IDEA MAGAZINE September-November 2015 | Page 28

I got attached to Uganda especially the small town of Jinja and I felt torn when I was transferred to the next stop in West Africa in 2010, to work with Wilmar Africa Ltd. Moving to the West side was a different animal all together-first and foremost a time difference that is backwards, and too much heat in comparison the cold back home. Even a simple dish like Ugali became a craving and to date we fly in with our majani ya chai, Ugali and food stuff from back home. Finding Sukuma-wiki is like looking for a Piranha in the Atlantic Ocean! Coming to live in a boxed AC run apartment instead of my open air huge home with freedom of gardens and fresh cross ventilation air were the small privileges we miss. Having friends who can visit without having to make appointments, never worrying about who will care for your child when you travel are the small pleasures I took for-granted back home. Time has come for me to go back home now. I have always wanted to make a difference on the continent starting with my motherland and to fly the flag high, not only within but also outside. Back in the day in Kenya, I was known as the lady in the Chipsy vegetable fat advertisement, to later being the chair of the Marketing Society of Kenya and Governor of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance. There were challenges every day, those that make you feel alive and that you were worth every pinch of salt in your body. Time has come for me to go back home now. I have always wanted to make a difference on the continent starting with my motherland and to fly the flag high, not only within but also outside. Back in the day in Kenya, I was known as the lady in the Chipsy vegetable fat advertisement, to later being the chair of the Marketing Society of Kenya and Governor of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance. There were challenges every day, those that make you feel alive and that you were worth every pinch of salt in your body. Motivation Corner Thereafter, I became the General Manager Commercial for Wilmar Africa and building and oversaw the growth of the Frytol brand to the number 1 position. I also took on other roles on the side to keep my mind challenged and away from the daily rut, where at times we can get dull if not lubricated with more challenges. I started writing for the Business Financial Times which I still do to date, got on to the Africa Rising team as part of the AAG (Advertising Association of Ghana) and now instrumental in advocacy for the Agriculture sector through the Association of Ghana. I bowed gracefully out of Wilmar Africa in April 2015 and have since registered the African Brand Warrior-a consultancy firm that intends to help brands on the battlefield of this continent become successful within. I could have very easily joined other leading FMCG companies but chose not to as my calling is for giving my best to more companies to help our Continent to rise. ID