In Dr. James Kisia lives a wealth of experiences that span the globe. His ability to see the world in all its multiplicity began in his childhood. Though he began his education at Mombasa Primary School in the heart of the bustling city, he spent holidays in his countryside home of Makueni.
James may not have known it then, but his budding years in Ukambani brought him into close interaction with rural poverty. He witnessed his mother prepare lunch for children in the family’s surrounding community who may have otherwise gone hungry. Later, he would run into recipients of his mother’s radical kindness and hear testimonials of how the simple act of cooking a meal made a world of difference.
Impact as the Goal
From his mother, who was a teacher and passionate about community health and development, he acquired a sharp moral compass. James learned to discern right from wrong and vividly see the ways he could play a role in alleviating the struggles of the people right next to him. As he grew up, he also saw his father juggle different hats including being a teacher and businessman – a feat born of a staunch belief in hard work.
James absorbed this diligence and achieved a Doctor of Medicine degree from Spartan Health Sciences University in the Caribbean in 1994. As his liberal arts college expanded his mind to new possibilities, he also reflected on the lessons from his parents. Two things were certain – he had to create change in underprivileged people’s lives, and he knew there had to be more than one way to do it.
After becoming a doctor, James returned to Kenya and went on to practice in West Pokot in 2002. But he was tugged towards making an even bigger mark on the world and saw an opportunity to return to education. He studied in over five countries, collecting qualifications such as a Master of Art in Practicing Management from Lancaster University and a Diploma in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Above all, travelling the world only assured him of the common humanity we all share. He discovered that no matter how far he went, people fundamentally sought a good standard of living for themselves and their families – a realisation that catalysed his entrance to the world of humanitarianism.
Becoming a Humanitarian
When he joined Kenya Red Cross in 2005, James worked to support people facing extreme poverty in Mandera. His team had the task of lifting the local community out of a dire situation. Ravaged by drought and living under $1.25 a day, malnourished mothers and children filled the ward that James came across. The community had lost an inconceivable 80-90% of their livestock – an occurrence that only pushed the affected deeper into the clutches of poverty.
James was distraught. He was struck by a deep conviction that the impact he strove to make through school was right in front of him. And he certainly rose to the occasion. Following the devastating scenes he witnessed in North-Eastern Kenya; James threw himself into fundraising efforts. The more he interacted with poverty, the deeper his understanding of its complexity became. At the intersection of systemic forces including politics, economics and geography lay this multi-layered problem that James had made his mission to unravel.
He set about working with his team to mobilise tapped water that would grow food for this community. It was a solution born of the need to restore dignity lost to the desperation caused by poverty. Empowering people to have a hand in their own solutions by providing irrigation systems addressed both the physical and personal effects of poverty.
Many Solutions to One Problem
Keeping the integrity of human beings at the fore, James was part of a team that put another irrigation project in place between 2008 and 2010. With arable soil and a favourable climate, pastoralist communities based around Garissa and Mwingi only needed water to stave off poverty. Irrigation infrastructure led to thriving watermelons, bananas and tomatoes. As a result, beneficiaries raved about their newfound ability to pay school fees and support themselves by selling their harvest.
The incredible shift from extreme poverty to resource generation ensured a lower chance of poverty passing to children and was a marker of the transformative work James championed. Through this work, James has significantly contributed to target 1.5 under SDG 1 by building the resolve of communities to reduce the effects of disasters such as drought when they occur.
Still, he remains committed to being a person full of abundance, seeking to improve the world around him in whatever ways he can. Recognising the complexity of poverty and its links to a wide range of issues including policy, health and the environment, James is an avid tree planter, and advocates for pro-poor policies to cushion the elderly from suffering. He joined the Catholic Medical Mission Board in 2019 where he continues to lead health projects in poverty-stricken communities with poor access to healthcare.
In all this, he is a faithful believer in unlocking the true potential of every individual, and for this, he is one of #OurGoalGetters.
