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ISSUE 5 | FEB – JUN 2022 +
ISSUE 5 | FEB – JUNE 2022
KICHOI SAYS, “LIVE A LITTLE”
LIRA, AFRICA’S VOCAL DIVA 1|Page
+ MEET WAIRIMU OF SHII BAKERS.
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WE GOT AN
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ISSUE!
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“A woman is the full circle.”
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IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN LEADERSHIP IN SOMALIA
NEXT ISSUE
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IN THIS ISSUE
15 INTO THE “BAD” LANDS WITH STELLA KICHOI
LIRA, THE BELIEVER
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31 LIRA, VOCAL QUEEN
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37 Wairimu, The Cake Fairie!
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23 THE MAGICAL HEALING OF HERBS
We wish to thank everyone who made it possible for the success of this issue. A big thank you to the photographers(at pexel, check back cover), contributors and not forgetting the lovely team of ladies; the black women who agreed to share their motivational and inspirational stories with other African queens. A big thank you to The Herbal Girl, who has been such an inspiration and a good hearted human being. We also thank The Cake Girl, Wairimu, who was good enough to share our pieces out there. We cannot forget to thank Stella, the mountain Queen, who really answered our questions in a very short time span., considering we were running out of time. We much appreciate you mellenins. This issue is for online viewing only should be
23 ON THE
KENYA’S IRENE
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EDITORIAL EDITOR- IN- CHIEF WANGARI GATONYE EDITOR WINSTON ERIC DIGITAL EDITOR CHACHA KAIRU MELLENIN LOGO DESIGNER
ODHIAMBO MATTHEW DIGITAL DESIGNER WANGARI GATONYE CONTENT CREATOR WAIRIMU WA GATONYE PHOTOGRAPHERS MODELS’ OWN AND THE TEAM FROM PEXELS.COM COTTON BRO, KAROLINA- GRABOWSKA, GUSTAVO FRING, BONGKARN
This issue is for online viewing only. No part of this issue should be printed Winston Eric or sold by any means.
We wish to thank everyone who made it possible for the success of this issue. A big thank you to Mellenin Magazine the photographers, contributors and not forgetting the lovely team of ladies; the black women who agreed to share their motivational and inspirational stories with other African queens. Martha Wairimu, Stella Kichoi and Irene Plenty. We much appreciate you mellenins.
CONTACTS @melleninmag Email: melleninvoicesmag@gmail.com
Wairimu wa Gatonye
SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR ADS IS JULY 30TH 2022 SUBMIT VIA EMAIL AT MELLENINVOICES@GMAIL.COM
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Odwyre Odhiambo
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CELEBRATING WOMEN WHO GO BEYOND Hello there! Welcome to our 5th issue of Mellenin Magazine. It’s been quite a year and a half! Literally speaking, the years 2020-2021 have been both dramatic and challenging in their own way. Covid -19 happened and we all were taken captive by everything. New culture shock and a norm that we hadn’t planned for. A lot of people lost their jobs and had to adopt to the new set of conditions. A new norm, because “Man Must Live”. Women were raped in the wave of the pandemic, police brutality was on a new high- but still, we made it. And that’s something to be thankful for. Through it all, we met women who were able to still continue with their lives, starting businesses and living their lives to the fullest…Regardless! So we chose to celebrate these kind of women. Women who go beyond circumstances to make their 11 | P a g e dreams come true.
And after all is said and done, we hope that you live your life. We hope you stop to smell the roses, we hope you chase your dreams and never settle for less. I hope you get to speak your mind and forget about the crowd’s perception and definition of you. Coz life is ever short. Our time here is never guaranteed. Procrastination should never be an option. If you are in a dark place, I hope you are able to rise up and know that it’s a tough world and life must go on. In everything, stand up, dust yourself up, dress up and always show up. There are people to prove wrong, but above all, you have yourself to prove right.
Have a good one, will ya? And thanks once gain for reading.
DISCOVER THE NATURAL TASTE OF AFRICAN HERBS
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FOR ORDERS AND DELIVERIES, CALL 0724686016 NAKURU, KENYA
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In
ZestOws
Beat The Heat! Refreshing. Soothing. Available in Strawberry & Raspberry flavors.
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INTO THE “BAD LANDS” TAKE 5 WITH STELLA KICHOI Perusing through my WhatsApp Status photos, I come across a woman walking through very beautiful terrain. Breathtaking sites of lakes and moors and clear blue skies. On one picture, she’s seated overlooking a blue, crystal, reflecting lake. It looks so pure, that I can’t help it. “Where is this please?” I pop the question in her inbox in the late hours of the night.
“This you?” I
probe again. She says Yes! and explains joyfully what this lake is, where it is. And immediately I know I wanna have her Taking 5 in the next issue of Mellenin Magazine. Meet Stella, the Kenyan Mountain Queen. 15 | P a g e
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PASSION FOR MOUNTAIN CLIMBING. HOW DID IT COME ABOUT? The truth is I have never really been an outdoor type of a person. My all-time way of having good time had always been being indoors with family / friends or even alone. I do enjoy some quite time with self. Towards the end of 2020, we had been indoors so such a long time due to the COVID lockdown and telecommuting that I started realizing how I was really craving to be out there doing something more interesting with my life. I wanted to travel so badly for a change. So while I was going through the feel of how boring my life felt, a friend of mine mentioned about this friend of hers that had started a hiking company, and they had a program they were calling “beginner to Mt. Kenya in 90 days”. It didn’t take much convincing for me to sign up. I felt like this was it…that was my chance to bring spice to my boring routine of a life. 16 | P a g e
Location: The Dragon’s Teeth: Hiking Mt.LeSatima in the Aberdares.
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WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE
MOUNTAIN SPOT? (THE KIND OF PLACE YOU REACHED AND FELT
HEAVEN) I want to believe every hikers favorite mountain spot is the
summit. For me, reaching Lenana Point on Mt. Kenya was very surreal, I cried. I felt like I had achieved and conquered myself. The amazing views were definitely a good bonus. What keeps you going back to this?
I love the views. Kenya, being the only place I have only hiked, is a beautiful country.
There is also the excitement that
comes with exploring a new trail or hiking a mountain I haven’t done before.
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WHAT DO YOU NEED BEFORE
COMMENCING ON A CLIMBING JOURNEY? THE PREPS?
Gear. Having good quality hiking gear is top on the list of things you need before you start a mountain climbing expedition. When we talk of gear, think of your Clothes, shoes, backpack, hiking accessories eg hiking poles, headlamp etc You do need to make sure that you have enough water for your hike, some snacks, first aid kit, personal hygiene Kit and other items that can come in handy while in the wild- a pen knife for instance. While it is important that you have the necessary essentials, you do need to also ensure that you don’t carry too much weight. I think mountain climbing has You want to also have some hiking etiquette before commencing on a hiking Journey. As much as things like do not disturb wildlife and stay on the trail, look like common sense, these guidelines help Location: On top of Table 18 | P a Mountain, ge also in the Aberdare national park
to keep you safe.
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“CLIMBING
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MT.KENYA THROUGH THE NARUMORU ROUTE. THIS HIKE WAS A TRECK THROUGH THE MACKINDERS VALLEY”
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“THIS IS A TURN ONTOP OF MT KENYA. YOU PASS IT ENROUTE TO THE TOP. THERE ARE SEVERAL TURNS AND LAKES ON MT. KENYA”
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Location: Lake Michealson is one of the major Lakes on Mt Kenya. Its situated down below in the Gorges valley..still on Mt. Kenya
Prepping for mountain climbing doesn’t start on the day you hit the trail. It starts way before. You always have to make sure that you are physically and psychologically prepared. Having good cardio exercises prior to your hiking journey is recommended. Ensure you are well rested and well fed as well. Feeding might sound like a none issue, but there are foods you wouldn’t want to consume if you are going to be climbing a high altitude mountain.
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5.
Would you say it's safe for women to explore alone?
From experience, I do not recommend solo mountain climbing. Anything can happen. It is always good to be around people such that you can always take care of each other in case on an emergency. People fall and get hurt on the trails, others get serious altitude sickness. Anything can happen really, so I recommend exploring in groups and not forgetting to always get hiking guides (they are usually locals in the area of exploration). A park ranger is mandatory in areas where there is a lot of wildlife E.G in the Aberdare Ranges. I would recommend a minimum of 5. Others might differ with this, but that’s a personal preference considering I am the paranoid type. Hehe.
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Parting Shot
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First, there is chance that you will either love it or hate it. So preparation is key. Secondly, get yourself good quality gear as well as a hiking group that has experience on the trails and is committed to the safety of their teams. Lastly, enjoy yourself while at it. The mountain is not going anywhere, but you are!
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CATCHING UP WITH…
IRENE PLENTY A DEGREE IN HOTEL MANAGEMENT, THIS YOUNG BEAUTY DISCUSSES HERBS, HEALTH AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP While most women her age are indulging in campus rallies and the “life of a party”, Irene Plenty has cut a niche in the less explored world of medicinal herbs. She tells us more about herself and her “healthy”business.
My name is Irene Plenty. Born and raised in Ongata Rongai. I studied hotel and restaurant management at Moi University. Why Herbs and Plants? My love for herbs began back in 2017 when I had been in and out of hospital because of fatigue and anemia, So one day I asked the Doc how I could improve my health and she simply said good diet. 24 | P a g e
Doc was right, I hadn't been taking good care of my body, I was getting by on junk mostly because of the tight work schedule, getting home late and leaving early. So I started to juice, eat more vegetables and add herbs to my drinks, actually the first drink I hard I bought from a juice bar next to where I worked and it was so expensive but after a few minutes I felt so rejuvenated and energetic.
When I saw how my body MELLENIN MAG I| was ISSUEexcited 5 | 25 | P a ge responded, and decided to make it my lifestyle, I would make and bring smoothies daily to work and share with some of my colleagues too. Some months later and with the help of my dad who also loves growing edible plants and eating healthy, I opened a shop in Rongai where I would make raw vegetables and fruit juices and also sell his live herbs in recycled containers. The Journey… After some time I got recommendations from clients and friends and they also wanted plants and herbs, that’s when I decided to also go into ornamental plants. Being a small business and the pandemic happening, we decided to close down to reduce expenses, so we now operating online as @loko_4_herbs on IG. The Products you sell… Our products are currently herbs like rosemary, mint, basil, lemongrass, parsley, celery, lemon verbena and Stevia. We also offer super seeds like, chia flax, pumpkin seeds, fenugreek. We also have organic honey from our small farm in Rongai. We offer teas like hibiscus, chamomile ,Moringa, Maca etc 25 | P a g e
MOTIVATION BEHIND THE NAME LOKO? Loko is a name given to me by my paternal grandmother. In English, it means “Crazy” so it basically means I am (loko) Crazy about herbs.
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How’s the Kenyan market so far? Kenyans are good consumers of organically grown foods, we are generally trying to be healthy. On Marketing? My greatest marketing tools... Hmmm We mostly really on customer recommendations, we use social media as well. Challenges as a young woman? As a young woman the greatest hurdles have been maintaining the balance of work, business and family. Sometimes it can be tiresome but we move on regardless. Nothing good comes easy in life I guess.
Things to consider when opening a plant shop; First of, do you have a target audience? Secondly, the type of plants that are on demand. Thirdly, Their durability & availability. Fourthly, Suppliers. My target audience are individuals who love organically produced food items, people who are health conscious, plant lovers, environmentalists. I love the small wins, happy clients are my biggest highlights, they bring back business and it's a win win for everyone. Something I would have done differently is keeping the juice bar open during the pandemic. Plants and Therapy. Is it true? Yes, I believe plants are therapeutic. There is a peace about them. Like Lavender for example its scent has such a calming effect on me. Outside work vibes? My hobbies are hiking, swimming, reading 28 | P aand g e planting trees. Am a member of deepforestke, (you should check them out).
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“I LOVE THE SMALL WINS, HAPPY CLIENTS ARE MY BIGGEST HIGHLIGHTS”
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NEXT ISSUE
SILVERSTONE BARZ | ON HER MUSIC AND MAKING IT AS A FEMALE RAPPER IN A MALE DOMINATED INDUSTRY 30 | P a g e
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Lira SOUTH AFRICA | Real names Lerato Moipone Molapo born March 14, 1979. 11-time South African Music Award-winning AfroSoul vocalist, who refers to her music as "a fusion of soul, funk, elements of jazz and African
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2 She is the first African artist to release a full HD DVD in Blu Ray (3x Platinum) and she is the highest selling vocalist in South Africa.
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3 Her album, All My Love (2003), earned her accolades at the Metro FM Awards, South African Music Awards and Channel O Reel Music Awards.
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4 Number of studio albums released to date: 'Feel Good' (2006), 'Soul In Mind' (2008), 'Return To Love' (2011) and 'Rise Again' (2012), as well as 34 the | P ahugely g e successful live DVD, 'Lira Live In concert: A Celebration' (2009).
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Honored with a Barbie made in her image. This is a first for an artist from Africa and better yet, from South Africa.
Lira became the first African woman to have a doll made after her and she had to adjust to many life changes. “It’s not easy but having Mattel honor me with my very own Barbie doll has made the load so much easier”, Lira says. “It is well,” she tells us. “I generally take whatever comes my way and I flow with it. That’s how I’m handling everything right now. I’ve just been reminded that life isn’t always beautiful, and I am embracing it all.”
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“I feel good about the choices I’ve made. I’m very proud of being brave in allowing change to happen to my life. “Nothing happens to me, everything happens for me, to make me a better person.
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Zuchu TANZANIA | SOMEONE DEFINITELY TO WATCH OUT FOR
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ALL HAIL THE CAKEQUEEN
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Martha Irungu, is an outstanding lady with a lot of enthusiasm
How many years in this profession? I have been in the
in delivery of services to her clients. She tells us about her
cake business for five years but I had already
journey in the cake making business.
perfected my skills within the first one year of
Inspiration and Motivation what initially inspired and
learning. (Mellenin Mag: Impressive! )
motivated me to venture in the cake business, is the passion
How do you retain your clients: I do offer free gifts
and great interest I had in me. I was also inspired by designs I
and sometimes services to our returning clients. I also
would see from other baking industries. The self-motivation in
do discounts.
me made me to dive in and venture in the cake businesses.
BIGGEST MARKETING TOOL.
Routine in the morning, I start with the previous day’s orders
Social media and oral communication are our biggest
and make sure I finish in time for afternoon deliveries. I can
tools that have been essential in our cake businesses.
do cupcakes and cakes and have them ready before the busy
If it were not the cake business, what other business
afternoons when kids are out of school since they make a big
would you have opted for?
part of our clientele.
Fashion and design for sure. This is because am also
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passionate about it.
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For now, our biggest challenge is high co
Main clients are kids, women and the young people.
cost of products like sugar, margarine and
Big corporates and institutions like schools, churches,
flour. With the current war in Ukraine and
and weddings also make a big clientele.
Russia, the prices of commodities has shot up affecting the cost of production. We have thus had to increase our cake prices which causes a ripple effect to our customers. GREATEST HIGHLIGHT IN YOUR CAREER There have been many. I feel my clients coming back for more and the appreciation for my products is the greatest and best highlight for me. Additionally, I have gained a wider scope of the business whereby there has been a positive influence and attraction of more customers. Catering in weddings and church events ranks among my greatest highlights as well. I can say that through this, there has been an interaction and an increased coverage on the cake business and also expansion of the business to a recommendable outlook.
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ADVICE TO SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO VENTURE IN THE BUSINESS Can comfortably say that for one to get involved this particular business, an individual has to have the interest and passion and the willingness to undertake any risks that erupt in the business. Passion is always everything. HOBBIES AND INTERESTS Reading! I have developed a great sense of reading culture. Am also a football fan.
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A WOMAN’S MUST HAVE;
Things You Should Never Leave the House Without By Wairimu Gatonye, Staff Writer
Spare Keys Bringing your house keys with you is very important. Whether you are living on your own or living with someone else, having your own key means you don’t have to worry about getting yourself locked out.
Mobile Phone This goes without saying, but almost everyone gets things done with their mobile phones. Without it, you won’t be able to contact your emergency numbers in case of…errr…emergencies!
Medical and Identification Cards Well, accidents happen, riots happen, police in a land cruiser happen. And yes you need a medi cal card in case you faint, your ID for the police and you need to prove you are who you say you are. 41 | P a g e
W
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HITTING THE BIG 3, Advice over the years WANGARI GATONYE
Family’s Everything
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No one sticks closer than a sister. “Girls always stick around, they’ll help you up”, said my 78 year old
friend as he lay sick in bed, with no one by his side but his daughter. I have come to believe him with the passing years. Always keep family CLOSEST!
2
Sharpen Your Skills
School is everything. Whatever you do, make sure you have papers. They will save you anytime anywhere. “Your brain is the only thing you have that can never be taken away from you”, my Mama said. 42 | P a g e
These words have proven to be right.
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“Always be a modern woman”, were the words of my uncle’s wife at my wedding. She said, “No matter what, always be a modern lady”. Do not be conformed to the relaxation of boredom, I imagined that’s
03 Keep Up With Fashion Trends
what she meant. Made that my mantra always. Keep it classy, keep it sassy.
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Start a Business
You never survive with only a single source of income. Start something. Make money to build money
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Top 2 Mellenin Recommended Books Mellenin Team
Americanah By Chimamanda Adichie Yeah we know it’s all cliché. But how about trying it out? If you enjoy a modern-day Naija “breaking out” series with a little self change, then this book is perfect for you! Eat, Love Pray Elizabeth Gilbert This is every woman’s book. Yeah we know there’s a movie about it and we also know it’s not by an African author. But why not? It follows the journey of a newly divorced woman on a journey to selfdiscovery…and divorced or not, we all need this piece. If you love yourself, mystery, and adventure, then this piece is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face!
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