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EDITORIAL<br />
<strong>Karibu</strong> (Kenyans in the UK)<br />
Greetings and a warm welcome to the 5th<br />
issue of <strong>Karibu</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>. This indeed is a year<br />
of renewed victory for many Kenyans in the<br />
UK especially as we continue to pick up the<br />
pieces following the covid-19 pandemic. Covid<br />
19 effectively robbed us of the opportunity<br />
and freedom to mingle. Nevertheless, we were<br />
unstoppable. During the Lockdown, we held an<br />
online version of the event with uninterrupted<br />
continuity. Our primary focus is to ensure that<br />
by the end of the event and as you read through<br />
<strong>Karibu</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> you should be motivated,<br />
transformed, entertained and inspired. There<br />
is no better place other than the Kenya and<br />
Friends in the Park (KFITP) forum to guide and<br />
help you find key information and investment<br />
opportunities.<br />
Key social events such as KFITP have become<br />
a central and instrumental element in forging<br />
closer relations between UK Kenyans and the<br />
host British community, therefore promoting<br />
progressive positive branding of the image of<br />
Kenya abroad. This inevitably opens doors for<br />
more Kenyan products and services mainly aimed<br />
at the Kenyan market in the diaspora.<br />
Post-Covid changes in the social-economic,<br />
environmental and political spheres mean that<br />
now is the time to focus innovatively on different<br />
areas of investment, public-private partnerships,<br />
youth engagement and governance to<br />
strengthen our community. As business resumes<br />
back to some normalcy, a renewed and deeper<br />
bilateral and multilateral cooperation between<br />
Kenya and the UK in the areas of trade and<br />
Investment will open greener opportunities<br />
across the borders. We shall also witness the UK<br />
Kenyan community continue to grow steadily<br />
over the years.<br />
The culture of Kenya, which is a central theme<br />
of KFITP, reflects a cultural diversity with many<br />
ethnic groups, cultural values, cultural influences,<br />
national culture, cultural identity and ethnicity.<br />
All these attributes make Kenya unique and a<br />
very rich cultural microcosm of Africa.<br />
When Kenya and Friends in the Park became a<br />
2-day event in 2019 this created another golden<br />
opportunity to bring the Kenyan community<br />
together for socialising and networking on a<br />
wider scale. It became a bigger platform to<br />
Showcase Kenyan culture and a chance to brand<br />
our nation Kenya differently. To date, KFITP<br />
attracts over 10,000 Kenyans and friends each<br />
year. As the Kenyan community grows in the<br />
diaspora, the <strong>Karibu</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> continues to<br />
bridge the gap between Kenyans living in the<br />
UK and beyond. We consistently work together<br />
with various community stakeholders to facilitate<br />
the integration of all Kenyans into the diaspora<br />
lifestyle by harnessing diverse skills, knowledge<br />
and expertise.<br />
<strong>Karibu</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> values the contribution of Kenyans<br />
and friends of Kenya living in the UK. We look forward<br />
to continued collaboration as we embrace a better<br />
future beyond the pandemic.<br />
_____________________________________<br />
Lydia Tett Olet<br />
Chief Editor<br />
5TH EDITION | JULY <strong>2022</strong><br />
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