Age is nothing but a number. If you don’t mind it, it does not matter. I couldn’t agree more with Vinesenciah for her wise words. It is very fulfilling and inspiring to meet young people who are accomplishing great things. Vinesenciah Kemunto Gisore Guljan is a young African leader who hails from Kenya,.
Tell us about yourself Vinesenciah
First off, my maiden name Vinesenciah means chance or conqueror and Kemunto is a Kisii name meaning born by the riverside. I was not born by the riverside though but inherited the name. Gisore is Rwandese for dove and Guljan is Indian/Arabic meaning a pretty flower. I am super grateful of my name because it brings out personality and best describes my individuality. True story.
I am a third year student at Moi University pursuing Civil Aviation. I believe I possess some Kikuyu blood in me because I love me some entrepreneurship. The sound of coins just makes me happy. I specialize in importation of leather bags.
Just pause for a moment and think of how many lives you can change if you put money to good use. I am a firm believer though that money follows good ideas, calculated risks and a big chunk of smart.
I am currently the Kenyan Youth Entrepreneurship Ambassador to Bangladesh and was also recently appointed Associate fellow at the Royal Common Wealth Services in England with recommendation from Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee Trust.
I have represented Kenya on many platforms such as International Youth NGO Summit and Global Youth Entrepreneurship Summit. I was recently selected to be part of One Young World Summit Bangkok. I am a current participant of President Obama’s Young African Leadership Initiative which is how I have met you and other young African leaders.
My work experience has been diverse. I recently worked at Express Communications Kenya for three years. I was honored to be the face of all International Education Fairs in Kenya including Nairobi International Education Fair which is the biggest Fair in East and Central Africa.
If you were to visit my home area, the best way to track me is to ask for Mama Watoto wa Street (Mother to street children). Giving back to society is my second name. It satisfies me. Back in 2005, I had my first encounter with a street kid, he rudely abused and harassed me threatening to beat me up. I was very young, a child. I wished I had a whip because I would have taught him a good lesson.
I met him later on and I must say Njoroge and I are good friends. My paradigms towards street families was shifted in 2012 when ALIVE-K organized a medical camp for street children.
I am the founder of Out Of The Street, an initiative that focuses on empowering street children. Our vision Kutoa Mtoto Kwenye Street (Uprooting Children from the streets) is what drives my team on a day to day basis.
Many children are often seen roaming about on the streets and in residential estates in most urban centers in Kenya. Most of these children are involved in begging, pick-pocketing, drug trafficking, child prostitution, scavenging, directing motorists to parking spaces and hawking or selling sundry articles of uncertain origin.
Every time a child clings on my clothes in town begging for money, every time I hear the screams of passengers when phones are snatched from their hands, every time I pass by the market and see these kids deeply engrossed in drugs… my heart breaks because I know they too can have a great future.
I mentor with The Kakenya Centre for Excellence; a primary boarding school focused on serving the most vulnerable underprivileged Maasai girls. It started in May 2009 with 32 students and now has at least 160 pupils enrolled in grades 4 to 8. I am the founding member at AYET (African Youth Empowerment Team) based in Nigeria and an Executive Board Member at Give 1 Project-Kenya.
I enjoy challenges. I remember when I was selected to represent my university at the 2015 Unilever Africa Idea Trophy Competition or when I became a finalist at the Nairobi Security Exchange (NSE Investment Challenge 2015). Fun memories.
Your advice for young African leaders out there?
My dream is to see Africa as the next big thing in my generation. It was in November 2014 when I was undertaking my Africa Rising Course that I realized that the Kenyan economy and Africa in general is regressing due to a surge of street families.
The number of street families and especially teenagers has been on the rise in Kenya. The rate of street theft has also suddenly increased. Anyone living in Nairobi can tell you it is no news when a phone is stolen from you even from a moving car.
I am constantly equipping myself and looking for opportunities to empower and transform lives in Africa. For example, I found out about YALI in 2014 when doing research for Africa Rising Course facilitated by Fred Swaniker’s Africa Leadership University and decided to apply.
Keep moving. Crawl. Walk. Run. Do something for your community using your gifts. Your potential and capabilities will surprise you as you move along. Purpose to look for that gold in someone else’s life and help them realize the value in their mines. The future depends on young leaders like us. It is time we embraced our responsibility. Remember, this generation is your generation.
Africa in three words?
THE WORLD’S GREATEST.
Funny/crazy/weird thing you have ever done?
I am currently a Master Guide and have been a scout since my junior school. We were hiking and camping in the middle of Hell’s Gate National Park one time on foot which is peculiar because usually people use Rover Cars and suddenly, a pack of 50 buffaloes came after my troop.
Thank God for the cliff that was just beside us because that would have been a different story. The quick climb and adrenaline in action set in. I totally comprehended why the park is called Hell. The same night, a hyena sniffed my foot then slept beside me. Instead of me getting freaked out, my friend was screaming on my behalf. Imagine the echo effects in the middle of nowhere.
Now, that my friend was my debut as lead in a reality horror story. I am never going back to Hell’s Gate. I am just kidding. (She laughs and shakes her head in deep thought)
Favourite Quote
Andrew Carneige says that no man becomes rich unless he enriches others.
Favourite food and why?
Chapati and beans. My mum has been making that so well.
Your life in the next 10 years?
I will be running my own airline ( Gisore Air) plus I will have erected at least 4 fully functional rehabilitation centers around major towns in Kenya.
We are very proud of you Vinnie, Continue to spread wide, grow deeper, soar higher and take Africa to another level.
