Business Cards and Logo Design - Black Girls In Kenya Killing it!

It's a great pleasure having my designs approved by the client for the logo and business cards. This assignment I did before departing for my next assignment in Arusha, Tanzania as the Entrepreneurship Trainer / Hub manager at Kilimanjaro Film Institute ( KFI).

Assignment: Caption from the clients website

"Black girls in Kenya killing it is a fashion platform with black woman in Kenya as the core target. By saying black, it doesn't necessarily mean that the woman has to be black, black girls stands for African woman."

"Black girls in Kenya killing it Management is aware and understands that not every woman was born to be a model or have the hour glass shaped bodies and its with regard that the Management appreciates women regardless of their shape, form or age."

Approved designs

Unrecognized Power within Our Families

Families living in informal settlements are faced with many challenges ranging from earning one’s daily bread within a high level of exposure to drugs, uncertainty and crime. Living in these areas known as ghettos, ‘mtaa’, or slums, exposes a young person to a high level of vulnerability from peer pressure that consumes one to a point of not knowing what one wants to be, let alone stay focused in building on their skills while utilizing their talent for prosperity.

One thing I have personally identified in our communities is that most parents from neighborhoods like Korogocho, Huruma, Kibera, Mathare, are too busy  meeting the daily needs for their humble families to the extent during the dinner time, they only time when they get time to meet, they  do not even talk about the family issues but only to focus attention on television and prepare for the next day; and the cycle continues.
What many families don’t know is that they have great potential that can be used to solve their family issues. Each family has unrecognized and untapped power within it which when tapped into can reach greatness.
We need to interconnect and ask this question; what do our families define as power. When you marry or get married to the ‘right’ family this power might double up, and here it’s not about money and wealth.

Power is defined or understood in many ways, one of them being an ability to do something or availability to access something, and many others.
In the context of the unrecognized and untapped power within our families lies the question, what is our family POWER?

Front row the two kids, on the left is me, My brotherLawrence Jato and my dad holding the ball on the right. This was Red Berets F.C some years back

My brother fifth from left representing Kenya in South Africa during the annual youth tournament.

My sister Kate Syprine playing for Mathare United Women's Team during the Sakata Ball tournament where they were crowned champions.

1998, 1999 I was the team captain in the under 16 team that represented Kenya and MYSA in Norway and Netherlands.

What does your family consider as power?

a) Influence (Political, Business etc), Position
b) Money & Wealth, Prestige
c) Talents and Skills ( Music, football, arts etc)
d) Value system (discipline, hard work, hospitality etc.)
e) High and Mighty (Name).
f) Networks (social Capital).
g) Family lineage (History,  Heritage
h) Religion (Faith, Prayers, conviction, belief etc.)
i) Business Acumen

And many more…
The question is, what is it that matters to your family, and that is at your disposal, that when used effectively will bring everlasting happiness and prosperity. Some families have hope and team work; others have money but lack the coordination.

As testimony, I was brought up in a humble family of great footballers and despite all the challenges that surrounded us, we have been able to shape our family’s economic status while we build our careers through volunteer ship, football scholarship and being actively involved in  community work; and that’s our power.

We are a pro-sport family. My grandfather used to play football, my dad and currently four of my siblings play active football. I used to play active football but currently I’m a part time football coach at Mathare North Rangers F.C. This is a team I founded with my friends under the Wilsen Initiative model (WI) banner.
Access to adequate amounts of money is not possible at the moment, but through using our well defined family powers, we can tackle poverty and other societal issues head-on. There is power in unity and poverty is a state of the mind.

Each family is unique. Our  families are like institutions and we are the team behind the vision and mission and any other operations. There is need to do a family SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Treats) analysis and it doesn’t matter who’s going to be in the driver’s seat of the family.  Let us not only wait for our parents to make change but also help in the process of redefining the great future that we want for our families. That is exactly what I did and I’m still doing.  A great paradigm shift is required in all the young people to secure our Nation's future starting with our families.

Kenya Football at the Docks!

I’m very proud of being a Kenyan, and watching our athletics team bag many gold medals at the just concluded Glasgow commonwealth games bring much joy and unity to the nation.  In a game of sports there must be a winner and a loser and that is the beauty of the game. Even Brazil and other great nations didn't win all the matches though contrarily to same argument they did prepare well to at least reach the utmost performance and position. I wonder what goes wrong with our football here in Kenya!

Yesterday, we witnessed our football national team not making it to the next stage after being bundled out by Lesotho who I’m surprised has got not more than three million in population compared to ours which is at forty million.

Where do we go wrong? Is disbanding our football team at this moment adding any value? And if that is the case what are the next cause of action? 

It's high time we have a platform that involves all the stakeholders even from the grassroots who are not directly affiliated with the federation to be part of the strategic reviews and share ideas on how we can salvage our young talents being lost in the process of not having progressive development in the game for many decades. There is a group of many ex-players who would be ideal people to incorporate in this strategic meetings and management of the institution. I have witnessed of the qualified ex-players being employed as commentators and media in general (TV and Radio) because of their vast experience, skills and passion for the game. Can’t the federation do the same?

I congratulate Lesotho for their determination and well executed game plan. I also extend the same congratulations to the young lads from MYSA under thirteen years  for winning the prestigious Norway cup 2014 in Oslo, Norway. Even though your win wasn't broadcasted that much in our local media, I thank the advent of the internet which allowed us to follow you from the group stages to the finals. If we want to be featured in the list of great nations in football as in athletics we should start by creating systems and structures and have the right people for the job.

It is my sincere hope that the Norway cup finalist will live their dreams, I was once there at Norway cup and I can remember seeing myself playing for top clubs in Europe after the tournament. Even though it didn't happen, I’m happy for my peers whom we used to play with like Oliech, Origi, Adam Shaban etc. who made it to live our shared dreams back then. I’m not regretting at all, and I’m thankful for what football has done for me and my family.  I’m happy with my current profession while I still serve as a community football coach for Mathare North Rangers F.C in Mathare North. We shouldn't give up until we get the right turning point in the maze!

On November 2013, I wrote an article which I think highlights some pointers which if put into practice might help the situation. I still don’t think going to Brazil was an investment for Kenyan football and footballers; anyway everyone has the right to their wish and opinions.

Caption from 2013 article

The question to ask is Kenyan football growing or it’s on the brink of stagnation? Are we moving forward or back-tracking with our airwaves still dominated by the Barclays premier league? Leave alone our social lives, on the street you’ll hear the deep loyalty given to the foreign clubs which is also goes to branding our businesses, vehicles, houses etc. Does anyone think of developing the grassroots football?

Where is the competition witnessed back in the years 1997 -2002 during the Millennium tournament, Coca-cola tournament, ‘Koth Biro’ tournament just to mention but a few? Those were days when football was felt in the grassroots’ with teams like Swapo (Huruma), Otto-benecker (Mathare North), Sakayonsa ( Pumwani) among others were the home of talents for the great game we love. 

Kenyan Football as a Glass of Water Mixed With Oil Read More...