Dr Rosendo Ayres Ribeiro: The Doctor On A Zebra (Kenyan Asian community) (2020) by Shujaa StoriesNational Museums of Kenya
Dr Rosendo Ayres Ribeiro: The Kenyan Goan Doctor on a Zebra
Dr. Rosendo Ayres Ribeiro must have looked very strange whenever he went about his medical duties. Perhaps from the fact that he had originally come from Goa, in India or perhaps because he rode a zebra mule, which was neither a horse nor a zebra but a cross breed between the two.
Rosendo Ayres Ribeiro arrived in Kenya to work as a doctor in 1899. He practised surgery at the Indian Bazaar, now called Biashara Street. He operated under a tent and it was under that tent that he invented an anti-malaria drug which was patented and sold to an international pharmaceutical firm.
Dr Ribeiro was also well known for his work in the community and was awarded an OBE as well as 16 acres of land. In a bid to integrate Goans into the education system in Kenya, Dr. Ribeiro donated some of this land for the construction of the Dr. Ribeiro Goan School. In 1965, it was changed to Parklands Boys school and finally in 2015, it was changed yet again to Dr. Ribeiro Parklands School.
Dr. Ribeiro died in London in 1951 at the age of 80. He is remembered for his flamboyance, his professionalism and most of all for his philanthropy.
Dr. Rosendo Ayres Ribiero's legacy lives on
In the past 15 years the Kenyan government has made great strides in preventing and controlling malaria. It has issued insecticide treated bed nets, sprayed people's homes with insecticides and ensured that there is widespread diagnostic testing. These efforts have resulted in a significant drop in transmission rates.
Credits: Story
Research field work was undertaken in Samburu and Marsabit (for Gabbra, Samburu, Rendille, Saakuye, Dasanach, Elmolo, Waayu a.k.a Waata, and Burji superheroes/heroines), Embu and Tharaka (for Aembu, Tharaka, Ameru and Mbeere superheroes/heroines), Mombasa ( for Boni, Swahili, Pokomo, Segeju and Bajuni superheroes/heroines)and Taita-Taveta/Voi (for Taveta superheroes/heroines) capturing all information about the heroes from the 40 selected ethnic groups/communities by Museum’s research team. The illustrations were done using digital media by Shujaa Stories Limited.
National Museums of Kenya - Contributors
Mzalendo Kibunjia (PhD) - Director General
Purity Kiura (PhD) - Director Antiquities, Sites & Monuments
Julias Juma Ogega - Senior Curator/Research Scientist
Njuguna Gichere - Research Scientist
Lydia Gatundu - Art of Curator
Emmanuel Kariuki - Exhibit Designer
Philemon Nyamanga - Curator/Research Scientist
Mercy Gakii - Curator/Research Scientist
Imelda Muoti - Curator/Archivist
Innocent Nyaga - Marketing Officer
Suzanne Wanjaria - Exhibits Designer
Ray Balongo Khaemba - Senior Collection Manager
Raphael Igombo - Education Officer
Eddy Ochieng – Photographer/Videographer
Concept Developer:
Shujaa Stories Ltd
Creative Direction:
Tatu Creatives Ltd
Shujaa Stories Ltd
Shujaa Stories Ltd – Contributors
Masidza Sande Galavu - Illustrator
Jeff Muchina- Editing
Martha Shavuya Galavu - Illustrator
Brian Kiraga – Research and Writing
Daisy Okoti - Editing
Shani Mutarura - Editing
Juelz Laval – Photography/Videographer
Linda Tambo - Photography
Other Contributors
Nature Kenya- The East Africa Natural History Society (EANHS)
Spellcast Media
Date Created:
2019/2020
Location Created:
Kenya
You are all set!
Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.