50monthversary....is that even a word?

So turns out end of December 2025 marks my 50th month with FCA!

(Correction: I miscalculated by a whole 50mths!)

Yeah, I sometimes count weird things like that

I can look back to various milestones...that have marked these 50 months

•  Launch of new Finance ERP system and the mess and unmess that we created -weuhh
• Trip to Kampala to quickly learn about this new fin-system and come launch it asap and get ready for the audit...with a new auditor...fun times I tell you!
• Trips to Diani & Tsavo for team building, when this was afforded by budgets....
• One appearance on Citizen TV because they needed someone to weigh in on the finance bill and I was in my period of saying Yes to challenges that shake me!..that was...interesting! sema winging it!!!
• Trips to Kakuma and somehow never to Dadaab!
• Almost went to Samburu - part of an amazing project to bring children back to school & I kept saying I will go to Samburu, and never did! 
• Trip to Finland -had never been! the interplay between of modern and old architecture made Helsinki interesting...
• TRUMP in January 2025 - exactly when the rain started pouring on us!
• Two surgeries - one for me and one for my LO -a year apart - tough season...but Jehovah reigns!
• Being part of Season 3 of staff with exit of 2 major donors -watching team members go and some come back when funding resumes..then they leave and new ones join....
• The many celebrations, the low moments...the tough times...all rolled into experiences that have made it all worthwhile
• Amazing colleagues, amazing work env & chats at the gazebo every lunch hour - not to be missed!

I dont know what 2026 will bring - we are taking it a day at a time, literally!

But I wish FCA the very best!

Happy Halfcent to me!!

Silver Jubilee!

4th Sept 1998

4/9/98 - 25yrs ago! This was the date I got my first job - real job - the one where KRA knows you have been employed and HELB is also aware.

So the year is 1998. I had cleared Moi University and was applying all over the place for all manner of jobs - I really was not choosy. I got this advert from my sisters friend. A local NGO needed an Administrator/Accountant and I applied for it. I was interviewed by women who I would later learn were bigwigs in women's human rights movement but I had no idea who they were! The NGO world was very very new for me and when I got  a call to report on September 1 1998 along Ngong Road near Baptist church; I was excited and was there early enough to start work!. 

I have never looked back after this.

My career has been in non-profits and I really love what I do. I have been schooled on women's human rights, on right based programming etc etc. Even if I am in finance & operations, I find deep satisfaction in knowing the actual impact we have on peoples lives!

I have been part of programs in women's rights, in refugee operations, in education, in disaster risk reduction...so many areas since needs are varied and run deep.

Over the years the most unique project I have been part of was a one year project that was funded by Dutch Post Code Lottery (like Kenya Charity Sweepstake) and it was a 2 page project document and the amount awarded was quite considerable. This is what TRUST looks like! The reporting requirements were quite lenient and basically we had to do what we had to do - and deliver as we had promised.

What I loved most about my first engagement was the way we had interns/volunteers come in and support the projects. The interns were from universities in Nairobi and all manner of personalities came through the doors. Recruiting the volunteers and interns was part of my job and I horned my skills in identifying right energies that we can work with.  The volunteers/interns were not being paid and so the interest really has to be from their end - and for sure kuna wale walijituma and to date I watch them making global waves and I am silently proud that i was part of their amazing journey!

The operating environment has become more and more strict - starting off I have experienced a donor who gave funds..a considerable amount...they were basically up the road from our office...and never once did they visit! and final report they wanted a one page excel!! very strange! Now you have donors who insist on photos having time stamps!

Oh how the landscape has changed!

Anyhoo....some things  I now know for sure (in no particular order):-

1. Passion is very evident - 

2. Money is not the only motivator

3. Don't stay in one place too long..unless your role changes...but doing the exact same thing? naaaa

4. Keep an open mind..learning never ends

5. Go beyond your role..take up that challenge!

6. If it doesn't serve your greater goal, exit!

7. Know what you want..and go for it!

8. No experience is wasted!...learn from each step you take

9. It is work, its not personal...and you are not indispensable!

10. Aim for excellence...that becomes your valuable brand.

11. Hold someone's hand...mentor a willing person

12. Get a passport! the travel opportunities come from the most unimaginable source!

13. Dont burn bridges...your reference is not only your supervisor :)

Here's to many more years of #LeavingNoOneBehind!

Old post alert - https://minkrasi.blogspot.com/2018/09/day-120-years-ago.html

STEEL the same..

so 11years anniversary is a Steel anniversary

I knew this last week as we marked our  11 years in marriage

We thank God immensely for grace and providence

And not one to shy away from marking milestones, amazing Watamu was the destination of choice

and Watamu did not dissapoint

wow wow wow

here are some pics!!

all this made possible by the Amazing DreamTrips Club we belong to; we can book affordable holidays and enjoy amazing destinations!!

cheers to many more!

This day in 2006

So today marks 10years since we had our wedding!!

All the planning comes to this day...looking for fabric in a road called DuBois (kumbe its pronouced du-bwa)....fabric called crashed tafeta (we didnt get it, and settled for tafeta instead...yeah...there is a difference LOL)....many trips to the taylor in hurlingham....going to almost every shop in town that claims they have wedding gowns for hire (yes for 1 week then you return), kumbe its for size 2 people!! and finally getting one shop right in the middle of town, with gowns that fit!!.....running around town with Sam to literally all the shops that sell suits....waaa.....giving up on finding flowers and finally ordering them from the person on groundfloor where i used to work!! We could not have imagined the details that go into planning for a day like this!! many meetings in a restaurant in Nakumatt lifestyle....all the varied ideas...waaaa...

So the day had finally come....and what a day it was!! I was happy and anxious at the same time, but mercifully everything fell into place as the day wore on.

In the morning, woke up early enough and had a good breakfast, so many people in the house! Aunties, grandmother had come the night before and were all chatting animatedly. My dad and people from Dar also arrived the night before. We dressed up slowly since we had enough time and the church (Our Lady Queen of Peace, South B) was literally round the corner!

The isukuti team came in early and started beating their drums...if jirani didnt know there was a wedding, now they knew. It was a Friday, but schools had closed, so many children came near the house to see what was going on. My lovely aunties sang loudly to the isukuti beat...cant go wrong with that beat I tell you.

A friend had told me she would get me the car that would drive us around, and I told her, thanks. Kumbe it was a sleek black mercedes benz!! imagine that, with a gracious driver to boot.

Sam and his group were in Golden Gate getting ready also and he was driven to church by his cousin...apparently they had agreed a long long time ago, that during his wedding, she would drive him to church.

Mass was lovely....Fr Clement  Alekwe (may he RIP) was solemn during the whole occasion. I think he had another appointment, because he left soon as after mass was over (before we could take a photo with him!)

Anyhoo, photoshoot outside the church and off we went to Nairobi safari walk for more photos. Reception was indoors in south C because November can surprise someone with showers and thunderstorms...less speeches at the venue, some dancing and it was a wrap!! In all the planning we totally forgot to have a designated car for gifts!! but a friend quickly offered her car to carry them home...phew....The gracious driver dropped us back home at 6pm and he was like this is the earliest he has ever dropped a bridal party...hehehehehe.

Night dancing was at Club Afrique huko Westlands :)

We were so so happy to see friends and relatives celebrate that day with us! Thank you to all of you who turned up - for your positive thoughts and prayers...for stepping in to fill the gaps we had not anticipated. One friend took photos on the side and gave them to us a gift...was so lovely & thoughtful since he captured almost everyone, as opposed to hired photographer who concentrated on the 'high table'!!  The little gal who walked in front of us (my cousin) sat her KCPE this year and the little boy (my nephew) seats his exams next year....yeah, its 10years alright!!

Cheers to many more memories and years together P!!

Amen!!