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Season 4

22: You will miss some important life events for factors beyond your control
It is not the end of the world. Do what you can and leave the rest to the supernatural.

23: It is okay to have opportunities snatched away when you thought you had it all
Normalize seasons of haves and have nots. You can’t possibly have it all.

24: Do not be afraid to quit and start from scratch
It is scary not knowing what tomorrow holds. But that step of faith could be the beginning of unprecedented breakthrough. Take it!

25: God will always provide a support system where you go
The omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient has you covered. Don’t forget to be grateful.

26: When the going gets tough, get tougher
Burn that midnight oil if you must. Joy comes in the morning.

27: Be firm in your decisions
Don’t be a flip flop. Stand by what you decide, especially if you took time to think through it and your gut is convinced it is the right thing to do.

28: Do not be afraid to take risks
Living through each day is a risk we face. Some people go to sleep healthy and don’t wake up the next day. Others step out not knowing it’s their last step. There is no greater risk than the unpredictable nature of life. So, while at it, Live – Love – Laugh.

Until the next post, happy week of risks ahead.

On 13th May 2025, Kenya enacted the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025, which is the 4th Act enacted this year (No. 4 of 2025).  Have you familiarized with its content?

As often said, ignorance is no defence.

I set out to read this notably progressive legislative instrument according to digital communique, for example this summary and presser by Kenya National Commission on Human Rights which termed it a landmark victory for human rights in Kenya. Not to forget accolades by the award-winning musician, phenomenal legislature and Disability Rights Advocate, Senator Crystal Asige who sponsored the Bill in Parliament. Senator Asige lost her sight to glaucoma in her early 20’s.  Therefore, inclusion for her stems from a personal journey – one that defies the odds to ascend into political leadership and setting of a new precedence in decision making apex.

I found the Act to be an easy read – the language is simple and easy to understand. I can tell you for free that not all legislative pieces are always this easy to grasp on a first read – in fact some require intervention of technical experts in the subject area to make them palatable by general public. So much appreciation to the relevant practitioners who put in the work to draft and refine this legislation!

The document is 64-page consisting of 89 sections as pictured in the table below. The highlighted parts are the most critical to know…so if you can’t read everything else, try get at those):

Source: Persons with Disabilities Act 2025

Here is a shortlist of what I consider the must know provisions of the 2025 Persons with Disabilities Act:

1. All Persons with disabilities have a right to basic education and employment opportunities, among other basic services like health care. Which means that a parent or guardian, you should not deny a child education because they cannot see or hear.
2. All educational facilities from primary school through to tertiary level are required to offer facilities or equipment that accommodate Persons with disabilities. While special schools have always existed, regular schools do have a role to play in mainstreaming of inclusion.
3. Introduction of the Kenya Sign Language in all education facilities is now a requirement. Ideally this means the new generation schoolers should be able to learn KSL as a common language like Swahili and English.
4. Right to participate in decision making processes e.g. voting, legal representation, among other rights any citizen is entitled to.
5. Institutions with more than 20 employees are required to set aside 5 per centum as employment opportunities for Persons with disabilities. This means at least 1 staff who is disabled if your organization has more than 20 staff.
6. There are incentives available to parents and guardians of Person with disabilities, as well as employers. For example, a certificate of severe disabilities in your care can be applied for from the council. This certification then opens doors e.g. to education fee waiver, scholarship openings, income tax exemptions. In the case of employers, you are eligible for up to a 25% relief in income tax because of facilitating requisite accommodations.
7. Access to information/telecommunication – media entities and telecon enterprises are required to provide information services in accessible formats and deploy technologies that are appropriate to different kinds of disability. This means that in the case of TV stations for example, the use of a sign language interpreter which is nowadays standard practice is good but alone is not sufficient – there is mention of maintaining low risk to persons with photosensitive epilepsy by TV broadcasters. The law also requires local media houses to dedicate airtime to creating awareness on disability.
8. Financial Inclusion – financing facilities are required to provide financial products in formats in which they are accessible to Persons with disabilities. There should be no denial of financial services on basis of a person’s disability.
9. Built Environment Approvals – Authorities mandated to do approvals of building plans must ensure accessibility compliance before issuance of the approvals.
10. Buildings must make necessary accommodation to facilitate barrier free and disability friendly environment for access to buildings, roads or other social amenities e.g. recreational or sports centres.
11. Exemptions on import duty and VAT – is now possible for materials and equipment e.g. motor vehicles, auxiliary aids purchased exclusively for use by Persons with disabilities. Exemptions also apply to organizations that offer services catering to disabled persons.
12. Fines and Penalties – Include conviction and imprisonment for periods of e.g. 6 months, 1 year or more; fines of e.g. KES 100,000, KES 2 million or more, return of monetary funds to the Council with applicable interest depending on nature of offence.

Until the next post, happy moments equipping yourself to champion a more disability inclusive home, workplace, community or country.

According to Britannica, the origin of Valentine’s Day usually commemorated on 14^th February has origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia. Wikipedia indicates Saint Valentine’s Day as commemorated in many countries with Christian (Anglican, Lutheran and Catholic), romantic, cultural or commercial observance. In modern days, or at least for a few decades running, Valentine’s Day has been dotted with speciality gifts or extraordinary pampering of loved ones – if celebrity flaunting is anything to go by. Today, we are seeing a new wave of events or ideas around the day. For example, there is now gravitation from romantic observance to plutonic celebration. Within hardening economic times, the usual hype and vigour surrounding the day – previously thronged with lots of reds especially roses and cash intensive gifts – is gradually changing.

A more interesting terminology coined in 2010 following a US Sitcom episode is Galentine. The original idea behind it was a day to celebrate female friendships i.e. hence the name ‘Girl-entine’. Marked on 13^th February, it has also evolved with time and is now viewed broadly as a day to celebrate friendships in whole. There is therefore a thin line between Valentine’s Day and Galentine’s as they share similarities in terms of what is celebrated. Their history however could be the main distinguishing element for those influenced in this regard when it comes to choice celebratory day. You will come across information on the internet which suggests that there are people who put more value in celebrating the Valentine’s eve otherwise referred to us Galentine’s day.

With nearly all 365 days in a year now set to commemorate something – from UN declared global days, to traditionally existent international holidays, or in-country public holidays, it has become rather difficult to keep tabs of which day is for what. I probably long suggested in a past post that in a world where every day is set to mark something, the easy way out is to live everyday exercising what you believe in. This reduces the pressure to vest in celebrating a single day. Since we are in the Valentine’s or Galentine’s season, that means we do not have to wait to express gestures of love in one day where the global calendar tells us to do so. Rather we should endeavour to be loving – romantic or otherwise daily – be it to our children, colleagues, neighbours or community at large.

For Christian believers, the scripture teaches us to love your neighbour as you love yourself. But how do you love somebody else if you do not know how to love yourself in the first place?

Hence, self-love is as important. You cannot love others like yourself if you do not know how to love yourself. This Valentine season, teach yourself to how to be self-loving – it can be through simple gestures embedded in the 5 selves i.e. physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual or social self.

Daily acts of (self) love may include but not limited to:

1. Taking a break to recharge your body
2. Working out to keep fit or dancing
3. Reading a book to keep your mind engaged
4. Jamming to your favourite music playlist
5. Catching your favourite podcast or documentary series.
6. Preparing yourself a nice plate of food (or take yourself out to enjoy that delicious meal if your pocket allows)
7. Have a date with nature – take a walk, hike or experience the wild.

How about you aim to achieve love-style living for it to become a lifestyle. Then spread your wings outwardly and extend the same breadth of love to others. And just like that, everyday becomes a Valentine’s or Galentine’s Day!

Until the next post, happy season of love!

One of my most profound reads of 2023 was the book ‘I’m too pretty to be broke’ by Kenyan author Joan Thatiah. I bought it by chance while at a bookshop in search of something else. It was a natural pick as the title got me curious to unravel what the author had to say about beauty and broke-ness. I particularly enjoyed chapter 3 which talks about the myth of shared womanhood. In it, Joan points out valid questions regarding gender equity and misinterpretation. For example, she questions the rationale behind organizing of women’s only events when the issues to be discussed are professional in nature and not necessarily women specific. While the author is a strong supporter of gender equity, she faults the society’s creation of spaces that do not promote inclusion. In her opinion, women empowerment forums where women interact with women alone are not effective for the long term.

This post is however not about Joan’s book, which I would encourage to read. Today’s thoughts are about a recent incidence from which I felt a sense of resonation with what the books says.  I happened to have visited a government office in need of a public service. As is typical of our government offices, the queues can be rather long depending on the nature of service. If you are lucky enough you might be served within 2 hours – or it can easily turn into a whole day affair on the bad days. It took me at least 4 hours of waiting – standing in the scorching sun to be precise. You can imagine how annoying that is for a citizen who probably has other prying needs to be accomplished before sunset. I speak for those of us who depend on casual/informal jobs to earn a daily wage. An hour lost, or a day of no work literally translates into sleeping in an empty stomach.

As I patiently waited on the queue, which was seemingly not moving for nearly 2 hours, I was treated to a typical case of misuse of the womanhood card. It was slightly after midday. The sun was at full blast, so much that it did feel like a punishment – one which we must unfortunately endure in pursuit of government services – notwithstanding the fact that we religiously pay taxes in the hopes of experiencing improved mechanisms in delivery of public services someday.  A young lady walked in and took a quick glance at the long queue. Perhaps for fear of the scale and breath of getting her pretty skin ‘broken’ by the sun, she confidently walked straight up to the service counter passing hundreds of fellow citizens who were mercilessly burning in the sun. At the counter, she beckoned one of the officers to ask if women could be served first. Her reason? Women had left children at home who needed their attention. The officer, wary of the storm that would emanate from such an already agitated crowd, calmly advised the lady to consult the crowd and if in agreement, women would be served first. And so, this lady boldly walked back and asked the million-dollar question (which I like to believe was her biggest regret of that day).

Friends, pulling a gender card only when convenient for you is simply a NO in this day and era.

There was a huge backlash, especially by the men, some had been there for nearly half a day. While they recognized that there are scenarios where preferential treatment should be granted, such as pregnant women, the elderly, sick or disabled persons – this woman’s case did not seem to fit the exemptions criteria – at least going by what could be seen. Hers was simply a case of a woman, a slay queen if I can put it that way, knowingly showing up for a government service late and expecting to capitalize on her womanhood for own convenience. I happened to be standing amidst several men and could see rage renting the air. So much that one man asked me what I thought about this lady’s stunt. In their eyes, it was ironical that the society talks about women empowerment, and the narrative about ‘what a man can do, a woman can do better’, yet this very same women are quick to shamelessly seek preferential treatment by virtue of being women. I chose to withhold my opinion and stayed mute.

As I walked away later, having been served after more than 4 hours of waiting (standing in the sun or leaning against a wall if you were lucky), I couldn’t help but wonder why some women apply double standards (or is it the affirmative card?) only when it suits them. Is it right? Here’s what I think,

As we women talk about women empowerment, we should exercise a level of dignity and mutual respect for fellow human beings while at it. The fact that you are a woman should not automatically earn you a ticket to show up late somewhere and expect preferential treatment at the inconvenience of other people.

Until the next post, happy moments rethinking or reshaping the gender equity debate!

The Starehe Girls Centre (SGC) annual charity walks have been graciously supported and received phenomenal support from professor Eddah Gachukia – a founding trustee and renowned Kenyan educationist. Prof. Gachukia is also the brains behind the Riara Group of Schools and Riara University – who have relentlessly showed up over the years – young and old, to take part in the Starehe Girls walks. In this year’s walk, I was particularly inspired by the extra effort put in by parents and guardians of participating children from Riara schools, who braced the rather cold Nairobi winter to take part in the walk. As well, the university students showed in solidarity to cheer SGC on.

Prof Eddah Gachukia and her team all set for the 2023 Unstoppable Team Walk. Source: SGC

Professor Gachukia is a founding  trustee of Starehe Girls Centre, and a household name at SGC fondly known as `cucu wa ice cream’. For she gave many brilliant young girls the rare opportunity to enjoy ice cream as part of their high school memories at the SGC dining hall, which is currently named after her. Her visits to the Centre brought along tones of ice cream. If you ask me, I believe the true story behind the ice cream treat was not to share in moments of luxury – prof brought on an outside the box learning experience that only a visionary educationist of her stature could.  She aimed to create a memorable lesson that these young women could one day ascend to a level of societal emancipation and achieve self-actualization, if the Karl Marx theory is anything to refer to. In other words, these young women could become anything they wish to be, and forge ahead to provide for themselves and their societies equal or better opportunities. For to whom much is given, much more is required.

Source: SGC 2023 walk

Even in her old age, cucu still finds it in herself – together with the Riara fraternity – to create time, go overboard and actively support the SGC Annual Walks. I couldn’t be more inspired watching a clip of how she virtually took part in the 2023 SGC Unstoppable team walk. She is a perfect symbolism of what can be achieved when we choose to become Unstoppable!

For “It is not enough to simply be passionate about a cause. You must embrace it, run with it, and support it for as long as you live!”

Thanks to the sacrifices of Kenya’s pioneer educationists and visionaries like Professor Eddah Gachukia, Starehe Girls lives on.