Janet Mbugua, a former primetime news anchor, spoke exclusively to a local publication about her experience as the only Kenyan selected to present on the Global Goalkeepers Stage, a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation event that took place between September 20 and 21, 2022.
Given that she attended the same event five years earlier as an audience member, Janet has stated that it was an honor to moderate a session on women’s economic empowerment.
“It was a powerful, impactful session and left me really empowered to lead where I can, however I can, with what I have. The combination of world renowned leaders, global speakers and activists and the fact that we were all essentially equals in that room, allowed me to view leadership and advocacy differently. It something that I still love about goalkeepers – it is advocacy oriented combined with meticulous production,” Janet said.
“I also envisioned being able to speak during a session there, because as a professional I believe in aiming high with regards to your skill set. So to be a speaker and to have grown our advocacy at Inua Dada, is both serendipitous and empowering, and I truly thank God for the opportunity and thank the Goalkeepers team for considering and working with me.” Janet said.
When asked by the local publication what influence this session moderating had on her own nongovernmental work with Inua Dada, Janet responded that the chance to network and utilize a skill set was helpful.
“ For Inua Dada, just as it did five years ago, inspires you to think differently about advocacy and impact and we’re already creating conversations and tweaking our programmes to have more scalability and sustainability. Right now, my goals are to use existing platforms to amplify messaging connected to changing narratives and empowering people and continue growing networks to tirelessly address the myriad of social justice issues,” she said.
“Also, by using storytelling and media to mainstream these issues because that is what can largely leads to policy change and implementation. Thank you Melinda French Gates and the Goalkeepers team for this incredible opportunity,” she added.
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Among other well-known international figures present at the event were Bill and Melinda Gates, Malala Yousafzai, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and an advocate for education, and Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
