Arriving back home in Kenya this Christmas I was struck with an unexpected message while attending the Ubuntu Christmas/End of the Year Party. That message rang so clearly while celebrating with our team through the scheduling of events throughout the day to the songs so passionately sung to the feast of food to the sermon preached by our matriarch Maker Mum Alice who has been with Ubuntu for over 15 years to the many speeches given by department heads the message was palatable. That message was, “This is no longer my company, it is theirs.” It came unexpectedly, but so warmly that I wasn’t able to fully receive it at the time of the celebration, but upon reflection.
After literally decades of serving in Maai Mahiu and building up this team with incredible leadership like my Co-Founder, Jeremiah, his wife and our Head of Foundation, Mary, Amal my wife and Co-Owner/CCO, Rubie Ruth our Head of Ops and many others, we have hustled so hard while also keeping our heads up long enough to ensure that we are not only building a growing business and foundation, but developing and shepherding a company culture that was able to cultivate in such a way that the company is being taken from off our shoulders and onto our wider teams shoulders. Funny as I write that I realize that our team literally lifted Amal and me upon their shoulders during the celebration. Have you ever been lifted and carried on the shoulders of others? It is a wild, humbling feeling with both a total loss of control and completely exhilerating. Timely that as I write this that is a perfect visual for what I am unpacking through this blog. Ubuntu has been lifted onto the shoulders of our team and with that shared burden also comes a shared responsibility, a shared passion and a shared vision for where we are going.
The word “empowerment’ is surely overused, but I cannot think of a better word to describe what has transferred here. It is a clear exchange or giving of power, a shared love that is now radiating out from not only our leadership, but our entire Ubuntu team. An exciting moment of clarity as we pivot out of one year and head into the next. With that a renewed energy of what 2024 will hold as we walk into it as an emboldened team united as Ubuntu!
ubuntu 