July
IT’S THE FIRST MONTH OF the Rotary year and am still green, am not sure which direction to take. Am pretty anxious lest my abilities fail to keep pace with my eagerness to render the service the club expects and to which it is entitled. I ask myself….”what really is Club Service?” “What’s the Vice President’s Role?” “And what can we do that’s different?” These and many more queries run through my mind. On Thursday, 7th July 2005 we have our first meeting with President Eric in the driving seat. He passionately speaks about his vision for the club.

Other highlights of the month include our first Club Assemblies and Mr. Dino Martins who is a fellow at Harvard University plus a writer, artist and naturalist speaking to us on Biodiversity.

.…August
I START TO GET THE GRIP of things. Some invigorating guest speakers start streaming into our meetings. During this month Ms. Koki Muli from Education in Democracy visits us and reviews the constitutional review which was a hot topic then. Dr. K.K. Gakombe the Director & CEO of the Metropolitan Hospital also pays us a visit and articulates on the National Social Health Insurance Scheme another contentious issue at the time. Another guest speaker is the eloquent Sean Culligan from the AMREF Flying Doctors Services who tells us how doctors with wings save lives in remote areas. During the last meeting of the month, we unanimously vote to increase membership fees. Rtn. Gavin McEwen scales Africa’s highest peak Mt. Kilimanjaro and raises Kshs.50,000 for the club on his way down the mountain! Bravo Gavin! Former member Rtn. Arun Patel passes away in India.

….September
WE ARE 75 YEARS OLD ON THURSDAY 8TH September 2005 and we hold the mother of all birthday parties at our birthplace the now renamed The Sarova Stanley. It is attended by all and sundry in our fraternity in addition to guests. Later that day, the Past District Governor Hamid Aboo officially opens a kitchen at Mbagathi Road Primary School and Rotarians and the Hilton Hotel Nairobi feed over 1,000 pupils and their parents. Sadly we loose through death our oldest member Honorary Member Dharm Shankadass after a few weeks. Rtn. Marilu Cahusac says adios to the club as she leaves the country. During the month courtesy of PDG Yusuf Kodwavwala we have Rtn. Ron Denham from Rotary International talking to us on Rotary and water during the Spouse Day as visiting spouses are furnished with beautiful glass bowls by Rtn. Nani Croze from Kitengela Glass. Rtn. Dr. Ramesh Karkare who had just finished his tenure as the resident dentist at The Immaculate Heart of Mary Hospital Kilimambogo pays us visit and tells us about the conditions at the hospital. This was surely one of our most active months.

….October
WE BEGIN THE MONTH WITH a great evening that entails some cool Jazz, nice food and great fellowship as Rtn. Arthur Mattli hosts us at his residence and unleashes the Swiss Jazz Ensemble “Inside Out”. Mid month, a gentleman from the land down under visits us. This gentleman is His Excellency Mr. George Atkin the Australian High Commissioner to Kenya who makes a presentation on Australia. At our last meeting in the month PE Diamond Lalji assisted by PP Stephen Mwenesi and President Eric Krystall dazzle us with a well coordinated induction ceremony into the club for Rotarians Nick Hutchinson, David Wafula, Carmelo Cocuzza and Patrick Udeh.

….November
MOBILE TELEPHONY AND ITS MANY impacts on our lives is the subject of the month’s first guest speaker. Mr. Michael Joseph the CEO of the mobile behemoth Safaricom Limited engages us in an interesting discussion on the latest upgrade of Alexandra Graham Bell’s invention. Also, DG Hamid Aboo pays us a visit and he meets the Board and members. Once again, we are attentively and mutely glued to our seats as Sunday Nation columnist Mr. Sunny Bindra pays us a visit and pontificates on ‘recapturing a society based on values’. The diligent PE Diamond Lalji organizes another memorable induction ceremony for Rotarians Halima Shaiyah, Waiyaki Hinga and Amar Kantaria. Sometime in the month the duo of Rtn. Moyez Alibhai and Rtn. Elizabeth Maloba engage us in a stimulating discussion on job creation. Past

….December
ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH Honorary Member Dr. Mukesh Joshi gives an impressive insight on the Eyes Camps he carries out. At the next meeting we have our Annual General Meeting. PE Diamond Lalji does it again as he and his legion comprising PP Mike Eldon and the visiting DG Hamid Aboo induct Rtn. Przemek Bobak and Kanu Devani into the club. Mr. Steve Farrago gives a presentation on how to make money from collecting stamps in kilograms. With the Christmas season approaching President Eric Krystall and Rtn. Nani Croze throw the mother of all Rotary parties at their scenic residence in Kitengela and Rotarians turn up in droves. PDG Mohamed Abdullah and Rtn. Rita Gori also host Xmas parties at Mathare Rotary Community Corps and Jacaranda School respectively.

Earlier in the month, Rtn. Atul Shah organizes the premier of the latest ‘Harry Potter’ movie and members have fun and fellowship at the Sarit Centre Cineplex and over Kshs.300,000 is raised for the club’s Community Service activities. Congrats to Atul and his team!

….January
IT’S A NEW YEAR BUT WE ARE halfway through the Rotary Year and as I look back at the last six successful months I get some impetus for a job I began with a blank slate! Mr. Robert Njoroge and Ms. Kevina Powers are our first guest speakers and they tell us about the One Stop Youth Centre a partnership between UN-Habitat and Nairobi City Council. In the subsequent meeting Ms. Jane Tyrrell and Ms. Sue Anderson tells us about Riding for the Disabled. At our third meeting in the month we go bananas as PP Evelyn Mungai enlightens us on ‘Tissue Cultured Bananas” that is being undertaken at our very own Cura Rotary Community Corps and a Dr. Dirk Christenson and Dr. B.W. Kilonzo tells us about a diabetes research they are doing. That indefatigable PE Diamond Lalji is at it again with another colorful ceremony as Rtn. Nick Barton is inducted into the club by Rtn. Sally Gitoho.

….February
WE BEGIN WITH CLUB ASSEMBLIES followed by Ms. Truphena Seroney who talks about Special Olympics Kenya. Later Rtn. Salim Fazal gives a vivid presentation on The Haj and Ramadhan complete with the attire that is won during the pilgrimage to Mecca. Its another birthday party as we celebrate the Founding of Rotary on 23rd February 101 years ago. A crew led by Rtn. Arthur Mattli and Mari Nelson assemble one of the largest assemblages of diplomats we have seen in recent times at the Intercontinental Hotel. The guest speaker is Lt. Gen. Elijah Sumbeiywo who tells us about his experience in facilitating the Sudanese Peace Process. We must admit it was a grand affair!

….March
THEY SAY BE WARY OF THE ‘Ides of March’ but not at Rotary! So far things have been going smoothly. Julius Caesar's should have been a Rotarian and March 15 would not have been his fateful day! Anyway, we begin with the induction of Rotarians Josephine Ojiambo and Ashif Kassam in a ceremony conducted by AG John Simba. Later, we experience one of our most packed meetings as Mr. Colin Bruce the World Bank Director gives a very interesting speech on the bank’s activities in Kenya and he spices it by integrating Rotary’s 4-Way Test in his speech! Just before her elevation to the senior most female prison officer in Kenya Ms. Wanini Kireri then in charge of Langata Women’s Prison makes a presentation at our club. And this is one of the meetings I nearly go mad. I felt like a captain of some rudderless ship that is being blown on all sides by the winds as several people approach me with requests and questions and the high table becomes a beehive of activity. Despite we women being adroit at multi-tasking this particular meeting tasks and stretches my brain and patience to the extreme! And just before I loose my head.…AG Sudesh Walia comes to my rescue and we jointly steer our ship safely to port! (PS: Rtn. David Githanga, I hope you are taking notes!)

And later on, our very own PP Arun Devani elucidates about his experience as the Chairman of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM). And we end the month with Ms. Malinda Wheeler who tells us about HOPE Worldwide East Africa and its many activities that encapsulate HIV/AIDS prevention, Voluntary Counseling and Testing, Orphans and Vulnerable Children and Blood safety. Also, during this month, Rtn. Nick Barton scales Kenya’s topmost summit Mt. Kenya. On his way down, he picks a bag containing half a million Kenyan Shillings for the Cura Rotary Homes! Bravo Nick!

….April
THEY ARE SAID TO BE COUSINS. They are both leaders of their countries. They are at war with each other. As he shows us slides of tanks, lorries, jets, guns and soldiers Rtn. Shem Amadi narrates to us about his experience monitoring the ceasefire between Ethiopia and Eritrea. The cousins mentioned earlier are Ethiopia’s Meles Zenawi and Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea.

We visit The Immaculate Heart of Mary Hospital Kilimambogo, tour the hospital, hold a medical camp and fellowship with Rotary Club of Thika, Rotaract Club of JKUAT and our own Rotaractors from Nairobi Central. Thanks to Rtn. Halima Shaiyah for facilitating the trip, Rtn. Moh’d Rahemtulla for drugs, PP Sudesh Walia and Rtn. Sally Gitoho for food plus PE Diamond Lalji’s dear spouse Naseem who woke up at 5.00am to cook some sumptuous samosas! Rotarians Jitu Brahmbhatt and Romy Madan for the TV, Rtn. Nick Hutchinson and PE Diamond Lalji for the food donated to the hospital, Rtn. Kanu Devani for the 4-Way Test sign. PP Jerry Owuor, Rotarians Jessica Kazina and spouse David, Rhoda Orengo, James Mwangi, and David Wafula for attending and our Rotaractors from Nairobi Central.

Later on in the month, the very interesting Dr. Tom Wolf a consultant with Steadman & Associates gives an illustrious presentation on opinion polling in Kenya. The following Mr. Alec Davis the CEO of Davis & Shirtliff gives an overview of his organisations activities while we close the month with the outgoing US Ambassador to Kenya HE William Bellamy who tells us about relations between our two countries.

….May
ONE MORE MONTH TO GO AND I say to myself so far so good. But things could be better. At our first meeting that is also well attended, Honorable Justice Aaron Ringera keeps us fastened to our chairs till nearly 3 o’clock as he tells us about the Kenya Anti Corruption Authority and its activities. At the next meeting PP Lotay Darsi inducts Rotarians Vickie Winkler and Harry Wanderi into the club. President Eric Krystall leads a troupe of members down to Mombasa for the District Conference.

For those of us who remained in the Green City in the Sun we have one of our shortest meetings as we finish at 1.45pm! And things add up well as our slated guest speaker the then IMF Senior Resident Representative is recalled to Washington and cancels his presentation saving us some embarrassment since attendance was very low. Luckily, PP Michael Klass comes to our rescue as he takes the opportunity to tell us about his work in HIV/AIDS. At the consequent meeting the Chairman of the Kenya National Commission of Human Rights Mr. Maina Kiai gives another invigorating presentation on his organization and its activities. Also, some members visit Phoenix Players to watch Henrik Ibsen’s classic play ‘A Doll’s House’.

June
WE BEGIN THE MONTH QUIETLY as we skip a meeting owing to a public holiday. I say to myself 4 more meetings and its adios to my job as the VP and hope that I don’t suffer from some withdrawals symptoms. At the first meeting of June PP Jonathan Campaigne hosts a colorful Enterprise Awards Ceremony where winners are given prizes and they tell us their entrepreneurial ingenuity. And to cap it, we get some press coverage! Later on, Mr. Roger Church from the British High Commission pays us a visit and makes a presentation on his life as a diplomat. At the second last meeting we screen “A Glass Story” Staring Rtn. Nani Croze, President Eric Krystall, a Masai Boy and a glass! Members enjoy the movie and we all hope the next stop is Cannes and the Hollywood Bowl for Nani! At our last meeting we have an Extra Ordinary General meeting where we deliberate on our accounts.

IN ENDING, I WISH TO SAY IT really has been a good year. It was an honour and a truly humbling experience and I got to know most members better. And all this was possible through the support and cooperation of the entire club. I thank each one of you from the bottom of my heart. I thank all those who assisted in sourcing for guest speakers. Those who assisted with preparations at the meetings to introducing guest speakers and saying Vote of Thanks. Exceptional thanks to President Eric Krystall for his wise leadership and am happy to have served under you. Much appreciation to PE Diamond Lalji for his efficient and constant support.

Certainly, thanks to the Rotarians who accepted to be ambushed at the last minute to take up club duties like Past Presidents Jerry Owuor, Stephen Mwenesi, Mike Eldon, Mike Klass, Praful Lakhani, Jonathan Campaigne and David Hutchison, Rotarians Kauli Mwembe, Jitu Brahmbhatt, Sally Gitoho, Barbara Magoha, Elizabeth Maloba, James Mwangi, Charles Rogers among others. Thanks to Rtn. Rita Gori and Nani Croze for supplying gifts for guest speakers.

And special thanks to our Attendance Officer Rotaractor Kevin Mududa who literally ran around to ensure that the club ran efficiently! I would never have done it without you. Undoubtedly, many thanks to members of the Club Service Committee and all those who hosted our monthly meetings at their residences from PP Omi Nagpal, PE Diamond Lalji, Rtn. David Wafula and PP Lotay Darsi to Rtn. Barbara Magoha. On behalf of the committee I say thanks for the fantastic meetings and fellowships and not to mention scrumptious and delicious food!

And before I take my final bow, I wish to welcome the new Vice President Rtn. David Githanga…..KARIBU and ALL THE BEST!