var textForPages = ["May 2018KEEP WINNINGALSO INSIDE:GROUP CEO’S NOTETHE POWER OF PURPOSECSR","We always putour customers first,that’s why the judgespicked us first.APA is the Most Awarded Insurerat the 2017 Annual Insurance Awards.Winner                                 1st Runners Up                  2nd Runners up• Best in Claim Settlement (Life)      • Best in Product Marketing     • Best in Claim Settlement (General)• Fraud Detection & Protection         • Best in Product Innovation    • Risk Management Award• Major Loss Award                     • Best Insurance in Use         • Socially Responsible Corporate• Training Award• Best in Customer Satisfaction Index    of Technological Application     MOST AWARDEDINSURANCE COMPANYANNUAL INSURANCE AWARDS, 2017","07                  20                                        0908CONTENTS04. Group CEO’s Note       10. The Power of Purpose         17. Identity                                                            18. AKI Sports05. APA Marks World        11. Health Digest                19. CSR      Happiness Day                                         20. Departmental CSR                           12. 27 Years of Adventure        21. Gallery07. Financial Literacy                           14. What Future is Apollo Group08. Tips on Financial            Prepared for?      Management                           15. Early Riser09. From Known to UnknownBY THE APOLLO GROUP                                         MAY 2018Editors: Joyce Muiruri     Photography:        Contributors: Judith Bogonko, Beatrice Nyawira,          Jackie Tonui     APA & Stock Images  Fred Mburu, James Nyakomitta, Lucy Kuria,                                               Ann Elsie Wanjiku, Luisa Otieno and Mary Orielly© 2018 All material is strictly copyright and all rights were reserved.Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of Trailblazer is strictly forbidden.The greatest care has beentaken to ensure accuracy of information in this magazine at the time of going to press but we accept no responsibility foromissions or errors. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Apollo Group.                                                            OCTOMBEAYR 20187 | TRAILBLAZER | 3","GROUP CEO NOTEMay 2018It has been a busy and very positive start to 2018.              As we continue to seek out new opportunities, we have                                                                 grown our branch network. We now have over 23 officesOn Tuesday 20 March, we unveiled a new brand campaign for        across Kenya and new offices include Nanyuki, Nyali, Rongai2018, titled ‘Insuring Happiness.’ The inspiring and dynamic     and Kitengela. This expansion strategy is a priority for us tocampaign was launched to coincide with the International         offer our competitive products and services to the residentsDay of Happiness - a day to inspire action for a happier world.  and business owners of these vibrant communities.In the recent World Happiness Report for 2018, Kenya ranked      In addition, we have strengthened the team with several new124 out of the 156 countries surveyed – down twelve spots        hires and have continued to extend our already formidablefrom last year’s report and substantially below many other       range of products. By continuing to fortify the core of ourAfrican countries. The annual report reviews the state of        business, we have positioned ourselves to look to the nexthappiness in the world today and shows how the new science       few months with confidence and optimism.of happiness explains personal and national variations inhappiness.                                                       This is a year in which we want to set records; record sales,                                                                 record growth and record customer service.The campaign is created with all Kenyans in mind andaddresses the issues, we are facing as a nation, to try and      We will succeed with the support, dedication and hard workincrease the state of our happiness. Creating a happier          of all our loyal employees. The Apollo Group has some of thesociety requires action at all levels - not just from political  best people in our industry. Through teamwork, relentlessleaders and institutions but also from individual citizens.      effort and solid execution, we can exceed our goals andWhen we do things to bring happiness to others, everyone         ensure we all have our best year yet.benefits.                                                                 There are certainly exciting times ahead, filled with greatThe ads, which are centred around the belief that “insurance     promise, opportunity and much happiness. We can onlyis about people, not things,” seeks to build an emotional        achieve this by working together, as a team, and I would likeconnection by focusing on what matters most to people –          to take this opportunity to thank you for all your hard work.making them happy by insuring their happiness. ‘InsuringHappiness’ is about life and having the security of looking      Ashok Shahafter – your family, business, assets or future goals.           CEO, APOLLO GROUPWe at the Apollo Group aim to, no matter the circumstance,achieve, as individuals and nation, happiness by offering ourcustomers a comprehensive range of products and servicesto cover diverse personal and business requirements forinsurance and investments.The campaign consists of television, radio, print and onlineadvertising and will be rolled out over the next year.This marketing investment is only one way that weare enhancing our customer experience. As part of ourcommitment to providing quality products, exceptionalcustomer service and a modern environment with increasedautomation, we have invested in upgrading the GeneralInsurance System. The system upgrade has enhanced ourfirm’s efficiency and competiveness by leveraging on modernand innovative technology solutions.We constantly talk to our customers on how we can servethem better, have already implemented many of theirsuggestions and the remaining ones are to be rolled outin the coming months. These improvements will make theGroup an even better company and will enable us to set therecords and achieve the goals to which we aspire.4 | TRAILBLAZER | MAY 2018","APA MARKS WORLD HAPPINESS DAY The Apollo Group had much to celebrate on Tuesday 20 March, 2018 as not only was it World Happiness Day, but we also unveiled a new brand campaign for 2018, titled ‘Insuring Happiness.’ The inspiring campaign was launched to coincide with the International Day of Happiness - a day to inspire action for a happier world. APA has embarked on a marketing campaign to make Kenya a happier place. In the recent World Happiness Report for 2018, Kenya ranked 124 out of the 156 countries surveyed – down twelve spots from last year’s report and substantially below many other African countries. The annual report reviews the state of happiness in the world today and shows how the new science of happiness explains personal and national variations in happiness. And what better way to celebrate and launch great campaign than by bringing much happiness to all our staff, customers and partners, than by hosting an open day at the Apollo Centre in Nairobi. The guests enjoyed free medical check-ups and car clinics. HomeBoyz Radio broadcasted live from the party during the day and lots of fun and games were around for all including, inflatable slides, trampolines, football, pop corn and candy floss!  It truly did make everyone very happy!                                                                            MAY 2018 | TRAILBLAZER | 5","APA Insurance chairman James Gitoho playing hop scotch with                            children from Muthaiga Primary.6 | TRAILBLAZER | MAY 2018","FINANCIAL LITERACYBy Fred Mburu - CEO Apollo Asset Management                                                                          The herding effect is identified as tendency of investors’ behaviours                                                                          to follow others’ actions. Practitioners usually consider carefully                                                                          the existence of herding. This is primarily due to the fact that                                                                          majority of market participants rely on collective information more                                                                          than private information which can result in the price deviation of                                                                          the securities from fundamental value and therefore, many good                                                                          chances for investment at the present can be impacted.                                                                          Risk aversion is the reluctance of a person to accept a bargain                                                                          with an uncertain payoff rather than another bargain with a more                                                                          certain, but possibly lower, expected payoff. Risk averse investors                                                                          would tend to postpone stock market investment till they are                                                                          sure of the returns. Risk aversion can be understood as a common                                                                          behaviour of investors, nevertheless, it may result in bad decisions                                                                          affecting investor’s wealth.Here at Apollo Asset Management, we thrive on Financial Literacy.         The concept of anchoring can be explained as the tendency toOur key drive is to put a smile on the face of our shareholders           attach or “anchor” one’s thoughts to a reference point - evenand this is done through maximising investor returns. In order            though it may have no logical relevance to the decision at hand.to maximise returns, financial literacy plays an integral role in         Mental anchoring can have an effect on how people evaluateour business.                                                             certain decisions. For example, some investors tend to believe                                                                          that stocks which have fallen considerably over a short periodFinancial literacy is the ability to understand the levels to which       now can be bought at a discount. This misperception is due to theknowledge affects the investment decision-making process. Based           fact that the investor has mentally anchored a high price for thaton this knowledge, financial literacy has on many occasions been          specific stock, a type of base price acting, as a reference point.linked to behavioural finance. Behavioural finance combines the           Disregarding the reason for that stock’s evident drop, the anchoredtwin disciplines of psychology and economics to explain why and           higher price is mentally considered its “rightful” price. The stock ishow people make seemingly irrational or illogical decisions when          therefore believed to bounce back over a certain time.they spend, invest, save and borrow money.                                                                          All these factors put in place over time, determine a client’sThe decision to invest is made on the basis of investors’ appetite        appetite for risk with respect to the levels of return they shouldfor risk and return. The outcome of a decision results in either gain     expect. With this in mind, we can help you kick off your investingor loss based on a particular combination of strategy and the state of    with a rational mindset while helping spread the risk on yournature prevailing at that time. The investor as the decision maker has    investments while achieving maximum returns.no control over the state of nature that will prevail in future but theywill certainly affect the outcome of any strategy that an investor        ”may adopt. The particular decision made will depend, therefore, on        Financial literacy is the ability tothe decision makers’ knowledge or estimation of how a particular          understand the levels to whichfuture’s state of nature will affect the outcome of each particular       knowledge affects the investmentstrategy. Effective decision-making requires better insight and           decision-making process.understanding of human nature on a global perspective. Apart from                                   ”sharp financial skills and ability to gain best out of investments,positive vision, foresight, perseverance and drive are a must foran investor to be successful in his investment decisions.There are key determinants that influence the investing decisionsand this will eventually lead to the general investment behaviourof these individuals. This will include, but are not limited to theherding effect, risk aversion, prospecting and anchoring.                                                                             MAY 2018 | TRAILBLAZER | 7","Tips on Financial ManagementTake financial control                                               HonestyAdopt principles for good money management and financial             In good money management, honesty means being committed tofreedom will become a reality.                                       a realistic budget that will help you achieve your goals. Honesty                                                                     means addressing your needs and your areas of weakness. ItFinancial freedom for you and your family doesn’t just happen        means facing facts. Take care not to be over-indebted. Are you– you have to be motivated, disciplined and you have to have         free from debt but unable to achieve your goals due to lack ofa strategy. No matter how small your bank balance, control of        commitment? You can change your habits and achieve your goals,your finances is within your reach. Begin with these small steps     but it requires an honest look at yourself. Only if you are honestand make your financial worries a thing of the past.                 about your shortcomings, will you be able to overcome them!Knowledge                                                            Discipline and self-controlThere is no substitute for knowing the facts. So, educate            Financial freedom does not mean having unlimited money. Ityourself and know your own specific financial situation.             means managing what you have in such a way that you areFinancial knowledge can be obtained through the media –              free from worry, guilt and fear. Applying discipline where it isnewspapers, TV, radio and online. You can also talk with a           required reaps great rewards. Learn to say ‘no’ to yourself andfinancial adviser at Apollo Asset Management. They will be able      your family. Self discipline is easier for people who have clearto guide you on investments. It makes total sense to become          goals and a plan on how to achieve them. Relook at your goalsinformed and to understand the processes that can enrich or          regularly, apply discipline and self-control and you stand a veryimpoverish our lives.                                                good chance of realising your dreams.Goals                                                                CompassionWe all dream and have goals and this requires that we plan and       Acquiring wealth can be a worthwhile goal but on its own itbudget. Goals could be long term for example, to retire with         may not bring satisfaction or fulfilment. True happiness comesenough to live on comfortably, medium term for example to be         from using our resources – whether money, energy or talent – toable to pay for a child’s education or short term for example to     make a positive difference to the world around us. By usingbudget effectively to control your spending in order to establish    your wealth to help others, you will find that the value of youra healthy saving pattern. Take a close look at your own goals and    money far exceeds its spending power. For example donatingwork out the financial implications. With realistic goals to strive  to charities, giving someone else a leg up or putting some backfor, financial discipline and self control become much easier.       into the community you grew up in. It makes the world a better                                                                     place and you a better person.“ Acquiring wealth can be a worthwhile goalbut, on its own, it may not bring satisfactionor fulfilment.                                                       ”8 | TRAILBLAZER | MAY 2018","FROM KNOWN TO UNKNOWNBy Judith Bogonko - Group Head of Customer ServiceIt is said that customers do not leave companies because of        role can you play? What can you do within your locus of controlthe great service of their competitors, but because of the         to make the customers’ life easier, better? What is the ‘known’poor service of the companies’ that they are with. Customers       in your space?join companies because of quality products, great value or acompelling brand but will leave the same company if it fails       We can design great products and develop/purchase top of theto deliver on customer service. The barriers to switching from     line systems but, if the staff do not see the need to give everyone company to another have gone down significantly in recent      client a great experience, then great customer service will be ayears. So how can companies keep their customers? It’s simple      pipe dream for the organisation.really. Just deliver on the promises made.                                                                   Until we have 100% customer satisfaction, we must strive toIf it is that simple, why do we have numerous customers            improve. Until we have all our clients renewing with us andcomplaining about service from different organisations every       referring us to their networks, we must strive to improve. Untilday? Is it because we overpromise to attract the customers then    all the clients you serve indicate that they are ‘very satisfied’,when the rubber meets the road we are unable to come through?      you must strive to improve. The power to make this GroupFrom engagements with different organisations, you find that       the best in the world in customer experience is in your hands.it is a myriad of things. Systems fail or make a process longer    Unbelievable but true. What will you do with it?than it should be, clients’ details get jumbled up, products failto meet expectations, payment approvals delay because those        “We can design great products andwith authority get caught up with other tasks, front line staff    develop/purchase top of the line systemsmay not be appropriately equipped to respond to client queries,    but, if the staff do not see the need toetc. The list is endless and I am sure you can easily add more to  give every client a great experience,the above.                                                         then great customer service will be a                                                                   pipe dream for the organisation.Looking at this, it feels like delivering great service is a                                         ”herculean task. There’s need for seamless working of theproducts, processes, systems and people for consistently greatservice to be achieved. But just like a math problem, start withthe known to unknown; the easy bits to the hard bits… so what                                                                   MAY 2018 | TRAILBLAZER | 9","THE POWER OF PURPOSEBy Gerald Mwangi - Head of Operations APA Uganda                                                                          KJ is the newest member of the underwriting team of Uganda.                                                                          His success has motivated the rest of the APA Uganda team and                                                                          we hope you too will be motivated by his story.                                                                          General description of yourself?                                                                          I am a father, a husband and a hardworking, team player at APA                                                                          who is focused, goal oriented, a positive thinker with a “yes we                                                                          can” attitude and self-motivated.                                                                          Interesting facts about insurance that most people in Uganda                                                                          do not know?                                                                          Interesting fact is most people in Uganda do not understand                                                                          insurance hence the low insurance penetration rate of 0.7% as                                                                          of December 2016 according to the IRA report. I do believe they                                                                          would be interested to know that insurance has several principles                                                                          by which it operates and of these I like to inform clients about                                                                          insurable interest and utmost good faith, as these are what we                                                                          stand on during the underwriting process.                                                    Meet Johnson Kakaire  What in your opinion is the most underrated insurance product                                                                          in Uganda and why?Any team is the sum of the players in it. The courage and strength        I would have to say Life Insurance. It is poorly understood byof the individual transmits to the others, giving them focus and          the vast majority of Ugandans but it is a very important policyencouragement to continue to work harder to achieve the goals             to have.that are set out before them.                                                                          What is your motto or maxim?Today we would like to highlight one player for his determination         “Never underestimate yourself.”and perseverance, which epitomises what APA is about. He is avaluable team player in our Uganda office who continually works           What is your greatest fear?hard and strives for excellence.                                          The loss of my integrity, my good name.                                                                          Favourite book of all time?                                                                          The BibleMeet Mr. Johnson Kakaire.                                                 What is your greatest achievement?Mr. Kakaire not only has the tag of the best dressed man in the           In my life, my children are my greatest achievement. Professionally,APA Uganda office, but he is also known for his work ethic and            it was attaining my professional qualification from CII.can-do attitude.                                                                          Which living person do you most admire?KJ as he prefers to be called, joined APA in March 2012 as an             Barack Obamaoffice messenger/dispatch officer. In no time, his commitment,positive attitude, professionalism and love for his job was               The only thing that limits our success are the excuses we tellrecognised by the APA family and he was encouraged to take                ourselves as to why we cannot succeed.advantage of the study opportunities offered by APA to learnmore about insurance.                                                     KJ has no excuses. He only has the grit and the long term vision                                                                          to achieve success for himself and for the company.He started off by studying the basics with COP from theInsurance Institute of Uganda and he passed with flying colours.          Well done KJ. The sky is the ceiling.Once he had a taste of the success, he did not stop. He pursued           “The only thing that limits our successCII certification and passed the certificate level. He is currently            are the excuses we tell ourselves asnow pursuing a diploma in insurance in the CII course. It is              to why we cannot succeed.                ”this commitment to his work and his studies that earned KJ apromotion to the underwriting department.10 | TRAILBLAZER | MAY 2018","HEALTH DIGESTEverything you need to know about hypothyroidism By Lucy Kuria - Head Care Team                                                                  •	Low iodine diet                                                                  •	Other predisposing causes are stress, pregnancy or even toxins                                                                    in the environmentWhat is the thyroid gland?                                        Treatment of hypothyroidismThe thyroid gland is a “cashew nut shaped” or “butterfly shaped”  The thyroid hormone (thyroxine) is taken in pill form to replacegland in the front of your neck.                                  the action of a weak or failed thyroid gland. A pill a day usuallyThis gland has been blamed for many things. On one extreme,       does the trick. Often, this leads to dramatic relief from themany people blame it for excess weight gain. On the other         symptoms of hypothyroidism. One is best advised to seek yourextreme, thousands of Kenyans live with undiagnosed thyroid       doctor’s advice and follow his prescription. Natural methods,disease and this leads to many outpatient visits.                 herbal concoctions, supplements and additives are to be                                                                  discouraged. These may end up causing more harm than helpWhat is the function of the thyroid gland?                        to you. Many other medications and foodstuff may interfereThe thyroid gland produces chemicals (hormones) that regulate     with thyroid replacement medicines. Your doctor will be ablemetabolism (i.e how the body produces fuel), digestion of         to assist you to know what to do. Avoid quack practitioners andfood and ability of the body to repel invading germs (immune      nutritionists who promise to sort your problem naturally.response) hence keeping the body in tip top shape. When it isoverworking, one has a condition we call hyperthyroidism. When    Does a thyroid problem put me at the risk of thyroid cancer?it is underperforming, we call the state hypothyroidism.          Neither hypothyroidism nor hyperthyroidism cause thyroid                                                                  cancer. Although cancer can occur, it is not caused by eitherWhat is Hypothyroidism?                                           condition. Thyroid cancer can run in families and often it isAlso known as underactive thyroid or low thyroid, is a common     related to nodules. These are lumps within the thyroid gland.disorder of the endocrine system. In this case, a “lazy” thyroid  They are seen during the thyroid scans done when a doctor isdoes not produce adequate hormones causing health havoc in        investigating the cause of your thyroid malfunction.the body.                                                                  Tests to diagnose cancer usually include ultrasounds and aWhat are the signs and symptoms?                                  needle biopsy to draw out a few cells that are examined under•	Fatigue                                                         a microscope for cancer. The commonest type of thyroid cancer•	Inability to tolerate cold/cold extremities                     is papillary. It is curable in 95% of cases. Often this cancer is 3•	Constipation                                                    times more common in women than men, especialy in their 40s•	Weight gain with poor appetite                                  or 50s. The good news is that we can do something about it and•	Depression                                                      almost all of these patients are cured with treatment.•	Dry, coarse skin•	Neck swelling-occasionally                                      Is there any truth to a hypothyroidism diet?•	Hair loss                                                       Generally, there’s no specific diet. Although claims about•	Hoarse voice                                                    hypothyroidism abound, there’s no evidence that eating or•	Swelling of the limbs                                           avoiding certain foods will improve thyroid function in peopleReasons why the gland underperforms                               with hypothyroidism. However, adequate iodine is essential for•	Genetic                                                         normal thyroid function.•	Autoimmune - the body’s immune system attacks the body,                                                                  Any relationship between hypothyroidism and infertility?  rather than protecting it                                       With hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland does not produce                                                                  enough hormones and low levels of the thyroid hormone can                                                                  interfere with ovulation which in turn impairs fertility.                                                                  The bottom line is: If you suspect a problem with your thyroid                                                                  gland or have any of the symptoms outlined above, visit your                                                                  doctor. He/she will be able to examine you, do relevant tests                                                                  and discover your problem. Don’t diagnose and treat yourself.                                                                  If you have any of the above symptoms, don’t panic and                                                                  assume you now have a thyroid problem. Visit your doctor                                                                  for assistance.                                                                  MAY 2018 | TRAILBLAZER | 11","27 YEARS OF ADVENTUREBy Beatrice Nyawira - BDD OfficerRachel Munywoki as one of our models at a recent shoot with Abby Akeyo and Shen MuiruriGetting Rachel Munywoki or Mama Rachel, as she was fondly             Apollo Insurance (Now APA Insurance) in 1990 as a typist.referred to in APA, to do this interview was not an easy task. Her    I steadily rose through the ranks to Assistant Underwriter andtime of late has been pre-occupied with activities which she lets     finally Business Developer till 2017 when I retired.us into. She finally slots us in on a sunny Wednesday afternoonand insists on coming to our offices at Apollo Centre for the         W hy did insurance interest you and how did you get started?interview. A gesture quite unique as she had to travel all the        As earlier said, I didn’t have keen interest in insurance. I startedway from Mbeere, Embu County, where she resides nowadays.             working in 1969 at a government organisation, that is, MinistryShe walks into our offices in trendy African attire and is her        of Labour. I was then moved to Ministry of Finance where Iusual bubbly self, insisting on saying hallo to everyone she          worked till 1980. After that, I quit to try my hand in farming andcomes across. Her laughter fills the office with every hug and        was successful for 10 years before joining Apollo Insurance (Nowhigh five she is giving. It took another ‘waiting period’ to finally  APA Insurance) in 1990 as a typist. The interest in insuranceget her for this sit down.                                            came in slowly so I can say it was an acquired taste.When she finally settles, she takes out her phone and boastshow she is now ‘digital’ with the new touch screen phone to           W hat are some things you wish more people understoodwhich we both laugh out loud. The interview was more of a             about insurance?conversation with Mama Rachel, who is quite easy to talk to.          Insurance takes you back to the place you were before a loss.She opens up easily and gives us a peak into her life in APA, her     There cannot be enough emphasis on that. People and especiallybest moments, regrets and lessons learnt so far.                      Kenyans need to realise that insurance is important. We cannot                                                                      keep moving steps back in our businesses and finances when weWhy don’t you start by telling us about your background              get a loss which could have been insurable.in Insurance?Interesting enough, I didn’t start out in insurance and I had not     What things did you do before you entered this occupation?even given insurance a thought because in those days, insurance       She chuckles at this question before responding, “You knowcompanies were just coming up and not a lot of Africans knew          women are generally created to handle various occupations at aabout it. I started at a government organisation and joined           go. I was a wife, mother, typist, farmer and the list is endless.”12 | TRAILBLAZER | MAY 2018","Give us three adjectives that describe you best.                  Rachael Munywoki and Perry Chege at a recent event“God-fearing, hardworking, a team player and a teacher. Arethose three?” She asks.                                            What was your greatest success?                                                                   Reaching to this retirement age is a success in itself. And I amWhat kept you going all these years?                               thankful to God for that. Bringing up our children to be whereOf course God! You see all this joy I carry around? This is not    they are today, priceless!self-made. It has come from a higher power and secondly teamwork. No man can live and survive alone. The love and support      If you were to turn back the hands of time, what would youfrom my family, friends and colleagues have been my pillar.        love to change or do differently?                                                                   I would study more. I have learnt that education is key. One canW hat is the one great lesson you have learnt in life so far?     never be overeducated.Over the years, I have picked quite a few lessons but my greatestone was listening to people before judging. I learnt this in my    So, retirement. What are your plans?middle age years. I understood people are battling issues that     “What do you call a person who is happy on Monday? Retired.”we have no idea about. The problem with most of us is that we      (Mama Rachel has jokes I tell you). I laugh at this and as ifdon’t listen to understand, we listen to reply.                    to drive the message home she says, “I hope to relax some                                                                   more and raise my great grandchildren and pass the nuggets ofWhat was your best moment in APA?                                  wisdom I have acquired over the years to the younger ones.”“Rephrase that ‘moment’ with ‘moments’ since they are quitea lot,” she says. Achieving our budgets, goals and targets was     Parting shot?always a highlight. And excelling in netball! I loved playingnetball and winning our first position 1 trophy in the AKI games   How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye soof 2015 will go down in my memory as one of my best momentsin APA.”                                                           hard? APA has been a family that I will forever be grateful for.“Oh, did I mention the bonuses?” She laughs loudly and everyonein the department turns to look at us.                             Thank you for making my life so memorable in those 27 years!What is different now that you are retired?                       Finally, carry this with you, the fear of the Lord is the beginningEverything. You see, your lifestyle changes completely especiallyif you have been working for the better part of your life like     of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.me. No more alarm clocks, no more beating traffic, no moredeadlines to meet. Now, I have more time to relax and engage       “I would study more. I have learntin activities I enjoy doing such as farming and community work.    that education is key. One can never                                                                   be overeducated.What do you enjoy doing during your retirement?                                     ”Community work. At the end of the day it is not about what youhave or have acquired or have achieved. It is about who youlifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s all about giving back tothe society.If there is anyone who influenced your life here in APA, whowas that and in what way?Yes, some in tiny ways, others in big ways. But allow me tomention just two. One is S.J. Njoroge. When I joined APA asa typist, he kept telling me and the two other typists who Ijoined with, “Do not remain as typists, work hard and join theunderwriting team.” This is what made me think of doing myinsurance papers. I doubt Mr. Njoroge remembers this. Secondis Antonine Wamban. Thinking of doing my insurance papers wasnot enough to her. She nudged me to fill the applications andactually sit for my COP. God knows where I would be if I stillstuck to my typing qualifications seeing as they are not reallyrelevant in this day and age.Any grandchildren?She laughs before responding. “A lot! I am even about to startlosing count. I have 10 grandchildren and one great grandchild.”She pauses then says, “Currently”.                                                                                  MAY 2018 | TRAILBLAZER | 13","WHAT FUTURE IS APOLLO GROUPPREPARED FOR?By James Nyakomitta - GICT managerWhen driving, one major concern for any driver is the ability of  The regulator is aggressive in making changes to the playingthe driver to come to a stop when required to. If the car cannot  field. Now, treating customers fairly is not just a good thing tostop when instructed to, the driver will obviously be forced      do, it is a must. The measure of the fairness can be very fluidto drive very slowly. The fear of hitting other motorists and     and this calls for changing the way we do things. Requirementspedestrians is always real and the confidence any driver wants    on capital have also become tighter with the enforcement ofto have is that whenever there are unexpected happenings on       risk based capital and we are likely to see more transformativethe road, he/she can bring the car to a stop without causing      changes on the regulatory front.damage to third parties.                                                                  The market is full of disruptions and clients are becoming moreFor this reason, the more precise the brakes, the faster the car  demanding. Competition has gone to the next level, wherecan go. Put another way, if you are designing a fast car, you     service levels in the insurance company are no longer justneed to also design for it very precise brakes. The converse is   compared with service levels of peer insurance companies. Thetrue for slow cars.                                               comparison has transcended the market and the pressure has                                                                  gone up. At times, clients want to even compare the qualityThe brakes on your car compares to risk management. If the        of service in an insurance company with the quality of serviceApollo Group has precise risk management practice and culture,    in an airline company. Pressure to take on technology has alsowe can as well adjust our risk appetite upwards with more         pushed the industry to the point where you either accept to beconfidence that whenever things go wrong, we will be able to      disrupted or be pushed out.detect and correct in time. But if risk management is not thatprecise, the car called Apollo will have to go very slowly since  The nature of risk has also evolved. Some of the risks we dealwe wouldn’t want to hit other motorists and pedestrians.          with today did not even exist ten years ago. The changing                                                                  political environment, terrorism, cyber warfare, environmentSo, what future is Apollo Group prepared for? Have you ever       changes, etc have driven the insurance industry to new levels ofstopped to think what people say about APA outside the bounds     innovation. The point where we are, the government is going toof the Apollo Centre? Are we prepared to go up the scales on the  be looking at the insurance industry as the last line of defence.market rankings and be number one? Are we ready to be knownas the insurance company that does not fear taking on huge        Are we prepared for this future? APA has already positionedrisks? Are we ready to go to the blue waters, or do we want to    itself in the market as a premier insurer and we need to ensureremain in the red waters?                                         that our brakes are working well for us to go full speed into this                                                                  promising future. We have over 96% of Kenyans uninsured and                                                                  the opportunity for growth is big. But we need the brakes to go                                                                  far and fast and the brakes are made up of all the stakeholders;                                                                  you, me, everyone.                                                                  Think about one person who has seen a crocodile and another                                                                  who has never seen a crocodile. The person who has seen a                                                                  crocodile knows the potential threat the crocodile poses to the                                                                  community. The person who has not seen a crocodile can opt                                                                  to say, “I have heard people say that there are crocodiles in                                                                  the neighbourhood and that they are dangerous, so let’s take                                                                  care”. He can also opt to say, “I have never seen a crocodile,                                                                  so I don’t think they are harmful”. Think about it, the crocodile                                                                  you have never seen is the one that might eat you up one day. It                                                                  is our joint responsibility to protect Apollo from crocodiles, both                                                                  those that we have seen and those that we have not.                                                                  We can and we will make Apollo into that strong brand that is                                                                  standing strong at all times.14 | TRAILBLAZER | MAY 2018","EARLY RISER By Ann Elsie WanjikuAre you an early bird, rise and shine?                             states so as to quash the rumblings, chimes, tweets or vibrationsHow many times do you get to drive the car of your dreams, or      that beckon us to wake up. In most cases, even though the worldsee yourself in those expensive designer shoes and clothes you     moves at the same speed every night, we feel as if someone fasthave always wanted, walking towards that huge mansion you          forwarded the night just to annoy us. At least that is how I feel.have always wished to have? I do experience this most mornings     I think the difficulty of waking up in the morning is actualbefore I get rudely interrupted by my alarm clock. An alarm clock  biological comedy. When you think about it, no one wakes up lookingthat has become the bane of my early morning existence. Nothing    relaxed. We all wake up looking haggard with the exception of theand I mean nothing, on this planet has been hated and loved in     slay queens.equal measure than the trusty alarm clock that does its duty sodiligently every single day.                                       Growing up, my mother always told me that the earliest birdThe truth is mornings are tough for most of us, and while we all   catches the worms. I always wondered if birds also have the samewish we never had to go through the 5 stages of waking up, some    challenges as we do waking up. Like most of us, those were wordsmornings are worse than others.                                    that adults used to say, much like “Work hard in school” or                                                                   “Education is the key to success’’, phrases that did not reallyWe have all evolved coping mechanisms that allow us to operate     mean much to me but were a staple for any African childeven the most complicated alarm systems in our mid-sleep           growing up.                                                                   “The early bird catches the worm” was first recorded in proverbial                                                                   lingo by John Ray’s. Guess when he said this? In the 1670s!                                                                   I always wondered what would make people wake up early back                                                                   then? Why is this phrase still relevant all these years? Does that                                                                   mean that this early bird has never caught enough worms to date?                                                                   I have never really been a morning person, but I always wish I                                                                   had the energy and vigour those characters from morning cereal                                                                   commercials have.                                                                   Whenever I watch a Weetabix ad, I am usually convinced that                                                                   mornings can actually be awesome; to the extent where I go to                                                                   the supermarket and buy cereals intent on a fresh start towards                                                                   early rising, jogging in the morning or doing a bit of yoga.                                                                   MAY 2018 | TRAILBLAZER | 15","I can assure you my jogging outfit is still in its supermarket         emails. Early morning hours are in their control and need to bepackaging somewhere in the back of my closet never opened,             utilised effectively before the rest of the world can step out ofnever tested.                                                          their beds.                                                                       While the rest of us are still snoozing our alarms for 30 minutes,                                                                       Apple CEO Tim Cook wakes up at 3:45 a.m. to read and respond                                                                       to emails, just because he loves what he does and does not                                                                       regard it as work. Disney CEO Bob Iger gets up at 4:30 a.m to                                                                       read, while Warren Buffett wakes up at 5:45 a.m. and starts his                                                                       day by reading the newspaper.I have set more than 5 alarms on my phone, with different creepy       Is waking up early a recipe to artistic success? One may askring tones, that are 5 minutes apart, so that I can keep snoozing      Beyonce who wakes up by 6 a.m. to pray, meditate and get to thethem for like 30 minutes.                                              studio. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson gets to the gym by 4.a.m. to                                                                       get an edge on the competition. Pharrell Williams starts his dayIf there is something I haven’t learnt all these years, is the art of  by 6 a.m. and gets to the shower. Interestingly, this is where hewaking up with a smile. Why do I always feel like waking up is the     comes up with many of his song ideas, (yes, his shower must behardest decision to make every day? I normally wake up by 6:30         really awesome to elicit some creativity).a.m. but I am not quite sure how the minutes fly between thenand 7:30 a.m. when I am rushing out like a headless chicken to         These CEOs and successful entrepreneurs definitely don’t snoozeget to work on time.                                                   their alarms, they leap out of bed very early in morning as “life is                                                                       too exciting” for you to experience it while asleep! I also realisedBased on the few books and articles I have been reading,               that all these exciting dreams I have every night cannot comeapparently research has been done and one of the contributors of       true while I am asleep. I am not sure exactly what time our CEOssuccess in life is WAKING UP EARLY! Someone once said; “How you        here wake up, but based on the time they get to the office, Istart your day affects how the rest of your day will go”.              probably think they have adopted the same trend.Successful CEOs said that they had to wake up really early to          I will actually have to print this article and stick it on my pillowmeditate, plan their day’s activities, do some creative thinking       because I still don’t know if I can wake up at 4 a.m. every day. Iand complete a work out session. This is because most of their         understand that correlation does not imply causation. However, ifday will be spent on meetings, phone calls and responding to           this is one of the key contributors of success, maybe I can achieve                                                                       this halfway and combine it with other keys to success. Who says                                                                       we can’t work from the comfort of our homes in future? What we                                                                       can do for now is strive to be better as success seems to favour                                                                       the early risers.“ Early to bed early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthyand wise.-Benjamin Franklin                                                     ”16 | TRAILBLAZER | MAY 2018","IDENTITY By Luisa OtienoEverybody is looking for that something                                 Of course we all know the truth; we just don’t want to face itOne thing that makes it all complete                                    Because sometimes it’s too painful, we’d rather live in limboJust that one thing that makes it all so different and yet so similar   Than face the face, at which we’ve been staring atYou find it in the strangest places, places you never knew it could be  And we go out and celebrate as if life is perfect, pretending inSome find it in the faces of their children                             each other’s facesSome find it in their lover’s eyes                                      When all of us are falling, but we are afraid to tell each other,Some find it sharing every morning                                      Can we comprehend it all? Pieces of the unapt puzzle?Some in their solitary nights                                           Yet we could just all support each otherThe real voyage of discovery lies in having new eyes                    Give each other a shoulder to lean onI know I’m not seeing things as they are; I’m seeing things as I am     Then it could be so much betterAnd because of that I keep looking, maybe for something that is         We are all like pieces of the coins that children break in halfso near yet so far away                                                 for keepsakesEveryone is looking, not many are seeing                                Making two out of one, like the flatfishWe are blinded by our own selves, and illuminated by it                 And each of us is forever seeking the half that will tally with himBy the things we believe are true and just, by the principles we        And so all this to do, we are longing for and following afterlive by                                                                 that wholenessBut do we care to see without a mask on; without prejudice ofwhat we want to see                                                                        MAY 2018 | TRAILBLAZER | 17","AKI SPORTSThe annual AKI sports event was held last year which saw all our staff participate in all the competitive activities. Our staff showedup as early as 7.30 a.m. at the Kasarani Sports Stadium ready to play and compete with 12 other insurance companies.After a long day of cheering, wins and some losses, we emerged overall winners for the 5th year in a row! We took home the winner’strophy in netball and first runners up in football, swimming and basketball.These trophies highlight the tireless dedication of the sports teams and prove once again that only good comes fromworking together.Well done to our sportsmen!18 | TRAILBLAZER | MAY 2018","CSRWe believe that the world is beautiful when people smileAs an insurance company, we provide essential services to the   services, we have a role to play in improving services for thecommunity. We play a role in connecting people with each        community as a whole and not just our individual customers.other, with other communities and key community services.The operation of our services touches on all members of the     This year, all of our branches and departments have participatedcommunity with the potential to impact positively on their      in various CSR activities centered on our four key CSR pillars:quality of life. We also operate from a significant number ofproperties and have responsibility to those living and working  1. Sustainable clean water supply to communities.nearby as well as being a significant employer; directlyemploying over 400 staff.                                       2. Empowering the youth.Our relationships with the local communities we serve are       3. Education and health activities.therefore very important to us and are an essential part in     4. Environment conservation.the growth of our business. When developing our products &Water ConservationSponsorshipStacy Kavere, Best Girl (left) and Amos Basweti, Best Boy       Egerton University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Rose A. Mwonya(right) proudly receive their cheque from Catherine Karimi,     (left) receives a sponsorship cheque from Meena Shah,Chief Executive Officer, APA Life Insurance for their 2018      Nakuru Branch Manager APA Insurance (right) forschool fees.                                                    KShs. 250,000 for the 5th Mau-Egerton University Cross                                                                Country. This is the 5th consecutive year the company                                                                has sponsored the Mau-Egerton University Cross Country.                                                                                   MAY 2018 | TRAILBLAZER | 19","Departmental CSRAPA Life team visited St. Theresa Childrens’ Home in Nakuru. The school caters for girls between the age of 2-18 that are HIV positiveand others that are abandoned. The home has 50 children so far. The team spent the day with the kids and donated a printing machinefor the office and other goods.  20 | TRAILBLAZER | MAY 2018","GALLERYDoctor’s Cocktail at Crown Plaza, NairobiDr. Nyawere and Lucy Kuria-APA Insurance.               From left: Eric-Supreme Dental, Halima-Coptic Hospital                                                                        and Alex Karanja-APA Insurance.From left: Prof Macharia-Nairobi ENT, Prof J.A. Aluoch  From left: Catherine Karimi-APA Life CEO, Edith Karimi,              and Parul Khimasia-APA Insurance.             Dr. Stella Kubasu and Dr. Ummi-Vital Ray Imaging.From Left: Dennis and Dr. Harun Kinyua-Absolute Dental  From Left: Dr. M.D. Maina, Dr. Museve and Dr. Gichuru Mwangi.                             with a colleague.                                                        MAY 2018 | TRAILBLAZER | 21","GALLERY - CONTINUEDAgents/Brokers Awards night at Apollo Centre - NairobiFrom left to right: Monica Karihe, Sophie Mawondo, Annelsie Wanjiku, Winnie Njogu, Joan Naibei,                           Eileen Kirui, Beatrice Nyawira at the 2017 Agents Awards.Peter Kariuki of Bahari Insurance Brokers receives the award  Ajan Harkhani-A.H. Harkani receives the plaque for Best in      for Best in Business Mix from Daniel Mugo-APA Life.      Production 2016 from APA Insurance CEO, Vinod Bharatan.Diren Bagrecha-Chester Insurance Brokers receives the award   Jonathan marucha-Laser Insurance Brokers receives  for Best in Profitability from John Kigochi-APA Insurance.     the plaque for Most Improved Producer 2016 from                                                                              APA Life CEO, Catherine Karimi22 | TRAILBLAZER | MAY 2018","Agents/Brokers Awards Night - MombasaSamuel Kilalo-Joroben Insurance Agency receives the           From left: Manish Solanki, Ajesh Agravat andaward for Most Profitable Company from APA Life CEO,                     APA Director, Daniel Ndonye.                         Catherine Karimi.Lebohang Thuo of Sureseeker Insurance Agency receives the     Abeid and Yusuf Vejlani-Vmaz Insurance Agency receive theaward for Best in Production from James Gitoho-APA Chairman.     award for Ongoing Commitment and Dedication from                                                                              APA Insurance CEO, Vinod BharatanFrom Left: Mr. and Mrs. P. J. Shah, Mr. and Mrs. Hussein      From left: Utam B. Shah, Ajesh Agravat and                        and Shabana Parker.                                 APA COO-S. J. Njoroge.From left: APA Insurance Staff, Susan Mumba, Frida Namramba and Jane Nyumoo.                                                        MAY 2018 | TRAILBLAZER | 23","OUR LOCATIONSHead Office                                  EmbuAPA Insurance (Kenya) Limited,               1st Floor, Ganga Building, Kenyatta Highway,Apollo Centre, Ring Road, Parklands,         Tel: +254 (0) 68 223 0103,P.O. Box 30389-00100, Nairobi,               E-mail: apa.embu@apainsurance.orgTel: +254 (0) 20 286 2000,                   Website: www.apainsurance.orgE-mail: info@apainsurance.orgWebsite: www.apainsurance.org                Kisii                                             2nd Floor Mocha Place, Kisii-Kisumu Road,Branch Offices                               Tel: +254 (0) 58 203 1773City Centre                                  E-mail: apa.kisii@apainsurance.org6th Floor, Hughes Building,Kenyatta Avenue,                             MachakosTel: +254 (0) 20 286 2000                    ABC Imani Plaza, Ngei Road,E-mail: info@apainsurance.org                Tel: +254 (0) 44 21455                                             E-mail: apa.machako@apainsurance.orgNakuruGiddo Plaza, George Morara Road,             NanyukiTel: +254 (0)51 221 3412/6|020 286 2337      2nd Floor, Ubii Plaza,E-mail: apa.nakuru@apainsurance.org          Website: www.apainsurance.co.keMombasa                                      Group CompaniesApollo House, Moi Avenue,                    APA Life Assurance Limited,Tel: +254 (0) 41 222 1941                    Apollo Centre, Ring Road, Parklands,E-mail: apa.mombasa@apainsurance.org         P.O. Box 30389-00100, Nairobi                                             Tel: +254 (0) 20 364 1000Kisumu                                       E-mail: info@apalife.co.keGround Floor, Tuff Foam Mall                 Website: www.apalife.co.keJomo Kenyatta HighwayTel: +254 (0) 20 216 2908                    APA Insurance (Uganda) Limited,E-mail: apa.kisumu@apainsurance.org          AHA Towers, 5th Floor, 7 Lourdel Road,                                             Nakasero, Kampala,Naivasha                                     P.O. Box 7561,Eagle Centre, 1st Floor, Mbaria Kaniu Road,  Tel: +256 200 907 003|+256 200 907 004Tel: +254 (0) 50 202 0086                    E-mail: apa.uganda@apainsurance.orgE-mail: apa.naivasha@apainsurance.org                                             Apollo Asset Management Company Limited,Eldoret                                      Apollo Centre, Ring Road, Parklands,1st Floor, Zion Mall, Uganda Road,           P.O. Box 30389-00100, Nairobi,Tel: +254 (0) 53 203 0937                    Tel: +254 (0) 20 364 1000E-mail: apa.eldoret@apainsurance.org         E-mail: assetmanagement@apollo.co.ke                                             Website: www.apolloassetmanagement.co.keThika5th Floor, Zuri Centre, Kenyatta Highway,    Gordon Court Limited,Tel: +254 (0) 67 222 0196                    Apollo Centre, Ring Road, Parklands,E-mail: apa.thika@apainsurance.org           P.O. Box 30389-00100, Nairobi,                                             Tel: +254 020 364 1900Meru                                         E-mail: info@apollocentre.org2nd Floor, Hart Towers, off Meru Highway,    Website: www.apollocentre.orgTel: +254 (0)74 31821E-mail: apa.meru@apainsurance.org            Associate Company                                             Reliance Insurance Company (Tanzania) Limited,Nyeri                                        3rd & 4th Floor Reliance House,1st Floor, Peak Business Centre, off         Plot No. 356, United Nations Road, Upanga,Kenyatta Highway,                            P.O. Box 9826, Dar es Salaam,Tel: +254 (0) 61 203 0332                    Tel: +255 (22) 212 0088 - 90E-mail: apa.nyeri@apainsurance.org           E-mail: insure@reliance.co.tz"]; var positionForPages = [];