2017 the year that was

From left: Grace Nyaga, Anthony Ndambuki, Njango Njenga and Simon Gichimu. PHOTOS | MARTIN MUKANGU, FRANCIS NDERITU, COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • Grace Nyaga is a final year student of Food Science at the University of Nairobi whose studies were disrupted making her miss out on an important internship.
  • Anthony Ndambuki a Chemistry graduate from Kenyatta University admits that 2017 has been hostile for business. With the electioneering period over, he hopes for better fortunes.
  • Njango Njenga a second year student of Environmental Science at Pwani University was hoping to proceed to the next year but deferred her studies due to illnesses in the family.
  • Simon Gichimu, a Linguistics graduate of Moi University, has been searching for a job since the year began, attending 15 job interviews in the process, but without success.

In two weeks’ time, 2017 comes to a close. The year has been marked by political turbulence, lecturers and nurses’ strikes and a resultant grinding economic slowdown. The effects have been felt across the economic and social divides. Through their experiences, these four young people recap the year that has been. They discuss their achievements and failures, lessons learnt, and what they hope to do differently in 2018.

Grace Nyaga, 23

“Sometimes not everything turns out as planned. I have learnt that the best way to prepare for unforeseen eventualities is to have a contingency plan and to be adaptable to every situation that comes your way,” says Grace, a final year student of Food Science at the University of Nairobi.

Lecturers have been on strike twice this year. To what extent have your studies been disrupted?
My colleagues and I expected to finish our studies in August this year and graduate this month. This would have allowed us to start the hunt for jobs or internship at the start of 2018.

It is mandatory for students of food science, nutrition and dietetics to intern with the Kenya Nutritionists and Dieticians Institute (KNDI) for one year upon completion of their course, after which they get a license to practice nutrition.

The deadline for application for next year’s internships was last week. I could not apply for it since I had not completed my studies. The disruptions have cost us a whole year because we will now have to wait until 2019 to apply for this important internship.

What do you intend to do in the meantime?
We are now back for the final semester, which is due to end early next year. After my final exams, I will look for a job as a nutritionist as I wait for graduation and the opportunity to intern thereafter. The only challenge is that without a KNDI license, I can’t work in a government facility. I will, therefore, have to settle for a private institution where remuneration is usually not very attractive.

The alternative is to pursue a Master’s degree in nutrition, which eliminates the need to intern, but that would mean an additional two years in school. I need to take a break from studies and get a job.

What are you most proud of this year?
As a Christian, I was determined to take my relationship with God to the next level, which I have. Over the last few weeks, I have been actively journaling about spiritual life and growth. I have also attended conferences on women empowerment, where I was able to learn about self-identity in Christianity and living a more fulfilling Christian life.

In what ways have you changed in 2017?
I am an introverted person who values her personal space, but I know that soon I will be leaving school. I will need to find a job where I will work with people from diverse spiritual, social and cultural backgrounds. I have, therefore, started to be intentional in allowing other people into my personal space and to be more outgoing. I have, for instance, taken an interest in outdoor activities such as hiking, which I do with groups of young people from Embu County, where I come from.

Lately I have also started attending career fairs and conferences on entrepreneurship as I look forward to graduation. I am currently volunteering with Africa Young Leadership Forum (AYLF). The organisation engages the youth in developmental projects within their communities, in line with Sustainable Development Goals and Africa Union’s Agenda 2063.

How have you benefitted from your participation in these activities?
I have made many friends, including a digital specialist, who has helped me to redevelop my blog. She has also helped me to improve my writing skills and to market my content on Google AdSense. Soon I will transform my writing from a hobby to an income-generating activity. I would say that despite the numerous challenges, 2017 has offered lots of new experiences.

***

Anthony Ndambuki, 31

Anthony is a graduate of Chemistry at Kenyatta University. An entrepreneur, he is the founder of Topas Creations Limited, a company that specialises in the printing of promotional items, large format printing, branding and advertising. He admits that 2017 has been hostile for business. He, however, hopes for better fortunes for his business now that the electioneering period is over.

What are your most remarkable experiences of 2017 as an entrepreneur?
I was able to acquire a new large format printer and other equipment for my business. The current machine has improved the quality of work that we do. The machine can, for instance, print very large banners, which the old machine could not. This has also boosted our output, and hopefully our revenue will rise. I am also delighted to have expanded my business space. I am now able to serve more clients.

How did the political upheaval in the country affect your business?
From the beginning of this year, clients have been hesitant to spend much, due to the political uncertainty that has gripped the country. The large format printer machine was supposed to ship in before the elections.

My aim had been to use it to reproduce campaign promotional materials such as banners, stickers, billboards and t-shirts, but because of the confusion and uncertainty thanks to politics, the arrival of the printer was delayed until way after the August 8 elections, which led to massive loss of revenue for my business. Some of our clients would also delay making payments because business was also slow on their end.

Are there business-related decisions that you regret making this year?
I had acquired more business space as I expected to ship in the new printer. I paid rent for the new space for six months even as it lay idle due to the delay in arrival of the machine. Coupled with the long clearance process at the port, I lost more than Sh560, 000. I wish I had waited until after the elections to import the machine, but then again, some risks in business have undesirable results.

What are some of the things you hoped to achieve in 2017?
I was very hopeful that we would have a significant increase in our turnover due to the increased demand in printed material for the election campaigns. Ironically, our revenue hit perhaps the lowest point since I started the business in 2012. Most of my clients were reluctant to engage in business worth large amounts of money for fear of violence.

What has kept you going in 2017?
Determining what I can do best, being persistent and working tirelessly constitute the fuel that propels me towards my target in spite of the disruptions I am likely to stumble upon. If it has worked for me in 2017, it can work for anyone else.

What do you hope for in 2018?
I project that we will able to recoup our revenue levels as soon as possible. With the heated political season behind us, there is hope for recovery. Going forward, we intend to diversify our products and widen our clientele base to expand our revenue streams. I have a business loan of Sh3 million that I am currently servicing, and which I need to offset by mid-2018. I am also hoping to open another branch, hopefully within Nairobi’s central business district (CBD), as I target more corporate clients in 2018. My dream is to be among the leaders in the local printing industry.

***

Njango Njenga, 20

“Over the years, I have focused more on making money at the expense of important relationships. Going forward, I intend to cultivate better values and spend more time with family,” says Njango, a second year student of Environmental Science at Pwani University.

What were your goals for this year?
I was hoping to proceed to my third year of study, which was not possible because I deferred my course for one academic year due to illnesses in the family.

The lecturers’ strikes also interfered with the academic programme. I am due to complete my second year in 2018. At the beginning of the year, I made it a priority to start a professional course, which I have achieved by enrolling for an accounting course I am taking alongside my degree course.

What have you achieved this year?
I have managed to maintain impressive grades, which is usually not an easy thing to do when the academic calendar is interrupted so much. Skills in accounting may improve my chances of getting a job after school, which is why I enrolled for an accounting (CPA) course.

Are there particular experiences in 2017 you wish to put behind you?
First would be to forget about the challenges illness put my family through for the best part of 2017. Since I joined college, I find myself making rash decisions – I would definitely like to turn a new leaf. It is also my wish to put behind me the disappointment of dishonest friends who betrayed me when I needed them most.

What do you intend to do differently in 2018?

My main focus will be more on personal development and inner growth. I wish to remain true to my moral, social and ethical values, and be honest to myself as well. I also hope to find and build more meaningful friendships. On personal choices, I intend to be shrewder and more grounded.

***

Simon Gichimu, 25

“This year has taught me that to get a job upon graduation is a good thing, but creating one for yourself is even better,” says Simon Gichimu, a Linguistics graduate of Moi University.

Recap 2017...
I have been searching for a job in media and communication since the year began, attending 15 job interviews in the process, without success. I came so close to landing a job in one of the interviews. We had even discussed the terms of my contract. I did not get the job.

In desperation, I have applied for sales and marketing jobs I knew I could never perform well in even if I got them. Eventually, I decided to try out small-scale farming. I grow carrots, cabbages and potatoes on the family farm in Molo Sub County. Besides keeping me engaged, this activity has enabled me to support myself over the months. I have also taken my blogging a notch higher, posting regular content for my audience.

After my graduation late last year, I intended to start on my Master’s degree in forensics linguistics immediately, but due to financial constraints, I have had to shelve this plan. At university, I was very active in Bible study activities, but after graduating, this was no longer possible - I hope this will change come January.

There must be positives about 2017…
I am a bibliophile of sorts, and this year alone, I have read 100 books, falling short of my target of 150. I am glad that I finally got to read The Alchemist, which I have desired to read for a long time. The book taught me important values on how to set and achieve goals. After years of waiting to get published, I am excited to finally have my book, Jomo and the Wild Cats on Amazon.

What do you hope to achieve in 2018?
I am hoping to have two more published titles by early 2018. Two of my manuscripts have been reviewed positively by my publisher and are now awaiting the final review before publishing. Through writing and farming, I look forward to inspiring young people like me into believing in themselves to succeed.

I also hope to use my written work to sensitise the youth about the dangers of environmental degradation and climate change and to encourage them to participate in conserving the environment by practicing methods of agriculture that are environment-friendly, for instance.

What important values did you learn in 2017 that you now hold dear?
Being an entrepreneur gives you a sense of ownership, control and puts you in charge of your own growth in terms of financial discipline and handling the pressure that comes with the work. I have also learnt that desperation for a job can force you to do things that you are not enthusiastic about.

I also appreciate that despite our political differences, we should tolerate each other, especially us young people because we’re the future of this country. This will enable us to hold sober discussions about our welfare as youth, and pursue the right action. I regret losing close friends due to our political differences.

How different from 2017 would you want 2018 to be?
As a young person, I hope that the country will heal fast from its political wounds so that there is a conducive environment for entrepreneurship and creation of jobs. I am quite satisfied with what I achieved in 2017. I can only hope for a better 2018.