Its not enough to talk about PEACE

“It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

 https://youtu.be/jR56z0i13T4

Today I draw my inspiration from a great woman who led to world in getting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Eleanor Roosevelt was the wife of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and niece of Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States of America. She was born on October 11, 1884, in New York City and died on November 7th, 1962. In her autobiography she wrote very modestly, “About the only value the story of my life may have is to Show that one can, even without any particular gifts, overcome obstacles that seem insurmountable if one is willing to face that fact that they must be overcome; that, in spite of timidity and fear, in spite of a lack of special talents, one can, find a way to live widely and fully. Life is meant to be lived, and curiosity must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life” (Roosevelt. xix).

Like her i refused to turn my back on life and my curiosity at times has led me to places where I never thought I will be as a person. It is not that I have no fear or I am not timid….I too have my fears but I am willing to give my all to overcome that fear and face the challenge ahead. So when I jumped into the crisis situation there is a feeling of being scared to the core.

We had lost 14 persons, so many displaced and schools closed and I waited and waited for our leaders to get together but there was no sign. I reached out to the Interfaith team on the ground and they expressed their frustration because the earlier agreement was not honoured. A friend in need is a friend in deed; through Wednesday evening I reached out to one friend after another sharing my crazy thoughts. Then by the morning of Thursday it was not enough just to talk about peace and not believe in it. So I took it upon myself to request for a breakfast meeting and here I met one great leader who gave me time to speak and he listened. Once I was done with the breakfast my crazy dream was not just a dream but there was a road-map.

The Initial Meeting of the leaders and Interfaith in Nairobi on 18th October 2018

Then lucky enough on another side of the city the Speaker of the County Assembly wanted to bring the elected and nominated MCAs together. We never talked but shared a similar dream and yes by morning nature had aligned itself to make the dream of peace a living reality. This was the beginning of an amazing journey which saw us all gather from 12 noon to 4pm at Laico Hotel. As the meeting progressed I was joined by Bishop Qampicha and Ven. Kargi Denge from the interfaith team joined in and before long the chairman Bishop Kihara. Without glossing over issues we made our voices heard and the bishops made their remarks. The leaders present also made their remarks on the best way forward. Amazingly the leaders all agreed on a ceasefire and there was a press statement to that effect.

The catholic hall meeting on 19th October 2018

This was just the first step and there was need to go beyond the comforts of boardrooms in Nairobi to the ground. It was Friday early morning drive to Marsabit and we were home ready for the meeting at 10 am. The Marsabit Interfaith Team on the ground already had a meeting to set the ground for the big meeting bringing together both communities in conflict. The meetings started way later at 5 pm and not at the agreed time by all but it was enough time to share the resolutions with the community representatives present.

All joined in as a sign of peace on the 19th October 2018.

All leaders held hands as a sign of peace. We also had a team from across the border joining the process to help in fast tracking the peace process. The next day was a celebration of Mashujaa Day in Laisamis and then we were back to Marsabit for the next meeting.

On this day I was just home waiting for the Bishop to finish with the church and give us direction. Then I got a call from Bishop that the meeting is already underway and I had to make my way there…….I we all sat and listened some of the elders spoke of fresh incidences……It was not the tone we had expected…….as they progressed….I was feeling pressure from within then the anger and frustration that I was feeling inside took over the better part of me! There was this little voice screaming inside of me just wanting to be heard and I felt chocked. May be whatever I was about to say did not make sense to anybody other than me but it had to be said for my own sanity. Then we all accepted ceasefire and raised our hand to accept peace over violence. A select team from both communities joined the interfaith team together with 2 MCAs of Torbi/Bubisa and Sagante wards.

The meeting in Moi Girls with elders showing a hand for peace on 21st October 2018

Each time you jump into a crisis you must be game-on everyday! You must be alert and give your best but you also need a thermometer to let you know when to stop and reflect and take care of yourself or you get completely burnout. It has been 7 days and 7 nights of not taking a break. Even happy smiling souls like myself get tired; even the men & women of the church and the mosque get tired. The levels of concentration and attentiveness combined with with the intensity of context creates conditions that are demanding and draining. Imagine getting home for lunch and literally collapsing on my bed for the 3 hours, when I got up I thought it was another day. I know its not enough but at least I feel my head is lighter having napped.

As the rains poured in my beautiful home of Marsabit so did my long lost sleep pour into my head!

I felt some calmness I haven’t felt since September 5th when the initial incidence occurred almost 50+ days ago. But my heart is still heavy we have just taken the first step and we need to build on the foundation of the peace we have laid………. I know I am not alone I celebrate all the people who took their time to go beyond their professional call of duty and do all they can to make peace a reality!

Peace is a process and not a one off event!

So let us not be people who talk about peace and end up with just the talk alone. We need to strongly believe in peace and I bet the team that we have now in the mediation process believes in peace and is working towards getting a lasting peace for our home county Marsabit! We cannot do this alone but together with our leaders and all the communities affected by the past and ongoing skirmishes. PEACE IS POSSIBLE!

The Smell of the Rain

Its such a blessing in a small tiny village up north! You can almost smell the sweet fragrance of the soil as the 1st drops of the rain touch the ground. It has a unique smell that is literally in her systems or head in this instance! As the first big drops of the rain start falling from the sky to the very hot dry, dusty ground have you ever felt a very unique scent? I hope she is not the only one smelling the rain……asking herself if the rain other places has no sweet scent? May be the #NomadGirl is just dreaming and making up the scent today. 

The Smell of the Rain

Sometimes back the Nomad Girls remembers sharing this story with a friend in a far away land then in the University ..….a childhood friend from village up north……and it started raining and there was no sweet scent because the entire place was covered by pavements. No one was happy it had started raining. …..together they literally went out for a walk in the rain …..crazy as it may sound with nothing on their heads….busy smelling the ground but it had no smell ….The Nomad Girl wanted to carry the soil from the tiny village up north with her everywhere she went so that she can place it on the pavement and get the smell once the rain started dropping. Hey I don't think it is even even allowed through the airports security with all the rich micro organisms in the soil. Anyway that is a story for another day. So shelve your dream for another day Nomad Girl….

Now let us go back to the childhood memories of how the rain made her feel as a Nomad Girl. It was a true blessing; the family livestock will move closer home and milk will be in huge supply and any home you go to there will be a goat slaughtered for you…..such a generous gesture. It is the smell of abundance and huge blessings. It just started raining in tiny village up north. The 1st drops were at just before dawn break then it went on and on for the next almost 3 hours. The pounding rain continued to beat the cracked earth until the whole place was flooded. Every mother will rise to place the big drums under the gutters….it did not matter the time of the night. The dust of yesterday have already been washed away……..

The Nomad Girl sees today as a new day to wash away the blood that was just shed a few days ago and have a fresh start! It may just be a dream……….but this is the dream of a Nomad Girl!

The smell of the earth as the rain drops has a name….it has a Greek name……“Petrichor”!…I don't know what it is called in the language of the Nomad Girl! But she does not need a name all she wanted was to share was the feeling….She knows one person who is super exited with the fall of the rain and the sweet smell of the earth….he is a young boy who left a high level paying job to be a farmer at the prime of his career. You can see a day where the seeds he had planted a few weeks earlier will start rising in an amazing shots! Pushing so hard though fragile until they crack the earth open. He got down on his knees and got his hands dirty and from the earth now he makes a living. He is always searching for new technology on how to improve his organic farming. Repairing his water pan and ready to harvest the rainwater…..something which many have learnt from him and dug their own. He was employed for a few years before he made up his mind that he wants to be a farmer for life….his farm has a name and he loves it like a baby……you will hear him literally talk to the plants in the farm…..

The Fragile Plants

This is the reality of life one day we mourn the death of a brother, a father, the mother or sister and another day we celebrate the birth of a baby be it a boy or a girl. A new life a new beginning with a smile and a touch of the little hands yet so fragile. Just like the birth of a baby the rain brings so much hope and joy to the heart of the Nomad Girl. The changes that follow suit, from the stress of a long dry spell to the rain drops. The Nomad Girls now wants to be a kid again just to ran in the rain…..get all wet and come back home all socked up and grinding her teeth against each other……

She will be lucky if she did not fall in the mud as it gets too wet and you start sliding. If you lived in the tiny village up north you remember the memories of so many muddy feet stepping on the same place then the mud builds small tiny hills. It was common scene in many places and as you step on the top of the little tiny hills holding on to the wires of the fence. Remember it is still raining from the top and most a times you had no umbrella to cover your head but a piece of black polythene bag or a leso. You still have to look up and greet every arera (Aunt) you meet on the way; don't forget the akaku (grandpa) who sells meat on the left hand side and another abuya (uncle) who has a shop just at the edge of the small tiny hills. It did not matter the tribe in the tiny village up north they were all related by blood; marriage and celebrated the rain drops together. 

But it had fun moments too! many cannot balance on the small tiny hills especially those with big bellies and they will fall into the mud! Don’t laugh because you will be cursed by the elders…..imagine suppressing your little giggles inside and you almost burst with the laughter. This was the life of a Nomad Girl……..

The UBUNTU in her home in the tiny village up north was so strong that any parent can punish you for wrong doing, including picking up the cane and beating you up if you were caught on the wrong side of the village rules. 

Don’t forget to follow the Nomad Girl through her journey of life……..

The Little Girl from the Village

We shall set up the bonfire remember to carry your little wood to keep the fire burning!

The Little Girl from the Village

So once upon a time there was a young beautiful girl who lived in a small village; she was the only kid hanging around the village as all others went to school. She had started school only for a term in a school out in the desert before she was taken and moved to the town marking the end of her dream of getting an education.

In the morning she will rise and watch the sun rising..it gave her hope and reason to believe in herself. Then she prepares breakfast and serve the kids going to school despite being a kid herself. Then she will go out to fetch water which was an everyday routine. Carrying a metallic bucket (dont ask why not plastic because by then the plastic menace was not there everything was metallic including the karaya) on her head shaking as water literally trickled down from her little head budging below the weight not well built for the tough job. Then coming home to start the fire ….kwa kwa kwa you will hear the sound of the axe on the wood ……and the neighbours will know she is back to start preparing lunch while undertaking the household chores. Everyone will call her and send her around…..she was fast and listens to the elderly a virtue admired by many.

The little girl from the village was destined to be great with or without formal education. She went to a school of life a school where she learnt life was tough. To survive you have to work extra harder especially if you were given up to a relative and you had no formal education.

Just for once imagine if you were given up at an early age of 2 years? It was not easy on her but she carried on with a smile always walked away when someone was screaming at her. She learnt to bottle up her anger and instead will smile making the one screaming question if she was normal. That little girl met her prince charming almost by accident; one day as the prince visited the village one elderly lady asked him when he is getting married?

Isi gurba….atin amm ya gudate….yommm wo futt?

(You are now old enough to have a wife and start a family, when are you getting married?)

But Prince charming also had fair share of his troubles. Lost his mum at a very young age lucky for him he was taken to a boarding school in the far land very close to the border. A boarding school from class 1 sounds like torture but in this case it was a blessing in disguise. All his siblings were taken by his aunties who lived on another side of the border and were married by a completely different community. It’s struggle not to have a place to call home as the father remarried and the prince charming lost all hope of ever settling.

Love, marriage and family had no meaning to him.

He was such a bright kid with the best handwriting winning in an East African Regional Hand Writing competition only when he was 9 years old in class 3. When sick he will walk to the hospital by himself and look for neighbours where he could rest before going back to school. There was no holiday as he had no place to call home remember and a friend he met at school become his brother.

So many years passed by and it was time to go to high school and after questioning himself for long he decided to take the ride of his life. He literally brought himself to high school and here he met some volunteer teachers who encouraged him to believe in himself again. This is where he met the elderly lady whose home he visited when they were given an outing to visit relatives.

He led his class severally but he also a fair share of fun! The sound of a guitar from the far villages drove him crazy he will drop everything and literally sneak out just to sing and dance to the great melodies of legendary songs. He later became a composer and one of the greatest musicians of our time but that is a story for another day. The search for education brought the young man to a very cold chilly place; getting the hot porridge was a blessing in the morning and the Mandazi from the school dining was a delicacy many will risk being sent home for stealing.

As he visited the village now done with school and was just employed he noticed the young girl coming home all soaked up and her teeth grinding against each other! Wondered why she was not in school as the little girl sung her heart something that she does routinely. But today she looked a little bigger and taller; the elderly lady ……who the prince charming was visiting had ideas for marriage. This was repeated over and over again.

(Baadhi malaika Rabbi tann laal, intal dansa akan tak ingare bekh) whispering into prince charming ears look at that little angel! She is so well behaved and would make a great wife she narrated.

Unknown to little girl in the village that was the beginning of a new era and a new life…..the prince did not respond to the elderly lady this time but he took a second look and liked what he saw a hardworking young girl who had all the qualities of a great wife.

Barely a month down the line a plan was hatched to trick the little girl in the village to go and collect a sack sent on a truck. As she ran outside 2 motorbikes awaited (The only bikes in town) two strong women grabbed her and one tied her on herself jumping on the back of the bike as the little girl screamed for her life. She was sandwiched between the rider and the strong lady, her mouth covered with the hand so no screams will be heard.

As fate would have it no one was in the village on this day. Those days it was compulsory for everyone to attend national celebrations so all were in the open space (Kuwanja) listening to speeches and the songs whose composer was not even conducting the choir he asked a friend to do it for him while he was on a mission. Instead he was committing a crime….should I call it that or following his heart as he found a new love…what was happening is a real life kidnapping. It was love from one side…the little girl from the village had nothing to do with it.

The songs were so long on purpose as it kept everyone busy long enough to execute his plan. Many cried their hearts out as it touched on social issues and the heroes of their time. He managed to kidnap the little girl from the village and calming her down with a promise to take her to her mother. When she realised this was a lie she attempted to run away twice but she was not fast enough for the strong lady who was accompanying her! The second attempt was worse the two bikes were racing her down and literally that was the end of her dream of ever going back to the village. A few months passed by then a wedding happened and she become a proud owner of a sofa set and a home to call her own. And for a little girl who had never sat on one this was a big deal…it was a leather sofa and only two homes had them in the entire village.

One year passed by as the marriage blossomed the little girl from the village was blessed with a bouncing baby girl. A tale of a little nomad girl born literally in an period of transition as the country faced a dilemma of who is going to be next leader. The country was mourning, a great leaders just passed on but in far away land in the village there was a Jill to celebrate the birth of a baby girl against cultural norms.

The prince charming now a husband asked the little girl from the village to name her little baby going against tradition she was named after her maternal grandmother.

They both celebrated the nomads girl birth even giving her a special name. Every time she cried they sung a special song to her a famous song in the village. As she grows up the little girl will be great like the american dollar…….I am not sure why not the local currency…..

We should be careful as parents the names we give to our children and the songs we sing to them as they grow up! I am not sure if the baby #NomadGirl lived to the expectations of The Little Girl from The Village and Prince Charming and the praise song they sung to her back them!

Take a moment to follow #NomadGirl 

No More Limits to A Girls DREAM; The Desert Flower

This is an inspirational story of a young girl who against all odds overcame what many thought was a life she was confined to for eternity. She finished her o-level year many years back and like many other girls her age she was expected to go to college and pursue higher education. But she did not stay long before getting married and leaving the comfort of her parent’s home. No one was happy with this decision. They questioned... how can she just leave her parents home? Others considered her a disappointment. As she walked out of home into the new life, the first night out of home felt scary and very lonely. The young girl’s heart screaming out loud, she just wanted to go back home and her choice did not feel comfortable at all. Her only crime she had her menstruation and no one prepared her for it.

The roller coaster life then started, she was just a housewife and had to do the washing, cooking and then a baby was born. One child then another followed soon after and another child and the sequence too fast for her to stop and think of her own life. Entangled in what she thought was culture and tradition and did not even go out to look for any vacancies. Married women were to stay in their marital homes. The days turned into months and the months into years and without a glimpse of what life was outside she had stayed indoors as a housewife for over a decade and almost a half.

Exactly 14 years later, the young lady already a mother of 5 kids three girls and two boys. Her husband was the sole breadwinner and with no formal employment it was hard to keep going. When there is no work as a casual labourer the going was tough and feeding 5 extra mouths became almost impossible. She will reach out to the sister or some relatives to help her get a meal for the day or two. She even tried her hand in selling milk in the market but the profit was too little to sustain her growing family.

One morning a friend alerted her about the vacancy at a local organisation of a volunteer position and she quickly followed up and went to the office the next day. The friend teased her about being employed like her. Early the next morning the young lady was in HODI offices enquiring about the advert, by then the offices were close by to where she lived so she just stepped out quickly to get the contacts and got back home. It was just a few weeks before she was called for the interview and this being her first she felt scared and so unprepared. She had not also collected her result slip from high school, 14 years later because of fee balance. Like any good wife she shared about the opportunity with her husband and she least expected any other response than full support. But this was not the case as culture dictated she be a stay-home mother and the husband to vend for the family. She had to speak up for herself and all the noise and discouragement fell on deaf years. It was time to follow her dreams and live up to her passion.

14 days after the interview she got a phone call that changed her life forever! It was from me as the ED and Founder of HODI. She was successful and yes she got the job.....in her own words....I screamed my heart out and jumped up and down like a small baby’. This one call made her happier than ever before and she was enthusiastic that this is her one shot at life and soon things will look different. Unable to control her happiness she shared the news with the husband and everyone close to her and nobody could talk her out of taking up her dream position. Her ultimate goal was just to be a great example to her children and that you can turn your life around.

As she reported to the office, this was the year 2010 she felt like a desert flower and everybody was looking at her. She had not attained any formal training besides high school and what life has taught her being a housewife for 14 years. Her 1st task was to get her high school certificate which until this day had no purpose for the young mother. Each day she worked extra hard and with no help at home, she took up night shift at home doing the household chores and getting up early to get to work before everyone else. Turning a new page in her life was so exciting that she had no time to be tired or exhausted. Instead she was super excited and took each day with a bold smile and stride. A few months into the job there was a chance for an office administrator and I insisted she had what it takes to be one. Again she applied after the lady who was holding the position left joining another institution. While her initial position involved cleaning the office the current one needed some computer skills. You could see the hopefulness in her eyes and she believed in herself even if she had no skills but had the passion and the love for the organisation that opened doors for her.

Many talk of mentoring, which is almost a distant guidance but what we had with this young mother was beyond mentorship and amazing in every step of the way. I literally held her hand and walked with her every step of the way. Instead of screaming at her even when the work was not done as expected, I kept my cool and showed her how to do one step at a time. The only pressure was for her to get the best out of herself nothing more and nothing less. As she followed the the lead, she pushed herself to go for further studies and build her capacity and gain more skills. The initial one was to undertake computer packages and lucky for the young mother just next door there was a commercial college and she enrolled as HODI took to pay her fees. This was a huge relief for the young mother whose meagre earnings were not enough for her growing family. Time has lapsed now and the year was 2011 as the young mother gained her 1st official qualification besides her KSCE certificate. A day to rejoice and she was extremely happy and deep down was thankful to God and her push factor.

This was just the beginning of another chapter in the life of this young mother and a springboard to the next big thing in her life. I was not letting her rest and stop chasing her dreams so she was again enrolled for a diploma in Human Resource Management in the year 2012-2013. I personally called the college and ensured she filled in all the papers. The study hours were crazy and demands for assignments to be completed on time was immense, it was not easy and she struggled to finish. Many at times would lag behind of her class schedules. Being distance learning it gave her a chance to continue working at HODI and do her night shift while being a mother to her 5 children. But the fact that I ensured her fees were paid in full made her to put in extra hours, pushing herself beyond her limits until she excelled. The young mother graduated with very good results and was ready to for her next position. I asked her to enrol for a Bachelor's Degree immediately but she asked for time to support her children through high school. I just had to understand and support her with this decision.

It all looked like a dream but she was promoted to position of a field officer. The HODI’s culture of ensuring the volunteer is given 1st priority worked to her favour. Many including the donor questioned her ability to deliver the program but my belief in her made her to walk the tough path to not only deliver her very best but excel at her work. One day at a time and every opportunity she got she jumped at it and went for one training to the next and building her capacity each step of the way. She struggled with travels out of town because of the children and as she climbed up the ranks her pay increased too. She hired an elderly mother to stay with her kids as she travelled to do her exams or attended training's now the stress was less and the burden was off her back. Again impossible had been thrown out of the windows.


With each training and interaction she gained confidence and the exposure helped her a lot. She was no longer the shy young girl but a confident young leader ready to take on the world. She started taking on extra opportunities within the organisation and even become a peer counsellor and a trainer of trainers in the Breaking the Silence Program. I still remember the day she took her 1st flight and the smile on her face and tears rolling down her face. She knew her struggles as a young girl and the things she had hoped someone had spoken to her about before she ended up in the life she lived before joining HODI. Coming from humble backgrounds she could not afford pads and all the luxuries that many of her peers had then. She was made to believe she was mature having had her menstruation but even then the time was not right for her to join the institution of marriage. Now she was a mother herself and she put her whole heart in designing of the program to help young girls understand the challenges of menstruation. Breaking the Silence on issues which are a taboo to talk about culturally from menstruation to personal hygiene, Child Marriage, FGM and learning to say NO. Every day she took a bold step and one day she challenged herself to take up football. When the I asked her to play football....she looked at me questioning “How can I kick the ball? I am too old for that!......she said. Later that day I sat down with her telling her impossible was just in her head. The next day she took up the challenged and kicked the ball for the 1st time in her life. Today she is a celebrated goalkeeper in HODI, a mother of 6 and has encouraged her daughters to join the HODI football program. Over the last 4 years her 2 daughters have finished high school and this would not have been possible without her hard work. She did not have a degree that was demanded of her position but she served HODI as a program officer in education program. When the program ended she came back to support Breaking the Silence Program and was recently in Nairobi for a training on engaging young people on policy advocacy. On this special day we celebrate a special person! Congratulations Halima Abdi for helping #HODI reach over 1,645 girls in Breaking the Silence on Menstruation. #MenstrualHygieneDay #NoMoreLimits to a girls DREAM.

Did you know there was a film made in Isiolo?

I walked into Java! Looking for someone else but I walked over to great a relative from #Isiolo! Then looked around and there was no other mzee in house! Somehow lost for words and scared to ask, I looked at the mzee seated right in front of me and slowly lowered my gaze. Sending the image to my memory disk and hoping it does not let me down a 2nd time. Yes he is a famous actor known to many but somehow I did not know this part of his life. The talents that were hidden for ages and I looked at him again and he reminded me of my grandfather! The red henna on his beard was a signature look of my late grandfather. Then....in a very low tone almost a whisper ......"hayee baba jars tok argu duffe"...then he went on to say Jarsi annuma tefad! 

My heart started beating too fast and I had very little words! I did not know how to restart the conversation. Then asked about a young lady whom I had not before but was to introduce us!. She was stuck in traffic and not answering her phone. Now we had lots of time together and did some catching to do. He asked about my ayyo and shared how she has been blessed with 5 grand children, 3 more additions to the family since we met lastly. I asked about his family and life in Isiolo? and all was super amazing! ....walahi mardadi....


I took dawa a mixture of honey, lemon and ginger which had a bitter sweet taste! Each time I sipped it brought out bitter sweet memories and lots of questions. I asked how many of us die with our dreams? He gave me courage wow to chase the many more dreams left in me! Then I sat there and reflected on how we met and the connections we have with the mzee! It is amazing how this world is a small place and I needed an autograph now! They are big stars yet to be celebrated by many and I we talked, I kept on asking myself why me...why am I so lucky to meet all this great people. At times the stars align themselves and brings the world to you. 

Then Aisha walks in and the smile made my heart forgive her! So young yet so daring! Imagine when you have never acted before and just get in front of a camera and it looks like your a Hollywood trained actress! Soon we will be chasing after the golden globes after #LupitaNyongo. We hugged like I have known her for ages and sat down to catch on the film and their work in Isiolo. Barely in her 20s and a mother of one.....so team mafisi please keep off! I love the young women who chase their dreams and nothing stops them not even having babies! Aisha is one them!

All along I knew there are so many young talented Kenyan's just waiting to be discovered! Like gold they are so deeply entrenched and are the hidden treasures of Kenya. Now it is nit my heart that is racing but my head and I even called a few friends to say I am seated with two stars but nobody seemed to notice....is it because they are from Kenya2 I asked myself.....may be not but may be so.....

Imagine travelling all the way from Isiolo but I am glad to have meet two amazing souls! Aisha and Mzee Omar! It was raining so heavily and the flash floods causing havoc! But before then I had to grab my phone for a few pictures, it was hard to take a selfie with an elderly mzee whom I respect so much, so we did a stand up photo and asked someone to click the pictures. I had to let it sink in before sharing the news with world! The film will be launched soon but I managed to get a trailer! They both acted in a film called #SimaleFilm! Take a moment to click on the link below to watch the Simale Trailer!

I was scared

We just got back from #Marsabit and it was crazy with black smoke literally blazing the sky. My little ones had their fair share of living for a day as our home turned into a war zone. I rushed out that day and I came back home to the screams of my babies. Why did you go out? People run away from trouble but you run to trouble, but why? I had no answers and I felt I needed to be more responsible next time. Then Tuesday came and found us in Nairobi I had to promise not to go outside for they feared something will happen to mummy. I could not answer the questions of my 2 little ones. Will there be teargas? Will there be gun shots? As young as they are at only 3 and 5 yrs this are not the questions for kids but adults. Not sure what lay ahead. And I took courage to say NO guns n NO teargas as they went off to school. When asked..... how will you stop them... and my answer was shaky.. .... we shall pray baby. 

Then off they went.....They could smell the fear in me and how tight I held them as they left home for school. Then at around lunch time texts came through ‘come and pick your kids from school’. I had the worst fear as a mum what if something happened before I got to them? Then we were back home but the fear and anxiety did not stop.

On my part I tried to sit at my desk and get some work done. But the anxiety took the better part of me. I was scared why lie. I was scared if something went wrong and part of me wanted to look the other way and wish it all ended peacefully. I kept on walking to the TV screen n back to my desk. In some moments just talking to myself. God help Kenya cross this bridge peacefully. Then people started streaming into Uhuru Park and there were no confrontations. The crowd started surging and pushing each other and I will look away and back at it again. Deep inside my heart there was a relief combined with fear. Is this a trap & will the crowd provoke? Will the police provoke? Will we as Kenya have the courage to walk this path without any bloodshed? As far I knew Uhuru Park was a no go zone but here now it is filled with people from all walks of life. There was a change of heart somewhere and it caught me by surprise, at times we may underestimate the little things but this one was a major move.  

Then suddenly the TV screen went blank and a message we are trying to fix it. I knew something was wrong but could not place a finger on it. Then KTN broke the news of other stations being off air! My heart started racing, asking the question why? I was worried for the sons and daughters who were out at Uhuru Park. But more worried for the men and women in uniform coz for them too it’s an order.

I was able to follow the live stream and did not want to miss a moment. As the swearing in happened my thoughts were in the aftermath. Then people walked home peacefully with just a little scuffle on Tom Mboya quoting what was reported. The day ended peacefully and I felt this is a huge step for Kenya as a country. Many expected a day of doom but no we have matured democratically as a country to give space for people to express their views. Men and women in uniform stood guard and hurt no one at uhuru park. We took time off to go for our routine walk-run, I was sprinting all the fears out and punching with screams of all the fears I had bottled up. We got home with sweaty backs and tired feet but very clear head and heart. I did not want to watch the news again with all the lawyers arguing the legality and illegality of  what happened on Tuesday. As the sun was setting I was wearing a different hat and all I wanted to hear was how do we bridge this gap. How do we reach out and hold each others hand? So many questions needs to be answered but it is all in my head because it is so hard to have a honest conversation with myself and expect the rest of Kenyan follows suit.  

We are literally tearing each other apart on the social media some cheering and others jeering. Looking for all the differences we have as a people instead of looking for what brings us together. What we need to ponder next is now to extend the olive branch and seal the divide. We just have one Kenya you are my brother and I am your sister. It may seem hard and impossible now but time will heal all the wounds.

I was Born Perfect

Its hard to look away and hope that #FGM will not be a topic of discussion on literally every TV station and radio station. The outcry on social media is immense, how I wish this is an everyday agenda and everyday talk. What is very Kenyan is we literally run short races with issues and soon we will run out of breath. Then we will be falling on the roadside and forgetting we even ever talk about it. The issue will be packed until next time when there is another big story on #FGM. I wish we can run the full race, how I wish we can  run a marathon as we are know with our Kenyan runners.

Dr. Kamau who petitioned against the FGM law is now literally being torn apart and every one is mad at her. 26 years of practice as a medical doctor and only this week she felt it right to come out in the open. We need to dig deeper, why now and what made her think in this manner. Instead of listening to her we are out-rightly condemning her. Not that I am being a devils advocate here but part of me feels like getting into her head to find out her reasons.

Now back home where I come from #Marsabit #FGM is happening day and night. The rest of Northern Kenya it is literally an every day practice. A friend told me some political leaders even fund the cut. Before you start screaming at me for saying it as it is please hear me out. It is a taboo to even talk about FGM until recently, we call it Qaban Qaba...which translates (Holding down or pinning down) You are literally held down by a strong woman and I bet that is where the name came from in my community. It is sacred and not a discussion you can have openly, to date many feel uncomfortable with the mention of the cut. When It happened to me I was held down by my own mum, I have nothing against my ayyo. I love her to the moon and back. She did what she thought was the best for her daughter like many other mother's in Marsabit. She removed a part of me that was considered dirty and will make me a woman will loose morals if I grew up with it. I sat down with Ayyo and the conversation we had was not why she did it to me but to understand her point of view and this is what informed my campaign on #BreakingtheSilence on FGM, early marriage and Beading. My mum has never gone to a school and many will consider her illiterate but she is the most knowledgeable person. She raised me and my other siblings with tough love there was no room for mistakes. One commits a mistake then all are punished....that's a story for another day. Why I mentioned my mum here is because of how I was raised not as a girl but an equal with my brother. All chores were shared equally including cooking, cleaning, washing cloths and utensils. We had shifts and it is here I learnt there is no difference between me and my brothers. I bet today they are better men who can cook, clean after themselves and even help out with the baby. But the equal opportunity is bigger than what any convention or law can achieve. She knew the value of education and ensured I lived to study to the highest level ...kofia nami keyat tan atillen keyad....(Until you graduate and wear the gown dont think of marriage) I am speaking from a point of knowledge, I am not just a crusader against #FGM all I have been doing personally is to #Breakingthesilence.  There is a lot of myth and misconceptions around of FGM. Has the law stopped #FGM? or has it made the practice go under as per the UNICEF report we have a 41% increase on cases of #FGM.

One step at a time we can together walk out of the woods. You are considered dirty, you are ostracized and literally no one will even consider marrying you. As I spoke to most mothers this is the fear, no one wants to be cut off from the rest of the community.  Then I ask what about the law? which law, some will ask...they dont even know the law exists.

The Anti-FGM Act of 2011 is seen as foreign or it propagates the views and opinions of outsiders. I would want to know how the Dr. Kamau came to this conclusion, I bet she only had courage to come out and state things are they are while many will bury their heads and wish it away. It is a feeling of the masses, why is there a law to stop our culture? It is question many ask but in whispers. Others quote the Quran and Sunnah as a basis for continuing the cut. Many say it is the practice of our forefathers and we cannot stop it now. It is not enough to have a big stick in the name of the FGM Law. We need to demystify  the law and break it down for the common person in the rural villages to understand and that way it will deter the practice. Currently the law exists up there.....and even the current discussions on the petition filed by Dr. Kamau will not be known to mothers and the cutters in the villages. Are we missing the point here? They will continue to mutilate for as long as we have cut them off too, they are seen as criminals and hard to engage with them. I will wait until when the law is domesticated beyond the English language of the act, beyond the relation to all the conventions on discrimination against women. To when every woman and every girl has a voice and a choice and the Law will be by her side to protect her. They can stand up for themselves and speak up about the issues that affect them include beading, early marriage and FGM.

Until then I will not tire but continue to #Breakingthesilence on #FGM. I have been cut myself and I speak for myself and many more women like me. I have a scar but it does not define me, I am not a victim and I dont want to play a victim. I have a voice and I want you to hear me out please dont condemn me for its only me who knows the pain I go through. Each woman has a different experience with #FGM, I still dont have the courage to watch the cut on film or in real live. I was cut and I went to high school and off to the University. I graduated with a Law Degree and went back home to #Breakthesilence on early marriage, beading and FGM among other many things I do. In 15yrs I have been out in the bush literally, I have had to unlearn what I learnt in law school. Learn new laws which are based on traditional laws and Islamic Shariah. Sit with the elders whose courts are under the tree where not a single woman was allowed and it took us 12 years ago. Today in 152 villages 60% of those who sit under those trees are women. It is something I was told is literally impossible. Then I came carrying a ball, I wanted the girls to play football. I was told it will break virginity and it is something that will never happen not in my home #Marsabit. Again it takes patience and courage to step out of your comfort zone. One step at a time one girl at a time, we are #BreakingtheSilence on FGM, Early marriage and beading through football. 2008 is just like 10 years ago and today 1,645 girls #KickitlikeaGirl. They even play a better football but the goals we set out to achieve have we achieved? My answer would be yes we have broken the silence on FGM but we have not yet stopped it completely. Girls are still being cut in #Marsabit. In some communities they are even cut on the wedding day and she could be an adult but alone she is voiceless. What we have is a module that teaches life skills and goes beyond one part of a woman's body and looks at the goals the girls can set in life including going to high school and university. Along the way we felt boys were not part of the conversation, they will stand on the windows of the classrooms as the girls learnt the effects of FGM, early marriage and beading. They will follow the girls as they kicked the ball to #Breaktheseilence on FGM....you will hear little giggles ohhh they dont even know how to play....then the game changer of boys and girls being engaged together. Only then have we seen brothers standing standing up for their sisters and fathers being engaged in the conversation. It cannot just be a girl/woman talk. If I came carrying a banner I would not have been allowed into the villages but one step at a time you win hearts and the minds of the people back home. It is possible but I as I said earlier it is not a short race, it is not a quick fix. It is long term, we need to engage differently and until and unless there is a dialogue in every home in every village then the monster will come back to haunt us.

We need to get out of our comfort zones and walk the talk. Let us not just make noise and end it here but make noise and follow through with some concrete steps. I had a chat with each of my staff on this issue as we were planning for 2018 and reflecting on 2017, will they cut their girls? It is a commitment we have to make each year, it is a conversation that we need to have in a space safe enough to talk about what is a taboo. This is an everyday conversation, will the girls in their families be cut? How do we protect the next generation? This are critical questions we need to ask ourselves. I have one daughter and I will not CUT her because she was #BornPerfect. Until next time join me in #Breakingthesilence on #FGM #HODI. Let us have a real conversation on why and why not and each day winning one mother over will save not just one girl but the future generation.