Eunice Nthambi: Kenyan planner finds passion and purpose in Italy

Initially studying Land Economics at the University of Nairobi, Dr Eunice transitioned to urban and regional planning after her uncle suggested the field offered exciting travel opportunities.

“He asked if I liked travelling, and while I hadn’t travelled much, I thought it sounded adventurous,” she says. “He then told me about urban planning, explaining that the course involves travel with the university bus and activities like fieldwork. It sounded intriguing, so I applied and was accepted.”

Despite initially being confused about the course, she soon discovered her passion for planning.

“As a planner, you are a mediator and facilitator, working with communities and authorities to develop policies and solutions that affect urban life,” she says, adding, "from solutions affecting cities, policies, and actions... you are the glue to everything."

Analysing Nairobi's Industrial Area made her understand the importance of a planner as a career.

“We were able to see where people live, where the industries are, where the city is and how things work, and the behind story on the master plan for Nairobi, what criteria they choose to allocate everything so that the city functions well,” she says.

The second and third years of her study shaped her career.

“During my internships, we’d go to Makueni or Nyeri to collect data, talk to people, and present to stakeholders in the organisation funding the study. So, analysing the issue on the ground, drawing plans, policies, and solutions to be implemented was my satisfaction,” she says.

Urban planning graduates in Kenya struggle to get jobs, which Dr Eunice attributes to untapped potential.

“In Kenya, they only deal with the formulation of master plans, integrated strategic urban development plans, and county spatial plans but it is also important to incorporate contemporary models in issues affecting our urban areas/cities,” she says.

She offers, “For example, 15-minute cities, 20-minute neighbourhoods, and polycentric cities, among others, not only solve proximity to service problems but also reduce carbon emissions. This can be through establishing Urban Living Labs (ULL) which bridge research and policy so that research outputs are integrated into plans and policies,” she says.

Seeking greener pastures

Dr Eunice sought greener pastures to break the monotony of her job in Kenya. “Doing the same thing over and over was becoming monotonous; I wanted a change. I thought I either advance my skills or work in another firm.”

Towards the end of 2015, Dr Eunice said that one of her University of Nairobi professors who started nudging her.

“It was an encouragement through a threat. My professor told me, ‘The moment your former classmates will ask you to escort them to the airport, and you are here, that is when you will realise you have missed a chance.’ Applications for US universities had passed so he asked me to apply to European universities. I did and got my application from a university in the Netherlands,” she says.

When the application came through, it was for a partial scholarship, and she was to raise an additional 8,877 euros (then Sh1.2 million) in about a month.

“I was earning Sh30,000 a month and had no savings,” she says.

She approached her professor, who promised to give her Sh200,000.

“I did not want to do harambees because I had done the same to raise my high school fees. But I had no option. I decided to ask everyone on my phonebook to assist me financially,” she says.

Financial hurdle

While many did not understand the value of studying abroad, Dr Eunice raised about 3,000 Euros (Sh420,000).

An email came through reminding her to pay up and Dr Eunice says she did not shy from telling the truth or asking questions.

“I emailed the college, a long message with part of it saying, ‘At the time I have only raised 3,000 euros, I do not have any other money. You can either allow me to come and study with the 3,000 Euros, I can defer and look for the fee balance or you can kindly fund me.’ They responded almost immediately,” she says.

“They gave me the option of deferring the partial scholarship or looking for half the money and paying by August and the balance in nine months, and providing a guarantor in case I forfeit,” she says.

She was lucky, a former lecturer paid for her air ticket and advised her to seek funding from the Ford Foundation. She got the money and paid the university.

“Up to date, I still have the list of those who pledged and paid and those who did not. It [the list] is a sentimental thing. It proves that people can help and also reminds me where I started,” she says.

In the Netherlands, she pursued her Master of Science in Geo-Information Science and Earth observation for Urban Planning and Management at the University of Twente from September 2016 to March 2018. Living in the Netherlands was among one of her best years of her life.

“When I was doing my undergraduate, I did not know what I was doing but when I went to the Netherlands, I was polished. I was taught how to write a report and structure my thoughts. It has moulded the researcher I am today. I would not be in Italy today if I had not done my Master’s degree in the Netherlands. Studying in a world-class university exposed me to current, ongoing projects around the world,” she says.

The pass mark was 70 percent in every course (module). She graduated with an aggregate of 82 percent, and she was allowed three more months in college to write a paper Spatial Patterns of Residential Fragmentation and Quality of Life in Nairobi City, Kenya.

“This enabled me to get an advantage when applying for my PhD,” she says.

When scholarship benefits lapsed, she started working in a sandwich-making factory. She earned about 11 to18 18 euros (Sh1,539 to Sh2,518) per hour.

Life in Italy

Living abroad was not as easy. The first culture shock was that there are four seasons and the food is different from what she was used to in Kenya.

“The sun sets at around 10pm and rises very early in summer. During winter, by 3pm its pitch dark. The food is not like anything I was used to. Time management and punctuality... those people mean business, so it’s either 15 minutes before or on the dot. Lastly, I had to stop converting money to Kenyan shillings because if you do so, you will never buy anything. For instance, you find dhania [coriander] is one euro, which is Sh139,” she says.

Italy beckoned a few years later when chatting with a former classmate at the University of Nairobi. She told her that she was in Italy and sent her a link for her to apply for her PhD.

Dr Eunice applied for a PhD in Urban Studies and Regional Science at Gran Sasso Science Institute, L’Aquila University in Italy, in November 2018. She was ranked third out of the eight applicants.

“I submitted an extended version of my Master’s thesis making it an easy application. But the interview was very vigorous. I went to Italy in person rather than doing an online interview, and my panel had six professors whose questions I had to answer satisfactorily,” she says, explaining that a PhD is like a job and one is paid while studying.

When she moved to Italy, the language barrier was the biggest challenge.

“In the Netherlands, the majority of the people speak English but in Italy, almost everyone speaks Italian. I find myself being the only African in some places and I am so conspicuous. My first four to six months were the hardest. I remember the first time I met a Kenyan, I cried…I was shopping in Zara when she tapped me and asked, ‘Are you a Kenyan?” She says.

She soon met a community of Kenyans.

The second culture shock was the food. “The pizza in Kenya is not the pizza here. The taste, the crust is very light and you can even eat your own pizza alone. Less is more in a pizza here,” she says.

Hard times

There are times she contemplated quitting her PhD. Severally. “I think I was scared and maybe the fear of the unknown. In 2019 December, I travelled back to Kenya and stayed there when Covid-19 hit,” she says.

By the time, the restrictions were eased, a year had passed and she had decided to complete her PhD.

In January 2024, she graduated and decided to stay in Italy.

Is being a researcher a lucrative career?

“Yes. As a postdoctoral researcher in Europe, you are paid €28,000 to €70,000 (about Sh4 million to Sh10 million) a year.”

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