March 28th 2015 in Atlanta, GA – Different parts of my life converged to become a beautiful and purposeful afternoon.
Atlanta, Georgia – 2008 – Nuru Center – I was introduced to Shem Orwenyo, a kenyan who also worked with me at AT&T at the time. Shem talked to me about the not for profit organization (Nuru Center) that he had founded to support impoverished families in his home town Molo. At the time, Shem would collect donations from his friends and family in the US during the holiday season (November and December). These funds would be sent to his mother who would then buy and make christmas baskets for families in Molo. This was known as the Holiday Kikapu. In 2009 Nuru center decided to sponsor children from Molo all through high school (elimu scholarship) and that’s when I became a long term supporter and sponsor of the organization.
Shem Orwenyo and I at the Premier for a Cause Event
Nuru center presented several letters from different children who had completed and passed their KCPE. I was humbled and honored to sponsor Susan Wangui, a sharp and bright student from 2009 to 2012. Susan wrote me touching letters for the 4 years I sponsored her and meeting her for the first time in 2012, after she graduated, was an incredible encounter for the both of us. I continue to believe in Shem’s vision for Nuru Center and Proud to be associated with an organization that positively impacts Kenya from across the sea.
Susan and I meeting for the very first time in Nairobi, 2012 the same year she completed her high school education.
Atlanta, Georgia 2012 – Caroline Josey Karoki dropped a message in my Facebook inbox with an interesting proposal. She was in Film School at the time In Savannah Georgia and was looking to create a documentary for one of her projects. She had been ‘watching’ me on social media and was interested in working with me as the subject of this documentary. At the time, I was in the initial preparation phases of a body building competition and figured a story around my life, working out and competing would be a pretty cool way to share a piece of my life with the world……a few months later, we had created a documentary called Weighted: Inspired by Fitkenyangirl
Caroline Josey Karoki
January 2015 – After relocating back to Kenya in September, 2014 I made a trip to Atlanta in February 2015 and while there…..I had an AHA moment!
I had a documentary created in 2012 that had never been officially shown to the public and an organization (Nuru Center) that I still supported and that could benefit from the documentary’s vieweing….Feb 2015, The idea Premier For A Cause was born.
With only 3 weeks to advertise the event, Premier for a cause raised $3000 from ticket sales and donation. My fitness parents, Gina Shabazz and Roc Shabazz, who are also part of the documentary, were moved by Shem’s vision and signed up to sponsor 2 children for the Elimu Scholarship Program.
Gina + Roc Shabbazz
Giving back is our responsibility and I’m most grateful and honored to have the opportunity to use my passion to impact lives in Kenya. I am most grateful for meeting Shem back in ’08 and him telling me about Nuru Center. I’m thankful to Gina + Roc Shabazz for introducing me to the health and fitness world back in 2010. I cannot thank Caroline Josey Karoki enough for seeing something in me or about me worth capturing and a big thank you to her crew for putting in the time and effort to Make Weighted a success.
To watch the trailer of Weighted:Inspired by Fitkenyangirl click this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21PnDqk89ts
“Giving back is the rent we pay to live on this earth” #GivingBackRocks #KenyansForKenya
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