Page 41 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 3

Who is Mary Njoki?
A vanguard and an innovator who goes into
spaces others may not be able to, in order to
become and to open doors for others.

What’s the idea behind the name Glass
House PR?
When I was starting out my focus was on clear
communication and transparency, but I have
come to have a deeper understanding of what
a glass house looks like or should be and so for
me Glass House is a place where God dwells.

I’ve read some of your posts on Facebook
where you called yourself a village girl
that rose to be the CEO of a PR company.
Is that village girl narrative literal or
metaphorical? If it is literal, can you shed
more light on that?
Actually it’s people who wrote articles and called
me the ‘village girl who rose to be a CEO of a
PR company’.
It’s literal, I grew up in a village called Ngarariga
in Limuru; I came to Nairobi when I was an adult.
I know sometimes when people are interacting
with me they tend to notice the village girl in me.
Then, of course, when I quit employment I went
back to the village and that’s where I started the
company, I think that’s why that narrative has
been pushed.
I think it also encourages. For example I went
back to the primary school recently and it was
very interesting and sad as well, to interact with
14 year olds who have no idea maybe what is
happening in Nairobi. I remember asking them a
question, “Does anyone know what IT is?” And
they didn’t know. I thought in Nairobi an 8 or 5
or 6 year old usually knows what IT is, so the
narrative is usually used to encourage people,
especially when you’re coming from a place
where people thought nothing good could come
out of. So that’s why that has been out there.