The Sister City partnership between Long Beach, CA and Mombasa Kenya began as an idea in 2006 by then Kenya Consul General Nyambura Kamau. She conveyed that idea to Bonnie Lowenthal, then a member of the Long Beach City Council, and the rest is history.
On October 9, 2007, the Long Beach City Council approved the application submitted by Long Beach Sister Cities, Inc. to establish a Long Beach – Mombasa Sister Cities Committee. On November 20 of that same year, Mayors of the two cities signed a Sister City Agreement that pledged to promote mutually beneficial exchange between the citizens of Long Beach and the citizens of Mombasa.
LONG BEACH MOMBASA SISTER CITIES FORMATION COMMITTEE – 2007
PHOTO TAKEN AFTER CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL OF LONG BEACH-MOMBASA
Left to Right: Dennis Aytekin, Evelyn Knight, Bill Preston, Mayor Bob Foster, Jesse Johnson, City Councilmember Bonnie Lowenthal, Andrew Mwangali, Max Viltz, Consul General Nyambura Kamau, Phyllis Venable, Francis Dawson Harris, Marvin Colburt, Cheryl Lumpkin, Aaron Day, David Zanatta
A BRIEF HISTORY
OF
LONG BEACH-MOMBASA SISTER CITIES ASSOCIATION
LBMSCA
2007 – 2024
▪ October 2007. Left to right: Ahmed Saafir, LBMSCA Board Member; Hon. Consul General of Kenya (Los Angeles) Nyambura Kamau; Andrew Sarai, LBMSCA Board Member; Dennis Aytekin, Long Beach Sister Cities Liaison; Phyllis Venable, LBMSCA Treasurer; Bill Preston, LBMSCA Chairman. This group appeared on a public access cable television informing Long Beach viewers about the benefits of a newly-formed sisterhood between Long Beach and Mombasa, Kenya.
▪ June 2008. LBMSCA sponsored “A Slice of Kenya” to highlight Kenyan cuisine and hospitality to Southern California. The event was graced with a large turn-out of Long Beach residents and the local Kenyan Diaspora.
▪ September 2008. LMBSCA represented Long Beach at the African Day celebrations in the “Little Ethiopia” section of the Fairfax district in Los Angeles. The association also participated in the Cambodian New Year celebration in Long Beach Cambodia Town.
▪ November 2008. LBMSCA made its inaugural visit to Mombasa. The association accomplished major milestones in bridging the two cities, including:
✓ Consultation with Port of Mombasa officials
✓ Donation of 50 books to Kenya National Library, Mombasa Branch
✓ Presentation on Doing Business in Long Beach to the Kenyan business community
✓ Worlds AIDS Day AIDS/HIV testing conducted by LBMSCA and sponsored by Orasure
✓ Adoption of Likoni AIDS Orphanage as an ongoing LBMSCA program
▪ November 2008: LBMSCA hosted an exciting Presidential Election Night Party in anticipation of the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States. Notably, members of the Long Beach political establishment were in attendance as well as many community residents. The event was hailed as the first of its kind for a Sister City organization in Long Beach.
▪ January 2009. LBMSCA proudly participated in the Annual Long Beach Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Day Parade. Board members and their families marched together holding our banner and greeting parade watchers with “Jambo!!!”
▪ January 2009. LBMSCA was honored to host Hon. Najib Balala, Kenya Minister for Tourism, and the Kenya Travel Bureau for lunch at The Light House in Shoreline Village.
▪ February 2009. LBMSCA was tasked with providing luncheon entertainment for delegates to the 2008 Southern California Sister Cities Annual Conference hosted by Sister Cities of Long Beach, Inc. (SCLB). A fashion parade of African dress and a lively drum troop held the delegates enthralled.
▪ NOVEMBER 2009. LBMSCA made its second delegation visit to Mombasa. Activities included:
✓ Stakeholder & Community Meetings
✓ Participation in World AIDS Day Parade and Stadium Activities
✓ HIV/AIDS Testing
✓ 1st Annual LBMSCA University Student Scholarship under newly-adopted Program
▪ March 2010. Long Beach-Mombasa was one of 17 Sister City partnerships selected by Sister Cities International (SCI) to lead infrastructure building projects in Africa under the African Urban Poverty Alleviation Program (AUPAP). The Bill & Malinda Gates Foundation pledged funding for projects addressing sanitation, health, and water issues. During the 3-year project implementation period, LBMSCA successfully completed three projects, fully funded by the Gates Foundation:
✓ Purchase & delivery of two 40’ shipping containers of medical equipment/supplies
✓ Installation of portable water filtration plant at a major public health clinic
✓ Shipping of a donated paramedic unit to the Mombasa Fire Brigade
Beyond improving the state of sanitation, health and water infrastructures in African urban areas, the project focused on the SCI mission of promoting peace and prosperity through people-to-people collaboration.
SORTING FOR DISTRIBUTION / CLINIC PICK-UP
WATER FILTRATION/DESALINAZATION UNIT
PARAMEDIC UNIT
▪ SEPTEMBER 2010. MLBSCA was fortunate to receive a $10,000 non-competitive grant from Gilead Life Science to support its efforts in fostering partnership between Mombasa and Long Beach. Gilead is an American biotechnology company that researches, develops and commercializes drugs, primarily antiviral drugs used in the treatment of HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and influenza.
▪ 2011-2013. During these years, LBMSCA focused on completing activities under the AUPAP Grant. These activities involved 10 visits to Mombasa to:
✓ Coordinate project implementation activities
✓ Form and support a Local Community Committee (LCC) for project activity
✓ Engage government officials in assisting and supporting project activity
▪ APRIL 2014. Honorable Hassan Joho, newly-elected Governor of the County of Mombasa, visited Long Beach to confirm his support of, and enthusiasm for, the Sister City partnership. Accompanying Governor Joho were six (6) county officials. LBMSCA hosted the delegation during the 5-day visit.
▪ JULY 2015. LBMSCA hosted Mombasa County officials Juliana Cherera, Chief County Officer, and Salma Noor, Sister Cities Director. Port of Long Beach Commissioner Bonnie Lowenthal graciously opened her home for a welcome reception. The two Mombasa officials were presented to the Long Beach City Council and met with City Council staff and community leaders.
▪ NOVEMBER 2016. LBMSCA hosted Honorable Hazel Katana, Deputy Governor of the County of Mombasa. The Deputy Governor met with several Long Beach African American City Councilmen, as well as with community leaders.
OCTOBER 2017. LBMSCA partnered with the Kenyan Consulate and “42 Tribes, 1 Kenya” to celebrate a 10-year sisterhood with Mombasa. The all-day event represented the 2nd Annual Amani Festival for 42 Tribes, and a birthday parry for LBMSCA. Over 300 persons, many of the Southern California Kenya Diaspora, were in attendance. Barbequed goat, samosas, ugali, mukimo and mandazi were the delicious fares of the day.
APRIL 2018. LBMSCA combined a 10-YEAR SISTER CITIES ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION with a salute to Kenya Consul General Maurice Naritake. At that time, LBMSCA also launched an Opportunity Drawing to raise additional funds for programs and projects.
▪ JULY 2015. LBMSCA hosted Mombasa County officials Juliana Cherera, Chief County Officer, and Salma Noor, Sister Cities Director. Port of Long Beach Commissioner Bonnie Lowenthal graciously opened her home for a welcome reception. The two Mombasa officials were presented to the Long Beach City Council and met with City Council staff and community leaders.
Attendees at Anniversary Celebration
Consul General Naritake
LBMSCA Members staffing check-in/information table at 10th Anniversay Celebration
DECEMBER 2018. LBMSCA commemorated World AIDS Day with a fundraiser for Likoni AIDS Orphanage and LBMSCA programs and projects. Newly-appointed Kenyan Consul General, Honorable Stephen Lorete, was in attendance to accept a Mayoral proclamation declaring December 1, 2018, as World AIDS Day in Long Beach
Consul General Lorete
A clean water project completed by LBMSCA in 2013 with a grant from the Bill & Malinda Gates Foundation found new life in 2019. CampWater Industries, inventor of the portable water filtration system installed at Ganjoni Public Health Clinic, provided expenses for Mombasa resident Joshua Sila to travel to Delta Junction, Alaska in February for a 6-week training program on building and maintenance of the system, as well as water testing procedures. Returning to Mombasa, Joshua staged a public demonstration of the system. CampWater will allow use of its patents to establish an affiliate industry in Mombasa.
Public Demonstration of Water filtration System
Putting a System Together
CampWater Affiliate Team
Joshua training others on what he learned in Alaska at CampWater
Clean water to drink at no cost
Joshua’s Mode of Transport
ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS OF LBMSCA WERE SUBSTANTIALLY SUSPENDED DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE COVID PANDEMIC. 2020 THROUGH 2022 PRESENTED DIFFICULTIES IN TRAVEL, FUNDRAISING AND NETWORKING.
IN 2021, LBMSC COLLABORATED WITH THE CONSUL GENERAL OF KENYA IN LOS ANGELES AND THE WORLD TRADE CENTERS OF LOS ANGELES AND LONG BEACH TO HOST A VIRTUAL TRADE MISSION TO KENYA FOR SMALL BUSINESS ENTITIES IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY. OVER 400 BUSINESSES ATTENDED THE ONLINE WORKSHOPS AND PRESENTATIONS.
LONG BEACH – MOMBASA CELEBRATES 15 YEAR ANNIVERSARY
On November 10, 2022, LBMSCA celebrated the 15th Anniversary of sisterhood between Long Beach, CA and Mombasa, Kenya. A reception was held at the Long Beach law offices of Keesal, Young, & Logan featuring the newly-appointed Kenya Consul General in Los Angeles, Thomas Kwaka Omolo. Community organizations were invited to welcome the Consul General with gifts of Long Beach significance, and Port Commissioner Bonnie Lowenthal was installed in traditional African ceremony as the first “Honored Elder” of LBMSCA.
Mishael Ondieki, LBMSCA President, addresses attendees
Communty Organization presents gift to Consul General
Port Commissioner Bonnie Lowenthal Receives African traditinal “Elder Honors” from LBMSCA Board of Directors
LBMSCA SHARES CLEAN WATER TECHNOLOGY WITH ROANOKE, VA
In 2023, LBMSCA assisted the Roanoke, VA – Kisumu County, Kenya Sister Cities program in replicating a clean water project completed in Mombasa in 2013. The Mombasa project involved the purchase and installation of a water filtration system accommodated in a portable suitcase-like casing with no moving parts (only hoses and filters) and operating on electricity equivalent for a 40-watt lightbulb. The unit produces clean water at a rate of 8 liters per minute. The technology was developed by CampWater Industries of Delta Junction, AK. The unit in Mombasa is still fully operative. The Roanoke unit will be installed in early 2024 at Magunga public school in Nyakach Village located 40 miles from the city of Kisumu. The project budget is $5000 US; 95% of the funds have been raised by Roanoke Valley Sister Cities Association. LBMSCA served as project advisor and liaison to the manufacturer & the Nyakach Village Water Commmittee.
The CampWater F8 Water Filtration Unit
Nayakach Village Water Committee
JANUARY 2024. LBMSCA hosted a membership mixer at the home of Harbor Commissioner Bonnie Lowenthal, a founder of the association. Special guests were Kenya Consul General Thomas Omolo and his wife Sheila. The event was “invitation only” and focused on recruiting new board members.
JUNE 2024. LBMSCA, along with the 5 other Sister Cities of Long Beach, celebrated the cultural diversity of the city’s global connections. The celebration, held in the City Hall courtyard, was sponsored by Mayor Rex Richardson to highlight opportunities for cultural exchange and trade. The celebration was so successful that the mayor announced the event would be held annually.
Phyllis Venable / Leon Hollie
Earthlodge Kids Youth Drummers
NOVEMBER 2024. LBMSCA participated in the Long Beach City College International Culture Fest celebrating diversity and unity
Dembrebrah Drummers
L-R: T. Collins Mwangi, P. Venable, W Carter, P. Garcia
DECEMBER 2024. LBMSCA welcomed a new Consul General of the Republic of Kenya in Los Angeles. Board members visited the Consulate Office to greet Ambassador Ezra Chiloba.
L-R: W. Carter, R. Kenboi, P. Garcia, P. Venable, E. Chiloba. A. Fowlkes, J. Johnson