Download pdf - IMPACT (Sept-Dec 2014)

1 SEPT- DEC 2014

IMPACT: Yearbook Edition

2 SEPT- DEC 2014


With this here third edition of IMPACT, 2014 comes to an end, as does my term as VP Communication and Information Management. This edition is my favourite for a number of reasons.

First, I had so many pictures to choose from! The biggest challenge I normally have when putting together this magazine is normally content, and pictures are a big part of that! Well, this semester, that was not a problem. Several members with magnificent cameras and a knack for pictures really came through on that end, as well as the pro-bono photo shoot Twenty Degrees Photography did for us! (Check out their details below!)

Second, this edition contains a lot of contributions from members. I asked several peo-ple to write about their AIESEC year in a paragraph and the response was heart-warming. Everyone came through with some giving me about three times as many words as I needed, which then became a challenge for me…trying to edit and bring down the words to fit my word count while trying not to dilute the message and emotion in people’s words! In the end, the more the words, the smaller the font, I didn’t have the heart to start cutting people short by editing their words to shorten their paragraphs…

Third, I had a lot of help from Symon, my successor with putting this edition together. More hands make for lighter work, as well as new ideas. I cannot wait for the next edition of IMPACT to see what he has in store for us as well as for once, be surprised by the contents.

In conclusion, I have had an amazing year! I keep having mini-panic attacks when I try to envision what my life will be about when AIESEC is no longer at the centre of it all but the show must go on. The show must always go on! Wake up, get dressed and show up!

See you all in 2015!

Happy Holidays.

Kathleen Siminyu

Editor’s Note...

3 SEPT- DEC 2014


jkuat.aiesec.or.ke

AIESEC Jomo Kenyatta University of

Agriculture & Technology

aiesec_jkuat

aiesec_jkuat

Inside this issue...

Member experiences

events

Conferences

6-7, 10-11, 14-15,

18-19 2014 in Our Words

12-13 The ‘John Mulatya

Award for Excellence’ Winner 2014

16-17 Q&A with The New

President

4-5 Amplified

Conference ‘14

8-9 AIESEC

JKUAT Gala Dinner ‘14

4 SEPT- DEC 2014


5 SEPT- DEC 2014


Conference is where AIESECers go to recharge their batteries. Of this I am convinced.

If you are an AIESECer and have attended a conference, you know what I am talking about. If you are not an AIESECer and have interacted with them, you are no doubt aware of this con-stant energy they always seem to have in plenty. If you do not fall in either of those two catego-ries, well, reading this is a good start.

Amplified was amazing. 4-days of learning, ex-ponential learning might I add, networking, sharing, goal setting and strategizing, regroup-ing and planning for the year to come. It is im-portant for any entity to always sit down every so often, perhaps annually, and look back on the year that has been. This conference came at a time when the seasons were changing. Current leadership of each entity nearing the end of their term. Their successors already elected and gearing up for the year ahead. Both groups get to sit together and look back as well as ahead. For AIESEC JKUAT, as an already nostalgic outgoing leader, all I can say is am already excited about what this new group of people is going to bring. I really enjoyed sitting back and listening to them dream and plan, see our situation with a fresh pair of eyes, come with a new set of ideas. It reminded me of my former self…however recently that might have been. There’s something magical about the changing of the seasons.

We had intensive trainings on the new AIESEC online system, the GIS (Global Information System), which comes to replace the loved and hated in equal measure aiesec.net that has been around for as long as I can remember (legacy technology that has served us well).

We learnt the new customer flows that this new system is accompanied by as well as redefined

(or rather more concisely defined) who our target customer is, how to market to them and deliver the relevant AIESEC experience.

The conference was facilitated by AIESEC Kenya national leaders as well as Vice Presi-dents of various chapters, they were a de-lightful and vibrant team.

Another great highlight of conferences, na-tional in this case, is the fact that you get to meet people from many other universities. Making new friends can sometimes be a daunting task but with AIESEC as an ice-breaking topic, 4 days is enough to make life-long friends, I kid you not.

Finally, no AIESEC conference is complete without themed parties and the best part is that AIESECers, for the most part, take these themes seriously! From roasting marshmallows at bonfire night to the white party and…that epic party on the last night whose theme I cannot quite remember (come as your geek self maybe?!), the lack of sleep was worth it. I must mention, for those not familiar with AIESEC conferences, that sessions are actu-ally very very intense and the schedule is ad-hered to without deviation. When sessions were scheduled to run till about 10pm before the schedule ends and they run late, the show goes on. We were often still going through session content up till midnight on various occasions but as the shows must go on with the session, so with the party, well deserved unwinding.

I personally got home with just about enough energy to eat and sleep and as if sleeping for 14 hours straight was not enough indication of just how intense the conference had been, I had no voice for a little over 3 days after.

6 SEPT- DEC 2014


2014 in our words

My AIESEC experience has been one of a kind. I have grown in ways I would never have imagined. I have learnt numerous things about the world, my friends and myself. Not

only do I feel equipped for the world but have also made relationships

that will last a lifetime. I am thankful for what AIESEC is doing and con-

tinues to do for my career.

I’ve been in AIESEC for 4 months now, it’s a relatively short period of time but then in that period I’ve had some of the best experiences and learnt a lot. It’s through AIESEC that I’ve learnt to master my confi-dence, talk in front of a crowd without freaking out and facing issues head on, things I rarely did before. My experience so far has been awesome especially the con-ference where I learnt a lot and also made many friends. The attention I got when I joined was good and the ‘oldies’ there taught me well about AIESEC. The main challenge I had was learning the acronyms which are so commonly used but then I’ve gotten used to them. AIESEC has been awesome for me so far and I look forward to having better experiences and learning a lot more.

7 SEPT- DEC 2014


Mine has been just 6 months of non-stop fun, from my experi-ence with the interns, community work in the slums to the unfor-gettable memories made during Amplified. This has been one hell of a ride and I look forward to a bigger AIESEC in 2015.

One word for this year,

AMAZING! The experience, the people, the learning, it has all been a fulfilling journey for me…and I suspect the best

parts of the journey are yet to come.

2014 in our words

8 SEPT- DEC 2014


9 SEPT- DEC 2014


The fifth AIESEC JKUAT Gala dinner was held on the 5th of December at Oak Place. Fifth, five is still very young, we as AIESEC JKUAT are still young and finding our footing and this dinner is always a wonder-ful space for us to acknowledge progress and successes, interact and remember the past as well as dare to dream of the future. Graced by alumni (our ’founding fathers’), current members, friends and AIESECers from other chapters dinner was a chance to celebrate.

Acknowledging progress and successes…I happened to be on the organising commit-tee for the Gala Dinner ’13 and I remember the grand vision we had for the kind of dinner we wanted it to be, starting with the venue. As recapped by the dinner MC An-thony Munyi, former AIESEC JKUAT President ‘12/13, 5 years ago was a long while ago. The first dinner was held at AI-CAD in school, and cost approx. KES 200-500. A cosy affair. I stand to be corrected but the following dinners were held at a small hotel in Thika followed by the Rain-bow Ruiru Resort (RRR). Being on the committee of the fourth dinner and deter-mined to keep up the growth curve, we be-gan by imagining the dinner held at Safari Park, Windsor, Oak Place…all manner of venues that would afford the venue that extra veneer to sophistication. One rung higher up the ladder. The fourth Gala din-ner was once again held at RRR after our dreams were tempered by our reality.ie. Lack of sponsor as well as the constraint of a student budget. Our dreams were shelved. Having this year’s dinner at Oak Place, one of our first choice destinations,

was a dream seen to fruition.

As an out-going vice president, my favourite part was summarizing the year per portfolio in terms of progress and then handing over. When things got rough during the year, that moment was what kept me as well as most of my counter-parts going. The knowledge that one day our achievements will be listed, how long do you wish your list to be?

Looking into the future, we also had our new and improved BOA unveiled, composed of 3 AIESEC JKUAT presidents, the aforemen-tioned Anthony Munyi, Keving Ndereba who preceded him as president as well and Ronny Mutua who succeeded Munyi. In addition is our faithful patron, Prof. Wariara and an AIESEC parent, Mrs. Nancy Muriuki.

To conclude the festivities, awards were given in recognition of various things. Each portfolio awarded the most outstanding member, these were determined by the respective vice-presidents. We also had an award for the most proactive new member and finally, the most coveted of them all…The John Mulatya Award for excellence, which is awarded to the overall Super AIESECer, was given to Benjamin Ki-huria. Quite well deserved.

My non-chronological commentary of events may raise questions as to whether there was any eating at this dinner…yes, there was. The food was wonderful…a meat lover’s paradise! Oak Place did not disappoint, although, expe-rience has taught us that the beauty of an outdoor setting is trumped by the cold that must be endured when it is night-time.

As for the after-party, well, you just had to be there to experience that part.

10 SEPT- DEC 2014


My AIESEC experience has been very eye-opening. Over the past year, AIESEC has taught me a lot and has changed my perspective on life in that you do not have to be popular and rich to make a difference in the world, all you have to do is take action no matter how small…

AIESEC has provided a platform for me to do all this and much more. We managed to renovate a school in Kayaba slums which was an awesome and fulfilling experience and lastly the parties, life cannot get any better than this. I am quite looking forward to 2015.

This past year has been full of ups and downs. Ups: increasing the number of realized EPS from 30 (last year) to more than 30. Getting an intern house that had a gym and lift. As igcdp we managed to run project healthy and happy for 3 months, the project really highlighted the plight of medical services in the slums. The interns taking part in the project managed to supply various schools with first aid kits, the teachers were taught how to use the kits. The greatest achievement was passing down the mantle to Benjamin, am yet to meet another determined/hard-working person. He was able to work on all tasks delegated to him and even surpassed my expectations. As for the downs well the planning stage of the project was a headache given the fact that I was handling other responsibilities and most of my team members were in school. The project didn’t go quite as ex-pected but the incoming team will build on what we were able to achieve. All in all being in the EB has greatly boosted my self-confidence as well as equipping me with many skills. Thank you AIESEC JKUAT for giving me such an awesome opportunity. Peace out!!

2014 in our words

11 SEPT- DEC 2014


It has been a life changing experience…literally! I got to network and make many friends. I had the opportunity to meet

very senior people who helped me change my mind-set about how the world is and

now I know where I want to be in 10 years. I had an incredible team who

helped me learn how to associate better with the uniqueness of each individual. I learnt the need for cohesion to achieve

the plans made together.

I think joining AIESEC was the best decision I made this year. My AIESEC year has just been crazy and fun! From the weekly meetings to the

chillouts after the meeting, the team-building and don’t even get me started on the conference, it was

insane! I made a lot of friends both locally and from abroad. Hey, my new ‘bff’ is Czech! But

AIESEC is more than just fun and games, I must say it has been a learning journey. Before becom-ing an AIESECer I did not know much about my-self and what I want to do. Now I know and un-derstand better my strengths and weaknesses as well as the path I would like to take in life. Long

live AIESEC!!

2014 in our words

12 SEPT- DEC 2014


THE ‘JOHN MULATYA AWARD FOR

EXCELLENCE’ WINNER 2014

Two years ago I was at my garage at home, with lumi-nous green spray paint, branding 500 tickets with the logo of an entertainment company 3 friends and I had founded. As I was doing all this, a thought crossed my mind, if the people who were to attend this event were to meet me, covered in dust, green paint, shaggy hair etc. would they buy these same tickets (as stylish as they look) from me? No, people like the finished prod-uct. When they hear that you are the managing director of so and so company limited, they expect to see a pol-ished look with a Colgate smile, not a jua kali man yet they may be, one and the same person.

In the previous issue I talked about my Team Leader experience, shortly after that we had the second phase

of Healthy and Happy in which the interns Claudia, Marta, Nuno (all Portuguese) Bader and Fatemah (both from Kuwait) participated in. We went to Kibera, to Mukuru kwa Njenga in Embakasi, and also to Kayaba School in Mukuru Kayaba slum in South B. These guys taught me that as humans we have the obliga-tion to be empathetic to those that are below us, that the world will still go on even if we do nothing, but we have the choice to relieve their suffering even if just for a day. The thing is, we don’t need big NGOs to change the poverty situation in Kenya, and we don’t need politicians with big cars and flashy smiles to promise that they will eradicate poverty, basically we don’t need to be the “managing director with a Col-gate smile” rather lets be the jua kali man, the man that makes a difference because we choose to make a difference, however small.

Over the course of weeks that followed, iGCDP in AIESEC JKUAT was put under immense pressure for our projects that nearly turned disastrous due to poor planning, we were called into meetings with AIESEC Kenya to discuss serious offences and despite all this, I took the step to apply for Vice President iGCDP. This, even to me was a bold move and I second guessed myself severally but what motivated me were people like those I have written about and more like Arnaud (France) who by the way makes fantastic crepes coated with Nutella, Clemens (Germany) who lives his life to the fullest (his WhatsApp status is “I’m awesome”), Alicja (Poland) who is full of life and achieves everything her mind conceives (These three worked in Frank school and I appreciate their dedication and hard work). Last and definitely not least is Eliska (Czech republic) who decided that she wanted to change the environment of Kayaba school (that even though it’s in a slum,

13 SEPT- DEC 2014


BENJAMIN RECEIVING HIS AWARD FROM JOHN MULATYA.

it still could be a worthy school) She worked tireless-ly, fundraised and dealt with the Kenyan fundis. Now anyone who lives in Kenya knows how these fundis operate. They can give you high blood pressure just because they want to cut corners here and there, overcharge you on items such as cement etc. At the end of her time here in Kenya Eliska (assisted by Huria, Waburi and Moses) managed to make Kayaba school a proper learning environment with painted pictures on plywood on the walls that made the chil-dren overjoyed, that they finally have a “school”.

At the end of the year, I received the John Mulatya Excellency Award. This, for me is one of the greatest milestones that I have achieved, it was so unexpected that I mumbled words at my acceptance speech. So allow me a few lines to appreciate a few people. The most important is God, I believe that he put us here for a purpose, and that part of our purpose, is to appreciate all that he has blessed us with through helping those not as fortunate as us, my family for supporting me as I took every step, Leila for her re-silience and friendship who without fear or favour

points out when I am on the wrong and to all these interns who show me that a little goes a long way (especially your time). Therefore as I conclude I would like to urge you to support us in our “one pack one child campaign” as we aim to give each child 12 exercise books, 2 pencils, 2 pens, 1 eraser and 1 ruler per year. Therefore when the boxes are out, please donate an extra exercise book or pencil or pen or eraser or ruler or all if you can afford, so that we make 2015 a year for us to say we changed a life.

Ultimately I would like to leave you with this. When someone asks you “so what do you do these days?” refuse to let traditional achievements define who you are since there are so many more valuable things about you that can’t be captured by that simple question. Give a new answer such as “I am a fan of random acts of kindness”, “I am a supporter of equal rights”, “I’m a good non-judgmental listener” etc.

Words have great power, and it’s important to wield that power with great care.

14 SEPT- DEC 2014


I joined AIESEC in September 2014 out of my de-sire to form business connections. My days of be-ing a shadow abruptly ended as I joined the Elec-tions Conference Organising Committee.I also at-tended the Amplified Conference which allowed me to interact with several mentalities and personali-ties. I later on joined the Gala Dinner Organising Committee and received the ‘Best Newie ’14 Award’ of which I felt very honoured.

Even though AIESEC is inclusive of excessive la-bour and time like my course, I managed to per-form in both. Thanks to AIESEC I have broadened my thinking helped me become a better time man-ager.

From the National Conference Organising Com-mittee to travelling, it has been a remarkable AIESEC experience. Participating in the National Conference Organising Committee was a great leap as a Newie, but I was on a ‘challenge accept-ed’ spree and you know what that means…awesomeness! Those who attended can agree, it was amazing.

Then came Brazil, no words can explain the mag-ical adventure. Meeting other exchange partici-pants from 5 continents, AIESEC has given me a gift I can never repay.

2014 in our words

15 SEPT- DEC 2014


I was a dormant AIESECer for about a year partly because I was not sure how to plug in and partly because I was not sure I belonged. In 2013, however, I decided to join the OC for our annual dinner as president and it turned out to be an incredi-ble learning experience. I had never organised an event before and there were challenges but it gave me experience in event management which I later used to organise other events. That is the beauty of AIESEC, you learn through experience and not theory.

When applications for EB ’15 were announced, I knew that I had to apply because it was the next logical step in my journey if I were to keep growing. I ran for VPTM and though the ap-plication process was difficult, my LC believed in me and I got the position. I am excited to learn more and develop together with other AIESECers during my term.

The year has been phenomenal. It pushed me to do things I never thought I could. And taught me things about myself I didn’t quite know I was capable of. Being in the EB tests your resolve to serve others tirelessly even when you have run all out of motivation. Be-cause when you are serving a greater pur-pose than yourself and the fate of an entity lies solely on your ability to put aside all dif-ferences and work together to achieve that all common goal…making an impact. It is one of the best lessons I have ever learnt and I can honestly say it made me a better person.

2014 in our words

16 SEPT- DEC 2014


Q: What made you choose AIESEC out of all other organisations?

A: I choose AIESEC because it was the organisation that stood out. I had never been to a meeting that begins with a dance (roll call), it was interesting and that is always good

Q: What roles in AIESEC have you held before? What was the experience like and what did you take away from it?

A: I had two roles previously, I was a social media manager under Communications and Information Man-agement portfolio and I was also the Exchange Participant (EP) manager under Outgoing Exchange (OGX) portfolio. From the former, I learnt a lot of technical skills as well as some marketing because getting people to like a Facebook page isn’t as easy as it seems. From the latter, I learnt that selling exchange is an uphill task and this really helped me a lot in understanding the value of packaging a product to suit a particular audience.

I was also in the Organisational Committee for the 2013 AIESEC in JKUAT dinner in charge of Sites and Logistics. From this role, I realised my passion for event organisation and planning.

Q: You went to Ethiopia on community development exchange. How did that shape your attitude to this role (LCP)

A: Going to Ethiopia motivated me to apply for a role in the Executive Board because it was the next step in my AIESEC experience. I had settled in applying for LCVP Outgoing Exchange because I felt it was

Q&A with the new president

17 SEPT- DEC 2014


best suited for me because I had experienced exchange first hand and thus I had a clue on how to sell it to oth-er students in JKUAT. I knew I wanted to be LCP sometime in the future, perhaps my last year of school but I guess God had other plans.

Q: What made you take up the LCP role and what was the experience like from applying to being elected?

A: Like I’ve stated above I didn’t apply for the LCP role. However, after the reviews, it was the role recommended to me by the interview panel. I have to say I was a bit sceptical about it because I had no previous EB experi-ence. I didn’t think I was ready for the ‘top job’. However, as I prepared for elections I realised that being LCP is all about planning and strategizing which is something I like doing. Getting elected is the best experience so far, it is comforting to know that the members of the Local Committee trust me with this role and I feel motivated to be the best that I can be for them.

Q: Would you describe your leadership as authoritative or consultative?

A: I believe in an authoritative leadership. However, when I also believe consultation is necessary before the final decision is made.

Q: What can you say about what you have in store for AIESEC in 2015?

A: For AIESEC in JKUAT in 2015, I hope that for everything we do, we achieve impact every member, everyday, everywhere.

Q: What would you tell a non-AIESECER to convince them to join the organisation?

A: If you are looking for an extra ordinary campus experience, AIESEC is the place to be if you are looking to grow exponentially, and if you are looking for a home away from home, AIESEC is definitely the place to be.

Q: If you were to be stuck on an island and you could only bring three things, what would they be and why?

A: A cow because I can’t survive without milk products (hehe). A journal, because at some point in my life I would love to publish an autobiography/memoir. Flint, because it is a source of heat for keeping warm, cooking, boiling water, a source of light at night. It can also scare away predators and be a source for smoke for sending signals

Suzie Kanyuga handing over the symbol of presidency to Betty.

18 SEPT- DEC 2014


My first AIESEC year was great. It has been awesome meeting new people and engaging in exciting

things. At first it was hard to keep up with the energy that AIESECers have but I am now getting the hang of how and where to channel all my bubbly energy. Cannot wait for next

year!

Like many 1st years, when I joined JKUAT I had so much time on my hands I felt like I should engage myself in an extracur-ricular activity. After trying out so many clubs and societies I settled for an organisation that was always dancing on Thursday nights. It looked pretty cool. It took a while to understand the jargon used at AIESEC but the energy and the president then, Ronny Mutua, kept me com-ing for more. I joined the OGX portfolio and I took up a team leader role for communication. Yet my true learning platform was my Global Community Development Project experience that I had from June-July in 2014 in Mauritius. Working on an environmental conservation project availed a world of knowledge about the importance of environmental sus-tainability in our lives. It was a chance to widen my network and also gain priceless soft skills. After my internship I was sure my next move was Vice Presidency so that many more can experi-ence the life-changing experience that is exchange. AIESEC has given me a chance to be moulded into a transfor-mational leader and I endeavour to transform others.

2014 in our words

19 SEPT- DEC 2014


This year has been the toughest, most stressful, most ex-hausting exciting and rewarding out of my four years as an aiesecer. By virtue of being the Local Chapter President, the success of aiesec jkuat rested squarely on my shoul-ders. The hurdles I went through only served the purpose of molding me into who I am today.

I have developed as an individual. I learnt to always look at

the bigger picture, of how all the entities of the organisation are de-pendent on each other, like parts of a body.I have learnt that things can and will go wrong. You must always have presence of mind, not to lay blame on others, but as a leader, to look ahead and provide answers.

I have learnt that different people require different ways of being handled, and the trickiest part is having the foresight to anticipate their reactions. Finally I have come to see the truth in the words of Harry S. Truman, “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.”

I would not trade my experience as president for anything. What I will take with me far exceeds whatever tribulations I face. This year has been an especially difficult year for AIESEC JKUAT, but we pulled through, and once again we are the vibrant LC we always were. There is now nowhere to go but up.

I would especially like to thank my wonderful executive board for em-barking in this rollercoaster of an experience with me and not getting off before the ride was over.

2014 in our words

20 SEPT- DEC 2014
