TRICIA - MY STORY

​About me
I am Tricia. I was born in Kibera and I’ve lived here for all my life. It’s an amazing environment. It’s full of challenges, but it’s good. For the moment, I’m doing my course in information studies. Things that have to do with secretary, recordings and all of that. Hopefully in July I’ll graduate, so that will be my first achievement.
I grew up with my family members down in Laini Saba. I have one sister. Most of the time I spent with my cousins which are my age mates.
When I was small, I was a football player, a goalkeeper. Now I’ve grown big, I can’t play football anymore. I’m heavy now.
I like being unique. Socializing is also something I like a lot. So that I can learn from different people and different cultures.
Important people in my life are my mom and my dad. They have been a good inspiration for me up to where I am now. Then, my pastor. He has encouraged me to be a good girl, teaching me a lot. He inspired me both spiritually and personally. And of course, all Kica members. They have become my closest friends. They are like my family, I treasure them.

My talent
I’m an actor. Sometimes I also do poetry. Any kind of acting is good for me. Quite some times I’ve performed as a mom, or like a girl. The girl that gives advice to others. I’ve practiced these roles a lot, because I want to reach perfection. In Kica, we usually practice together. To improve, I watch a lot of movies. I especially like soap operas. There might be a particular character in play that appeals to me. Then I’ll watch how he behaves, how he acts. Through soap operas, I get different ways of acting.
There are many actors I like. Jacky Aphia is probably my favourite. She’s a Nigerian actress. I just love how she expresses herself. When the movie is sad, she plays her sad role. When she’s supposed to be happy, she plays it so well, too. It’s inspiring.
Back in primary school I used to act, but not so much. I didn’t take it seriously. Last year I started acting officially. That was when I joined Kica. I feel like I’ve improved so much since them.
The surrounding inspires me a lot. I see how people face challenges in this slum, and I feel like acting can make a positive change. It’s a way we learn how to change our behaviour.

Achievements
I’ve played in a play called YGP. That time, I was a pastor. The play was about a group of bad boys who would sit there and smoke, and then I came in as the pastor. I gave them lectures on how to behave.
At Shinafest I was mama Sley. That mom that had dropped out of school and didn’t want her daughter to go to school either, because she had seen that school was useless. I was discouraging her, telling her to get married.
In the play of Madame Speaker, I was the speaker. It’s a comic version of parliament. I loved performing. The crowd was so big, but once you are out there, it’s just normal. I would love to perform on big stages again.

Life as an artist
There are a lot of challenges as an actor. For example, when you are given a character that does not fit you very well. You have to adapt to the situation and practice a lot. You really need to push yourself and get to that particular character. Some roles are easier than others. Acting like a mom is still difficult to me, so I need to go on practicing. I like it. What is relatively easy for me is acting like an advisor. One day I’ll be a mom myself, then it will be easier to play this role.  
I started Kica in 2017. A friend of mine introduced me. I used to see her going there every day and I was wondering what it was about. In the beginning I did some arts and crafts, then I joined the actors team.
I want to see myself somewhere. I want to be the best actress. In three years, I see myself far. Having more experience, growing in my career.
Artists are the mirror of the community. What we do is important. I’d like my acting to change the behaviour of the society. Arts has a lot of impact in Kibera. People can do something useful instead of sitting on the street and using drugs.
My biggest dream is to see this slum changing. I would like it to be a good example in this country. We need to be our brother’s keeper. Then everything will change. The environment, the people, …

My message to the community
We should take art seriously. Once we take art seriously, our community will change. There will be employment, and life will be better.