Be Inspired by Kenya: Sonal's Story
On 14 February 2016 the adventure of a lifetime will begin as we fly to Nairobi to begin the journey into the heart of the Masai Mara, and towards the opening of the Sekenani Girls' High School on the 20th February.
London, January 26, 2016 (Newswire.com) - It is only a few weeks now until Inspired Escapes exciting trip to Kenya.
On 14 February 2016 the adventure of a lifetime will begin as we fly to Nairobi to begin the journey into the heart of the Masai Mara, and towards the opening of The Sekenani Girls' High School on the 20th February.
"It's helped me to keep my feet on the ground and remain balanced in quite a dog-eat-dog corporate world."
Sonal Kadchha, Senior Commercial Manager - Prudential Africa
In preparation for this exciting adventure I have been speaking to inspired city professional and philanthropist Sonal Kadchha, CEO and founder of Educating The Children (ETC), who has been instrumental in organising the trip. A Cambridge gradate with a first in chemical engineering, Sonal began working in the financial sector upon graduation in 2004, working for several companies before being hired by Prudential plc where she currently works as Senior Commercial Manager for Prudential Africa.
Sonal first visited Kenya in 2008 as part of a charitable trip to the Masai Mara, where she was part of a group fundraising for the Sekenani Primary Boarding School. It was on this trip that she began to feel a great deal of empathy with people living there, and the lack of opportunities the children were given via education. Since then Sonal has travelled to Kenya several times, with her ETC charity becoming a lasting presence in the Masai Mara; building new schools and providing trained teachers from the UK.
Now, eight years after her first visit, Sonal will return to Kenya again to undertake another mission, and wants you to join her in one of the world’s most amazing, and exotic, destinations.
How many times will you have visited Kenya after this trip?
I don't know the exact number but it’s definitely over 10 times.
What is it that made you feel so connected to Kenya in the first place?
I feel connected in many ways: my family heritage, the gratitude of the community, the smiling/happy children, the exotic wildlife, the sunny and temperate climate...
You have roots in Kenya – have you become closer to those roots since your first visit to the country?
Yes I do feel closer to my roots. It makes me feel truly like a global citizen. When I was growing up, my family exposed me heavily to Indian culture, and I felt very Indian. Even when I looked in mirror I saw an Indian girl. Now I feel a lot more connected to the world and consider myself Kenyan, British, Indian- everything.
What can people expect to get from the trip? Do you think it will give people a clearer picture of Kenya, and the world, than your standard safari holiday?
A standard trip to Masai Mara would involve some safari and some stuff on Masai culture- how they live etc., but it’s all very orchestrated. This is real and organic. You actually get to see the students in action and speak to them [as well as] the community, parents etc. outside of a touristy environment. Also [you can] see them celebrating their successes. It’s amazing to be celebrating with them.
Your personal history and the way you have connected with the Masai Mara is very inspiring – do you think others can find inspiration by going on this trip? How?
Yes- by seeing a completely different way of life. Masai teach us so many things; about respecting elders, the importance of community and that we don't need many material positions to be happy. In the West we often live and work to accumulate wealth and then use that as a measure of success and happiness. We buy our own flats, live alone, [and are] busy working and participating in the rat race- a lonely existence! [This] Often leads to illnesses when we can't share life's burden. Life is beautiful when it’s shared with people.
Did you ever expect, prior to your first trip to Kenya, that you’d become so invested in it?
No, I didn't expect to. But I felt that I didn't want to be one of those people who go off and briefly do "philanthropy" more to make themselves feel better, rather than delivering any real long-term impact. I really felt connected to the women- knowing how education can liberate them, as I went through a similar journey myself. I was compelled to help even more due to the horrors I learnt around FGM (female genital mutilation), which was new to me at the time.
How have your travels changed your life since you first made the trip to Kenya?
It’s helped me to keep my feet on the ground and remain balanced in quite a dog-eat-dog corporate world.
You have described ETC’s philosophy as “integration with preservation” – can you briefly explain this?
It means helping the Masai to integrate into modern society whilst helping to preserve the rich and positive parts of its culture. At the moment many Masai can't even vote- they are literally told where to put their thumb print. Also by bringing secondary education to the region [will help] avoid the brightest students leaving for bigger cities etc.
As a person who has travelled to Kenya many times, have you got a message say to people who are interested in coming on the trip? Should they expect anything in particular?
It’s beautiful and unique.
If you are interested in joining Sonal and Inspired Escapes in Kenya check out this link, or read more about her Kenyan adventures here.