UNKLESA-A NEW WORLD OPENS

So with my new lease on my ‘social’ life I am accepting more invitations, actually getting more invitations, and when Moira messaged me to ask if I wanted to see Mrs. Mboya Kidero, who is married to the current Governor of Nairobi, Dr. Evans Kidero, I said why not!?  Moira’s invitation came from the American Women’s Association, of which friends could come along (that’s me) so we decided we would go and we RSVPd. 

The event was held by UNKLESA, to which Moira and I both laughed that we didn’t even know what the acronym meant.  Living in a country like Kenya, acronyms are EVERYWHERE and especially having the United Nations Office in Nairobi, the UN headquarters in Africa; you haven’t seen acronyms until you live here.  Thinking we were smart cookies, we knew it had something to do with the UN (der) but that was about as far as our knowledge went. 

We arrived at Tribe Hotel right on time at 10am and as we were non UNKLESA members we were to pay 600KSH (7.86AUD) which got us morning tea and presentation.  This seemed fair and as we signed in as non-members we were given literature on the UNKLESA organization (and what it actually stood for) and the first thing I saw out of the 2 pamphlets that were given was that they find you jobs!  IF you are a member.  Well it seemed too good to be true and I asked how much the membership and for a whopping 1200KSH (15.74AUD), I could join.  Take off the 600KSH we had to pay anyway for the morning, my membership was only 600KSH.  I think it may have been a sign.  So Moira and I both joined as members and we were promised a welcome pack email in the coming days and shown into the presentation room. 

So what does UNKLESA mean?

UNKLESA is the acronym for the United Nations Kenya Local Expatriate Spouse Association.  At least it was something we understood.  The association is part of an international network of UN Local Expatriate Spouse Associations (UNLESA) around the world and has its orientation programme has been in development since early 2009 in collaboration with UNICEF.  It was launched by the United Nations to encourage and promote the employment of expatriate’s spouses, both within and outside the UN system.  So, I hear your mind already.  I am not in the UN, neither is my husband, or actually anyone I know, neither did we have diplomatic ties (they asked us) but we were vetted and still accepted with open arms, well after it was passed by 2 members from the UNKLESA committee.  So in one morning we were signed up to a UN organization, which Moira and I thought was hilarious and it was like mixing with the high echelon of diplomatic shoulders. 

Dr, Susan Kidero gave a key note address on empowerment to members of the United Nations Kenya Local Expatriate Spouse Association (UNKLESA) during their periodical meeting held at Tribe Hotel at the Village Market.  Mrs. Kidero was the chief Guest at the meeting which was specifically organized to look for ways and means to empower and assist Staff families as they to settle into their new duty station and provide appropriate information and advice.  It was a speech about her personal journey, living in a family of high achievers and the pressures of having to succeed as a woman, a Kenyan woman and an African woman.  I liked her immediately.  She was well spoken, personable and had a life worth sharing to us.  She is a smart cookie.  Even though she came from a very wealthy and influential family, she has her own credits and worked hard for everything she has achieved.  Dr. Susan Mboya is a Kenyan executive and philanthropist who is the President of the Coca-Cola Africa Foundation and the Group Director of the Eurasia Africa Group (EAG) for women’s economic empowerment at Coca-Cola.  Her father, Tom Mboya, a Kenyan nationalist leader, was assassinated in 1969 when she was still an infant. Her mother Pamela Odede Mboya was one of Kenya's top diplomats serving as Kenya's representative to UN Habitat for over 20 years. She died in 2009 while undergoing cancer treatment in South Africa.  She has obtained a B.Sc. in Pharmacy from the University of Connecticut in 1988 and then obtained her Master’s Degree and a PhD in Industrial Pharmacy in 1991 and 1995 respectively, both at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy. 

It was a great morning, and I walked out of there with a spring in my step.  For two reasons, the empowerment of me, a woman and also that I had another opportunity to get into the job market, whatever capacity that opens up to me.  I am absolutely sure that there will be a lot of jobs that I will not be qualified for, but it only takes one job advertisement to get a job.

A post note:  I got the ‘welcome’ email that had A LOT of information, geared for UN families moving to Nairobi, I felt a little chuffed, and there is not a day that goes past that an email isn’t sent for jobs (most out of my league), security, meetings, trainings etc….. all of which I am entitled to join, enroll and apply. 

Moira and I still smile; we are now on the ‘in’ for the UN!

Post post note:  It is a funny animal the UN.  It obviously has a grand reputation worldwide, it has a magical overture to it, but when you actually hit the ground here in Kenya, there are a lot of people who turn their noses up and turn their backs on the UN.  I am not politically minded or NGO minded, but it is interesting to see what one perception is worldwide to what the perception (or reality) is really like in an actual UN focused community.