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piqer for: Global finds
Ciku Kimeria is a Kenyan author "Of goats and poisoned oranges" - (https://www.amazon.com/goats-poisoned-oranges-Ciku-Kimeria-ebook/dp/B00HBBWPI6), development consultant, adventurer and travel blogger (www.thekenyanexplorer.com). She writes both fiction and non-fiction focusing on African stories that need telling. She has worked on diverse pieces for various international and local publications including Quartz, Ozy, The East African etc. She has travelled to 45 countries – 16 of them in Africa. 153 countries to go and 63 territories!
"Of goats and poisoned oranges" has been extremely well received in Kenya and beyond. It tells the story of a Kenyan middle aged power couple and their complicated marriage. The novel explores issues of greed, revenge, betrayal and murder. It runs from the 1960s to 2013. It has been described as “Wicked, funny, poignant, wacky, human, a big ball of fun and danger”, “A unique and captivating book”, “Fun and intriguing”, “Impossible to put down once you start reading.”
She recently moved to Dakar, Senegal from Kenya to work on her second novel. She also works at as the Africa Communication Manager at a leading global strategy consulting firm.
She holds a B.S. in Management Science from MIT with minors in Urban Planning and International development studies.
A Female Taxi Driver In The Democratic Republic Of Congo: Thriving In A Man's World
This heart-warming SIX minute video clip and the story alongside it are bound to put a smile on the reader's face. Much is currently discussed about shattering the glass ceiling for women in many sectors, but we sometimes forget just how many professions are still considered "man's work". Even starting off in such work is considered revolutionary given how much resistance (physical, social, structural) there is to women working in these fields. Whether it's Cambodia's female construction workers, Bolivia's female miners or this particular Congolose taxi driver in the story – women are continuously breaking barriers on what women are allowed to do or "supposed to do".
Maguy is a Congolese woman who decided to become a taxi driver in Kinshasa to support her family. Her supportive husband, who is a mechanic, taught her how to drive. Given she had the right people skills, it was decided that she would be the better taxi driver of the two. Off she ventured into a domain in which women are not involved, and she is succeeding in her own right. Her unique costumes, a homage to the Sapeur movement (The Society of Elegant Persons of the Congo), make her a novelty on the streets.
The story of her determination and strength to survive in a job that is not receptive to women is a heart-warming one. It reminds us of just how much is needed to achieve gender equality for a woman in 2017, when becoming a taxi driver in Kinshasa is revolutionary.
