Meet the Team

Nim Njuguna - PhD

Nim is founder of NECT and also, of Mbaruk Field Studies Centre in Kenya which works in partnership with NECT. In the 1990s Nim started collecting African art and set up a charity, Prehistoric and Tribal Art Forum to promote art from Africa.

Nim has worked at the Wellcome Collection, volunteered at the Handel and Hendrix Museum and at the Micro Museum (Poplar) and is a V&A Champion/volunteer. He has also done research on The African Contribution to the second world war for the RAF Museum. He was a board member of Momentum Arts (Cambridge) for 9 years.

"I am interested in Kenya’s Story in 100 Objects because for me, it will invite people to learn and rediscover the history, and also the legends and stories of each tribe, and weave it into a coherent Kenyan identity that supersedes tribal identity."

Nim and Liz are planning to open an art gallery in Kenya.

Liz Njuguna-Wyatt

Liz has been involved with NECT since its inception. She works in education and enjoys enabling communication.

"I'm engaging with Kenya's Story in 100 Objects because it encourages curiosity and asks questions to discover and delve into what is behind the object we first see or feel. It engages young people in

re-viewing and re-formulating a story by questioning the objects born out of Kenya. I'm excited about its potential to offer a template for young people to explore their own and other heritages in a different way."

Rita Solanke

In her previous Trustee
roles, Rita has worked on capacity building and fund raising for a bike charity and also lead the micro-loan arm of a Ugandan based charity.

Her main areas of interest are female empowerment, reducing child poverty and health initiatives in developing countries.

"I am attracted to the 100 Objects project because it inspires children to develop a curiosity in their surroundings and how they relate to their personal and family histories. This fosters positive bonds across generations and across time. These sentiments endure and are nourishing: we want this for all children."

"This team is the drum beat of of our project."

Poonam Jain

Poonam has been a social worker, trainer and counsellor, and since retiring a few years ago, has been involved with a range of voluntary activities.

"I was attracted to KEN100 project, because understanding objects and their historical and cultural context can give young people a sense of identity and rootedness. This is a great need of our time.

Furthermore, sharing of such understanding across cultural, tribal and national boundaries, can foster a sense of mutual respect and our shared humanity. This too is a great need of our time."

Anesu Bwawa

Anesu works in public policy in London.

"I was keen to get involved in the 100 Objects Project as I’m interested in the telling of African history.

Active engagement and dialogue with our past is crucial to understanding our present and inspiring our future’’

Jordanna Andrews

Jordanna is a designer and sustainability strategist within the Active & Wellness sectors. She is also an Associate Lecturer at the University of the Arts in London.

"I was keen to get involved in the 100 Objects Project as the exploration of the cultural and historical artworks and objects gives greater understanding of the rich, diverse heritage of people and places.

This is ever important, especially for children - to understand their history, and the history of others, ultimately leading to greater connection."