Kijana is fortunate to have a talented and energetic local team. One of our most valuable long-term team members is our multi-talented architect and project contractor, Mr. Jeremiah Awori. Mr. Awori is an example of the unique grass-roots connections that Kijana President James P. Cummings has developed over decades and the human impact of our small-scale investments. We discovered Mr. Awori in 2009, when he was teaching at Mwituha, the school we built in partnership with the local Mwituha community. Mr. Awori, a trained architect, had been jobless for close to a decade, prior to teaching at Mwituha. He had been living and farming at his home. The restoration of Mwituha, opened up several local teaching positions. He obtained one of these and during a visit to the community in 2009, James Cummings and Kijana Vice-President, Bruce Huber met Mr. Awori. A connection was immediately developed as Bruce Huber and Jeremiah Awori collaborated to design the Mwituha Library/Amphitheater, which we then proceeded to build. Mr. Awori additionally served as the chief architect and contractor for the library and amphitheater we built at Lwanda, in Nyanza Province (2014-2015).
Our joint global effort is evident in our new Kijana Global Innovation School as Bruce Huber created the overall design of the site plan and Jeremiah Awori has again served as our local architect and contractor. Jeremiah’s knowledge of construction, and design and his ability to implement the relatively unique designs of Bruce Huber make for a powerful inter-global team.
The construction and development of Mwituha has provided for human and economic progress in multitudes of ways, many of which we do not exactly know. Jeremiah Awori is one example of a highly talented individual, who through Kijana’s local investments and explorations, has found avenues for personal development. After some years at Mwituha, Mr. Awori obtained a position at a local polytechnic school, where he now also serves as Principal. After visiting Florida in the spring of 2019, as a Kijana Global Ambassador, and visiting local schools, including a tech school in South Florida, he applied for a grant from his county and was awarded $30,000 worth of tech machinery. Mr. Awori, a local Renaissance Man (architect, farmer, teacher) is now in a highly stable position and sharing his skills and talents with others, multiplying the impact.
Our Kijana Global Innovation School, incorporates a one-of-a-kind design. Jeremiah Awori is the key person on the ground, who has made this happen. It will be a significant legacy. We anticipate much more work in the future. Jeremiah Awori and KIjana have only just begun.