I have had three employers so far and somehow, each has been uniquely timely in the way my life as a caregiver has taken shape.
Employer 1: McKinsey & Co, Nairobi office - when I needed to define my passion and move to the healthcare space
McKinsey & Company played a critical role in supporting me along my journey in transitioning to a public health enthusiast especially given my non-medical academic background. No other employer in Kenya in my mind would have given me the flexibility to make such a shift. It is at McKinsey & Company that I met the engagement manager that took a chance on me and staffed me on my first healthcare project, dedicatedly mentoring me throughout the process. It is still here that I spent time drafting proposals for potential healthcare projects, some of which were won. It is also through McKinsey & Company that I met with incredibly passionate healthcare clients I remain in constant touch with to date. It is at McKinsey & Co that I also met incredibly caring colleagues.Two memories (out of many) of support that stood out for me:
- On this day, I had to rush my sister to the hospital at 1.00am... as you may know, McK's work life is a bit intense and fast-paced. There are always critical deliverables due. I remember sending that text to say I was going to get to work a little late depending on whatever time I needed to leave hospital and the message I got back was Dolly, you can take the day off if you need to, no need to worry about work. Now the number of times I have received different variations of this message, including the flexibility to work from home, just to monitor my sister's wellbeing melts my heart. First, the space and autonomy to even make this request is one differentiator. I know a few caregivers that lost their jobs because of the number of times they needed to attend to their loved one; or even regular employees living in the fear of requesting their employees for time off. Second (and last), is the open and authentically caring culture created by the teams I worked with that even made it easier to open up about my needs. As with every other workplace, I had a few nasty experiences that deeply scared me and took two years to heal from (plus thanks to point 2 below), but my positive experiences were more than the bad. I am grateful for both, the tough nasty ones showed me life's realities, that indeed I will meet people that just won't care and the positive ones to love harder always.
- Push by my colleagues at one of the training sessions and even back at the home office to seek therapy. Oh goodness I had friends that were ready to take 15mins off their busy schedules, I mean busy, to hold me while I cried in one of the office call rooms. The burn out and compassion fatigue got too real that therapy was needed. On my own accord, I would never have considered therapy but a colleague here shared her experience, another there insisted why it was important, another prayed with me and preached and yet another gave me a contact for a therapist. I can't begin to explain the value of therapy but the Dolly you see today, is the woman she is because 2018 revived a part of her that was a little dead from depression.
On caregiving grounds, I continue to be grateful that my first employer, at a time I needed it the most was McKinsey!
Employer 2: Financing Alliance for Health (FAH) - when I needed more flexibility and deeper understanding of the healthcare ecosystem
I started at FAH on 8th Jan 2020... I was on break from the high pressure McK life hahaha... My objective was to crack the healthcare ecosystem in 6 months. Understand who's who and who does what in a moderately paced environment. I got my aha moments in the journey to shaping my vision for The African Caregiver Initiative (TACI), an initiative I started in 2019 to address the gaps I had observed and experienced as a family/home-based caregiver. I was hoping for a more chill experience and I would be lying if I said that's what I got but it was a heart-filling experience and I left a very content individual having been stretched in very many ways.
One thing I am grateful for beyond the increased understanding of the healthcare ecosystem, is the FLEXIBILITY. My sister started a new role around February 2020 and what FAH afforded me was the flexibility to work from wherever I desired as long as my deliverables were in when due.
[short sidetrack: Every time my sister makes transitions, I love being present for at least a week or two to make sure I observe all she needs and then make plans. For example, when she was admitted to Kenya School of Law, I made plans to drive her to school her first week so I could identify what is needed to make arrangements so that her experience would be as painless as possible. (I was at McK then and I remember working from KSL classes then lol)]
There's not a day I did not drive my sister to work (when I could) and I enjoyed every bit of it. When I needed the joy it brought, FAH made it happen. We would be up and ready in the car by 7am, I'd drop her off between 8-9am depending on the traffic (with a beautiful angel called Benta that would help with the wheelchair transfers), then I'd either drive or safe-boda to my workplace and arrive by 9am. In the afternoons, I'd be off work by 4.30pm and pick her up by 5pm to beat the traffic. It all worked out and was an absolute joy... stressful some days but joyful thanks to having company during those drives.
A distinct memory of support from FAH for me was when my sister was admitted in hospital for two weeks. I was in a team working with two Nigerian doctors then and they frequently followed up on my sisters progress. They did their best to share their expert opinion as well as explain some details to me that I may have misunderstood from the doctors. I remember once Dr. Uju just held me as I cried out my frustrations to her. Most heart-warming though is how the team made it possible that I could work from the hospital and they stood in for me as needed.
FAH is another beautiful blessing that I am super grateful to have experienced; and a team of passionate people I am so humbled to have worked with.
Employer 3: Veneka Partners - when I needed love, joy, networks and deepen healthcare roots (plus COVID-19 delayed school plans)
As at the time of writing this, I was 1 month in...
I think of Veneka as a blessing that literally came looking for me. I was interviewing for a different position when I received their call to have me on the team (no interview - but we'd worked together before). What drew me to Veneka was sheer joy. Joy that comes from within. Joy from a team that genuinely cares and loves. Every time I had a conversation with a Veneka colleague, my heart was fuller, I smiled. It felt like home, it felt familiar. They care, they are genuinely curious about each other, very very transparent and oh my I have never felt so much love for a work environment. I kid you not some of our team calls ended with I love you xx, love you mwah mwah mwah. At a time of COVID-19 when you are somewhat on the brink of virtual fatigue, this means everything to me. It matters that our calls have a good mix of life stories and deliverables. Veneka is teamwork and sacrifice in managing all the different time zones too but I am committed because the culture allows it.
1 month in but there is already a memory... One of the caregivers in our TACI database lost her loved one. She is my sister's very close friends. One of the most selfless humans I have come across why lie. We desired to be with her and so I sent a text to our WhatsApp group excusing myself for the first half of the day. The messages I received back from both of them were as caring as it gets. One I have to post here just so the internet never forgets how kind HUMAN beings can get.
Dolly, I’m so sorry. Death is never easy and it sounds like your friend’s mum had been through a lot. I’m sorry. Please, take your time, take the day. We really don’t have anything urgent on our plates and family comes first. Sending you virtual hugs
When you work in such places, there's no way you don't go over and beyond. There's no way you just don't do everything humanly possible to deliver more than is expected of you. I pray daily that I continue to be value adding to this entity.
I am privileged, immensely privileged and blessed to have had such wonderful employment experiences that matched the stage I was at in my caregiving journey. For that, Dear LORD, I am indebted. I am deeply grateful. I pray that I never take this for granted and I pray that GOD, only YOU, may I live for. These two verses below remain my motivation to work always.
- And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24
- Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. Ecclesiastes 9:10