In March 2026, I celebrated 10 years of continuous membership in Toastmasters International and, in November 2025, achieved my Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) award.
Over the years, I have met incredible people across different ages, religions, races, and nationalities. I have listened to speeches that challenged my thinking, inspired me, and occasionally made me wonder whether I should completely reorganize my life immediately.
My favorite speeches, however, are always the Ice Breakers. There is something special about listening to someone speak for the first time and then watching their transformation months later \- the growth is often remarkable. It reminds me of my own first Ice Breaker speech at Kwanza Kenya Toastmasters Club in June 2016. I was not nervous, did not use notes, although I stood behind the lectern for the entire speech as if it were glued to me for safety purposes. I am happy with my growth since then.
I joined Toastmasters on the recommendation of a colleague who was not a member and still is not. Before then, I had never heard of it, which is why I often say Toastmasters is the world’s best-kept secret. Thanks to ChatGPT and other AI-generated responses about where one can learn confidence and public speaking, the popularity of Toastmasters is growing every year.
In mid-2018, I found myself in an unfamiliar yet most welcome situation. For the first time I wasn’t employed. I had left my job to relocate with my family to another country. One thing that made the transition easier was Toastmasters. Joining a local club immediately gave me community, structure, and a soft landing in a foreign environment. During this period of uncertainty, I found my God-ordained purpose to be a Nutrition and Wellness Coach. Toastmasters gave me the confidence to pursue coaching and the communication tools to support that journey.
Honestly, becoming a DTM was never my original goal. When I first learned about the award, I only knew one DTM \- Dr Rozy Rana. The designation sounded almost mythical and out of reach. Around the transition from the legacy system (now called “vintage”) to Pathways, there was a sense of urgency to complete projects before the deadline or restart under the new system. Many accelerated their speeches and leadership projects to finish in time. I chose to restart instead, and I have no regrets. The growth I experienced through Pathways was worth it.
My first two years were in the legacy system, and I only fully began Pathways toward the end of 2019. Without intentional planning, my first path took much longer than necessary. The second moved significantly faster \- proof that experience is a wonderful teacher and procrastination is a very committed life partner.
Alongside Pathways education, I served in leadership roles across every club I joined: Kwanza Kenya, Dainfern Tigers, Mtandao, and Watabaruku Advanced. I firmly believe that if you want to see change, volunteer to be part of creating it. Within Toastmasters, club and district leadership fuel growth in ways nothing else quite does. Leadership stretches you, humbles you, and occasionally introduces you to the thrilling sport of chasing role players five minutes before a meeting starts.
Though I had already run a youth leadership program in 2017, sponsoring a club still felt like the natural next step because it allowed me to give others the same experience that had shaped me. Together with Emily Owiti of Kisumu Toastmasters Club, we co-sponsored Runda Elite Toastmasters Club, chartered in May 2025, and co-mentored it alongside Carol Kodo of Fasaha Bilingual.
Looking back, I am deeply proud of achieving the DTM award and grateful to everyone who walked the journey with me. My mentorship journey began with Angela Rarieya, DTM, and along the way I benefited from the support, wisdom, and encouragement of many Toastmasters, especially my mentors DTMs Wangu Kamundia (Fasaha Bilingual) and Sarah Adhiambo (Kwanza Kenya).
At no point did the journey feel lonely or frustrating because I always had people to turn to for guidance and encouragement. That support made all the difference.
Someone recently asked this question in a WhatsApp group. My answer remains the same: I am staying to support others, just as others supported me.
Mentorship and handholding make the journey easier, but they also create lasting friendships. I hope to offer the same encouragement to others pursuing growth, whether toward DTM or simply toward becoming more confident communicators and leaders.
Not intentionally. However, I have a DTM project that I feel would make a great impact on the community, thus I will be pursuing it in the next Toastmasters year. If I happen to complete the requirements again, I will celebrate the achievement with just as much joy and pride.
After TEACON, I asked myself why I am still in Toastmasters after 10 years. Then I remembered that I have met people who joined in the 1960s and 1970s, which means I am still practically a toddler in Toastmasters terms.
I may not yet have a perfectly polished answer, but for now, I am here because I enjoy it. I enjoy listening to Ice Breakers, mentoring others, writing speeches that challenge people to think differently, keeping my brain active, and meeting new people.
What’s not to love about that?
Perhaps, with time, I will find more polished words for my “why.” The ‘why’ will add pearls to the answer but I hope to still be here for another decade if it’s God’s will.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\_