HOME COMING! LUPITA NYONG’O GOING TO KENYA FIRST TIME SINCE WINNING OSCAR

Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o is due in Kenya in next week as part of a homecoming tour along with activities aimed at uplifting the Kenyan arts community as well as raising awareness on conservation efforts in the country. While in the country, the Oscar winner will participate in a number of initiatives including an immersive mentorship session with young Kenyan students and artists on Tuesday, June 30, 2015, where she will discuss her acting career and provide tips on how to succeed in the arts. The 12 Years A Slave star will also take part in a Gala Dinner on Thursday, July 2, 2015, where she will be the chief guest at an evening event that aims to fête the arts and fashion community in Kenya. During her tour, Nyong’o will take part in a number of conservation projects aimed at boosting the country’s capacity to manage its elephant population, with a view to working closely with communities to ensure that the sale of ivory is eradicated to protect the animals as well. ‘Our country’s elephants are a critical piece of the heart of Kenya and we need to take action now to save their population from the threats that continue to endanger their existence,’ Lupita said. She will arrive the country on Monday, June 29, 2015 to partner with WildAid, whose mission is to end the sale of illegal wildlife artefacts such as elephant tusks or rhino horn. ‘I am delighted to be returning home, especially with the added honor of being able to use this opportunity to help shine a global light on Kenya’s conservancy efforts,’ the actress added about going back to her native Kenya. As a globally recognised actress, Nyong’o has received an array of accolades including an Academy Award for her role in ‘12 Years A Slave’, which also garnered her Critics’ Choice and Screen Actors Guild awards as well as a Golden Globe nomination. Nyong’o is widely regarded as a fashion icon as well, having appeared on the cover of many international magazines including Vogue US. She is one of the faces of Lancome