YALI NETWORK KENYA UPDATE

Its been ages since the last post but a lot has been happening and some big things are coming soon.

So in case you missed out on our activities here is updates on two events that we have had so far

CELEBRATING WOMEN EVENT

- REPORT BY ANNE WANJUHI

My name is Wanjuhi Njoroge, CEO & Founder The Web Tekies Limited and a Media mogul in the making. I am passionate about education especially for girls between 10 & 19 hence my wholesome mentorship program targeting in primary schools. I have a dream that someday every girl in Kenya shall not only start school but also successfully stay in school achieving the highest level of education they dream of.

Guests arrived promptly and we had a networking session for 30 minutes before the event officially started at 2.00PM. 

Pauline Muthoni a YALI 2014 fellow (in a past picture) kicked off the celebrating Women event

Pauline Muthoni, Mandela Washington Fellow 2014 kicked off the event by recognizing and introducing the groups present, these were 2014 Mandela Washington Fellows, The US Embassy representatives Paul, Liz & Kamau, The Moi University Team, YALI Network Members and other guests who are not members of the above groups.

Elizabeth introduces herself to the participants

Paul giving a brief about his work with YALI

Paul from the US Embassy officially opened the event which ushered us to the climax of the day where we listened to inspiring stories from members in the network. Everybody who attended the event is involved in an amazing project however there were those that inspired and spoke directly to my heart; 

Njeri Chelimo a 21 year old girl who started a coding school The Nairobi Dev School at age 19 years. She is self taught has a school in Nairobi, worked with Safaricom Foundation, in talks with Ihub and has spread her wings to Juba University. At 19, I was still struggling with finding myself and feeling somewhat lost. Holding on to, it’s never too late to start.

Malele of Toto Health which seeks to save lives of children under 5 years using mobile technology. It enables parents to receive targeted and action oriented messages based on when and where the child was born or conceived. These messages are able to highlight any warning signs in a child's health, connect mothers with local hospitals, among others. That a simple mobile app can help reduce maternal deaths and infant mortality and achieve soo much in its first 6 months was enough inspiration for the day.

But that was not all, there was Elizabeth Kagwanja of Smile for Miles an organization that seeks to reduce maternal deaths and infant mortality by training and equipping boda boda operators with the necessary skills of handling a pregnant woman and by so doing improve the livelihoods of youths. Her pilot project is in Murang’a. Like I said everybody is engaged in amazing projects and cannot list all.

Former fellow Charlene Migwe and Josephine Kulea were at hand to inspire the participants with their stories.

Josephine Kulea in a past event she inspired at the celebrating women event

The key lessons for me were; that we are not in competition so let’s collaborate and work together, people will always come on board once you start so start now and the rest shall follow,  a social venture can sustain itself and make profit and finally, it doesn’t have to be complex, simple is supreme think of toto health.

Events such as the Celebrating women event are vital for every YALI network member. Hard questions were asked to those presenting. Questions such as “how do you intend to sustain your project?” are eye opening and make one rethink their project – they bring out the practicability of the project. It is always wise to see your project through someone else’s eyes.

Any networking event opens doors for new contacts, contacts you can partner and collaborate with. There is always a free flow of information where people share their stories both of success and failures and who knows, potential mentorship opportunity.

YALI network Kenya is a powerful tool that has potential of changing lives in Kenya if used wisely. So far through the network, people who never knew each other from different parts of this country have connected, others are collaborating and partnering in different projects, others have found mentors and others have found people who gave great input to their projects. Let us put our differences together, hold each other’s hands and move our country forward. There is power in numbers, let us leave footprints behind so that those who will come can know that we were here.

Elizabeth Kagwanja and Njeri Chelimo listen to Eunice Likoko a fellow

Finally, my sincere gratitude to the Mandela Washington Fellows 2014, who thought it wise to organize this event, to the US Embassy Kenya for support this initiative, YALI Network Core team organizing us, to every young woman or man investing in a woman or girl in whatever manner and to all us who attended there couldn’t have been an event with us.

God us all, God Bless Kenya and Long Live YALI NETWORK KENYA!!!

TUMAINI HOUSE MEET UP 14th MARCH 2015

The meet up was led by Tolu Amondi who is part of the core leadership of the network.

This meet up had two key agenda
A mentoring and training session in which members had a chance to watch videos and resources from YALI online courses.

There was an animated discussion on women empowerment and electoral processes in Africa.

Thank you so much to everyone who turned out especially Leila who came all the way from Mombasa to Paul Simon for taking photos and for Anne Wanjuhi for leading group discussion.

ALL IN PICTURES

Tolu setting up the online training

Dedicated members stayed till dusk

Tolu leads the discussion on ethics and leadership

members engaged in group discussion on women empowerment and electoral processes

YALI Nairobi ends 2014 with Awesomeness

YALI network Nairobi ended 2014 on a high.

We were privileged to host fantastic Esther Passaris 

 

Fantastic Esther Passaris at YALI Nairobi meet at the iHub

Esther is one of the few people who embodies all the core principles of YALI in one person

• Entrepreneurship

• She is the founder of Adopt a light a social entrepreneurship venture which had such great impact when it was founded that beneficiaries in Kibera thought it was a government project

• Public Management

• Esther had personal experience in dealing with a government agency and experienced challenges faced contracting with City Council

• Civic Leadership

• Esther has had three attempts at Public office unlike many contemporary Kenyan leaders her motives were different

She runs Driving Kenya Forward foundation and is a philanthropist through and through.So needless to say the whole YALI network was eagerly awaiting for this meeting. 

SHE CAME SHE SAW SHE CONQUERED
Esther came and she exceeded all expectations speaking to the YALI fraternity of her own personal experience in family, business, money, politics and answering their own personal questions on everything from security and discrimination issues, starting a business from scratch... getting investment.

Personal Experience sharing

YALI members asked Personal Questions Esther answered them all

Kennedy Steven hosting Esther Passaris

Most of all she spoke on how to be a person... finding a personal identity, having a relationship with your money and how to be truly rich - leading a rich life in all aspects.

QUOTABLE QUOTES ESTHER PASSARIS AT YALI

Esther Passaris - Man in the Mirror
That conversation with the person in the mirror is so crucial
If you have that little voice that says you are bad, you can't do this, it's a waste of time. 
You have got to change that conversation with yourself
You know we all have conversations with yourself that derail us detain us we have to change that conversation
I believe when you change the conversation you having with yourself you will change your life

Esther Passaris - the name
It's a name it means nothing
It's the carrier of the name that gives it meaning
You give your life meaning

Esther Passaris on Success
What is success? 
Success is not money. Success is you being able to look in the mirror and say to that person you see. I Love You. You are amazing and you have done so well. You are a good person. You are beautiful or you are handsome inside out. I am proud of you. How many of you can look in the mirror and say that?

Esther Passaris on Success
You can be with money - You can't be without money

So don't have any illusions -  Have a relationship with money 

Engage your senses, because if you don't engage your senses with money and have a relationship with money you will not be rich
Adopt a light was my relationship with money. My need for money.

Esther Passaris tells it like it is at YALI Nairobi

Esther Passaris - On Ideas
You cannot sit on an idea
Don't be fearful about implementing
Doesn't mean if you trademark if its something you can trademark or you patent it it's not going to be stolen from you. Look at Adopt a Light.

Don't let fear but let faith guide you alright - go for your dream get started

Because right now you are suffering from Excusitis - excuses for not implementing.
I'll tell you what will be the saddest thing and I have seen this happen in my life when you actually ignore an idea and think you can do it tomorrow and then somebody else does it
Your idea is in other people's brains it's not unique to you . Get it done - be the person who came up with the first project on that idea.
Others will follow - you can't protect it my darling you can't.

Esther and other YALI members listen to Esther Passaris at YALI Nairobi

Esther Passaris on Integrity

Integrity, honesty... values... you cannot live right if you don't have them

Do I think all these people who do wrong will be successful? Majority no.

Because the foundation of your success has to be based on right. It cannot be based on wrong 

Esther Passaris on Venture Capital

If you have got the people that you have talked to and they are willing to invest get started. Keep the majority shareholding, alright. If they are putting in the money and they want you to take the minority. Take 30 percent not less because 30 percent gives you a seat in the board of your idea. If they are pulling the money be tough keep 51... alright but I know it's tough

Everybody that I went to wanted to take control of the company I still own it 100 percent I refused because everybody was like... will put in this money that you need and we'll take 80 percent. I refused. So good luck.

Esther Passaris on Social Entrepreneurship
That's when I came to learn about this term called Social Entrepreneurship where you do a business and you do good, alright? 
I didn't go out looking for it... I stumbled into social entrepreneurship and I love it and if I go forward in my life... any business I do will have social good because... I'll tell you one thing we all have a role to play in improving our world. We can be part of that change

BELATED BIRTHDAY
YALI Nairobi gave Esther a belated birthday surprise and also acknowledged her as a "Shujaa" coincidentally Esther was born on Mashujaa day October 20th

Yummy

Happy Belated birthday Shujaa Sing a Song Chill time

Esther Passaris on why she agreed to be a guest at YALI YALI Core team with Esther Passaris Left Tolu and Nyambura Right John Paul  I saw you desperately trying to find somebody to speak - I saw you were getting closer to your day  I saw somebody trying to do something and having no one that's coming forward - let me help him out.  So I was doing a good deed. I was giving him a speaker which he desperately needed I was coming to talk to some young Kenyans because if I want change in Kenya then I have to be available to talk to Kenyans I cannot want to change and not be part of the process So join the process make it work for you and then it will work for everyone else Personal Engagement with the young people after the session Esther Passaris - Parting Shot for YALI Nairobi

YALI Nairobi Network group photo with Esther

You don't need to start off trying to make YALI work for everyone
You need to make YALI work for you first
Because once it works for you everyone else will come on board
Sometimes we try and get so many people into something and then it fails and everybody loses
If YALI can solve the problems of ten of you and you can solve the problem of another ten and it goes on like that and we have a ripple effect of solutions to problems
You could be the ten that bring in the million
So the people that are in this room make it work for you and then bring other people in. 

quotable quotes by Esther Passaris at YALI Nairob

HIGHLIGHTS FROM NAIROBI YALI MEETUP ON 25TH OCT

Well now that it's all been done - we have all applied for the YALI 2015 fellowship the deadline was 5th November right? ... it is time to look back at all that was said - so we can be all said and done, right?

Don't blame me for being nostalgic - I love the way we do it at YALI Nairobi... so looking back is the real deal for me - don't get me wrong I am a natural visionary... but this is YALI exception allowed.

So anyway 25th was really awesome and here are the highlights

OUR HOST THE IHUB WAS AN AWESOME VENUE

YALI NAIROBI MEMBERS ARE THE MOST AWESOME NETWORK IN THE WORLD

DIANE OUR MODERATOR, GUEST PANELIST HANNAH AND ERIC

HEAR IT FROM THE 2014 HORSES MOUTH 2014 YALI FELLOWS MOUTH

That's right we had real fellows in the house - they have been there, done it and now they want to make great things happen for the rest of the Young Leaders Nairobi Network and for Kenya.

HANNAH TELLS IT LIKE IT IS

ERICK BREAKING IT DOWN

CHARLENE TAKING IT HOME

Members of the network got to hear firsthand from YALI 2014 fellows Erick, Hannah, Maurice, Victor and Charlene on how to apply for future fellowships, they also described the YALI experience in the States in detail and shared the huge responsibility they have taken up on coming back home.

ERIC AND HANNAH SHARING EXPERIENCE

Q&A FULL CLIP

The Fellows also encouraged all the participants to go for opportunities available to them

PETE - AN ENTREPRENEUR FOLLOWS PROCEEDINGS

TOTAL SUPPORT

Embassy staff Ken and Michael were present and Michael took eager attendees through what was probably the burning issue of the day "How do I make a good application that truly reflects who I am and makes me top 500?"

MICHAEL - "YOU GUYS HAVE THE ANSWERS"

CHALLENGE ON THE WAY FORWARD

Elizabeth raised a challenge that has been close to the heart of the Nairobi-Kenya Yali Network agenda...

1. We have 46,000 applicants and 500 get selected what can we who share this common passion come together and do as young leaders with or without making the cut for the fellowship

2. Other than coming and having a meetup once a month how much more can we impact each others projects and create synergies if we are working on similar projects?

3. Can we have a forum where people with real projects on the ground engage with Young Leaders?

Tough questions - but on the bright side... we are all Young African Leaders I know in our hearts we hold all the true answers.

NEXT MEETUP
The core team is organizing the next meetup and we have in mind Elizabeth's challenge... What can we make of this coming together?

TOLU SUMMARIZING ISSUES

See you on the 29th of November - More YALI awesomeness

YALI NAIROBI CORE TEAM PLANNING THE NEXT MEETUP

MEET YALI 2014 FELLOWS IN NAIROBI

On Oct 25th at 1400 hrs we will have the grand opportunity of hosting YALI alumni at the ihub Community space on Ngong road opposite Uchumi hyper to talk about their experience to aspiring applicants and also to inspire members of the YALI network.

We are still keeping it a surprise on who you will meet.

However just to heighten or reduce the suspense here are some of the 2014 YALI alumni.

We Did it Once - We are doing it Again Nairobi YALI meetup

It is that time of the month again - yep you guessed right.

Young leaders is Nairobi are meeting at the iHub at Bishop Magua house on 25th October at two PM to chart the way forward on their network.

This is an awesome opportunity to learn how to apply for the Mandela Fellowship which closes in two weeks and to hear from alumni

The last meetup was at the iHub UX lab

Highlights in photos

Nyambura Muturi leads brainstorm session

Young Leader expressing her feeling in color

Nyambura breaking it down

Dee following proceedings

Meal is waiting

Tolu and Nyambura planning for next event

Phil documenting

Our gracious hosts iHub UX lab

Expectations met