A Glimpse at the Humble Beginning, a Journey of a Thousand Miles, Kuwa Mwenyewe

From the look of things, it could not be any better, the baton was in the best hands. As I closed a chapter that was Kamrio mission at least for that season, I was convinced that the engraced work that caused us sweat, tears and blood was to continue at least for posterity sake. What I had not envisioned is the dimension which the next phase was to take…

It is the monitoring behind the scenes,the occasional catch up moments we have at a cafe in Nakuru or Gilgil and the regular updates I get from and about the Kamrio community that I realize life is a relay. We are always handing over the baton.

Allow me to walk you down the memory lane of this incredible journey: The Making of Kamrio Half-Marathon. The precursor of Kamrio Mentorship.

After months of laying down the ground works and putting the Kamrio half-marathon vision on paper, the earnest pursuit of sharing it with a few contacts who led us to others began.

Like a snowball that grows big and gains momentum down the slope, the contact list grew large.

A little kindness goes a long way and while these people didn’t know the impact of their warm reception or what a mere suggestion of a referral meant, it’s good to let them know how ‘kidogo kidogo hujaza kibaba’.

While pitching the vision to Baringo Woman Representative (Mama County) then Hon Grace Kiptui, I was introduced to Charles Kipkulei her Personal Assistant who led me to Komen S.K (Es-Key) a Baringo based blogger passionate about his county.

Obsurvative Kimutai at Chepokana Viewpoint facing Mt Tiaty.

Es-Key posted the project agenda and mission in the Baringo County News, now Baringo News Facebook page. The post caught the attention of one Obsurvative Kimutai who later got in touch via email with an expression of interest of being part of the initiative.

They say the rest is history.

After 5 months of waiting for the D-day,the event couldn’t take off. The infamous Kapedo attack on the security forces had happened a month prior. Many questions begged for answers.

Was it an insurgency or just mere belligerence? Were there deep rooted issues that catalyzed such a heinous act? Was it a complex issue that needed all and sundry to have honest conversations?Such attacks on security apparatus were and are not uncommon in that valley.

The postponement waited for another 6 months which were coupled with erratic episodes of insecurity: cattle rustling and banditry, border conflict (Nadome attack), revenge attacks to mention but a few that threatened any possibility of this vision becoming a reality.

All along Obsurvative and the team were unrelenting in their devotion to come for the inaugural event. (One could tell from Obsurvative’s fervent posts on Facebook about East Pokot and the Marathon) They had fallen for the vision hook, line and sinker.

Obsurvative and Seyian together with Mentees on top of Chepokana, Mt. Tiaty View Point

A debrief of the precursor took place 3 months later with a view of consolidating the gains and seeing what could be done to validate the vision of ‘Education for Development’, a rallying cry for the East Pokot Child.

A casual meeting in 2015 of three people brought together by purpose and a vision Es-Key, Obsurvative and Sylvia Kurey conceptualized a Kamrio Expedition whose mission was to mentor the school going children and the footsoldier to run with it was yours truly Obsurvative Kimutai.

Kamrio Mentors and Mentees on top of Chepokana, Mt. Tiaty View Point

His bulls-eye was on the prize and just like that the baton was passed on… Kamrio Mentorship, Kuwa Mwenyewe.

A debrief of the precursor took place 3 months later with a view of consolidating the gains and seeing what could be done to validate the vision of ‘Education for Development’, a rallying cry for the East Pokot Child.

By Sylvia Kurey ‘Cheiyech’  

(A Blended Passion of Faith, Compassion, Public Health and Development: She Served as a Missionary at Kamrio and was the Brains behind Kamrio Marathon)