Kirinyaga County, is located at the foothills of Mount Kenya. A scared focal point for the Agikuyu people the mountain was known as Kirinyaga and the name change happened when the word was lost in translation. When from a far off, the first Europeans saw the snowy peaks straddling the Equator, the mountain was introduced to them as KayEnyA, by the Akamba. They pronounced it differently from the Agikuyu, to whom it is home. Fast Forward to British Colonial Rule and standing at 3,835m high, the easily identifiable landmark, gave rise to the name of the land now known as Kenya. *Dr Joan Nyanuyki is an alumni of Moi University Eldoret, Kenya, where she graduated with a Bachelors in Medicine and Surgery. She also has a Masters in Human Rights, from the London School of Economics, where, she says, she was privileged to attend as a Chevening Scholar courtesy of the British Government. Joanne is currently based in Addis Ababa, where she’s the Executive Director of African Child Policy Forum, an independent, non-profit organisation.Ruth serendipitously meets Dr Joan Nyanyuki in Johannesburg at the second African Child Summit. What follows as discussion around human rights and the rights of the African child and their place in Africa’s future.Dr Joan Nyanyuki’s desire to be “a good doctor doing good work” has taken her from a trajectory of merely practicing medicine to combining that expertise with the urgent need for reform and agency for all embodied in Human Rights.The conversation reveals a difficult, but what proved to be an insightful tenure involved in the criminal-Justice system in Kenya, whilst working with Amnesty International and the Independent Medical Unit. Though distressing as surgeon and medical doctor dealing with deliberately harmed patients, the experiences only emphasised the importance of medical evidence in proving acts of torture.As executive Director of African Child Policy Forum, Joan has embraced the opportunity to champion the letter and spirit of the African Charter for Children, a convention that has been signed and ratified by the vast majority of African governments thirty years ago.From the position that doctors identify and solve problems, Dr Nyanyuki finds her career allows her to tap into the broader world and where she can apply understanding, compassion and comfort. Always working towards people’s well-being, her nurturing instinct as a mother of four forms a firm foundation to leverage from.The idea of a continent in motion, harnessing and protecting the best of what Africa’s children have to offer, propels and animates Joan.Twendeni. Africa is ready!Connect with Dr. Joan Nyanyuki:- LinkedIn: Profile This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wasafiriafrica.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related