Susan Mwangi

Muungano & History documentation team

From: Kahawa Soweto, Nairobi

Interview date & place: 6 May 2016, Nairobi

Interviewed by: Kate Lines

Original language: English

How did you first get involved in Muungano?

At first when I got into Muungano, it was through my mum. There was this upgrading going on in our village Kahawa Soweto, and so people were being recruited to build, to carry the material, to be the security and my sisters were acting as security guard and also the construction, and I used to assisted them. So I became interested in Muungano. Later on I joined Muungano in my mum's group, and that's how I interacted with Muungano. And then later on I became an intern at Muungano, a field officer in Mukuru. I was mobilising, training people on savings, and then doing appraisals for the loans.

What have you learned documenting the history of Muungano?

It is motivating, because some parts are – I think it's really blood boiling and you get the motivation from that. Maybe I can say from Emmy, I can get the motivation to go to our village and do something. She was the one that made the biggest impression.

Being united is the key. Being together. And women have got power. Women can join hands and do something big.

What are your hopes for Muungano’s next 20 years?

What I want from Muungano is to see each and every settlement to be upgraded and also to involve all the youth, because we are the future generation. I want to see the youths empowered, to see the youths employed and also engaged. There was this project of NYS for the youths in other settlements. I want to see that in my settlement. You know, if they are in the NYS and they are doing clean ups for the village, they are busy. Crime lowers. And they are engaged so their minds will be jogging.

In the next 20 years I want to see myself sitting in the SDI, UN meetings, Rockefeller, and standing for the youth, representing the youth. I won't be a youth, yes. But I'll be doing something for the youths.