PITF: Interview with Murigi Apollo – Miss Kosh Kenya

1. What does it mean to be a global citizen?

Being a global citizen means that a person is aware of things that are happening, not only within their locality, but also beyond. It is about understanding events and happenings across the globe. A global citizen, armed with this knowledge, advances towards creating linkages with other like-minded persons in the world and make strides towards achieving equality and fairness in the world.

2. in regards to the SDGs, which one do you feel impacts you the most? Which one are you passionate about?

I feel highly impacted on by SDGs 1,2,3,4,5,9,10,11 and 17. If I had to choose only one that I am passionate about, I would have to go with SDG 4 – ‘’Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’’. This is primarily because, I believe, with quality education availed to all persons across the globe, then the literate masses can sufficiently strategize and mobilize for achievement of other SDGs within their communities. A literate people can for instance achieve health literacy which would in turn advance SDGs 3, 6 & 7. A literate community would also through invention and innovation work towards achieving SDGs 1, 2, 8 & 9!                                                                                                                 

3. How did you get involved with your organization?

I first joined Miss Koch Kenya, an organization that focuses on empowerment of youths and young people living in urban informal settlements, as a general volunteer in 2016. I was engaged in implementation of several projects in the areas of Talent and Entrepreneurship, Education and mentorship and Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights. I took an interest in the Education and Mentorship program and was recruited as a mentor, tasked with supporting learners aged 9 – 12 years in literacy, numeracy and soft skills. This three-year intervention saw 98% of the learners in the informal settlement transition to secondary school. My personal input saw me quickly appointed Center Leader and thereafter absorbed into the organization as a member of staff.

4. What makes you passionate about what you do within your organization?

I joined Miss Koch Kenya as a Data Collection and Management Officer, the position in time metamorphosed into Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer.  Prior to joining MKK, I worked as a research assistant with various organizations, this meant that while interacting with people in the cause of qualitative and quantitative data collection, I would encounter issues that went beyond the scope of the study and I could do nothing about except listen and move on, currently, I can create better tools in project monitoring that can better give insights into what actually happens within communities, tell stories of impact as opposed to simply reporting on outcomes. The beauty of my job is that I get to piece together reports from individual community workers and make one impactful report as well as follow through the growth and development of each beneficiary. I also get to meet the community during project monitoring and impact assessments, the joy and appreciation on each individual, the behavioral change or increase in income within households or the sheer delight of a learner when they improve in academics or co-curricular activities, lets me know that my efforts and input were not in vain. This fuels my passion to new heights.

5. How do you see Move the World and your organization collaborating?

Miss Koch Kenya has built a reputation within the community it serves since 2001 as a youth serving organization. Over the years, Miss Koch Kenya has implemented various interventions geared towards bettering the lives of persons living in informal settlements of Nairobi and rural settings in Kenya.

Global citizenship is primarily an agenda best driven through the youth and children who in time will take leadership and residence in this world. Miss Koch Kenya has positioned itself as a perfect tool to help advance this agenda, both in urban and rural areas. This is possible through the technical and financial support of other organisations and possible collaboration with Move the World.

Interviewed by Patricia Acquah

Get in touch with Murigi

Twitter – @murigiapollo
Instagram – murigi_apollo

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