I am so excited that we are finally, finally doing this.
My guest today is someone that I would never have started talking to in the first place if it hadn’t been for something called the Internet and social media. And I know that in today’s environment, there’s so much negative talk surrounding social media and the Internet and all this censorship and licensing and all this talk about the dangers of what the Internet and social media can be. But I feel like there so much good too, because it’s such a joining force.
It’s a way you can meet and connect to new people just like I did. I did not know her, she didn’t know me, but I somehow gathered the courage and slid into her DMS because I had been following her for some time and I was really impressed by the work she’s doing with her organisation.
I sent my first message and it said,
“Keep doing what you’re doing. You are a big inspiration and, you know, keep opening doors for these children and for the African child”
I’m so passionate about children, as all of you know. But anyway, my first guest today is Esther Kalenzi. And I cannot wait for you guys to listen to this interview and listen to what she has to say. She’s a really impressive young woman. So… let’s get into it
Listen to the audio version of this interview here…
Conversations With Esther Kalenzi:
TheC256: You know… I feel like I know you. I feel like I know you a little better than how I used to know you before. But there may be someone reading this that has no idea who you are. So if you are to describe yourself, introduce yourself to us, introduce yourself to my audience. Who is Esther?
Esther Kalenzi: Is it just me who finds the question, “Who are you?” more complicated than it actually is? What can I say? I would describe myself as an introvert who likes to be around people. But at the same time, I really, really like my space. So I guess it really depends on the circumstances. I’m a lover of tea bordering on addiction. I love stories. I love to tell them. I love to listen to them. I tend to exaggerate when I’m telling them.
So if in this interview you hear me saying something like 650 just know that means like 5.
I guess I’m better known as the team leader and founder of 40 Days over 40 Smiles Foundation, which is a non-profit organisation that supports underprivileged children through literacy and fun learning activities to improve their learning outcomes. I am also an entrepreneur and I co-run a business called House of Penda, which is an online accessory store, along with a friend of mine called Gloria. Yeah…I guess that’s about it.
TheC256: You know, you’re completely right, that question, “Who are you or describe yourself” I don’t know, it just brings me up short and I’m like, what am I supposed to say? It’s weird that a lot of us don’t know how to describe who we are. But anyway, I feel like you and me, have so much in common. I love, love, love stories. I love accessories. So I’m obviously going to be checking out your online store.
But, let’s dive a little back into your childhood yeah? What kind of child were you? What were your dreams? Like when you sat down, what did you envision yourself becoming? Is it what you have become today? Like, tell me, what were your dreams?
Esther Kalenzi: Wow, this question takes me way back.
I think when I was around eight, nine; I was really, really into music and really into dance. And I loved to act. I was part of the school choir at my school. Sometimes I acted as a boy, when no boy was willing to take up the role. I was an old man. I was an old woman. Then I tried singing. I don’t even have a good voice, I don’t know what I was doing then, but somehow I was singing and dancing all the traditional dances. So I thought perhaps I had a career in that. I don’t think at the moment I could comprehend that you get paid to do sing and dance.
Then I guess from watching movies, air-hostesses intrigued me, so I thought that’s something I would love to do. But I was also always good at English almost effortlessly, I don’t even want to take credit for it, so I found myself writing and writing well, and so I thought, maybe I’ll be a journalist? And then there’s something I used to do a lot, like I used to argue so much and I was always arguing for the underdog. If I saw someone on the news that had been accused of something, I would be the person saying, “but what if what if he did not do it? What if she was just in the wrong place?” So I remember my mom saying that I was born to be a lawyer. So those are a few of the things that I wanted to do growing up.
TheC256: You know, listening to your own experiences of how you went through these phases throughout your childhood and your teenage years of jumping from one to the other and it’s so similar to what many of us experience in our lives, because for me, I remember there’s a time I wanted to be a nurse, then I wanted to be a doctor and I wanted to be a surgeon doctor. But then I realised that I didn’t like blood and cutting people open and things like that. I was really intrigued by politics and current affairs. And I am a huge history buff. I didn’t even dream small and went straight to the biggest office, I was like, I want to be president.
I remember my grandma asked me, my grandma and my mom asked me what do you want to be? And I was like, well, I want to be president. The old me at this moment looks back at that moment and laughs because I had no idea what it entailed to be a president, to run a country. Then I remember when I reached high school; my dream was to be an architect because I loved technical drawing. I wanted to design buildings. I wanted to beautify my country and set up these incredible structures. But I did not know the amount of math that would be involved in doing that. And I’m horrible at mathematics. I dropped that after I realised how much math was involved. Then I went through a phase where I wanted to be a journalist and then this or that… But I was able to narrow it down to a love I’d carried around for a long time, my love for politics, current affairs and history tied into writing and art. But, I can’t imagine like seeing you dance, it’s just cracking me up. Anyway, let’s go back to the questions.
Explain to us what exactly is 40 days over 40 smiles foundation?
Esther Kalenzi: 40 Days over 40 Smiles Foundation which many people know as 40 over 40, is a non-profit organisation which is based in Uganda. We work with underprivileged children mainly to improve their learning outcomes. So our interventions include reading and writing because we truly believe that literacy is important and it will benefit them way past their childhood. We also use public speaking and encourage them basically to just express themselves better. We also have activities that are meant to tickle their brain so that they can comprehend what’s going on, and not just read or write or cram something for the sake of the exam that you’re going to sit. We try to get them to a place where they can understand what’s happening, acquire some life skills along the way, but also be able to express themselves confidently. There’s a space for everyone because we all learn differently. And what we do is try to harness all of these talents, all of these thoughts, all of these skills so that we can sort of support them to be well-rounded children who have received education in its entirety.
TheC256: Wow! You guys are doing a great job and you’re doing incredible work.
I’m a huge believer in education and literacy. You know that saying “give a child a book and they can conquer the world” I think I have in paraphrased it badly but I like that you think outside education and are equipping them with skills such as public speaking and pushing them to embrace their uniqueness because you don’t only focus on literacy, but like as you said, each child is allowed to express themselves through whatever channel. It could be art. It could be music. It could be dance. You’re teaching these children how to read and write, but you’re also teaching them different life skills along the way. And you’re also teaching them expression.
You’re helping these children become well-rounded human beings and you deserve applause. But what gave you this idea, what birthed this idea in your life? There are so many people in society that need help and need assistance. Why did you narrow it down to children?
Esther Kalenzi: So generally, I had a vague plan of making a difference in my adult life from very early on, and a lot of it, I think I would like to think was inspired by me watching The Oprah Winfrey Show with my mom and getting really emotional when someone’s tuition was paid or a house was bought for a family that was homeless. And I was like I want to do this for someone sometime in the future. The plan was to grow up, make money and then do something like this. So it happening the way it did, I will say, was a complete accident. Then again, God designs things. What happened was that at the time when the idea for 40 over 40 specifically started, I was walking and lent was coming up and I was thinking, what am I going to fast for the 40 days? And then it hit me that I could pick anything. I could say I’m off sugar, I could say I’m off meat, I could say anything, and none of it will feel like sacrifice enough. So I was like, why can’t we do more? Why can’t I do more? I’m just like that. I went to Facebook and opened a page and called it 40 days over 40 smiles because my thought was to make them smile, make those children smile.
I think the choice of children comes very easily for me because I’ve always been drawn to them. I did not grow up with a younger sibling. So every opportunity that I had to be around children, I was really excited. When I go to a party, I would always find myself spending time with the children, laughing at their jokes, being driven nuts by their energy. And this has continued up to date.
“So the thought of knowing that I was lucky enough to be raised in a family where I had parents, not just parents, but parents who loved me and not just loved me, but who were able to take care of me. It’s a great, great privilege and I didn’t do anything to deserve it. In the same vein, the children who do not have parents or do not have basic needs did not do anything to deserve it.”
So for me, it was easy. It was an easy choice, really. I wanted to make a difference for these children because I knew what it was like to have and could not imagine what they were going through, not having families or not having that childhood that everyone deserves.
TheC256: It’s funny how inspiration can literally come from anywhere. It could be in a book. It could be whatever you’re seeing outside in your neighbourhood. It could be something you watch on TV. It could be something you hear on radio and in podcast. It could be a small video that you’ve seen on YouTube. Inspiration is out there. I realize from listening to you that you were also aware you were awake.
Because a lot of the times we walk through life and life hits us with these bombs of inspiration and, and ideas everywhere. And we are closed, we are closed off to the information out there, to our own feelings and thoughts and ideas. And I think it’s important that we stay aware and stay mindful so that when God blesses us with an idea or we see inspirations and we were able to see it and see it for what it is and be like, this is what this is. This is what needs to be done. Maybe this is where I can step in and this is what I can do. I’m not saying you walk around with your head in the air saying, oh; I’m waiting for signals from heaven.
No, all I’m saying is just be aware, be present in each moment, in every moment of your life, every day. Just be present, be fully awake and aware of what’s going on around you.
“It’s OK to watch something. It’s OK to read something and simply just to be entertained. But later on, it’s also allowed, you’re also allowed to reflect back on that thing, what did it teach you? What did you learn from it? What can you apply to your life or apply to the lives of people around you? Because at the end of the day, movies, books, all these things, all these forms of entertainment, are created to entertain us. But at their core is a message.”
You know what else I love? I love that you are aware of your own privilege.
TheC256: Your organisation is described as a Kampala based, independent youth led charity organisation, and what potential is it that you saw in your fellow youth around you?
What gave you the kind of courage to say, I am going to do this, I am ready to stand in my light and pull my fellow youth along with me and bring them along with me on this journey to make a difference in children’s lives? Youth are not easy like what gave you the courage to feel like you could influence your fellow youth?
Esther Kalenzi: I’m laughing because very soon I will not be qualifying for youth. So I think we shall have to edit what we define ourselves although in this country youths are 40 years old.
What happened was at the beginning; I wasn’t really planning something big in my mind.
The person I believed in the most was myself. I was like; I’ll do it no matter what. If I don’t get the resources that I anticipate, then maybe I’ll do something smaller. And I still invited people all the same. So the courage, I guess, was because I thought this would be a lovely opportunity for us to give back. At the time, I had just recently finished university, doing my first job. Most of my friends were in the same category. Others did not have jobs. And so it was a way for us to bond. It was a way for us to come together to create a change. But also all of us were really privileged. We had all at least had a certain level of education. We were literate and I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity for us to give back to others who did not have the same opportunities that we did. You know what they say, if you want to go far, go together.
So I needed to have people by my side. By then it was just an open invitation. What happened is that the people who really bought into the idea, the people who put their hearts, the people who are passionate about the work, are the ones who stayed on to make the 40/40 team. Some of them are still there and support us in different capacities. Others moved on to other things. But at that time, their presence meant everything. And those humble beginnings and their support are the reason that 40/40 is where it is today.
TheC256: I love how your own sense of self was your source of courage. Like, that’s so cool. I’ve always struggled with confidence and self-esteem and things like that, so I really admire that in others. Your own sense of self, knowing who you are and knowing why you wanted to do this, your compassion, your passionate drive to create change for these children, plus having a stable, supportive system around you all played a part in the birth and growth of this.
I was reading about your organisation and it says you seek to be the change you want in society, so have you seen that come true? Has that come true for you?
Esther Kalenzi: The short answer to that is yes. We all have big dreams about the impact that we want to make, possibly in our lives, the lives of those we love, our country, our world. And I think for me, a major realisation for me is that it doesn’t have to be 45 million people every day or one billion people. You don’t even have to have 50. It can be just the one person.
I think we have been the change we want to see in society in the following ways:
One, we have been the change by being accountable. From inception 40/40 has accounted for that one thousand shillings or five thousand shillings that ten thousand or ten million shillings. And we have continue to do that seamlessly through the past eight years, which is something that I don’t take for granted and something that we seek to get from our leaders in different spheres and often don’t. So I’m proud that we’ve been able to put that change in that respect. But also a huge component is to not just sit quietly and do nothing. If I say Kampala city is dirty and then when I’m walking, I eat chocolate and throw that wrapper or I buy a newspaper and then just dump it or a bottle of Coca Cola or whatever, then I’m part of the problem.
“So if the change I want to see is a cleaner city, then I need to contribute in not having a dirty city by doing my part. And that’s what 40/40 has done. We realize that we are not billionaires. We realize that we might not have the biggest positions of power, but in our very small ways, there’s something that we can contribute.”
So the volunteers, the supporters, everyone that has played their part by contributing finances, by contributing skills, by contributing time. And this is for a better world, for their children, for the generation that’s coming, so that they find the world better. So I would say that those are the ways in which we have been the change. And yeah, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
TheC256: That is the most important takeaway from this. Like you’ve given us so much wisdom, Esther. You’ve given us so much wisdom in your answers. But that’s it for me.
This is it: that it doesn’t have to be 45 million people. It could be one person. You could make a change in one person’s life. And that is just as important as someone who’s impacting thousands of lives because each life is valuable in its own way. Take away number two; it is not enough to just pretend and post about something online and post memes and quotes and then in your actual actionable life, you’re not doing anything. Your actions have to back up your words.
Esther has given us so much knowledge and wisdom in this interview. Her words are priceless. I genuinely hope that you go back and listen to this interview twice and share it with your friends, with your family. We’re going to be back with a part two soon, with fun, light, fluffy questions.
Keep hanging onto hope,
_Naks.
