Texas-based Kenyan Artist Releases Debut Single

Anne Thoiti Wachera, who simply goes by Wachera, was born in Nairobi, Kenya and spent her growing up years between Nyeri and Nairobi. She started performing as a singer and actress in primary school. She learnt to play the piano while in primary school and seriously engaged herself in acting, dancing and singing while at Tumutum High School. Wachera participated in the Kenya music festivals in various categories, including solos, traditional folk and dance. In 1994, she won the best actress award for lead role in the play Manoti at the provincial level. The play went on to win the number one spot at the national level.
After high school, Wachera continued singing and acting around Nairobi before she moved to the United States to pursue her studies in music at Emporia State University, Kansas. In the meantime, her music and acting endeavors had to take the backburner for a while. Wachera has been performing in various Kenyan events around the U.S. and has featured in several songs, including Upendo by the group Totally Kenyan, Kumechacha by Msanii and recently collaborated with Daddy V of Kilimanjaro Records in several songs in his album, including the hit Umenibamba.
Wachera released her first single Msichana Mdogo in May of 2010. She wrote, sung, arranged and produced the song. Wachera says she gets her song writing inspiration from social and cultural ongoings. She is busy working on her debut album slated for release in 2011. Listen to Wachera’s new single Msichana Mdogo

George Ndege (Jojo)

A Dream to Empower Diaspora Kenyans, Africans to Excel

She is not following the path most Kenyans and Africans in the diaspora do. Her desire is not to become a doctor, nurse, lawyer, professor or accountant.

Lucy Kitavi’s dream job is the opportunity to motivate others to excel. Her passion is powered by the desire to empower Africans in the diaspora to act on their dreams, shape their destiny and not limit their potential to day-to-day survival.

“America is still a land of plenty of opportunities. We have been putting artificial limitations on ourselves for far too long. It’s about time we unleashed the sleeping heroes in us and followed our dreams. Our attitudes have to change and we should set our bar higher,” says a confident Lucy.
Lucy Kitavi was born and raised in Narok, Kenya to a young Maasai woman. She graduated from Kenya Polytechnic University with a degree in institutional management and is currently the staffing coordinator at Presbyterian Homes in Minnesota, USA.

Lucy has been featured as a motivational speaker by Hennepin County Medical Center, University of St. Catherine and the Uganda Women’s Association. She officially launches her dream of becoming an independent motivational speaker this month and would like to see Kenyans and other Africans come out to support each other’s dreams. The event is free and open to the public with complimentary refreshments.

WHAT: Empower the hero in you
WHERE: McKenna Crossing
ADDRESS:13810 shepherd’s path, Prior Lake, MN 55379
WHEN:Saturday, May 15, 2010
TIME: 2:00 pm
You can reach Lucy via email at lucykitavi@gmail.com or by phone: 651-398-9376

Kenyan Beauty Shooting for Miss Africa USA Asking for Your Vote

Hilda Nyaboke Mauya is asking for your vote. Not for president of Kenya, but for Miss Africa USA 2010/2011. The Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Hilda is one of the finalists who sailed through at the Miss Africa U.S.A. preliminary pageant held in Atlanta, Georgia earlier this year.

Hilda, who is a nurse, sites her mum as her greatest influence.  “My mum was a nurse, and growing up, I observed and admired as she took care of poor people who could not afford her services. The difference that she brought to people’s lives inspired me to follow her footsteps as a nurse. It also made me aware of the issues that young African girls and women face in our society.” This invaluable experience is one of the reasons Hilda is running for Miss Africa U.S.A.

As an African woman and a nurse, HIlda says she would use the crown as a platform to help educate the Kenyan and African community about the physiological and psychological effects of female genital mutilation (FGM) on the African girl child and how the outdated practice exacerbates the spread of the HIV/AIDS virus and violence against women. She plans to work with women’s groups and community organizations to make a difference, one girl child at a time.

Hilda is currently a member of the Coalition of Violence Against Women, an organization that champions the rights of women in Kenya. She also works with the Kenya Society for Academic Advancement, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit organization that provides scholarships to underprivileged and orphaned children in Kenya.

The contestant that garners  the most votes becomes the People’s African Princess. The votes also contribute toward the overall tally for Miss Africa U.S.A. The 2010/2011. The Miss Africa U.S.A. pageant will be held in Washington, DC on July 24th.

Vote for HILDA N. MAUYA

By George Ndege (Jojo)

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