Margaret Kenyatta's Friend Shares Her Experience Interacting With Obama

Piece by: Harun Momanyi
Lifestyle

Paula Kahumbu is a household name in Kenya. She is known for her wildlife conservation efforts and her fight against poaching through her initiative "Hands Off Our Elephants," a campaign that has been supported by First Lady .

When Obama landed at Kenyatta University just after delivering a speech at the Kasarani Indoor Arena, Paula couldn't resist the unrelenting excitement to meet the most powerful man in the world. However as it dawned on her, Obama is a witty, warm and highly rational person. She and other Civil Society of Kenya members took their time to share their issues with the President.

Paula is an alumni of Bristol University in the UK and the University of Florida. According to her, Paula says that

“Conservationists do crucial work on a shoestring, cut off from the rest of the world.They’re in remote, isolated places, some even risking their lives, with no chance of getting on the international radar screen. Meanwhile, millions of people who care about the catastrophic loss of wildlife and habitats aren’t sure how to help.”

That's why she took on the executive job at , a brainchild of legendary conservationist Richard Leakey, who saw the need to use the internet to champion for ecosystem conservation and fight against poaching. Every year, between 30,000 and 38,000 elephants are poached and at least two or more killed every minute globally.

Here's what she said.

"I am overwhelmed with the positive comments from friends, colleagues and people who don't even know me. THANK YOU ALL!

I've been asked what Obama is really like. Well we had been in the room waiting three hours waiting, talking, networking amongst each other. We were given a 15 minute warning that he was about to arrive, we heard the helicopter, the cheers from students outside and we started counting the seconds. I was extremely nervous, my hands were covered in a cold sweat. The Embassy team created a calm that cannot be explained, 15 minutes passed and it seemed he was not near.

We started talking again, Then, out of the blue he just walked into the room and said Jambo!. We had been told not to stand up. It took every fiber of my body to stay seated, we clapped as he greeted us, and the most powerful man in the world became another human being, a person with concerns, a person interested in our concerns, admittedly a super smart, incredibly articulate, compelling and fun person.

When he called one my colleagues Tom Lalampaa to speak, I knew that my turn would be next. As I listened to Tom, all the words that I had planned to say just evaporated and I suddenly got present to the need to make my tiny little 2 minute intervention matter. How could I make it so personal that he could not ignore the issue. How could I make an ask so compelling that he just had to follow through?

Then it was my turn, he didn't just call me by name, he joked about my arm band, and I giggled. My tension evaporated. As I spoke to him I could could see it and feel his attention. I thought I would be intimidated to the core and lose sight of what I was saying. I thought I'd be paralyzed and lose my voice, or have a fit of coughing... I found myself calm on the inside, though apparently my hands were shaking. Towards the end my voice apparently disappeared, I'm told I became in "awe" of him and that I stopped seeing him as just a human being. Next time I'm advised, just imagine it's your brother Dominic Kahumbu Wanjihia that you are speaking to and you will be fine.

I hope it won't be too far away.

There is no pretending, I didn't sleep well for the previous two days as I thought about what to say. A ton of people helped me to craft my words - to them I am eternally grateful for their patience as I practiced over and over. People think that speaking comes naturally and that you can just "wing it". Maybe for some, for me I need to plan and practice. Still, nothing can really prepare anyone for a meeting with the most powerful man on the world. Obama Inspires me in a away that few others can. He is an endless well of hope, courage and determination in a world of despair, anger and resentment. We are often affected by people who don't care, don't believe, don't want to change things, are too afraid. Some people are just plain nasty and all this negative energy can break our determination down. I have learned to walk away from such people, they don't deserve space or power in my world. I surround myself with positive loving, caring, people who constantly hold me to a higher standard.

Nobody in the world had greater challenges than Barack Obama - and he has been so vilified, attacked, and prevented from succeeding. Yet he comes to Kenya to remind us that we are a great people, and we have discovered that our greatness is still concealed.

Some people said to me "There's nothing he can do for you now, he's an outgoing president" I reminded them "My goal is not to ask him to help me, my aim is to be inspired by him. Obama is just like any one of us Kenyans, and we can all realistically aspire to be like him. That is why he is different to any other world leader today. I can believe much more in myself, and all Kenyans, because of him.

I am eternally grateful to the large team of friends and colleagues helped me to craft my words and patiently listened to me stumbling through them, graciously and lovingly nudging the messages. Thanks also to Tom Lalampaa and Raabia Hawa who sat on either side of me, and Pat Patricia Awori who sat behind me, Resson Kantai Duff and Daudi Sumba who sat to the right. All kept reminding me "you will do fine". When people have confidence in you, it's contagious and I certainly was infected. Thank you all.

With Love

Paula Kahumbu