“Some friendships don’t just grow with time; they water the roots of movements.”
Today, with full hearts and humble words, we at the Mt. Kenya Network Forum (MKNF) pause to honor someone whose impact cannot be measured by grants, projects, or platforms, but by the quiet strength of love, presence, and unwavering belief. That someone is Gabi Jubran.
From the very beginning of this journey, before the cameras, before the court victories, before the calls for a fossil-free future were echoed on global stages, Gabi was there.
Not just as a mentor, but as a Worried, Loving Brother.
Not just as a supporter, but as someone who believed deeply in us, in the people of Mt. Kenya, and in the vision that we could build something rooted in justice, healing, and joy.
FROM FRIENDSHIP TO FOUNDATION
Our relationship began not with strategies, but with shared stories, laughter, and the tears that come when two people know they’re walking a hard but necessary road. Gabi came into our lives not as a donor or foreign ally, but as family.
When Mt. Kenya Network Forum was still just an idea whispered under trees and discussed on dusty village roads, Gabi offered not only mentorship but trust. He didn’t ask for perfect proposals! he asked how we were doing. He didn’t just fund ideas, he walked with us as we tried, failed, learned, and rose again.
Some people do not just support movements — they become part of their pulse, their courage, and their memory.
STANDING THROUGH THE STORMS
In the difficult moments, when floods tore through communities, when hope felt thin, when systems tried to silence grassroots voices, Gabi showed up.
He stood with us in grief and celebration. He shared his space and heart. He helped mobilize support when no one else was watching. And he did it all not for recognition, but because that is who he is: a soul that leads with integrity, compassion, and fierce solidarity.
The story of the Mt. Kenya Network Forum cannot be told without Gabi’s name in it. It’s not just written in our history; it’s planted in our soil.
HAPPI, HEALING, AND HOLDING ON
Reading his latest reflection from Happi Vol. 13 – Happi in Full Spring Swing, we are reminded once again of the beautiful depth that Gabi brings into every space. His commitment to collective joy, inner peace, and radical healing is not just inspirational, it’s transformational.
As he continues to build spaces for creative resistance, community resilience, and shared abundance through Happi and beyond, we celebrate him not only as a changemaker but as a lighthouse, a steady guide on stormy seas.
OUR PROMISE FORWARD
To Gabi: Asante sana, ndugu. You lifted us from the ground when our feet were tired, and now, we rise, not just because of your help, but because you believed we could.
You gave us more than tools; you gave us courage. You gave us the permission to dream boldly and act bravely. And we will carry that legacy forward, in every seed we plant, every light we install, and every community we empower.
This movement is your reflection. This network is part of your heartbeat.
FROM MT. KENYA NETWORK FORUM FAMILY TO YOURS
FROM MY PEOPLE TO YOUR PEOPLE — THANK YOU, GABI. ALWAYS.
With deep love and in lifelong solidarity,
Stephen Kariuki K.
Founder & Executive Director
Mt. Kenya Network Forum
