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“Do things not because they are easy, but because they are the right thing to do."
Who are you and what is your mission?
My Name is James Mwenda, I have been a caretaker of the Last Two Known Northern White Rhinos,
and through watching these animals every day on their verge of extinction has inspired me, and my
mission now remains to shed light on the plight of our planet and help people understand how and
why we need to do all we can.
I have taken a leap to start a travel company to help reach many more people and inspire them to take care of our planet by reinventing travel to be more mindful of its impact and how we can continue understanding our diverse planet.
How did you get started and what were the obstacles you had to overcome?
My conservation journey started when I was young, because of the numerous human-wildlife conflicts with elephants in my village I wanted to study in school, but I was unfortunate to afford school fees, so I had to work on hard jobs to survive.
I later secured my position in the famous Olpejeta Conservancy and I had to struggle with all the challenges of being on the frontlines of conservation. From patrolling on the field monitoring the rhinos that came along with challenges of attacks by wild animals attack, to responding to poaching incidents, witnessing Sudan the last male die in my hands and rescuing injured and abandoned baby rhinos and other widlife.
What advice would you give to somebody who is just getting started on their own mission/journey?
There is so much potential we hold to becoming the best versions of ourselves. It might take time to achieve all we want but we should have the grip to hold on and pursue it in all endeavors.
If your mission and journey are vital and they mean the world to you as well as to others and our planet then it's worth fighting for it.
What are the three most important lessons you've learned in life and on your journey so far?
I have learned that life is transitional, we should work hard to maintain it as we traverse it
daily and try our level best to bequirth it to the future generations.
I have learned that commitment and sacrifice to a cause greater than oneself is the greatest
achievement in life. Some sacrifices we do today especially for our planet we might never
reap anything from them, but it's ok. As beyond there is a great reward in knowing that we
did all we could without glorifying our pride.
And I have learned that in anything you do, do it with all your heart. Give your all, your
passion and entire being to that which gives you sleepless nights and that which you can't go
a day without thinking about. There is a blessing in exploring your full potential and
pursuing your passion and gifts.
What do you do when you feel stuck, insecure, or overwhelmed?
I have had a difficult upbringing, and had to face a big chunk of huddles, which taught me that nothing is new on the planet, and when I am in those times I try to live in the moment, work within the confines of my limits and being a christian I have clinged to the hope that God will get me through any overwhelming points in my life.
What are three values you live by?
ENDURANCE
FORGIVENESS
PEACE
What is your definition of freedom? And what do you do to get there?
My definition of freedom is that space where we all get and can choose to do what we ought to do
without constraints, mindful of how to collectively live together, appreciate one another and become
the best versions of ourselves. I work everyday to get there.
All along we humans have fought for freedom, which translates in different forms, but I have realised that at the helm of its achievement, we might end up losing ourselves to it.
Who or what inspires you?
Life inspires me, that moment I wake up and I am breathing. I realise it's an opportunity granted to
me, I end up trying to make the most out of this opportunity and be the best I can.
If you had one wish for the world, what would it be?
I would wish for us to realize the universal mandate and role we have in taking care of our beautiful planet.
A closing sentence.
It takes time to get where we want to be, but there is joy and ultimate fun in unraveling our potential
on the journey of getting to the summit of our better selves.
If you want to know more about James and his mission, here is how you can connect with him:
Instagram: @jemu_mwenda
LinkedIn: Mwenda James