I don’t mean to make my first blog post of 2023 about me, but, guys, this girl here has a degree in urban design and development. I’ve been super syked since I was given the power to read and write on December 21, 2022—such an irony. Never been this prouder, I think that’s the hardest thing I have ever tried to earn so far in my entire life. Check my personal Instagram post for the photo highlights.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cmbb5f0tys_e8sVAfS-C5a39aMs4ZRHu8bAePo0/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

2022 came with a lot of uncertainty, and I spent most of my time trying to figure out what I could do with all this urban knowledge. I came to terms with the fact that no professional body recognizes urban designers, so I won’t be sitting for any professional exams. On the positive side, I get to decide my title, and no one will serve me a notice for using the urban design or urbanist title just after graduation—such a privilege! 😂

So, what next?

I messaged a lot of professionals in the field, and most of them were kind enough to give me insightful knowledge and some even opportunities, which I will forever be grateful for. The little experience I’ve had working has taught me how political urban design and planning are. I even got involved in a Twitter dialogue on who is to blame for the state of Nairobi. One thing was evident: very few built environment professionals venture into advocacy, and that has never cemented the idea of me going full-blown into advocacy design.

Procrastination is often due to a lack of clarity. When we have inspiration for what we want to see happen, we can start rolling up our sleeves. I am eager to apply my new knowledge and skills to positively impact cities and towns. I look forward to using my degree to help shape the built environment and create more liveable and sustainable communities.

I hope this year’s posts instil the idea that we can still have hope for towns and cities in our country and this blog to serve as a collection of inspirations for what Nairobi can become. If you are reading this now and you have any advocacy project under Sustainable Development Goal 11) or anything you’d love us to collaborate on, don’t hesitate to DM me on any of my socials; I reply to DMs real quick. Happy 2023!