create a community 

website since 1999. 

Over 40 couples have met and married through 

the website 

Hundreds of lost friends have met and reunited 

through this great website 

Hundreds of emotional and life changing stories 

through these one stop shop 

Hundreds of orphans and poor children have 

greatly benefited from www.misterseed.com 

“It is the most talked website in the Diaspora” 

GET INFORMATION 

ABOUT WHATS HAPPENING 

IN YOUR COMMUNITY 

www.misterseed.com 

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25


(Founder/ CEO/ Event 

Organiser) 

Mr.Seed (Chairman) 

Mercy Kiminta 

(Director/ Event 

Organiser) 

Sidney (Photography/ 

Press Release) 

Suleman (Security) 

Mistony (MC/ 

Programme 

Co-ordinator/ 

Entertainment) 

DJ Gich ( DJ 

and Programme 

Co-ordinator/ 


JJ - Videographer/ 

Production team 

Akim - Promoter 

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26

Lydia - Asst Director/ 

Volunteer team 

Dennese - Head of 

Programme Co- ordinator/ 


Rickie - Head of After 

Party/ Entertainment) 

Becky Fisher - Event 

Organiser/ VIP team) 

Joy Mbugua - 

Volunteer team/ VIP 

team) 

Primrose kwezi- 

Volunteer team/ 

Stage Manager) 

Erick- Head of stage 

Manager/ actist) 

Keya - Designer/ 

Media) 

Joyce Okello 

- Volunteers 

Organiser) 

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27

2019 

Cecilia Njoroge - 

Event Organiser) 2019 

Larissa Joy Manyasi 

- Volunteer 2019 

Sinead Malaika 

Manyasi - Volunteer 

2019 

Susan Hipwood 

Volunteer team 2019 

Jaydin Rianto 

- Volunteer 2019 

Jermaine Rianto 

- Volunteer 

5TH 

ANNIVERSARY 

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Kenya & Friends 

in the Park 

2020 

2DAYS EVENT 

25TH - 26TH JULY 2020 

___________________________ 

ENTRY FEE: 

£15 for one day only 

£20 for two days 

under 18’s free 

___________________________ 

We celebrate Africa as we embark on our 

5years journey. 

Sunday special is a full house with Artist 

performing from all over African. 

________________________________ 

For tickets call: 

+44 0 785 320 7075 

+44 0 7403 159 285 

+44 0 7446 082 958 

________________________________ 

EMAIL: 

Kenyainthepark2016@gmail.com 

Online booking: TBC 

________________________________ 

More information: 

www.kenyainthepark.com 

________________________________ 

Venue to be confirmed 

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31

ROSEMARY 

Rosemary a.ka Wasam is a born-again Christian gospel 

minister and a song writer based in the UK. WASAM is 

adopted from her dad’s name Samuel. Born and raised in 

Kiambu county in Githunguri town, She went to Kahunira 

primary and later joined Mirithu girls secondary school in 

Limuru. She is a single mother of two children aged 24 and 

10 year old. 

At the age of 7 years, she discovered her singing talent. 

She sang in Sunday school and school choir although at 

this early age she preferred to dance and play drums more. 

As a regular perfomer in various schools, church, family and 

public events such as funerals and fund raising she developed 

a desire to be employed in the music industry and worked hard 

to get her share in the industry. Through watching her older 

sister who is truly a music lover she got motivated to start her 

journey in the music world. 

Karibu Magazine wanted to know a little more about her and 

her journey so we asked her a few questions to get her started. 

Rosemary is trully gifted and equiped to further her goals 

whatever she puts in her mind. 

What is your motivation? Listening to music helps me to desire 

to sing and write songs better. I love music and singing in church 

choir. I have also learnt setting goals, time management and how 

to plan finishing my unfinished songs and writing new ones. 

How many songs have you written? I have written more than 500 

hundred songs which some of them are not recorded. 

How do you feel about working within the gospel industry? I 

have mixed feelings, first I am satisfied because I feel music is 

everything to me and I love singing. Reaching as many people and 

changing someone’s life with a word of encouragement makes me 

feel satisfied. On other hand, it is a very challenging industry that 

require the Grace of God to excel in everything we do. 

What are some of your best moments being a gospel 

minister? Going through challenges of writing and composing 

a song, recording, video shooting and achieving what I was 

expecting. Letting the holy spirit take control and listening to God 

for guidance in writing a song. Some of my songs I receive through 

dreams and this is where I know that God is working in me and 

l am not guessing the songs. Fasting before starting to compose 

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songs and seeing the results is another 

beautiful moment that I treasure. 

What are some of the challenges you have 

faced being a born again? Reaching as many 

people as possible. It is a joy for every gospel 

minister to pass their message to people across 

the world. Being in the UK and ministering in 

my mother tongue is a big challenge because 

I can only minister to people within my 

community. 

Promoting my songs in Kenya while in the UK is 

a big challange too. Penetrating media houses 

means giving a bribe which is the number one 

starting point and I don’t do bribes. 

Sometimes we think that knowing that 

someone you know can help push 

your music but on the other hand 

they will be expecting something 

in return. 

Familiarity. People around you 

can’t recognise you as a gospel 

minister. 

Finances to produce more 

albums and travelling 

trying to reach the 

world. 

How many CDS 

or Albums have 

you made? I 

have recorded 

two albums 

with seven songs 

in each album 

making 14 songs 

altogether. 

What are your 

future plans? 

My future plan 

is to bring 

our Kenyan 

community 

together across 

the world in 

music. I have 

been travelling 

to a few 

countries in 

Europe trying to see how our people can come 

together in music and this has been embraced 

very well. We have been gathering Germany, 

Belgium, France, Holland and UK Kenyans in 

fellowship, music concerts( kigoco) and prayer 

meetings which I have seen God moving in a 

mighty way. 

In your experience what advice would 

you give another artist thinking about 

singing? my advice to anyone who 

wants to join the music industry is to 

seek God first. Pray and fast Asking God 

which area he wants you to operate in. 

Seek advice from those who have 

been in the music industry for a 

long time. Look for a born-again 

Christian mentor, do not copy 

anyone just because they are 

good, you don’t know which 

kingdom they are operating 

in. As a gospel minister,If 

you are pleased that I will 

pick it is in thespread the 

gospel, be yourself and let 

the holy spirit be the leader 

in your music. Finally, don’t 

follow other people where 

they go in music concert, 

ask God to direct you 

where to go and minister. 

WE ARE LEAVING IN THE 

LAST DAYS! NOT EVERY 

OPEN DOOR YOU ENTER! 

You can find more 

information and listen to 

Wasam in the links below. 

Available releases 

1. Gia na hinya 

(Take courage) 

2. Ebenezer 

3. Sing to the Lord 

4. Nyitagirira 

5. Kwina Hinya 

...and more 

____________ 

Contact: 

srosemary62@gmail.com 

____________ 

Follow: 

Rose Wasam or Rosemary Wasam 

Rosemary Ndungu (Wasam) 

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KENYA 

COUNTRYFILE 

How much do you know about Kenya? 

The following summarizes key aspects 

about our country and we hope you and 

your children can benefit from it. 

Independence from Britain 

on 12 th December 1963. 

Geography & 

Demographics. 

Kenya is the 49 th largest 

country in the world 

covering an area of 

581,309 km 2 . 

With a population of 45 

million the overwhelming 

majority of whom are 

below the age of 50. 

Administration. 

The country was previously 

divided into 8 provinces- 

Central, Rift-valley, Coast, 

Nyanza, Western, Eastern, 

Nairobi and North Eastern. 

After the new constitution 

in 2010, the country is now 

divided into 47 countieseach 

headed by a governor 

akin to the ones we have 

in the US- or Nigeria. 

Nairobi remains the 

political, economic and 

social capital of the 

country with very limited 

effort to move any national 

foundations elsewhere. 

Politics and governance. 

A presidential system with 

a president elected after 

every 5 years. 

Two Legislative houses-the 

Lower House - Parliament 

with 349 members and the 

upper house- The Senate 

with 67 members. 

Membership is by election 

through some members 

are nominated directly by 

their political parties. 

All counties have elected 

members who form 

regional parliaments and 

governments. 

Kenya has had 4 presidents 

since independence: 

ü 

ü 

ü 

ü 

Jomo Kenyatta who 

led the country to 

independence until 

his death in 1978. 

Daniel arap Moi 

from 1978 to 2002. 

Emilio Mwai 

Kibaki- from 

2002-2013-todate. 

Uhuru Kenyatta 

(son to the first 

president)-2013- 

todate. 

*Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga 

served as the second prime 

minister of the country 

from 2008-2013. 

Regional hub. 

Nairobi remains a 

regional and the African 

headquarters of many 

global corporations such 

as GE, Google, GSK, and 

Microsoft; as well as 

scientific and research 

organization such as the 

International center for 

inspect physiology and 

ecology-ICIPE. 

It is the only third world 

country with a UN 

headquarters-the United 

Nations environmental 

program located in Nairobi 

along Limuru Road 

Major exports 

· Tea, coffee, 

horticulture (flowers 

and fruits), pyrethrum, 

tourism and 

manufactured goods 

to the region. 

· Sports especially 

athletes, rugby and 

recently footballer(s). 

key economic sectors 

1. Agriculture, 

horticulture and food 

processing. 

2. Banking and insurance. 

3. Technology and mobile 

communication. 

Among the country 

with the highest 

mobile phone 

connectivity with 35 

million active mobile 

phone handsets. 

4. Dairy farming. 

5. Kenya will soon be 

a major exporter of 

valuable minerals, oil 

and natural gas. 

Major tourist attractions 

/Places to visit: 

· The spectacular and 

beautiful Great Rift 

Valley. 

· The great Mount 

Kenya (the second 

highest mountain in

Africa). 

· Maasai Mara 

Game Reserve and 

specifically the wildest 

migration across the 

crocodile infested 

Mara River. 

· The Nairobi National 

Park in the outskirts 

of Nairobi. 

· Beautiful and 

spectacular beaches 

at the Kenyan coast. 

· The Fort Jesus along 

Nkrumah Road in 

Mombasa -Built 

by the Portuguese 

explorers and opened 

in 1593. 

· Bullfighting in 

Western Kenya. 

National Anthem. 

The Kenya national 

anthem expresses 

the convictions and 

aspirations of the 

Kenyan people. It was 

commissioned in 1963 – 

Originally in Swahili and 

was based on a traditional 

tune sung by mothers of 

the Pokomo Community 

to their children. 

Key personalities: 

· Field Marshall Dedan 

Kimathi Waciuri 

(deceased)- A brilliant 

military organiser 

who led the Mau 

Mau uprising against 

the British. Captured 

and executed by 

the British on 18 th 

February 1957; and 

sadly still buried at 

the Kamiti Maximum 

security prison to this 

day. 

· Jomo Kenyatta 

(deceased) - 

Founding prime 

minister and 

president of the 

Republic of Kenya. 

· Oginga Odinga 

(deceased) – 

Freedom fighter and 

independence icon. 

· Masinde Muliro 

(deceased) – 

Freedom fighter and 

independence icon. 

· Daniel arap Moi- 

Second president 

of the Republic of 

Kenya. 

· Mwai Kibaki- Third 

president of the 

republic of Kenya. 

· Raila Amolo Odingasecond 

prime 

minister of the 

republic of Kenya. 

· Kipchoge Keino- Most 

famous athlete and 

sports administrator. 

· Martin Shikuku 

(deceased)– 

Independence icon 

and renowned MP. 

· Professor 

Wangari Maathai 

(deceased)- First 

female professor of 

veterinary medicine, 

environmental 

campaigner, and 

winner of the Nobel 

Peace Prize. 

· Professor Ngugi wa 

Thiongo – Renown 

writer and professor 

of English and 

literature. 

· Professor Francis 

Imbuga (deceased) – 

Professor of literature 

and renowned writer. 

· Thomas Joseph 

Mboya (deceased)- 

Trade unionist, 

MP, Minister and 

brilliant architect 

of the Kenya’s early 

economic plan and 

strategies. 

Kenya’s Timeline. 

1. 1952- Mau Mau 

uprising- the bloody 

uprising against 

colonial rule. 

2. 1963- Country 

defeats the 

British and gains 

independence 

3. 1978 - First president 

of the country dies in 

his sleep. Daniel Arap 

Moi takes over. 

4. 1982- Attempted 

coup d’état to 

overthrow the 

government of the 

day. 

5. 1991- The law 

changed to allow the 

registration of more 

political parties. 

6. 1998 – A bloody 

terrorist attack in the 

middle of the capital 

leaves 230 dead. 

7. 2002- President Moi 

retires and Mwai 

Kibaki takes over as 

president. 

8. 2007- Disputed 

elections results 

in very bloody 

skirmishes and the 

unfortunate death 

of 1,600 Kenyans 

many killed with 

unimaginable 

brutality. 

9. 2013 – President 

Kibaki retires and 

Uhuru Muigai 

Kenyatta takes over 

as president.

Help Keep 

Shammah 

School Open 

Shammah Splendid Centre & 

School was founded by Isaac 

Omondi Agallo who is himself 

a resident of Kibera. Kibera is 

the largest slum in Nairobi and 

the largest urban slum in Africa. 

It›s been suggested that the 

total Kibera population may be 

500,000 to well over 1,000,000 

depending on which slums are 

included in defining Kibera. 

Isaac the Founder & Principal 

of the school, started with 10 

students in 2013 and now 

has over 100 students. A 

resident of Kibera himself, Isaac 

knows too well the struggles the 

child who grows up in Kibera 

has to overcome. Extreme 

poverty meant he was not able 

to progress to High School 

straight after his primary 

education and had to find work 

and save for almost two years 

to be able to afford his way 

through High School. 

Looking back, most of his 

primary schoolmates did 

not make it, most are dead 

because they were forced into 

lifestyles that did not support 

their destinies. Those that are 

still alive are dealing with various 

addictions. He decided to fill 

the gap between primary level 

school education and High 

school education by doing 

something practical, hence 

Shammah Splendid Centre. 

A team of us visited the 

school and we are so proud 

of the work Isaac is doing to 

change the face of Kibera with 

the support of his wonderful 

staff. The school is not funded 

by the government and 

therefore Isaac relies on the 

parents to raise the money for 

their children›s school fees. 

This is not always possible as 

the average family in Kibera is 

already struggling to put food on 

the table for the family. This has 

left the school overstretched. 

40 

4THEDITION 

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The school has found that most 

students come to school 

hungry and they have had to 

(despite the limited funds) start 

a feeding programme and 

also offer accommodation for 

some of the students at the 

school simply because life at 

home for some of these children 

is extremely dysfunctional and 

challenging. 

Isaac is physically unable to 

keep up with the demands 

on the school and has 

had to turn many children 

away. The classrooms are 

falling apart, are extremely 

overcrowded and there are not 

enough desks in any of the 

classrooms. The teachers 

are regularly not paid on 

time and this sometimes means 

that there are not enough 

teachers to cover the subjects 

required for the students to be 

well prepared to perform to the 

best of their capabilities. There 

is no functional library which 

means outdated worn out 

books often have to be shared 

between 6 to 10 student. The 

laboratory does not have the 

basic equipment needed for the 

students to participate in their 

practicals which is a part of the 

national curriculum. 

Isaac cannot do this alone. 

He needs our help to keep the 

school open and to increase 

his capacity to deliver quality 

education to all the students 

that walk through the doors of 

Shammah Splendid Centre- 

Kibera. 

The Vision of the School is 

to provide holistic education to 

the underprivileged in Kibera 

and its surrounding areas. 

The Mission of the School 

is to give an opportunity 

for learning to each child 

in the Kibera as a form of 

intervention in raising up 

responsible citizens who 

will become contributors to 

the local economyas well as 

develop to be job creators. 

The Universal Declaration of 

Human Rights makes clear 

that every child has the right 

to free basic education so 

that poverty and lack of money 

should not be a barrier to 

schooling. If we do not step 

in, many families will remain 

locked in a cycle of poverty that 

will go on for generations. Many 

parents are feeling that they 

are being left with no choice 

but to marry off their young 

daughters or send their sons to 

take part in hard manual labour 

in the fear of the risk of making 

themselves destitute in their 

efforts to get their children better 

lives through education. 

PLEASE JOIN US TO 

REBUILD THE SCHOOL 

AND GET IT UP TO A LEVEL 

THAT WILL CATER FOR THE 

STUDENTS EDUCATIONAL 

NEEDS. 

COLLECTIVELY, WE CAN 

HELP CHANGE THE FACE OF 

KIBERA. 

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41

KISWAHILI 

Ee Mungu nguvu yetu 

Ilete baraka kwetu 

Haki iwe ngao na mlinzi 

Natukae na undugu 

Amani na uhuru 

Raha tupate na ustawi 

Amkeni ndugu zetu 

Tufanye sote bidii 

Nasi tujitoe kwa nguvu 

Nchi yetu ya Kenya 

Tunayoipenda 

Tuwe tayari kuilinda 

Natujenge taifa letu 

Ee, ndio wajibu wetu 

Kenya istahili heshima 

Tuungane mikono 

Pamoja kazini 

Kila siku tuwe na shukrani 

ENGLISH 

THE KENYA NATIONAL ANTHEM. 

O God of all creation 

Bless this our land and nation 

Justice be our shield and defender 

May we dwell in unity 

Peace and liberty 

Plenty be found within our borders 

Let one and all arise 

With hearts both strong and true 

Service be our earnest endeavour 

And our homeland of Kenya 

Heritage of splendour 

Firm may we stand to defend. 

Let all with one accord 

In common bond united 

Build this our nation together 

And the glory of Kenya 

The fruit of our labour 

Fill every heart with thanksgiving. 

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43

Yes, I’d echo what my husband has said. 

Putting God first as He is the author of 

marriage. We are careful not to fall into 

family patterns, culture and tradition 

that may not support our personal 

growth and the growth of the family. I’ve learned 

to be more patient and calm. We do not have 

to always see things from the same angle and I 

guess that’s the beauty of it. It brings richness in 

the partnership. I can communicate my concerns 

and still be respectful in how I put things across. 

We have completely different personalities and 

this can sometimes cause us to clash. Learning 

that not everything you think you blurt out, to 

have conversations with myself before I speak and 

really assess the situation has been a great tool in 

maintaining harmony. 

Am I overreacting? 

Often when I sleep on it, I 

find that emotions may 

have got the better of me. 

That space allows me to 

come to my husband in 

peace rather than accusation. We find 

that lays a good foundation for conflict 

resolution. 

Q. What are your thoughts on the 

state of the African Family in the UK, 

especially with so many young lives 

being lost to knife crime? 

We strongly believe that Family is the 

backbone for society. When the family 

unit starts to disintegrate then society 

systematically falls apart. What is 

contributing to some of the challenges 

is father and Mother having issues in 

the home whether being physically or 

emotionally absent. We as parents are 

called to be stewards of our children. 

To give them the best possible start 

in life and help them avoid the 

challenges we had as children. Gangs 

are increasingly becoming a safe 

haven for many children because they 

are looking for a place of safety and 

a place to belong. When the home 

environment is not conducive then 

children are left exposed to all sorts of 

high-risk activity. We are not saying all 

knife crime boils down to dysfunction 

in the home but we are sure that when 

the home front is taken care of we will 

see a massive decline in crime. Parents 

are the first point of contact. They 

are the ones who can easily pick up a 

change of behaviour in their children 

and find ways to resolve or get to the 

bottom of whatever challenges their 

child is facing. It is important to ask for 

help if a parent feels overwhelmed or 

is not sure what to do. It’s not enough 

to say I love my child. That needs to 

be backed with action. Being present, 

patient, a good listener and knowing 

how and when to reinforce values 

when we sense that a child is going off 

course. 

Q. Is parenting something that came 

naturally from both of you? 

Having come from families that had 

their own challenges, there are a few 

things we had to learn. 

The ‘a child is to be seen and not be 

heard’ approach is failing us. A child 

is a person, they have a voice and we 

must give them the space to develop 

into well-rounded adults. We definitely 

do not want power struggles that lead 

to resentment and anger nor do we 

want to be so restrained by the laws 

of society that we take a permissive 

approach where we must do what 

our children want and heed to their 

demands to a point of being held 

hostage in our own homes. Instead, 

we’ve aimed to be pro-active. Creating 

an environment that promotes mutual 

respect and trust whilst setting healthy 

boundaries between our children 

and us. We have quite a wide range of 

age in children and found that each 

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THE 

OGUDA’S 

stage requires a different approach to 

parenting. As the children grow, we 

too must facilitate our own growth. 

What worked 5 years ago cannot work 

today. Education is key and we would 

encourage parents to talk to other 

parents who’ve walked the walk or 

to read books to help them navigate 

through life with their children. 

These are some of the things we have 

incorporated to help us with our 

children. 

We also actively pray for them and ask 

God to fill the gaps in those places 

where we may have fallen short. 

Q. Share with us some tips to keep a 

marriage alight 

Mr Oggudah 

• Never stop dating 

• Don’t just say ‘I love you’ show it in 

your actions 

• Be an Encourager 

• And be accountable 

Mrs Oggudah 

• Be respectful in your approach to 

matters 

• Look nice & smell good 

• Eat well, get a good night’s sleep 

and hit the gym regularly to keep 

your body in shape 

• Never forget to balance being 

yourself, an independent person 

while also being interdependent 

with your spouse 

• You cannot give from an empty 

cup 

Q. In conclusion, what advice would 

you give to other families out there 

based on your experience? 

• Be patient, hard times come but 

they never last 

• You can get inspiration from other 

families and marriages but keep 

in mind none are ever the same 

so refrain from comparing. Even 

the most perfect family has its 

challenges. Run your own race. 

• Laugh and love more. It’s never too 

serious. Life is too short to hung 

up in bitterness and unforgiveness. 

Let it go. Whether it was your 

parents, a teacher or whoever let 

you down. Let it go. Extra baggage 

will easily destroy a family that had 

a chance to be great. 

• Communicate and extend grace 

to one another. Just as you make 

mistakes others make mistakes 

too. Be gentle with each other. 

• Pray and eat together. Make it a 

point to come together to pray 

for each other and encourage 

one another. Also, create a 

culture where everyone comes 

to the table at least once a day 

for a meal. Research shows that 

there is nutritional, health, social 

and mental benefits to eating 

together. In today’s busy lifestyle 

in the quest for success, it’s easy 

to neglect the very foundation of 

who we are, which is family. 

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4THEDITION 

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CUSTOMISED DESIGN 

KENYAN 

BRACELETS, 

CURVING, BEADS, 

CLOTHES,BAGS, 

SHOES, BELTS, 

KEY RINGS, 

SANDALS 

OR JUST ASK 

MERCY KIMINTA 

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|JULY 2019 

49

HEALTH ZONE 

DIASPORA 

HEALTH MATTERS 

Dr. Nyambura Mburu Svendsen 

WEIGHT OF OUR NATION 

In 2010, humanity passed an important milestone. 

Obesity became a bigger public health problem than 

hunger. One hungry child is still one too many. 

Eradicating hunger remains a priority. But the 

rising rates of obesity and diabetes can no longer 

be ignored. 

No one contests the negative influence of cigarette 

smoking or excessive alcohol on health. However, 

the issue of what constitutes a healthy diet remains 

highly disputed. Many Kenyans believe that eating 

fatty meat contributes to disease. Many more 

assume fruit intake, and lots of it, is a healthy 

practice, even for diabetics. 

This is what we know for sure. Diet the single biggest 

contributor to poor health. Nothing else comes close. Not 

exercise. Not even smoking. Giving other factors equal 

emphasis is not a sensible strategy. Nutrition policies in 

the UK and US (that were established over 40 years ago) 

were not based on good quality evidence. These high-starch 

low-fat dietary guidelines have undoubtedly contributed this 

unrelenting epidemic. We have never been fatter, or sicker. 

Diabetes rates have doubled in Kenya in the last three 

decades. It is estimated that one in 20 Kenyans has 

diabetes. Once a disease associated with the affluent, it 

is now common among the low-income segment of the 

population. This means that we need to pay attention to 

what we are advising the general population to eat, as a 

matter of urgency. This will involve a critical review of the 

current guidelines and a radical reconstruction of our food 

environment. 

A socio-cultural shift is also necessary. A pot belly is neither 

attractive nor a sign of prosperity. Protruding bellies may 

once have been considered acceptable – a sign of success, 

if not a matter of pride. This sentiment still exists in many 

African communities. The truth is that large waistlines are 

a sign of dis-ease. There is nothing benign, privileged or 

admirable about a pot belly. The fact is that beneath that 

belly lies a ticking time bomb of diabetes and heart disease. 

Dr Nyambura Mburu is a U.K trained Consultant Physician 

and Obesity Management expert. She has embraced the 

practice of lifestyle (prevention) medicine and set up a 

medical weight loss clinic, INSULEAN, that treats patients 

from all over the world, suffering from obesity and weightrelated 

disorders, such as type 2 diabetes. She is a fervent 

advocate of lifestyle medicine and favours a drug-free 

approach, enjoying very high success rates. She authors 

numerous articles related to weight and health and her work 

has been published by leading newspapers. 

She is an international speaker and remains very active on 

social media, providing entertaining and though-provoking 

ideas and discussions related to diet and health. Unlike many 

doctors, Dr Mburu strongly believes that diet is a powerful 

intervention in disease management. 

Dr Mburu is available for consultation on all matters related 

to weight, or weight related disorders. Details of the services 

she offers are available at www.insulean.co.uk. 

Email: nam.mburu@insulean.co.uk 

Tel: 07763 880882 

Follow her on Facebook: 

Nyambura Mburu Svendsen, 

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51

GIVING 

BACK 

June Kuria 

fo 

th 

T 

c 

m 

m 

m 

O 

w 

w 

fr 

o 

m 

a 

m 

a 

o 

w 

b 

m 

s 

o 

n 

T 

a 

p 

fo 

a 

M 

th 

b 

g 

Living in a foreign country is 

daunting enough. However 

growing up in Eastlands a place 

called Umoja “passie” as well as 

going to a sisters school was the 

best training that I feel prepared 

me have patience and a calm 

demeanour. I should add that my 

mum was very strict. Fast forward 

my proudest achievement so far is 

bringing up my son to be an outstanding 

role model to his peers. 

When I go to parents evenings and 

all the teachers across the board, 

they tell me that he is a pleasure 

to teach or when his friends tell 

their parents that he is one of the 

good boys at school. I give all the 

praise to the living God. Yes God is 

at the forefront of everything I do. 

He is my confidant, my source of 

inspiration and my strength. 

I would encourage parents to be 

actively involved in their child’s 

school boards like the PTA. Their 

aim is to help out the school 

where your children go to and you 

get to have that warm rapport 

with the teachers and the head 

teacher. You also get to meet and 

make friendships with people you 

would not have crossed paths with 

would you have just dropped your 

children and picked them up at 

the school gate. I got nominated 

to be a Foundation Governor at my 

son’s school. I also got nominated 

to be on PCC ( Parochial Church 

Council) at my place of worship St 

James Church for 1yr which was 

a good experience to know how 

the church operates and recruits 

vicars. 

As if that was not enough, I volunteered 

with a local charity 

Queens Park Community Orchard 

where we plant trees and fruits to 

benefit the local residents. 

My colleague at work invited me 

to a rugby charity event where 

the Wooden Spoon had arranged 

rugby amateurs to play a 7s match 

and the proceeds raised money 

to disadvantaged children in 

Bedfordshire. My colleague gave 

me a bucket to go round and 

ask for donations I raised a lot of 

money and they couldn’t let me 

go without asking me to join their 

committee. 

I set up my second “baby” 

Bedfordshire Community Awards 

which was inspired at one of Tibbs 

Dementia Foundation groups 

Music 4 memory. I asked people 

to nominate someone who was 

going above and beyond to help 

others at this point the then Local 

MP Richard Fuller would attend 

any event I invited him to and he 

introduced me to the High Sheriff 

of Bedfordshire and like they say 

the rest is history. Between them 

they agreed to present these 

awards which my friend and I paid 

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4THEDITION 

|JULY 2019

for and he also helped me with 

the website. 

Tibbs Dementia Foundation is a 

charity close to my heart like I 

mentioned earlier and they asked 

me to be in their fundraising committee 

team. 

Our Kenyan Community in Bedford 

would meet at Mashakaya and do 

what we do best to comfort our 

friends who were grieving and go 

on with our lives. At one point we 

meet in 3 homes within a month 

and we felt that we needed to 

meet on a lighter note and have 

a fun get together. We decided to 

organise a BBQ where our children 

would get to know each other and 

bond together and socialise hence 

making friends. It was a huge 

success and it has now become 

our annual event where they 

nominated me as their Chairlady. 

This is my most challenging role 

and my best quality which is 

patience is put to test often. I call 

for a meeting at a certain time 

and people rock up an hour late. 

Many times I feel like throwing in 

the towel and then I look at the 

bigger picture and speak to a few 

good mentors who encourage 

me to continue. When we come 

together like on the first Bedford 

African Event last year my people 

came including the Mayor who 

wanted to sing, dance and take 

selfies with the Kenya Community 

in Bedford. 

My next challenging role is 

becoming the Councillor of 

Queens Park. I got nominated as 

a Conservative candidate which 

was quite interesting in a Labour 

dominated ward and my most 

challenging role. 

My philanthropist role extends to 

my homeland Kenya. When I visit 

Kenya, I go to children’s home 

and give them a small donation of 

basic needs like flour, sugar etc. 

One particular home in Dec 2017 

left me feeling a particular way 

and I couldn’t sleep. I came back 

to England and told my friends to 

give me the clothes their children 

had outgrown. Word went round 

and I couldn’t fit all the donations 

in my house. My friend who 

owned a shop offered to let me 

use her store. I filled the store 

and at this point the clothes were 

going to be very expensive to 

ship on my own. My friend got a 1 

month’s notice from her landlord 

to give back the keys for the shop. 

I organised a fundraising event 

which was attended by people 

from all walks of life and dignitaries. 

The clothes benefited 6 homes 

in Kenya. One of the homes was in 

Webuye in Siaya where I met some 

volunteers from around the world 

but mostly in Europe. We formed a 

tight friendship and one of them 

spoke of his desire to build a children’s 

home which was also my 

dream. We decided to take action 

and in June 2019 we went back to 

Kenya to set a Non Governmental 

Organisation helping orphans 

all over Kenya. Our Children’s 

homes will be self sustaining with 

enough land to do large scale 

farming. We also engage with 

the community in the area and 

provide them with free drinking 

water and job opportunities. 

It feels like I have done so many 

things but I hope I will inspire 

someone to get out of their 

comfort zone and if I can do it 

anyone can. 

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53

MR 

CHRISTOPHER 

RUSK 

& MISS 

ELIZABETH 

SELLERS 

SAT 17TH 

SEP 2016 

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54 2ND EDITION | JULY 2017 

|JULY 2019

LOVE ALWAYS WINS 

Mr & Mrs Itheka 

Love always wins because love brought 

us together. Love teaches you alot and 

will demand you to be creative in how 

display that love to your statehouse, 

your Bubba such that the love is felt 

even when 3000 miles away. Our love 

proved that distance is just a test of 

how far love can travel. Hence the 

phrase love is not an emotion but an 

action. 

When we first met, there was a 

connection that couldn’t be silenced, 

we realized we belonged together. 

Though we came from different 

backgrounds and experiences, we 

found out that being together brought 

out the best in us. We learned to be 

vulnerable to each other sharing 

our weaknesses and insecurities. We 

decided to paint our own picasso 

choosing to be present, in all seasons 

of our lives which gave birth to a 

beautiful relationship. 

Prayer has always been a pillar in 

our relationship. We had to made an 

intentional decision to communicate 

and be open to each other no matter 

what. We had to consider we were 

in two different time zones and our 

careers which demanded our attention. 

We had to accept that we had 

different ideologies and perspective 

and ensure everyone had a voice 

in the relationship. We also realised 

that simple things also brought us 

together for example our love for art, 

the way we see it, feel it, expess it and 

how we celebrate it was so similar. 

We appreciated that we compliment 

each other in every aspect of our 

lives which was exciting. Through this 

journey we have expressed highs and 

lows, which has helped us to be better 

individuals for each other. The biggest 

of tests was when we were preparing 

for our wedding, family introduction 

ceremonies, our traditional and church 

wedding ceremonies. These were a 

challenge because we planning took 

place across two different countries. 

Thank God for technology and the 

Internet as platforms such as WhatsApp 

made life easier in facilitating planning 

and communication. 

We quickly learned that we were own 

resource as often when we delegated 

tasks to friends or family they would 

disappoint us. There were long nights 

often due to long calls for planning 

diplomacy. We also had to create time 

for each other to bond outside of the 

wedding plans which was crucial to 

us.Sometimes the internet was not on 

our side as it was either too weak or 

not there at all... We even had a slogan 

everytime we had issues with internet... 

Tuko pamoja...( we are together). Leave 

was planned meticulously to facilitate 

shorts visits. It is in this time that we 

also got to realise our strengths as a 

team, budgeting was definitely a skill 

we got to be disciplined on . We also 

got to know how to be real and honest 

even when it could cost us our pride. 

We were aware that coming from 

different backgrounds and upbringing 

sometimes was both a carrot and stick. 

The best thing is we had established 

that we would not let that sun set 

before sorting any differences which 

was not always easy given the presence 

of egos and our strong personalities. 

We were privileged to have a beautiful 

traditional and church wedding. God 

in his divine ways brought people who 

we never expected as well as strangers 

to support us. The vision we had for 

our wedding was fulfilled and we loved 

our wedding celebrations. We danced, 

we ate and we worshipped God for his 

outlandish Grace. Seeing our friends 

and family united in song and dance 

was the best thing ever! Our 

advice to couples planning their 

wedding is to ensure to go through 

all the details over and over with your 

service providers and have contracts 

written out. 

The hardest moment for us was when 

Makena had to go back to work soon 

after the wedding. We went back 

to the video calls, voice calls and 

messages (which was not fun). We had 

now entered a new dynamic of long 

distance marriage. We had to learn to 

encourage each other that one day we 

would conquer this mountain called 

distance. The words I miss you carried 

many meanings to both of us, as a wife 

who would want to find her husband at 

the bus stop waiting to take her home, 

and a husband who wished to be with 

his wife at his events and stop those 

irritating question where is your wife? 

I miss you are were not just ordinary 

words but echoed our deep desire to 

have our companionship complete 

and live together. God is gracious He 

granted us our prayer to live in the 

same country and we finally conquered 

the mountain called distance. 

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Emma and I met at our place of work in 2013 and 

started the relationship in 2014. We planned to get 

married in Kenya but we were very frustrated with 

all the conditions laid on us. 

After failing twice to get married in Kenya, as we 

couldn’t meet the 21 days prior to the wedding 

conditions, we decided to get married in the UK. 

Emma’s family from Kenya attended the wedding, 

which was held on the 3rd of August at All Saints 

Didcot and the reception at Newbury Hilton Hotel 

with the after party at the same venue 

We settled in Didcot, Oxfordshire where we reside 

with our 4 children. 

Emma likes the country side where it is calm compared 

to city life where its busy. 

4THEDITION 

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57

Hannah Wakesho aka Lioness Afreeka left Kenya for 

Italy in 2006 with one thing in her mind: She was 

going to be a hit! She was sure Italy would provide 

a platform for her to become a renowned musician 

whose rhythms would reverberate across the globe 

and make her an instant star. She had started out as 

a band musician in Kenya. 

“I did not know what awaited me. The suffering I 

would go through, and the tears I would shed in 

diaspora,” she says. 

Hannah was already a successful singer before she 

left. She was a member of one of the leading band 

in Kenya called “Big Matata” of the “fish and Chips” 

fame who regaled audiences with live performances 

in famous clubs such as Utalii, Zanze and Holiday 

Inn in Westlands. They toured different parts of 

Kenya and Africa for concerts. When she released 

her album “Tuliza Boli”, she got a bigger fan base in 

the local scene. 

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When the group arrived in Italy, they 

made a decision that she admits 

changed the dynamics of her life. 

We all remained after the few months 

we were to stay elapsed. We never 

went back to Kenya…everyone had 

their struggles. Some went to Greece. 

One of the members is my husband 

so he stayed with me in Leece,” she 

says. 

Their woes started barely six months 

after they became illegal immigrants 

in Italy. Wakesho was pregnant and 

after giving birth, they had to stay 

with strangers and endure many 

hungry days because they could not 

afford food. 

“Some Italian girls who followed our 

performance came to visit me in hospital. 

They talked to their area priest 

and he gave me a room with my baby 

to stay,” she says. 

It is there that they met other immigrants 

who told them the reality 

of living in a country without proper 

documentation. The hunger, anxiety 

of knowing they could be caught any 

time, the lack of jobs because no employer 

is willing to risk on them, and 

the poverty that follows. The Kenyan 

community would sometimes chip in 

and shop for them, and she says there 

is a point a group of Kenyans came 

through for them when they did 

not have even a grain of salt in their 

kitchen. 

“My music career came to a standstill. 

Something inside of me was burning, 

wanting that chance to be heard. The 

warrior heart was building inside of 

me. I knew I had to break barriers. I 

had to convince one person at a time. 

I took to free performances just to 

make sure people hear me sing,” says 

Wakesho. 

The biggest challenge was language 

barrier. Even small jobs they would 

have otherwise done needed proficiency 

in Italian – a language they did 

not speak. 

“I had to learn it through watching TV 

and making mistakes,” she says. 

When she learnt that she was expecting 

her second child, she had a bitter 

sweet moment. She knew things 

would get even tougher for her. 

“At 7 months pregnant I fell down 

the stairs and broke my knee. I was 

hospitalized for a month and a half. 

Operated on my knee. Came out 

using crutches. That slowed down 

everything,” she says. Her daughter 

survived the fall. 

Despite the challenges, she never let 

go of her dream to become a singer. 

It was a dream she had nurtured from 

when she was a young girl, growing 

up in Mombasa. 

After her second baby, she hit the 

stage again. She won a local singing 

talent show in Carpignao Salentino, 

Lecce in 2008. Coincidentally, as she 

was singing to a crowd of more than 

5,000 people, nobody knew that her 

daughter had been diagnosed with 

a heart condition and was scheduled 

for operation later that day. She had 

gotten the gig courtesy of a contest 

that she won through a local talent 

show called “La Corrida” in Italy. Many 

musicians were shortlisted, but she 

emerged the winner. 

It has been more than a decade of 

rising and falling, and she believes her 

experience strengthened her and she 

now understands the pain of immigrants 

all over the world. 

She has now mastered Italian, and 

helps as a translator for immigrants 

who are struggling to put their papers 

in order. Wakesho now has her papers 

in order and is a permanent resident 

waiting for Italian citizenship. 

“God was feeding me with strength 

and wisdom. The project was “me”. I 

had to work this project. I met people 

along the way who saw the potential 

I had. Fearlessly I grabbed on every 

opportunity. I have even won local 

singing competitions here in Lecce. I 

have loved this journey, it has made 

me someone new on the inside,” she 

says. 

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59

BOOK INTRO 

Emmah Muya 

Learning how lose weight and keeping it off 

According to WHO (World 

Health Organization), 

being overweight 

or obese and poor 

lifestyle increases the 

risk of developing various noncommunicable 

medical conditions. 

Such conditions were primarily a 

developed country issue but now it’s 

quickly becoming a common thing 

in the developing countries as well. 

We live in very different times today 

compared to our ancestors; highly 

stressed, living on low nutrition diet 

with high sugar, fats and salt. We don’t 

exercise or even rest enough. We 

earn more yet we are more prone to 

deficiency. All these factors are fueling 

non-communicable health conditions 

such as diabetes, high blood pressure 

and even cancer and they are big 

news today. And with that, the food, 

pharmaceutical and diet companies are 

big business that has grown remarkably 

over the last few decades. It’s no wonder 

we all want to look good and we want it 

quick but not everything that will make 

you look good on the outside; will make 

you feel good on the inside. 

3 Essential tips for any dietary 

approach 

1.Choose real nutritious foods: This 

might be an obvious advice, however, 

with so many processed foods in our 

supermarkets today, make it your 

standard to purchase your groceries and 

natural wholesome ingredients as much 

as possible. 

2.Eliminate processed foods: 

Processed foods are the type that 

have been chemically processed and 

made solely from refined ingredients 

and artificial substances. They are 

engineered to appear and taste like 

the natural type, yet they are simply 

imitations of the real thing. 

3.Exercise: Find a form of exercise that 

you enjoy doing. That can range from 

dance, walking, running etc. Exercise 

will help you burn calories, increase 

strength and endurance, optimize heart 

health and make you live longer and 

happier. 

Emmah Muya is the author of Discover 

Centuries Old Secrets to Health, 

Longevity & Lifestyle Diseases Reversal 

by Healthy Weight Loss Without 

Dieting. This is her story and learnings 

of how she managed to lose weight 

and keep it off. Get your digital copy 

from: www.emmamuya.com (subject to 

confirmation as the website is just being 

created) 

Emmah is also a qualified Wellbeing 

Coach endorsed by ILM through 

the British School of Coaching. As 

a lifestyle & Wellbeing coach, she is 

passionate about health and helping 

people become healthy. She believes 

that a healthy and a happy family is 

the foundation of a happy society. Her 

Coaching includes Nutrition, Stress 

Management, Lifestyle Change as well 

as Seminars on the impact of diet to 

human health and lifestyle. 

Emmah is pleased to offer a 

Free .30 minutes consultation 

in which she will recommend 

your next steps to your health 

journey which is tailored to your 

individual needs. 

Alternative contacts: 

ancientsecretstohealth@gmail.com 

or Tel: 07947258664 

www.emmamuya.com 

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More info: mrkeya@gmail.com 

62 

‘ 

i DESiGN 

BUSINESS CARDS, FLYERS, 

E-FLYERS, BANNERS, BROCHURES, 

MAGAZINES, ANNUAL REPORTS, TSHIRTS 

WEB GRAPHICS AND MAINTAINANCE, 

PRESENTATIONS 

4THEDITION 

|JULY 2019 

‘ 

4 ideas beyond a few 

months and in season

4THEDITION 

|JULY 2019 

63

RUGBY 7’S 

PARIS 4TH YEAR

TGRAM INVESTMENT LTD 

My names are Tirus Njenga a Sgt (Sergeant) and a serving member of the British Army. I am 

a Paramedic and I have been in the army for 12yrs. 

I joined the army in 2006 in Kenya Via Commonwealth Overseas recruitment cell but the 

process was daunting and also tedious and so in March 2019, I decided to open an office in 

Kenya where I take people through the application process. 

The company is called TGRAM INVESTMENT LTD mobile +254758249200 email address 

majuutrial@gmail.com; web majuutrial.com and our motto is ''HUMANITY OVER MATERIAL 

GAIN''. As our motto goes, it is one way of giving back to the community as well as providing 

a brighter future to our youths back in Kenya. 

Our head office is in Kiambu town, Kikinga Hse, but we will soon be opening other 

branches across the country so that we can serve people much better. 

Our main job is to take off the pressure that people in diaspora normally get when they try 

to help our brothers and sisters back home. They expect us to help them by doing everything 

including the leg work that they should do. 

Our company takes off this pressure by acting on their behalf and signposting them to 

relevant sources. Our services include and not limited to: 

Help with British Military visa, student visa, all types of visa refusals, UK Nursing & 

Midwifery visa, holiday package visa to name but a few. 

Mission Statement: 

My main GOAL is to help the youths of Kenya rather than material gain. 

I will be the driving force from here in the UK as much as I would help and I also feel the 

need to create employment. 

I urge you all in diaspora to join me in helping our youths back home seek greener 

pastures. 

Please feel free to contact me on 07429577760 if you would like to get more information. 

''HUMANITY OVER MATERIAL GAIN' 

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Henry Ochieng footballer.

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From as low as 

6.5M 

get a beautiful home 

on the Savannah Plains. 

With an option of a either 3, 4 or 5 bedroom 

houses 

All ensuite 

Exceptionally laid out spaces 

Imported interiors with just a touch of Africa 

Kikwetu Village was designed with the diaspora buyer in mind. Offering exclusive 

living on the outskirts of the hustle and bustle of Nairobi but close enough for a 

convenient dash in out at a moments notice. 

+254 774856900 I +254 202000115 www.kikwetuvillage.co.ke

SWEET 

TOOTH 

My name is Larissa I am 16 years old 

and I own my very own company called 

sweet tooth. This is a cake service that 

specialises in cupcakes. 

From a young age I have always had a 

passion for baking. I used to find it to be 

a very calm yet productive activity to do 

during my spare time. At first my love 

for baking started out as a home activity 

until many people including myself 

started to see the potential in my work. I 

then decided to take my work seriously 

and make a business out of it. Within the 

first month of starting I already produced 

more than 100 cupcakes! From this 

experience I gained a lot of confidence 

in my future however still had some 

doubts due to my age. 

I am inspired by my mum who is such 

a hard worker and also very diverse. 

Having her as my role model pushes 

me to do my best and push what others 

might call the limit. Doing this was a very 

scary move as I didn’t even know where 

to start but after investing in myself I was 

able to receive big rewards. 

For bookings please contact the 

following details below: 

Instagram: sweettooth.xo 

Number : 07415499934

SALES & LETTING 

Whether you are thinking of SELLING or 

LETTING, We are here to support you! 

OUR SERVICES 

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SERVICES 

PROPERTY SCOUTING 

CONVEYANCING CONSULTIONS 

CLEANING SERVICES 

MOVING SERVICES 

TRAINING 

MAINTENANCE SERVICES 

FINANCIAL SERVICES 

PROPERTY SERVICES 

PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT 

PROPERTY TOUR 

VALUATION & SERVICES 

76 

Joe’s Complex, 2nd Floor, Ruaka, Nairobi | P. O. Box 2242 - 00621 Nairobi - Kenya 

Cell: +254 722 865 864 | Office: +254 717 611 548 | +254 764 865 864 E: 

hello@miamu.co.ke W: www.miamu.co.ke 

4THEDITION 

2ND EDITION | JULY 2017 

|JULY 2019

INSURANCE COVER 

First and foremost, let’s thank God for life. 

Second let’s reflect about the realities of life – as 

much as we like to think life is easy, full of happiness 

and abundance, and in most cases that is true 

– the reality is that it does come to an end and this 

is difficult for loved ones. 

Regardless of who we are or what we do and as 

much as life throws us many a curve balls to knock 

us of our game, everything can be taken at a blink 

of an eye. 

Although nobody like to talk about life insurance and 

funeral plans – because in essence it means preparing 

for your departure from this world – it is an important 

and essential process. This is a crucial part of planning 

your future and that of your family and their financial 

wellbeing. The most important question one should 

ask themselves is how their absence in their family’s life 

would affect them? It is a tough thought but a necessary 

one too. It is inevitable that a family that loses someone 

is sad, but wouldn’t be comforting if they had one 

less thing to be sad about? Some consolation in terms 

of financial relief. The process may seem complicated, 

overwhelming of course and downright wrong so it is 

highly important that one gathers all facts and talk to a 

professional. 

Our culture and traditions have never made the need 

for insurance as a necessary thing. We only pay insurance 

for things we know we might lose while alive or 

we’d get arrested – car, house, personal properties etc. 

But for some reasons majority of us don’t care to insure 

our lives or bodies (for lack of a better word) for after 

we die. We tend to think, and our culture and traditions 

has over the years supported this notion, that those left 

behind will take care of things and even if they can’t, 

the community will. Someone once said, that even if 

the community or his family refuse or can’t take care 

of him after death, the government would because 

they wouldn’t want his rotting corpse out in the street. 

It’s macabre to even think that but if one looks on the 

bright side of things, having life insurance is not that 

bad. 

neglected issues regarding life insurance, deaths in 

our community and repatriation to our countries of 

origin – also known as Funeral Plan. 

Tell a friend to tell a friend 

Here are a few reasons why: - 

Inheritance – you might not have assets but a life insurance 

pay-out to your children can be the inheritance 

they need to set them up for life. In most places this 

money is tax-free and paid out quickly. 

Peace of mind – just imagine future generations of 

KenBrits might not carry on the harambee/maomboleze 

changa tradition, so leaving some money behind will 

ease their minds that they can give you a good send off 

without worrying about money or going into debt – and 

we all know how bad that can get. Losing a loved one 

brings emotional and traumatic experience to any family; 

can you imagine how eliminating the need to worry 

about money can bring to your loved ones? 

Don’t be left out, it’s time we take power, pride and 

our dignity back. 

The sooner the better as premiums increase exponentially 

with every passing birthday! 

Thank you and stay blessed. 

IT CAN ONLY BE GOD. 

#itcanonlybeGod. 

#insurance 

#repatration 

I work for Eunisure, we are regulated by FCA. www. 

eunisure.co.uk 


+447853207075 

Every often a representative will visit your community 

to create awareness on the importance and 

4THEDITION 

|JULY 2019 

77

Thanks to all our 

Sponsors and Friends 

Kenyan Embassy UK 

Ministry of foreign affairs 

Kenya diaspora 

78 

MISTERSEED 

www.misterseed.com

Send money home to Kenya the fast, low cost way 

WorldRemit offers you an instant 

way to send money online and stay 

close to those you care for back 

home. 

Take sisters, Linda and Jackie. 6,000 

miles separates them, but they stay 

connected thanks to WorldRemit. 

Linda who now lives in the UK regularly 

sends money to Jackie back in 

Kenya - money she and her children 

really couldn’t do 

Send money home to Kenya the fast, 

low cost waywithout. 

“The money I get from my sister 

means I can maintain myself in school, 

do some shopping and pay my house 

rent.” The money goes instantly 

to Jackie’s M-Pesa Mobile Money 

account. She uses it to pay bills, rent 

and school fees, directly from her 

mobile phone. 

Why does Linda choose WorldRemit? 

Because it’s fast, low cost, simple and secure.Visit 

www.worldremit.com 

and see for yourself 

79

Providing you with the best product tailored to the Individual 

WE ARE 

ALSO INSURED 

Protecting you, your family and your finances 

07414 944 464 

lydia.olet@eunisure.co.uk w w w. e u n i s u r e . c o . u k 

1) Building insurance 

2) Content insurance 

3) Medical insurance 

4) Global insurance 

We specialise in 

5) Life insurance 

6) Fracture cover 

6) Income Protection insurance 

7) Critical Cover insurance 

8) Living Cost 

10) Public liability insurance 

11) Funeral Plan 

and much more 

Want to start a career in finance and insurance? For more information call LYDIA on: 07414 944 464 

Eunisure Ltd are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), register 485047

karibu magazine 4th edition

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