Award-winning Kenyan nurse is changing lives in her village

Award-winning Kenyan nurse is changing lives in her village

It was just year ago that Anna Qabale Duba, a nurse from the Marsabit County Referal Hospital in Kenya, walked up on stage at the Atlantis, the Palm in Dubai. Dressed in a splendid yellow dress complete with a traditional Kenyan headgear and jewellery to match, she was all smiles. Delighted beyond words, she was clearly overwhelmed when she was named the first Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award winner. Later, hugging the glittering trophy and blinking as confetti rained down on her, she thanked the jury for the honour before making it clear in her acceptance speech that she would be using the $250,000 prize money she received to help improve the education facilities in her county and her community, and empower girls and women with educational campaigns against harmful cultural practices including female genital mutilation. ‘This is a win for Kenya, for Africa and the girls in the villages,’ Anna had said at the time. Even as the second edition of the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award is getting underway in London (the winner will be announced on May 12, 2023) I touch base with Anna virtually, to find out how her life has changed– and how she is