LUCY WAITITU

Lucy is from Kenya and she is a Lecturer at the Technical University of Kenya. She is currently undertaking a PhD in Food Science and Nutrition at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. She holds a Master’s Degree in Community Nutrition from the University of Eldoret, a Bachelor’s Degree in Home Science Education and Technology from the Moi University, a Technical Education Diploma from the Kenya Technical Teachers College and a Diploma in Applied Science from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

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Q: Tell us a few things about you! Your background, your childhood and early beginnings! 

I was born 61 years ago in a small town called Ruiru in Kiambu County, as the second born in a family of nine; two brothers and six sisters. My parents were Andrew Waititu and Beth Wanjiku, both deceased now. My father worked as a supervisor in a coffee estate while my mother was a housewife. At the age of 10 years, my parents moved to Gatanga in Muranga County, which has been our home since. My family engaged in farming, mainly tea as a cash crop and grazing animals. As a young girl, I assisted my parents on the farm and took care of my younger siblings when I was not in school. I attended the local primary school for my elementary school before joining Kiambu High School for my high school education. I had a happy childhood, and although we did not have much, our parents were very hardworking and loving and ensured we did not lack basic needs.

Q: What are some of the key challenges in your society currently?

Youth joblessness is a challenge leading to high crime rates. There are also challenges in the health sector where there are regular strikes by doctors and other health workers due to poor working conditions and inadequate remuneration.

Q: Share with us some of the hurdles that you had to overcome in your life so far? How did you handle them? 

When I was a high school teacher, I felt the need to upgrade my qualifications by going back to college. However, my employer refused to allow me time to attend classes or to help fund my studies. Instead of giving up, I was able to change from that school to a technical college that, not only allowed me to attend part-time classes, but also assisted in paying part of my tuition fees. This taught me not to give up but look for alternatives when things are not working.

Q: Why is the role of a mentor important for you? 

I have seen colleagues and friends who have been mentored, and the kind of relationship they had with their mentors. This is what motivated me to apply for the programme in the hope of having a mentor that would help me, especially with my professional growth and expanding my networks.

Q: Do you have a lesson that life has taught you and you would like to share? 

That our actions today create the causes that we will experience in the future. It is therefore important to be involved in actions that are not destructive but practice tolerance, positivity, generosity, and compassion.

Q: Name a project, a foundation or a person in your country that you think is doing great work in helping improve other people's lives! 

The Green Belt Movement started by the late Professor Wangari Maathai.

Q: What are some of the challenges that women in your country face and what efforts are being made towards gender equality?

Discrimination in the workplace- Our country still has very few women in top leadership positions in the government or private organizations.

Those with young children are also faced with the challenge of balancing raising the children and working. Very few organizations have facilities that allow mothers to have children close so that they can breastfeed during breaks.

Q: Share with us a motto you live by. 

To have only positive energy and spread this to others through my actions.

Q: If you had all the money needed to launch the project of your dreams, can you describe what you would do? 

My dream project would be to help empower young mothers by giving them skills that they can use to generate income. Most of these mothers struggle to raise their families due to a lack of livelihoods. If they were to be given skills like catering, weaving, beauty, content creation, and other relevant skills, they could make money and raise their families comfortably.

Q: How is technology utilised for social impact in your country? For example are there mobile apps that support gender equality, inclusion, understanding of cultures?

There is a lot of information on social media. However, the technology that is having a large impact in Kenya is radio and TV because they are broadcast in almost all the local languages and are accessible to most parts of the country. Through these media, programmes that impact on the social lives of citizens are broadcast eg programmes on health, education and farming methods among others.

Mobile apps are also available but due to lack of network connectivity, they may not be accessed by those in rural areas. The apps are mostly in English so this may lock out those not able to use English for communication.

Q: Anything else that you may wish to add?

I feel honored to be part of this programme and hope that one day I will positively impact the life of others.