One of the gifts I believe I have is being a good judge of character and personality. Please hear me out before I take a detour from the conversation at hand. You will agree with me that there is nothing as satisfying as meeting a person who seems genuinely nice and then having them prove it to you with time.
This recently happened to me when I met such a lady. She is one of those reserved, well poised magnet people puller who pull you with ease in to their circle and offer you a plate layered with humility, fun and firm principles. Today, we feature Kenyan born, Irene Mureithi.
Irene was born in central Kenya but faced her hardest time when she lost her mother who fought an illness bravely in 2008. She was also one of her biggest cheer leader. She credits her success to her mum and dad who have constantly provided for their family and pushed them to aim for the stars.
This has seen Irene acquire a BSc. In Environmental Science in the United Kingdom, a course in Geo Information Systems and Remote sensing from University of Twente, Netherlands, a Masters Degree in Geo-information Sciences with specialization in Natural Hazards and Disaster Management in the Netherlands under the NFP scholarship.
In case I forget to mention her humility, please throw it in here somewhere. She insists she would rather be known for helping the youth in Kenya than for her credentials. This decision of wanting to give back was confirmed when she came back home from abroad and she could not land a job even after countless applications.
She has worked at Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya located approximately 100 kilometres from the Kenya-Somalia boarder for over one and a half years where she witnessed first hand families in hopeless situations due to the dire living conditions.
She however chose to see Dadaab as a beautiful flower blossoming within a desert because she believes you can make your dreams come to pass going by the opportunities that lie there in. I do not disagree, I always say it’s about perspectives.
All you need is the determination and drive. When you look at your situation more than the potential you can create within a situation, you will never progress in life. Irene
Irene found out about the YALI program from a dear friend and says she will forever be grateful. The program has shifted her mentality and she looks forward to nurturing the amazing networks she is creating.
She is working to become better at helping the youth through her work place, a private consultancy firm that mainly deals with Urban Planning and Surveying where she works full time as a remote Sensing and GIS analyst. Irene also aspires to be the next Secretary General of the United Nations.
Her advice to young African youth
- You do not need much to be happy. It’s in the little things that most people tend to overlook. Never underestimate the person that’s next to you.
- We are the ones that create our own disability, when you look at your situation more than the potential you can create within that situation, you will never progress in life.
- Actions speak louder than words. The little positive things you do that you think make no difference are the ones that people notice.
- “One day you will wake up and there won’t be any more time to do the things you’ve always wanted. Do it now.” a famous writer. Invest your time wisely and be the change, Stop Talking and DO it!
- Africa has talent, diversity and is promising. Dream big and never be discouraged, if you don’t know how you’re going to get there, just break down your goals into manageable and attainable objectives and start with the first one.
- Always take time to monitor and evaluate progress. Pat yourself on the back for the things you have done correctly and work on your weaknesses. Society is full of a lot of pressure so make sure you focus on your goal and block out all unnecessary voices.
Irene believes that there also needs to be a balance of the body, mind and soul. She insists family, friends and a dish of chapati (Kenyan Fried dough cake) and nicely cooked curried chicken with traditional vegetables does it for her anytime.
