He may not be very famous in the country or even at the Lakeside county of Kisumu, but to the thousands that he has touched with his charitable hand, his image will forever remain in their hearts.
Born on July 18, 1931, in a rural village in Porbandar, India, Mandavia Damji lost his parental care at the age of four and was brought up by well-wishers at a children’s home.After completing his education, Damji moved to Uganda from his home country of India to try and make a living for himself as his peers had done.In Uganda, Damji was employed as a Laboratory Assistant in a local cement company in 1950 and also secured another job at the Lugazi Sugar factory in 1955.“During the early years of my employment, I always prayed to God to help me become a useful person on this planet so that I can also help other people the same way I was helped,” says Damji.Damji who is also the proprietor and Managing Director of Lake Printers and Stationers Limited located in Kisumu along Obote road, says he later moved to Kisumu, Kenya around 1956 where he was employed at a local timber yard.
The Lake Printers and Stationers Limited in Kisumu which is owned by Damji. [Photos/ Washington Odhiambo]
“I also worked at Nyanza Printing Limited, National Printing press, Nyanza Bookshop, and finally at the Victoria Printers,” says Damji.
During those days, he intimates that Kisumu had countable kilometers of tarmacked roads, while most buildings were made from wood.
“Transport was predominantly railway from Nairobi via Kisumu to Uganda and water steamers to Homabay, Tanzania, and Uganda,” he said.
Damji concedes to the fact that life has really changed and he still can’t believe that it only cost him Sh50 to acquire his Kenyan citizenship from the immigration department.
He nonetheless states that he used to save from his monthly earnings despite being paid Sh400 monthly.
In 1990 he was able to invest in his own printing premise which employed 20 people during its maiden days. Currently, he has employed at least 60 people.
“Despite being a veteran businessman, I cherish helping people from the little income I get from my business. No one should think that I have so much that I give so that I can have space for more. It is through charity that I am also whom I am today,” says the 86-year-old philanthropist.
The father of six says that he likes to see the less fortunate members of the society live a decent life.
It is in this light that he brings to the fore that he is among the pioneers of the Kisumu’s Child Welfare Society, St John Ambulance and the Lions Club International which are aimed at mitigating the suffering of orphans, street urchins, widows and even victims of disasters.
Damji is also a member of the Board of Governors (BOG) at Mama Ngina Children’s Home which shelters orphans and abandoned children in Kisumu.
In the Hindu Council of Kenya (HCK) Kisumu chapter, the businessman is the secretary and through the charitable spirit in the organization, he has also made sure that Mama Ngina Children Home gets 2,000 shillings daily from the HCK for their upkeep.
“During last year’s (2017) post-election violence that rocked Kisumu city, the HCK also managed to distribute some foodstuffs to families who were hardest hit by the violence,” says Damji.
At Lions High School in Kisumu, the philanthropist was among its pioneers who saw it started in 1981 by the Lions Club Hosts of Kisumu.
The Lions High School Principal Penina Okech says that Damji is always there when the school needs his help and it is due to this fact he has managed to maintain the position of BOG Chairman since 1987.
Other schools that Damji has been serving are Kisumu Boys & Girls, Kisumu Day Secondary, Victoria primary, Joy Land School for the Crippled and M.M. Shah Primary schools.
Owing to his charitable spirit, Kenya’s founding President Jomo Kenyatta awarded him a Presidential recognition for 20 years of distinguished service during the Nyayo era.
Mandavia Damji displays an award he was given by the late President Jomo Kenyatta. [Photo/ Washington Omondi]Retired President Daniel Moi in 1994 awarded him a Head of State Commendation Award for his consistency in helping the citizens.Lohana Mahajan (Indian Community) of East Africa awarded him a gold medal award for being an exemplary community helper and role model to many. Currently, Damji still serves in other dozens of positions in Kisumu among them Rent Restriction Committee, Public Celebrations Committee, Chamber of Commerce, Kisumu Lions Club, Red Cross, Hindu Crematorium and also the Kisumu Business Community among others.In these positions, Damji provides advice and counsel to junior officers.“It is only through love and helping one another that our country will forge forward in unison,” says Damji.As any other man, Damji, who despite being loving, has things that he hates.“I hate people with persistent corrupt minds, thieves, poor timekeepers and people who want to amass lots of wealth in hours using deceptive ways,” explains the businessman.To be successful in life, he says that one needs to maintain high discipline levels, trust in his God and never relent in their quest for greatness no matter what. #jobprofiles