We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Meshack Momanyi a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Meshack thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Who is your hero and why? What lessons have you learned from them and how have they influenced your journey?
My hero is called Gift Kyansimire. He’s my hero because of how he thinks and makes a living. The lessons that i have learned from him are discipline, self acceptance, money is a tool, simplicity in life etc.. these characteristics have been able to shape me. Well, they continue to shape me in to being a good person. Through him i have been able to find my niche.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is meshack momanyi AKA inchu. A young human living in Nairobi, kenya. A lover of music and being lazy. I’m a creator who works closely with underground creatives to help them sharpen their craft. I have recently started working with bus (matatu) drivers and touts(makanga) to help them with financial literacy, in the midst of that i got a chance to start interviews to shed light on how matatus are made and the challenges they face. Matatus are local busses used for transportation here in kenya. I’m most proud for the love and support that i get from people around me.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I hosted an event on the streets, and I faced more challenges than ever before. First, the speakers malfunctioned halfway through the event, forcing me to source another sound system. Then, the power generator stopped working, which required us to fix it during the performance—a process that took about one to two hours. However, the biggest challenge arose when a gang known as the “Black Army” started demanding money simply because we were hosting the event there.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My goal is to see that the nganya(matatu) industry is monetized for creatives to be able to make a living.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Pixels by managu. Shel mutei. Heels and wheels africa. Pride of embakasi. Dj cst. Afri kat.