The four were chosen from 250,000 nominations for the ‘Moment to
Shine’ campaign, as it has been labelled by the London 2012 Organising
Committee.
The Kenyans were nominated by Samsung, who are one of the official sponsors of the event.
They will join close to 80,000 torchbearers chosen from around the
world to carry the lit golden torches for one hour, from one London town
to another.
The Kenyan group will all be bearing the symbolic torches on July 1;
Evans, Cecilia and Asunta in Solihull, while Abbas will bear the torch
in Evesham.
“We were chosen because of the community work we do,” Cecilia told
Capital Lifestyle, elated at being among those who will make history.
“I was selected as an anti-jigger campaign ambassador. It’s a
milestone for Ahadi Kenya Trust. It’s also a moment for Kenyan people to
shine and for the world to know our story,” she said. “It came as a
surprise.”
“We will also have a reception dinner afterwards,” says Evans, who
will be rubbing shoulders with iconic Senegalese musician Youssou Ndour
who is bearing the torch in Alcester on July 1.
“I feel proud and happy to be selected. It shows that people believe
in and are inspired by my work,” Evans added. “Samsung wanted people who
can inspire others and people whose work is widely known to make a
positive impact.”
Evans came into the limelight after being feted as a CNN hero in
2012, for founding a company that makes solar lanterns for masses in
Kenyan rural areas that cannot afford lighting at home. In doing so he
was hoping to also improve the health of the impoverished minorities,
who often get eye ailments because of using smoky uncovered kerosene
lamps.
Former Miss World Kenya Cecilia on her part is well known as a
crusader against jiggers, which are especially rampant in Central Kenya.
Abbas Gullet recently led the Kenya Red Cross Society in staving off a
horrific famine in the Horn of Africa region, and Asunta is the
Executive Director of KENWA, known as the first Kenyan to openly say she
is HIV positive and campaign against infections and related stigma.
The London 2012 website says the nominations were received between
May and June last year and successful nominees notified this month.
The over 80,000 torchbearers, including a 100-year-old woman, will carry the flaming torch in a relay that starts on May 19 and ends on July 27.
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