Magdalena Mwende: Go-getter without limits

MAGDALENA MWENDE head of business transformation at Bamburi EA, isn’t any of the famous faces in the media, but she’s experienced thick poverty, majestic richness and everything in between. She spoke to GARDY CHACHA

She sits in a modern office perched on the sixth floor at her company’s headquarters in Upper Hill. Through her graceful walk and a mane-like coif that trail blazes in swooshing wind as she leaps forward, the aroma of accomplishment oozes around Magdalena Mwende; a woman who has experienced thick poverty, majestic richness and everything in between.

“I grew up in a nondescript village in Makueni as a young girl. I fetched water and firewood, walked barefoot to school and spent my Saturday in the farm. In the afternoon, I would go to church to sweep in preparation for next day’s service. I would spend my Sunday afternoon seated under a tree reading for it was not certain that kerosene would be available for use when darkness set in,” she says.

Ordinary Kenyan

Magdalena, has a lot of inspiration obscured in the confines of her life. She isn’t any of the famous faces on TV, billboards and mainstream print. An ordinary Kenyan woman indeed, but whose journey through life would make an interesting read. Currently the head of business transformation at Bamburi East Africa, Magdalena stands tall above many in several aspects.

“I joined Bamburi Cement in 2006 and up to now, I have experienced huge transformation growing through senior management dockets. The position I hold is new. I am proud of myself for surmounting barriers that hold many women back,” she says with a wry smile.

Magdalena’s star began ascending skyward when she was still a young girl; at a nondescript primary school in the dusty plains of Ukambani in Kyamatheka Village.

She says: “Growing up in the village was not easy. The scorching sun, the arid terrain and deranging poverty — the odds were almost insurmountable. Back then, I wasn’t acquainted to affluence but I was aware of my despicable situation. I wanted a better life. The most rife advice was education being paramount in any quest to achieve success and I vowed to pursue it to the end.”

A dream had hatched in her loins and from it, a woman of substance began awakening from within the shadows of dystopia. Magdalena avoided ineptitude and arduously transformed herself into her class’ best performer.

“With no idea where school fees would come from, there was little hope to ever make it out of the rut. But I was determined to make it,” she quips.

“To remove myself from that state, I had to extremely work hard and stop at nothing to achieve excellence.”

Lady engineer

After she did her primary certificate exams, Magdalena had cast the die of good fortune — emerging among best performing pupils, thereby acquiring a slot at the much-fancied Precious Blood Girls’ High School Kilungu for her A-levels. Even at Precious Blood, Magdalena continued her streak of excellence: She absorbed knowledge like a sponge.

After the national exams, she secured a slot at Moi University to study for a degree in Civil and Structural Engineering.  She became the first woman to undertake the degree in the university and the only woman in her classroom to have attempted neutralising a brutal display of machismo in that class.

As it has been, most infrastructural designs are male in the country; she would strive to bring a female touch to it. Magdalena explains that she was drawn to the career in search of a challenge, self-expression, achievement and personal reward.

“Excellence was not a choice but a natural transition, which landed me admission at the university. Despite the discouragement by many people, I decided to soldier on. As the only lady taking civil engineering, it became my motivation to excel,” she says.

Between 2002 and 2005, Magdalena worked for various companies; in engineering, horticulture and private electricity firms. In 2006, she joined Bamburi Cement where essence of real success donned on her; acquiring a different perspective about life and academics. She realised that “academic qualifications only are not enough to make someone a leader in their field of choice.”

As a result, she reignited her quest to peak expectations and joined an intensive management programme in South Africa then later in the United States.

Only recently, Magdalena became an Alumnus of the Insead Business School — a revered global institution in the world of business and management. Back at home, she is also an agricultural proprietor at a 60-acre farmland in Lokichogio, where she isn’t only producing for the international markets, but has also provided employment to several women.

Mentors young girls

Indeed she has a knack for business.

“At the farm I have more than 100 goats on top of growing onions, French beans, and hoho (capsicum) for local and export markets. I joined agriculture because I am a jack of all trades; when I see a window of opportunity, I utilise it.”

In her free time, Magdalena visits high schools to mentor and offer advice to students. This far she has made it seems like a miracle, but Magdalena’s peak years, she says, are yet to come.

In the meantime, the go-getter is confidently settling into her new role at Bamburi East Africa.

“In 2006, I was on an exploration of careers since I believe I am capable of handling a lot of things; it got me into the world of health, safety, ecology and now business transformation. Next time you meet me, I might have scaled even greater heights,” she concludes.

Her advice to young women, “There is enough space for everyone who wants to enter the house of success. However, it’s not an instant shower system: it is the sum of right steps made in life and you can begin yours today.”