What I Learnt from Pamela Mburia, AMWIK Member 001

Meet member 001, Pamela Mburia. She was Executive Director in 2004 and a few weeks ago, during our motivation Monday talks she was invited to grace our offices and left the staff and interns with a lot of information and knowledge that we are still processing. She took us down her career memory lane and touched on how AMWIK has impacted many lives. She talked about her experience on one of her impactful campaigns on Female Genital Mutilation. It must have been scary, being the pioneer of such a big organization. 

Did she know that AMWIK would grow to be as big as it is today? That so many young journalists would pass through her hands, literally and figuratively, just because she decided to be a pioneer? What an achievement. She has broken so many barriers and opened so many doors that had been placed by a patriarchal society. She crawled so we would run.  

She gave insightful advice especially to our interns who are in the beginning of their careers. In the current economic times, it is essential for them to create jobs for themselves, work with the media and identify people who align with your values and work with them. Cultivating Professional development is very important in the workplace. “Do not give people a reason to talk about your appearance.” Rather let them talk about your work. Always be prepared for anything and when ambushed, rise up to the challenge and be yourself.

In the discussions, her three takeaways for success: Be the best version of yourself. Deliver more than expected. Find your niche and grow your brand. It was really such an honor and today we celebrate her for the steps she took to give us all an opportunity to be part of this organization.  

Written by: Benedette Wanyaga- AMWIK Intern