Obama fetes Kenyan champions of change

Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees all others.

These words by former UK statesman Winston Churchill echo the achievements of two Kenyan women who dared to dream and emerged as leaders in their fields thousands of miles away from home.

The researchers were on Monday honoured by US President Barrack Obama as Champions of Change for their leadership roles in American diaspora communities with roots from the Horn of Africa.

Dr Christine Martey-Ochola and Dr Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg were recognised for their work in mentoring and inspiring young people to be courageous enough to dream of a better future.

Community activism has been part of Dr Martey-Ochola’s life from the time she was a little girl.

For many years, she watched as family members, from her great grandmother to her mother, dedicated their lives to serving the community.

Her great grandmother practiced naturopathic medicine and community development, her grandmother was a teacher and an entrepreneur while her mother was a medical doctor.

In addition, she says, her father taught her the art of patience and negotiation while many of her relatives gave back to the community in different ways.

And all these played a key role in shaping Dr Martey-Ochola to become one of the most influential women entrepreneurs in the diaspora.

In a live web-broadcast held at the White House on Monday, the two were among the 14 individuals feted as part of President Obama’s Winning the Future initiative.

The initiative highlights different sectors and groups of champions each week, ranging from entrepreneurs to community leaders.

They are recognised for their input in strengthening their communities.

“I must say that I have been completely engulfed by community activists all my life.

“So I believe I continue to work in this arena because I inherited the genetic code that goes with community activism,” Dr Martey-Ochola told the Nation on Tuesday.

She is the co-founder of the Sub-Saharan Africa Chamber of Commerce, an institution that facilitates trade and investment between the US and Africa.

The organisation has enabled US business entry into many African countries and advised hundreds of companies on best practices in conducting business in Africa.

She, however, notes that Africa lacks cohesion when it comes to trade and investment.

Further, Dr Martey-Ochola, a chemist by profession, has had a fruitful academic career teaching Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Chemistry.

She runs research on cancer chemotherapeutic delivery, isolation of beneficial cancer chemotherapeutics from herbal infusions and the impact of cigarette smoke on normal human lung cells.

She has influenced partnerships between US and African universities and assisted college students secure internships with fast-growing companies in Africa.

Dr Martey-Ochola also advises women’s organisations in the US and Africa on HIV/Aids intervention organisations, youth entrepreneurship groups and also supports establishment of computer labs in rural Kenyan schools.

Dr Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg on her part was recognised for her enthusiasm about academic analysis and committed social activism.

She is the founder and executive director of Akili Dada, a leadership institution that works with bright young African women from poor backgrounds who show a keen interest in social change.

Dr Kamau-Rutenberg holds a PhD in political science and is an assistant professor in the politics department at the University of San Francisco.

Her work revolves around politics of philanthropy, gender, Africa, ethnicity and democratisation, and the role of technology in social activism.

Dr Kamau-Rutenberg has been working in Kenya to help women in overcoming barriers that prevent them from accessing leadership positions.

“We want to make sure that African women are fully represented in decision making tables.

“Policies would look better if women were involved in their making,” said Dr Kamau-Rutenberg.

In her view, the Akili Dada initiative is transforming the global conversation of who African women are and what they can do.