Back in 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic hit our shores, at the time many of us me included thought that it was just a flu that would pass just like the rest. How wrong we were, because in a span of a few months, the pandemic caused so much havoc that we almost thought the world was coming to an end.
The resulting lockdowns led to the closure of many businesses which also meant that people lost their jobs and sources of livelihood. This meant a contraction of the economy, productivity losses, as well as social welfare losses. Luckily for us, the government stepped in and provided the Covid-19 injections which finally enabled the country to manage the disease and bring a sense of normalcy.
In 2021, things started going back to normal albeit slowly with the lockdowns being lifted and businesses that had previously been shut down opened up including clubs. However, the global economy was still reeling from the effects of the pandemic which meant that there was lower production and trade. This translated to higher prices for goods and services in the country due to the scarcity of these products.
The election cycle in 2022, did not make things any better as almost everything came to a standstill as people waited with bated breaths to see who would emerge as the President of the republic. August came and we got a new President who has settled in and the economy which had slowed down is starting to pick up. However, there is a lot of anxiety due to the fact that income levels have stagnated while the price of goods and services has continued to rise meaning that some things have become out of reach for the majority.
Despite all this, Kenyans have remained an optimistic lot that things are going to change for the better. As a matter of fact, 82% of the Kenyan population have been termed optimistic as compared to a global average of 67%. This I believe to be a product of our resilient nature which has seen us through tougher times. The general belief is that you can throw anything at a Kenyan and in as much as they might struggle through it, they will definitely come out better for it. It is this fact together with our hardworking nature that has seen Kenyans excel even outside the country.
I believe that part of our resilience and optimism is drawn from the fact that in as much as we hustle hard. We usually take time to rest and rejuvenate, for some, this takes the form of spending time with friends. Some take road trips to different parts of the country, while others me included just take time to bond with nature. I find that there is something about nature that just hits the reset button on people’s lives despite whatever life throws at them leaving them hopeful and rejuvenated.
This is why during the pandemic, you had many people trooping to Ngong Hills to just unwind and enjoy nature. While others would just take random drives to places where they could just relax and let go. This period also saw an uptick in the number of visitors to the Nairobi National Park something which I am meant to understand has continued to date.
In my case, I love to take a healthy dose of Vitamin Sea, just sitting at the beach enjoying the cool breeze as watch the waves does something special to my psyche. Here I am able to just let go of everything and just soak in nature in all its awesomeness leaving me feeling rejuvenated.
To enable people to find their Zen, Safaricom under the Tuinuane initiative has released their 2023 calendar that seeks to connect people to places where they can find peace, hope as well as be rejuvenated.
Check out the calendar here.