Wanjeri Nderu: Setting The Records Straight

#AmKenyan.

SORRY. LONG READ:

Friends, I will not watch the so called ‘documentary’. It is not worth my time. They can make new ‘documentaries’ with the money they stole from Nairobians when in power everyday if they so wish! Engaging with criminals is worse than swimming with pigs.

This post is for you. Genuine supporters. Those who change lives one case at a time with their love, generosity and prayers.

I became an admin of this amazing group in early 2018. At the time only the amazing Jackson Njeru and Mildred Atty Owiso were admins. It has remained this way to date.

We worked together before I became admin since many of the human rights violations the group had to deal with usually landed with me. They both requested that I co-admin so that I get the cases directly and to ease their work load.

Though it is a joy to serve, managing BB issues at times becomes a full time affair. Those we have walked the justice journey with can attest to the fact that we follow through until cases and campaigns are concluded logically. Exposing the rot at Nairobi County, that is now attracting sponsored cyber bullying by suspected THIEVES, is a good example, including all the individual cases we handle.

OTHER THAN MY HUMAN RIGHTS WORK, WHAT DO I AS WANJERI DO (when I am not being labelled a ‘murderer’ and ‘extortionist’ by known THIEVES)

I quit my very well paying job in the finance/insurance industry in 2013. My intention was to quit for one year to be a full time volunteer. At the time I was a partial volunteer working on Child Abuse cases, especially the rape of BOYS. A crime that is often not handled because of the stigma around it. I was to use this one year break to focus on my passion then go back to work. I was very sure I would get another job without a problem because of my experience and the fact that I had been recognised with a professional award for my work was an added plus. I believe if I wanted to go back to work today, I would still get a job if the company is not bothered by my ‘ACTIVIST’ tag ?.

It is said human beings can make plans, but only God executes according to His Will. That one year period has since stretched to date because the more cases I handled, the more I would get. I ended up working on many other forms of human rights violations.

As a Human Rights Defender. I have been blessed in many ways. Though there has been ZERO financial reward, I have been recognised and awarded not just locally but internationally. This I give praise to God for.
On the flip side, my work has exposed me and those I love to very many risks that are at times not disclosed publicly. In some instances physically leaving KENYA has been the only way to keep sane and safe! (This is a topic for another day!)

SO HOW DO I PAY MY BILLS?

I am a professional communications consultant for mainly civil society organisations and I have recently started venturing into corporate and individual consultancies. This is what has been feeding me and my family for the last several years. The money is not as great as what I made in the financial world but the satisfaction that comes with successful campaigns is worth the occasional brokeness and I get to sleep better at night when I touch and change another persons life!

In addition to this, I am in the process of starting a project that works on issues of WELLBEING, SELFCARE and the MENTAL HEALTH of HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS. This project will be jump started by the aid of an award I won last year at The University Of YORK in the UK, where I had gone for a 6 month protection fellowship that gave participants an opportunity to compete for the Jerry Lockspeiser award for the best research project.
Mine was on the need to focus on protecting the mental health of human rights defenders in order for them to pursue their calling effectively and by God’s Grace, I won.

So now you all know what I do.
I am blessed to have an amazing support system surrounding me. I am able to pursue my ‘madness’ as people call it because of a tight circle of people who hold my hand every day.

That support system also includes BB members. We may not always agree but when I ask for support on behalf of others, like what you all did, paying school fees for poor KCPE kids all over KENYA, I get. That cannot be taken for granted. And I thank you!

Yours,

WANJERI NDERU