Eve’s comeback!

Eve did not die. It just took a respite. As we celebrate the reincarnation of Eve, the women’s premier magazine, Shirley Genga reminisces with three members of the original team

Each Eve magazine was beautifully woven together. It was entertaining, witty and gently emotional without being overly sentimental.

The starring ladies in each issue were not only inspiring but also educative to boot. There is no doubt Eve magazine was a page-turner and a delightful treasure for women all over Kenya and Africa.

When the magazine took a break in October 2007, it left a huge vacuum. The magazine was the brainchild of Mundia Muchiri and Joy Mutero.

"I can remember Joy and I talking about having a glossy magazine for Kenyan women. That was back in 1999 and at that time, both of us were working for a newspaper," recalls Mundia.

"We kept saying that one day, we would do a glossy magazine like Elle, Cosmopolitan or Vanity Fair."

Sophisticated women

Mundia has always had a passion for publications. To realise his dream for a woman’s magazine, he began to talk to potential advertisers and readers. He discovered that an increasing number of Kenyan women were sophisticated and ready for a premier magazine.

He established Oakland Media, which went on to publish Eve and numerous other magazines.

"During the creation stage, our vision was to create a lifestyle magazine. We didn’t just want to deal with achievers but also issues that surround women such as health, beauty and fashion. We wanted a fairly mature magazine," says Mundia.

This vision was brought to fruition by Joy Mutero and Carole Mandi, who became Eve’s second editor following Joy’s departure to South Africa.

The first issue of Eve magazine hit the streets in 2000.

"Eve grew into a fairly significant institution and we realised we had to grow with it. That is how the Eve Woman of the Year Awards came about. It was actually Carole’s idea," reveals Mundia.

The first gala event was held in March 2002. Several dignitaries graced the occasion. "The Eve Woman of the Year Awards recognised the achievements of Kenyan women in different fields," says Mundia.

Wanjiru Ciiru joined Oakland Media in 2004 and took over from Carole.

"I believed we succeeded in celebrating women’s achievements and encouraging more women to aspire for more," says Wanjiru. "The magazine also provide a forum for networking."

One such forum was the Eve Mentoring Club, which was formed by readers.

"The readers, who included men, met once a month for motivational talks and networking. Lasting friendships were formed as a result," Wanjiru says.

Taboo topics

VIP Ogolla, a writer, says the magazine was more than a publication.

"Apart from profiling great women, Eve became a mouthpiece for issues people did not like to talk about in public," she says.

"We were one of the first magazines to talk about rape and erectile dysfunctions — topics that are considered taboo in our society.

When we did the article on erectile dysfunctions, for instance, we got a lot of feedback, which implied that people suffer silently and do not know where to get help."

Another first for Eve came in 2005 when it produced the first ever-wedding magazine dubbed Eve Bridal. The first issue was published in September issue and it sold out.

In 2006, the Eve franchise made another bold step.

"Eve dealt with the mature woman and we realised there was another vacuum in the market, and that was a publication that catered for young girls. This gave birth to Eve Girl," reveals Mundia.

Wayua Muli, known for pioneering the wildly popular Pulse magazine by the Standard Group, was Eve Girl’s editor.

"I’m proud of what we did with Eve magazine," says Mundia. "We published many inspiring stories but the one that touched my heart the most was the story of Njeeri Ngugi, wife to Ngugi Wa Thiong’o.

"She was assaulted in their rented house in Nairobi after coming back to Kenya after a 22-year exile. "We had hoped to celebrate her achievements but we ended up consoling her and giving her a medium to heal and speak up for women who have been assaulted and raped. Hers was the one story that deeply moved me," says Mundia

Oakland Media ran into a series of problems in 2007 that saw Eve take a break.

"My dream, however, was that Eve would live on, and it has done so under The Standard Group. You can never kill a good thing. It will always survive and live on," says Mundia.

"Eve made a deep impact on the lives of many women. I’m happy that it shall continue to do so."

The Standard Group Chief Editor Mr John Bundotich said the journey to have Eve back in publication was one that got inspiration from the Group Deputy Chairman and Chief Strategist Mr Paul Melly and has taken meticulous planning.

"To readers and advertisers of the Eve family, we have your best interests at heart so do expect superior content and a forum to discuss all issues that affect your day-to-day lives.

"I am confident that we have a strong and passionate team that will keep you coming for more every week," he said.