Makena Mwiti says she found solace in reaching out to people after losing the father of her child and her sister in close succession. She talks to us about finding her passion.
Makena Mwiti’s towering figure resonates well with her beauty. Her easy-going nature is certainly apparent in the way she interacts with those around her.
During our interview, we find out that despite her remarkable achievements, she has remained humble and approachable in her day-to-day life. When Makena speaks, you feel compelled to listen and pay attention.
It was our first inspiring glimpse of a woman who would become a beacon for change, a tireless and impressive campaigner shining the spotlight on the development and empowerment of women.
“I am a jolly person. I take a lot from my name ‘Makena’ which means a happy person. My dad keeps telling me I was born with a smile on my face,” she says. “Besides that, I like being around people - loving, caring and making a difference in peoples’ lives.”
Makena is currently serving as the Technical Gender Advisor at Trademark East Africa, an East African not-for-profit company, which supports the growth of trade — both regional and international — in the region. Her life has been characterized by intervals of steady growth and despair that have shaped her into who she is today.
“Something happened that changed my life forever. It will always linger on my mind. But no matter how painful it was, it is the beautiful memories that have kept me going and ignited my zeal to reach out to people,” says Makena.
When she was pregnant with her son, Makena together with her son’s father, looked forward to welcome their bundle of joy. However, this was not to be when the cruel hand of death snatched away her son’s father in 1998.
“It is one of those painful events that you wish you could completely erase from your memory, but somehow, you always find yourself talking about. Losing my son’s father before he was born was difficult. It crushed my spirit. The thought of him having to grow up without a father was even more difficult and painful. The plans we had of welcoming him into the world together and see him grow up into a fine young man all came crumbling,” Makenna narrates.
Thankfully, with the support of her parents and siblings, Makena was able to pick up the pieces and emerge strong for the sake of her child.
“They reassured me that everything would be alright. I had to learn how to be a single-mum, prioritize my time and my resources in a way that my son would not lack or feel left out. I became close to God and felt my pain start to slowly diminish,” she says.
That was the balm Makena’s wounded spirit needed. But Makena suffered another setback when she lost her younger sister, Lisa Muthoni Mwiti in 2010 to breast cancer. Again, her strong will prevailed.
“It was very sudden and at the same time difficult for me. As an older sister, you always feel it’s your role to protect your younger siblings and do anything for them. But when their life is all of a sudden cut short, the pain is too much to comprehend,” she says.
These two experiences, according to Makena, have made her stronger, more independent and reflective. She treasures the people in her life much more and never takes things for granted.
Today, she is the woman who has passionately taken up the role of empowering the lives of both men and women across the East Africa region. She says her strong will and God’s grace is what saw her rise in her career.
At Trademark, Makenna works with teams to address the obstacles that both women and men face as they engage in regional trade and integration. She says women are resourceful and will do everything they can to improve their lives and that of their families but face many obstacles when it comes to trade; they lack knowledge of business legislation and because of this are often harassed by officials when they trade across borders.
Born in 1969, Makena is the second of four children. Her father was a trained accountant and has since ventured into business. Her mother worked as a nurse but has since specialized in public health. They are both now retired but remain very active.
“I had a pretty fortunate childhood but most particularly in the sense of a very close-knit happy and nurturing family always being told I could do anything and having a sense, too, that it was important to give back to the community. That’s the way our parents brought us up,” she says.
“I spent my early years of life in Nakuru. I went to school at Lena Moi Primary School before it was renamed Moi Primary School. We relocated to Nairobi when I was ten and this ushered in a totally new experience.”
While the change of environment offered another opportunity for growth, as a family, they had to make the necessary adjustments to ensure their life went on well.
“One of the rules my dad set up is that we had to have dinner as a family, then read the Bible and pray together. That pretty much defined and shaped us into what we have become,” she says.
She continued with her primary schooling at St Austin’s Academy in Nairobi. She then enrolled for her O-levels at Kianda School, which she completed in 1986. She joined Moi Nairobi Girls for her A-levels and cleared in 1988.
Makena went on to join University of Hull in the United Kingdom in 1989 for a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Business Economics. 1995 marked the beginning of her career as a banker.
“I joined ABN AMRO Bank NV as a management trainee. I worked and gained experience from various bank departments. In 1998, I rose to the position of relationship manager and was tasked with the role of managing a portfolio of International non-governmental organizations,” says Makena.
And this is when her passion for development was ignited. In 2001, she moved to Standard Chartered Bank where she held the position of manager institutional banking.
In 2003, Makena took a break from her career to further her studies. She enrolled at the University of Manchester in the UK for a Masters in Development Finance. Upon completion of her studies, she came back home and joined Fina Bank Limited as the Senior Manager- Development Finance from 2004-2005. She then became the Head of SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) at Fina Bank.
“I thought to myself what difference I was making in other people’s lives hence, developed an interest in international development. I felt a calling to change and improve the lives of others,” she offers.
She has worked with other international bodies including the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and World Bank Group. When she was still working for IFC in Washington, DC in 2013, Makena learnt of the job opening at Trademark and decided to send her application.
“The truth is that I was missing home and securing that job would be a perfect opportunity for me to come and make a difference in my home country,” she says.
Sooner than later, the call that she had been longing for finally came in. She had succeeded in getting the job.
Makena joined Trademark in September 2014, where she continues to make a difference in the lives of both men and women.
“It’s about empowering both men and women. We can attest to it that women are becoming a big force to reckon with, especially in cross border trade. They form a large market hence the need to economically empower them,” she says. “Closing gender gaps does not mean that one person’s gain is another’s loss; it is a road towards a future where everybody gains.”
She adds: “Some of our work in this area includes partnering with organizations to increase access to information on customs and border procedures and lobbying institutions for a better trading environment for women. We are also working with numerous women in manufacturing sector organizations to meet export standards and participate effectively in regional and global markets.”
Looking back, Makena purely terms it as a success story that has taken hard work and determination. She has no regrets of leaving the banking sector to do what she loves more.
“In life, we are bound to go through rocky patches, but that shouldn’t be the end of our dreams. You need to believe in yourself, identify your passion and purpose. Take time to enjoy the things you love doing. Open yourself to opportunities. You have exactly what it takes, if not more.”