Selam & Hello

Health is a human right - and in a pandemic, human rights must continue to be protected and promoted. Irungu Houghton, Kenya Executive Director of Amnesty International joins Up/Root to share his thoughts on how humane policing, good citizenship and community involvement are critical elements for any country to survive a crisis. Irungu has spent his professional career fighting corruption and spea...

History has taught us that during times of global crisis and epidemics - longterm outcomes are worse for women than for men. Data indicates that women make up a majority of essential workers, from health care to markets, and in the midst of lockdowns and school closures - domestic labor and the education of children falls disproportionally on female caretakers. Julie Mwabe, a Gender Advisor in the...

History has taught us that during times of global crisis and epidemics - longterm outcomes are worse for women than for men. Data indicates that women make up a majority of essential workers, from health care to markets, and in the midst of lockdowns and school closures - domestic labor and the education of children falls disproportionally on female caretakers. Julie Mwabe, a Gender Advisor in the...

Dr. Michael Chung is an infectious disease and internal medicine physician with an MD from the University of Chicago and a Masters of Public Health from Harvard University School of Public Health where he also completed his internship and residency. He and his family have lived in Nairobi for 18 years and he is a Professor at and Chair of the Department of Medicine at Aga Kahn University in Nairob...

Dr. Michael Chung is an infectious disease and internal medicine physician with an MD from the University of Chicago and a Masters of Public Health from Harvard University School of Public Health where he also completed his internship and residency. He and his family have lived in Nairobi for 18 years and he is a Professor at and Chair of the Department of Medicine at Aga Kahn University in Nairob...

It is an absolute honor to welcome Freweini Mebrahtu to Up/Root! Freweini is a global leader in menstrual health management and CNN's 2019 Hero of the Year for her work to eliminate the stigma associated with periods and her 15-year campaign to provide women and girls in Ethiopia equitable access to reusable pads. She started Mariam Seba Sanitary Products Factory in Mekelle, Ethiopia in 2005 and h...

It is an absolute honor to welcome Freweini Mebrahtu to Up/Root! Freweini is a global leader in menstrual health management and CNN's 2019 Hero of the Year for her work to eliminate the stigma associated with periods and her 15-year campaign to provide women and girls in Ethiopia equitable access to reusable pads. She started Mariam Seba Sanitary Products Factory in Mekelle, Ethiopia in 2005 and h...

Author and professor Samual Nyanchoga joins Up/Root to talk about why Black History Month still matters, Black historical heroes and how Blackness is a universal civilization. Dr. Nyanchoga is a Dean of Faculty at the Catholic University of East Africa and Fulbright Scholar (Boston College) and is the author of seven books: Author of Aspects of African History, Contemporary Issues in Kenyan Histor...

Author and professor Samual Nyanchoga joins Up/Root to talk about why Black History Month still matters, Black historical heroes and how Blackness is a universal civilization. Dr. Nyanchoga is a Dean of Faculty at the Catholic University of East Africa and Fulbright Scholar (Boston College) and is the author of seven books: Author of Aspects of African History, Contemporary Issues in Kenyan Histor...

In part 2 of our conversation, some of the Too Early for Birds family, Ngartia, Abu, Mercy and Mugambi, talk more about the role gender, language and joy played in creating this three-hour epic story of one of Kenya's native sons and heroes, Tom Mboya. We talk Jay-Z, we cry, we laugh and by the end - they offer us hope for the future and clear direction on how to support the arts and make sure the...

In part 2 of our conversation, some of the Too Early for Birds family, Ngartia, Abu, Mercy and Mugambi, talk more about the role gender, language and joy played in creating this three-hour epic story of one of Kenya's native sons and heroes, Tom Mboya. We talk Jay-Z, we cry, we laugh and by the end - they offer us hope for the future and clear direction on how to support the arts and make sure the...

Tom Mboya is a hero of Kenyan history and in October 2019, the Too Early for Birds storytelling theatre production group told Mboya's story in the "dopest, funkiest ways you can imagine." This is the fifth show they have put on in Nairobi and their performance was so popular they had to add four more shows in November 2019. The Tom Mboya edition was transformative, electric and challenged all of u...

Tom Mboya is a hero of Kenyan history and in October 2019, the Too Early for Birds storytelling theatre production group told Mboya's story in the "dopest, funkiest ways you can imagine." This is the fifth show they have put on in Nairobi and their performance was so popular they had to add four more shows in November 2019. The Tom Mboya edition was transformative, electric and challenged all of u...

Olympic marathon gold-medalist and world record-holder Eliud Kipchoge is a living legend and a global inspiration for his incredible feats of athletic dominance. In October, he became the first person to run a sub-2hour marathon and captured the imagination of an international audience with his endurance, tenacity and brilliant run. Kipchoge shares with Up/Root how he trains, who his heroes are, w...

Olympic marathon gold-medalist and world record-holder Eliud Kipchoge is a living legend and a global inspiration for his incredible feats of athletic dominance. In October, he became the first person to run a sub-2hour marathon and captured the imagination of an international audience with his endurance, tenacity and brilliant run. Kipchoge shares with Up/Root how he trains, who his heroes are, w...

Huwaida, Sam and Jason share how their identities, linked to language, religion and race, have affected their Kenyan and global lives. They answer questions about privilege, gaps that exist between generations and how they respond when someone asks, "are you really Kenyan?" Up/Root is grateful to Trademark Hotel in Village Market that sponsored this live recording on December 11, 2019. Sound recor...

Huwaida, Sam and Jason share how their identities, linked to language, religion and race, have affected their Kenyan and global lives. They answer questions about privilege, gaps that exist between generations and how they respond when someone asks, "are you really Kenyan?" Up/Root is grateful to Trademark Hotel in Village Market that sponsored this live recording on December 11, 2019. Sound recor...

When Dr. Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October, many Ethiopians and Eritreans marked the historic moment with pride and celebration. It was also an opportunity for me to re-visit the shared and intertwined history of the two sister countries with my friend Moges. We talk, laugh and discuss our Eritrean and Ethiopian identities and examine the importan...

When Dr. Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October, many Ethiopians and Eritreans marked the historic moment with pride and celebration. It was also an opportunity for me to re-visit the shared and intertwined history of the two sister countries with my friend Moges. We talk, laugh and discuss our Eritrean and Ethiopian identities and examine the importan...

Stephen Ucembe and Ruth Wacuka grew up in "orphanages" despite having parents. Their story is true of 80-90% of children living in orphanages and children's homes: they have a living parent. Well-meaning and good-intentioned people like you and I keep children's homes and orphanages in business by volunteering there, patronizing them and contributing money and resources to their work, often rather...

Stephen Ucembe and Ruth Wacuka grew up in "orphanages" despite having parents. Their story is true of 80-90% of children living in orphanages and children's homes: they have a living parent. Well-meaning and good-intentioned people like you and I keep children's homes and orphanages in business by volunteering there, patronizing them and contributing money and resources to their work, often rather...

Monica, Aluong and Andrew are South Sudanese nationals and scholarship recipients of the Student Refugee Program from World University Service of Canada. In this episode, they share insights from their past and present lives and hopes for their future - just weeks before beginning their higher education in Canada. And Up/Root was fortunate to talk to Aloung again after she arrives in Canada! She s...

Monica, Aluong and Andrew are South Sudanese nationals and scholarship recipients of the Student Refugee Program from World University Service of Canada. In this episode, they share insights from their past and present lives and hopes for their future - just weeks before beginning their higher education in Canada. And Up/Root was fortunate to talk to Aloung again after she arrives in Canada! She s...

Sippy Chadha is the writer, producer and director of the award-winning film Subira: Kenya's entry to the 2019 Academy Awards. Subira tells the story of a young Muslim woman who is pursuing her dreams, defying tradition and embracing love. Sippy shares with us her journey of taking Subira from being the first Kenyan short film to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008 to a feature-length f...

Sippy Chadha is the writer, producer and director of the award-winning film Subira: Kenya's entry to the 2019 Academy Awards. Subira tells the story of a young Muslim woman who is pursuing her dreams, defying tradition and embracing love. Sippy shares with us her journey of taking Subira from being the first Kenyan short film to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008 to a feature-length f...