Well, I was born in Kibera, a place where you had to be tough to survive and to be respected. I was forced to make myself a leader at the age of 16 when a teacher called me stupid and rebellious. I wasn’t rebellious, I guess I would say I wanted changes. I never liked the way the world was or how people lived. I believed that we would have a change one day. I believed that it was possible and I wanted everyone to know that. I really, with a deep-rooted desire know that the world is going to change. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “be change you want to see in the world” - so I am the change, I represent something that I would love everyone to have and that is the belief and knowing the world could be a better place for everyone.

You were born and raised in Kibera, also known as Kibera Slum (Nairobi, Kenya) where poverty challenges reality for most - What are some of the misunderstandings people hold on (and sometimes over) those who are seen as living in impoverished and vulnerable circumstances?

I would authoritatively say that poverty is a state of mind - and this is exactly what many do not understand about life in Kibera. From my perspective, they have been poisoned to think that we can never get out of this! But I say, yes we will, yes we will overcome these challenges - Yes, it is possible!! I have observed how many women think and girls seem to believe that it is only a man who can move you and improve your status in life. This is a concept, an idea, a thing that I strongly oppose - women must realize that they too have the power to rise up! I am telling the truth when I say - We can be what we want to be!! Sadly, dreaming is sometimes misconstrued to be seen as stupid, as I recall being told at points in my life that I 'over-dream' - it's nothing like that! The thing is, we can always achieve if we are willing to dream, willing to believe those dreams are possible. When I joined secondary school at the Kibera Girls Soccer Academy (KGSA), I hadn't thought about becoming a journalist, though I did dream and I did believe that one day I would represent a bold voice for Kibera.

I come from a place where getting an education is a dream - while in other places children and teenagers are forced to go to school. This knowledge made me want my right to an education, everyone should have an education. But in Kibera getting an education was your problem, you had to seek for knowledge yourself, no one cared if you didn’t go to school, and that made me angry - Is education not a right? You can never fight for a human right when you do not know the meaning of human rights, you need to have facts! We need to improve our brain power, for there are indeed amazing people who can impact our lives, such as MANDELA’S STRUGGLE to end apartheid in South African. I need to feed my mind with their amazing thoughts and quotes to keep me going.

Education has made me different. An education makes you stand out in an argument, amkes you aware of your rights and freedom, and makes way to meet with the world’s most powerful people by reading their stories. I know for a fact that when you are educated no one will step on your foot. Here in Kibera, many people are treated like garbage because they do not have an education, they are not educated to know when someone mistreats them, that is the knowledge of knowing you can step up and you can take the necessary steps. Education is my armor for if it was not for education, I would not know the meaning of human rights and why they are vital in our lives. Seek knowledge, make sure to read and you will become smart enough to realize that we can shape more constructive leadership, circumstancess, situations and status, our futures and our world.

Many of your essays carry a powerful and purposeful prose of empowerment – does this connect with your perspective on global affairs?

When I talk about changing the world,I do so well aware of the state we are in. We are in a state where we are slow to guard and secure human rights, they should always be guarded. We are in an era where women are used in media and music video to attract more viewers, but somehow woman are not suitable to stand in a political rally and lead people, for men will only look at how sexy they are and not her intelligence. An era where only the “attractive” get positions in a company because a boss 'wants' a good-looking staff! An era where leaders make decision without engaging the people, they only think of how much they will use to buy ammunition for destroying other countries - is this the kind of a world we want?! Because I really hate it! If we focus more on killing and being superior then the world will continue to be sick. If Africa is still the poorest country in the world and U.S. is still the super power - what good is it? We need to change the world together! We need a balance. No one is too black - too poor or too white - too rich, we are all human beings and we deserve to be treated with respect - it is our human right!

Yeah, I know for sure that we never had responsible enough leaders to make people respect their neighbors’ and to not turn against each other. I also know that people listen to journalists more than they will listen to a political leader. During the 2007-2008 election crisis, Kenyan journalists only cared about getting news. There was being nothing being mediated in the interests of ensuring that human rights would not be violated. At the time, I had completed my primary level and I was so mad at what I saw on TV. I saw it with my own eyes, journalists fueled the violence and that was not supposed to be the case. And that is when I understood, since we journalists have the power to destroy a country then must also have the power and influence to bring about change and change people's lives. People were reading newspapers headlining “Kenya Burns”, what I wanted was for the media to deliver a headline that read "Rise Up Kenyans - We Cannot Solve this Violence by Killing People and Raping Women!!”

In 2009, we had the opportunity to work together on the Geo-Girls Citizen Journalism Program, at the time you were making strides serving as President of both the student board and the journalism club – what have learned through these leadership roles?

Leading isn’t easy, it takes a lot of will - not the will of your colleagues, not the will of your paycheck. I learnt servant leadership, which is leading as if you are winning an award the next hour. Being a leader is beautiful especially when the opportunity to take on what you have always wanted to change in the world comes your way. Also, listening to people, you never know who a has brilliant idea unless you sit and listen to them. Listening and guiding was the best time during my days in school as a leader - especially when you come out with great results. I hope to be a leader for the rest of my life, It is self-sustaining. Regardless of you status in life, your opinion is worth it and we need it, for everyone has a story to tell to the world.

I have always been against the way the Kenyan/international journalists do their job. I know for a fact that journalists have the power to change, influence and shape people’s perspectives and I feel like they have not done that. If one day the media stops focusing on how to get more money and see how influential they are! If they see that competing with other media houses is not what we want then we will have a sane world. A lot of people depend on TV, RADIO, and NEWPARERS for information and what they get is what they digest! And it sickens me when profit-making is the only agenda when someone starts up a media house in Kenya. Noone has the best interest of Kenyans in his heart! We disseminate information without looking at it closely with a third eye. for if we did, then we would not see journalists destroying lives instead of making them. I asked my teacher why we have a unit called ethics in journalism when I see nothing ethical in the Kenyan context and he said, “ Asha, you are very right but you need to change it, you are the people who will make studying ethics in journalism sensible for I know for a fact that we have issues in media houses, but Asha you can change this”

In many ways you have beat the odds, not poverty, challenges, or obstacles can hold you back – Where does this determination come from?

I would say poverty is a state of mind and you should never let it get to you. I was taught that when I think something will be then it would probably happen. My motivation comes from inside, because I taught myself that I will never live like my parents. I do not want to be someone’s wife, because he is the only one who can help me move out of “poverty”. I want my life to be different and I am working on it, I do know that dreams do come true - I am living it.

I wasn’t born poor! a radio presenter told me I have a beautiful voice and that makes me rich. I write beautifully according to my teacher and that makes me rich and blessed. I have impacted a life that makes me freaking rich and when I defend someone I feel rich. Obstacles are there to stay and if we do not deal with them they we will sink us into the ocean of “I think I cannot overcome” - I have overcome the opinions of people who thought I was a better housewife than a student. Those people who thought I live in a dreamland are my number one motivators. I want to show them that everything is possible if we believe. Your brain has no instruction - we instruct our brains, and I decided to instruct my brain to success! No looking back!