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Gilda Odera – Truly a Kenyan Star

Generation Kenya — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:28:07 +0000

School Children at Kiwi Arts and Crafts Competition awards ceremony. PHOTO: JERRY RILEY

The noise level is rising in Kasarani Gymnasium at the Moi International Sports Center. Almost 3000 school children and their teachers are filling the stadium for the Kiwi Arts and Crafts Competition awards ceremony, the competition attracting entries from all over Kenya. The arts and crafts project is run by Gilda Odera, a GenerationKenya nominee. Gilda is pleased that in 2009, the competitions’ 14th year, over 70,000 entries have been received. It is a fantastic opportunity for children to express their creativity and skills, explore careers in art in the future as well as being an incentive for them from a young age to believe that hard work and effort pay off. Initially started as just an art competition, it now includes crafts as well, enabling all children in Kenya to take part and be creative using different types of media and material even if they can’t afford conventional art supplies. The attendance today is a tribute to her success.

Gilda Odera. PHOTO: Jerry Riley

Gilda Odera was born and raised in Nairobi. She started her education at the Kilimani Primary School followed by State House Secondary School and then the University of Nairobi. She started her career by working with Marketing and Support Services Limited for a number of years where she was involved in branding and brand management. At this point she came up with the idea for the Kiwi Art Competition for primary school children throughout Kenya. She currently works in the I.T sector, having made the move from marketing. She claims “It wasn’t easy penetrating the market; you just need to have an open mind, be willing learn and work extremely hard.” What helped her was her vision, people skills and an amazing team of technical staff who work well together. “Nothing is impossible; just believe you can do it,” is one of Gilda’s mottos.

Gilda Odera presents an award at the Kiwi Arts and Crafts Competition. PHOTO: Jerry Riley

Gilda Odera wants the youth to believe that they are capable of achieving their goals no matter how big or small. She especially encourages young people to become entrepreneurs and help solve the youth unemployment problem. “Kenyan youth need to start thinking about change and creating a better future for themselves. Realize that they are capable and that there are limitless possibilities for them. They can make a difference.” The strongest positive influences she had growing up were her parents, instilling strong work ethics as well as religious values in Gilda and her siblings from a very young age, pushing them to work hard and believe that they could achieve anything. “Start something, follow it through and believe in it…” she adds. In addition to her role as C.E.O. of her own IT firm and director of the art competition, she raises a family and mentors University of Nairobi students who seek her out for advice and support.

Winners on display at the National Museum. PHOTO: Jerry Riley.

Gilda’s final advice: “Follow your passion. Do what you love, see it through, and be true to your heart.” Gilda Odera is truly a GenerationKenya star.

Story by Nilofer Elias and Jerry Riley

GenKen – 2010

Generation Kenya — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:49:19 +0000

It is now 2010, and GenerationKenya is preparing to hit the road, collecting portraits and biographies of Kenyans, chosen by Kenyans. We will be telling you about your fellow Kenyans, stories of challenge and success, overcoming obstacles, fulfilling their dreams. It will be a new story of Kenya. As always, we wish to thank all of the organizations and individuals that continue to support our efforts.

We will soon be posting details about the upcoming photography workshop and the new GenerationKenya photoblog. Stay tuned for updates. Join the official GenerationKenya Facebook page, follow GenerationKenya on Twitter @genkenya

What is Generation Kenya?

Generation Kenya — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 10:24:28 +0000

What is GenerationKenya?
Generation Kenya is a project which will document outstanding contributions by a nominated selection of Kenyans, profiling Kenyan success, talent and generosity. The goal is to provide role models for young people by featuring stories of challenge and achievement.
“Leadership and expertise is something we Kenyans need to think deeply and seriously about,” said Project Director Dr Wambui Mwangi, who conceived the project with fine art photographer Jerry Riley. “Never before has it seemed so urgent to document a Kenya we can be proud of. A Kenya of hope. A Kenya of achievement,” she added.
GenerationKenya plans to profile, in fine art photographic portraits and superbly written text, the lives and accomplishments of Kenyans born since 1963 – the year of Independence.
“Those of us for whom our parents’ ethnic prejudices and dislikes seemed impenetrable, archaic —this is GenerationKenya. We who today fall in love with, and fight with, and plan with, and work with other Kenyans, – this too is GenerationKenya,” explained Dr Mwangi.
A nation-wide hunt using print, broadcast media and the internet, aims to shortlist a series of outstanding Kenyans; and a panel of judges will select the finalists, in a series of categories covering arts and entertainment, environment, and conservation, business, information technology, media and communications, science, human rights and governance, sports, social justice, gender equality, architecture and planning.
“The project will showcase our achievements, our aspirations, our struggles, our challenges: and, always, our triumphs. It is about our stories: told by our images: seen by ourselves,” said Dr Wambui Mwangi. “It is We Kenyans: for us, by us.”
A website showcasing the portraits and biographies will broadcast the project to a worldwide audience. A set of resulting images and biographies will be donated the the National Archives as a snapshot of Kenya during this period of the country’s history.”
“We believe that those of us born since 1963, those of us born into the independent republic of Kenya, have shared destiny, a collective promise, To that extent, GenerationKenya proposes to celebrate the achievements of those who wear the badge of “Kenyan” proudly, and who in turn have made us proud. Through this we will show the benefits of this Kenyan-ness -whilst encouraging a showcasing of our diversity.”

For further information and images please contact: Nilofer Elias – nilofer.elias@generationkenya.co.ke