How kenya changed me
Sometimes the most meaningful journeys begin long before you ever step on a plane.
For my family, that journey began in 2006.
One evening, my wife watched a CNN documentary hosted by Christiane Amanpour titled "Where Have All the Parents Gone?" The hour-long film explored the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS across Africa, and introduced viewers to a remarkable woman named Grandma Beatrice.
To support her family, Grandma Beatrice spent her days collecting discarded plastic bags at Kenya's largest landfill, earning just ten cents for every pound she gathered. Despite those incredibly difficult circumstances, she was raising her four grandchildren after tragedy had reshaped their family. Two of the children required lifesaving HIV/AIDS medication, yet every day she faced the future with remarkable courage, resilience, and unwavering love.
Her story stayed with us.
Long after the documentary ended, we couldn't stop thinking about Grandma Beatrice and her grandchildren.
Rather than simply moving on, my wife decided to find her.
She contacted CNN, determined to learn how we could help. Through that effort, she was able to connect directly with Grandma Beatrice, and in 2007 we began supporting her and her family. What started as a simple act of compassion grew into a relationship that has now spanned nearly two decades.
Over the years, we stayed connected through emails, photographs, and, more recently, WhatsApp. We watched the grandchildren grow from thousands of miles away while sharing in their milestones and everyday lives.
Today, we continue to support Grandma Beatrice and her family directly. One of the people who has helped make that possible is my dear friend Bob Njanja. Whenever we send assistance, Bob personally makes sure it reaches Beatrice and her family.
At the time, I had no idea that my career as a filmmaker would eventually take me to Kenya, or that one day I would walk through Grandma Beatrice's front door.
A Journey I Never Expected
My first trip to Kenya came in 2015 while I was leading video production at Goldman Sachs.
We traveled there to document women entrepreneurs participating in the firm's 10,000 Women initiative and to film at Bridge International Academies. It was an inspiring assignment that introduced me to extraordinary entrepreneurs who were transforming their communities and educators who believed deeply in the power of opportunity through education.
After nearly a decade of knowing Grandma Beatrice from afar, I finally met her in person. Before leaving Kenya, I promised myself that if my work ever brought me back to Kenya (or even close to Kenya) I would always find a way to visit her family. I've kept that promise ever since.
That same trip also introduced me to Bob Njanja. What began as a production partnership became a friendship. We've since filmed together in Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, and Malawi. Earlier this year, Bob managed a five-day production for me in Kenya with a six-person crew. Beyond filmmaking, he has helped my wife and me remain connected to Grandma Beatrice, ensuring our support reaches her family. Today I don't simply think of Bob as one of the finest cinematographers I've worked with, I think of him as family.
Stories That Stay With You
I returned to Kenya in 2016 to continue documenting the 10,000 Women initiative and Bridge International Academies.
One of the entrepreneurs I had the privilege of profiling over those two years was Ciiru Waithaka. I documented her story twice, shared dinner with her family in her home, and months later we were reunited in Washington, D.C., at a Goldman Sachs event where Michelle Obama addressed the audience. Watching footage I had filmed in Kenya shown at that event was one of those unforgettable full-circle moments that reminded me how powerful authentic storytelling can be.
Running: Another Way to Experience Kenya
One of my greatest passions outside of filmmaking is running.
When I first visited Kenya in 2015, Bob introduced me to a local group of young runners. From that point forward, every time I returned to Kenya, I made it a priority to run with them. I had the privilege of training alongside these talented athletes and spending time with their coach, witnessing firsthand the discipline, humility, and joy that have made Kenyan runners legendary around the world.
Before one visit, Runner's Warehouse generously donated running shoes that I was able to bring with me for the athletes. After every run, we gathered for breakfast. Those meals became just as meaningful as the miles we shared. We talked about family, training, work, dreams, life in Kenya, and life in America. Running gave me another way to experience Kenya. Not through a camera lens, but through friendship.
Returning Again and Again
I returned to Kenya in 2016, again in 2017 after filming in Rwanda, and once more in 2024 on my way to a documentary project in Malawi with Two Doors Down Productions.
Each visit meant reconnecting with Bob, running with my friends, sharing breakfast, and, most importantly, spending time with Grandma Beatrice and her family. Watching her grandchildren grow into young adults has been one of the greatest privileges of my life.
Standing there in 2024, I couldn't help but think about the incredible path that had brought us together. A documentary inspired my wife to act. That decision changed our family's life. Years later, documentary filmmaking brought me back to Kenya. Eventually, those two stories became one.
What Kenya Has Given Me
People often ask me what it's like filming around the world. The truth is, I rarely remember productions first. I remember people. I remember Grandma Beatrice's embrace, Bob's unwavering friendship, Ciiru welcoming me into her home, sunrise runs through the Kenyan countryside followed by breakfast around a shared table, and classrooms filled with children whose curiosity reminded me why education matters. Those moments remind me that the greatest gift storytelling has given me isn't the opportunity to travel the world. It's the privilege of building relationships that continue long after the cameras are packed away.
Looking back over four journeys spanning nearly a decade, I realize Kenya has given me far more than beautiful footage. It has given me perspective, lifelong friendships, and another family. It has reminded me that the strongest stories are built on trust, and reinforced something I've believed throughout my career: stories matter. Not because they entertain us or win awards, but because they have the power to move people to action.
One documentary inspired my wife to act, and that single decision changed the lives of a grandmother and her grandchildren. Every time I pick up a camera, I hope the stories we tell have the power to create that same kind of connection, because you never know where a single story might lead.
Sometimes the most powerful stories aren't the ones we tell. They're the ones we choose to live.
Kenya gave me that gift, and for that, I will always be grateful.