Julie Gichuru

Julie Gichuru, October 2013

Julie Gathoni Sumira Gichuru is a Kenyan journalist and News Anchor currently working for Royal Media Services as Group Digital Business Manager and Talk Show Host.^[1]

Early life and education

Julie started off her education at St Christophers School in Nairobi and at the age of eight attended the Green Herald in Bangladesh where her father was posted for military training. On returning to Kenya Julie spent a term at Karen C school based in Karen before transferring to Loreto Convent Msongari in Standard Four. In Form 2 Julie convinced her parents to transfer her from the local 8-4-4 system to a GCE boarding school and she joined Imani School in Thika for Form 3 and 4. After this she spent two Semesters at USIU before transferring to UK where she did a one year pre-University Course at Warwick University. Julie then accepted a place at the University of Wales, Cardiff for her Law Degree. Once complete she worked for a year to help finance her Masters degree and completed her Masters in Business Administration at the same University. For a brief period Julie did her pupillage at Hamilton, Harrison & Matthews Advocates in Nairobi before pursuing a different career path in the media.

Career

Julie is a TV Host with East Africa's leading broadcaster Citizen TV. Her prime time news and current affairs show Sunday Live with Julie Gichuru airs weekly at 9pm. Julie is currently working on growing local productions through Arimus Media Limited where she has a number of quality African shows in the works. Julie has just completed series 1 of the Africa Leadership Dialogues, airing on Citizen TV, Monday at 9.50pm.

Julie's career in the media over the past 12 years has seen her work across the fields of broadcast, print and digital media. In 2000–2002 Julie ran a lifetyle magazine called Quest. Moving on to broadcast she worked as a news presenter and hosted a hard hitting radio talk show at Capital FM before moving on to television where she has created and hosted various shows across a number of media houses since then. Julie worked with a team at Citizen TV to conceptualise and host the groundbreaking news show Sunday Live with Julie Gichuru. This pioneer news and current affairs show launched in 2008 at Citizen TV, redefining the style and delivery of news in Kenya. In 2009 Julie conceptualised and hosted Fist to Five for Change, which facilitated reconciliation and healing for victims and perpetrators of post election violence in Kenya. She has also pioneered an impressive number of television shows, from the first Kenyan investigative TV series, The Inside Story, to various current affairs shows including the celebrated post election peace specials Voices of Reason.

Awards

She is the first African woman to receive the Martin Luther King Salute to Greatness for advocacy of non-violence following the 2007 election in Kenya.

She is a Fellow of the Africa Leadership Initiative.

She is a fellow of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.

Julie was declared a Young Lobal Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2010.

She was awarded the Order of the Golden Warrior for her contribution towards nation building by President Mwai Kibaki in 2011.

Julie is a Fellow of the Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Program otherwise known as Tutu's Children.

Julie has been recognised by Forbes Magazine as one of the top 20 Young Power Women in Africa.

Recently Julie was recognised in the WIE list of 60 most influential African women in the world.

Initiatives

Arimus Media is an interactive production group consisting of creatives, developers, digital producers, film producers and directors and crew. They create unique productions of full-fledged features, documentaries, commercials, community service responsibility (CSR) coverage, events, music, plays and soaps and corporate video profiles for various companies and organisations. Website: www.arimusmedia.co.ke

The Great Debaters Contest (GDC) is an initiative of Jamhuri Peace Foundation and the Footprints Africa Foundation that focuses on providing a platform for young people to actively question, deliberate, share information, lobby and contribute in making Africa a better continent to live in. GDC is currently working with over 100 secondary schools in Kenya. The project mainly targets high school students, age 14–18 years. Website: www.greatdebaterscontest.com

The Africa Leadership Dialogues is a pan African television show that engages with leaders in public and private sectors with a view to analysing the state of the African continent and the way forward. Conceptualized and hosted by Julie Gichuru this highly interactive show takes the discussion across the continent through social media where Africans get to share their views.

MIMI collection is an online shopping store that seeks and stocks various styles and trends to suit different needs and preferences. From formal classics and sophisticated clothing, to youthful and trendy looks, MIMI offers great quality merchandise at excellent value. Website: www.mimi.co.ke

Footprints Africa Foundation believes that every human being has potential to shape their desired future. FAF currently supports the Great Debaters Contest & Africa Leadership Dialogues, as well as the Natembea Campaign which takes shoes and healthcare information to children in less advantaged schools. FAF offers several scholarships annually and is in the process of launching several competitions across schools and universities in East Africa. Website: www.footprintafrica.org

Natembea Campaign is a project focused on raising awareness on the importance of footwear and good hygiene practices. Many children in Africa grow up barefoot oblivious of the dangers around them, but with a helping hand we can make a difference. Shoes are essential as they protect the feet from cuts, sores and infections, and they are also important as they provide human dignity. The Natembea Campaign is on a mission to ensure that every child in Africa has access to a decent pair of shoes. Website: www.gismagroup.org

Personal life

Julie is passionate about family, she is married to entrepreneur Anthony Gichuru. They have had 5 children. "Above all we have a responsibility to nurture and grow the younger generation and our primary role is vested in the family unit." Having had five children Julie is also passionate about maternal healthcare and is an ambassador of the AMREF Stand Up for African Mothers campaign which seeks to train over 15,000 midwives across East Africa. Read more here www.standupforafricanmothers.com Julie has also been a UNICEF Ambassador for breast feeding.

References