It’s always an exciting moment when graduating from university. Filled With joy excitement, desire to grow and great optimism and ready for what the world has to offer. You are always looking into exploring and getting a job on what you studied in school
Well, this was me in 2017. After graduating from Mount Kenya University with a diploma in journalism and mass communication, I embarked on my professional journey and desire to become a great journalist. My greatest inspiration to being a journalist was to be the people’s voice, to tell stories that would empower and change people’s lives.
I started with an internship at a community radio station in the largest urban slum in Africa, Pamoja FM, Kibera Nairobi. This served me a great opportunity to learn to grow and even tell stories of the people of Kibera. In three months I covered stories on Health, insecurity, crime in the slums and this seemed like a great start for me.I was excited and happy and always worked towards becoming better knowing that I had kicked off my career. Being young and having a strong inspiration to learn and become better, immediately my internship contract expired, I signed up for another internship at the Kenya News Agency, under the Kenya ministry of ICT and communications.
I got a chance to learn something different, exciting and new; Print media, this also gave me exposure to the larger media industry, where I interacted with some of the best-known journalists in Kenya. Three months I was able to learn and this point I was comfortable that I had become better in the print media/publication sector.In the last week of June 2017, I turned up for a marketing opportunity interview, with less to expect I went for the interview that had thousands of young people who were desperately looking for a job.
Through God’s Grace, I become among the 13 young people that qualified for the job. Upon receiving a debrief on the job, I learnt that part of what the job entailed was to travel across the country, engage young people on matters civic Education, peaceful voting, voting procedure and public awareness on the voting positions. This was exciting and my first paying job and the opportunity to travel to at least 45 counties across the country to interact with young people
The Campaign named Y-vote, sponsored by the International Foundation for Electoral System IFES and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), allowed me to interact with so many young people at least 200 youth in every county.This not only helped me understand civic responsibilities, peaceful country and the beauty and terrains of my beautiful country Kenya but also served as my Turning point.
I got to learn that as young people we lacked information, empowerment, we have failed to understand our great potentials, the need for a better country, better leadership. I felt sad and unhappy on how we as young people failed to understand what we need and what’s best for us and how best we can make our communities a better place.
This was my turning point and I developed a great responsibility to be a change maker, to make a difference and to empower my fellow young people for better community, country and Africa.Immediately I finished the two months contract as a civic educator and social media champion. I embarked on a journey being a change maker to empowering young people for greater communities.I felt that the need was to create a dynamic space for young people to learn, share speak and be empowered on things that affect us. My area of focus was, effective communication, leadership, Civic responsibility, career mentorship and matters affecting the youth on our day to day life
Newseum Youth Centre was born one year later October 2018, a Safe Space for Youth to Learn, Share, and Speak & Be Empowered. Leadership, Communication, Career Development & Mentorship.I have not looked back since then and for two years now we have been able to impact, empower and transform our communities in different ways .this is through community youth forums, talks and debates.
Through the Initiative I was accepted for the East Africa Young African leadership Centre (YALI) through which I was also inspired, motivated and charged as a young African change maker.With a team of 5 dedicated and passionate volunteers.We have been able to transform our communities immensely and we are more than willing to keep up with the journey until we see a better community, better Kenya and a better Africa.We hope that in the coming years we will be a global movement of young African changer makers with the desire of having Africa a better place.Below is the link to a short video highlighting our 2019 Achievements
https://youtu.be/-Lf8MMtNadg