Maria Kamau, also known as Mkay, is a Kenyan ICF-certified travel coach, travel writer and bodacious adventurer who has travelled to 100 countries and all 47 counties of Kenya. Sao Tome and Principe became her 100th country after a 37-year international travel journey that began with a school trip to Germany in 1989.

Her achievement is not a story of diplomatic access or large sponsorships. Only about 15 of her country visits were connected to official work; most were self-funded through long-term saving, budgeting and deliberate financial choices. Travelling with an ordinary Kenyan passport has also meant navigating demanding visa applications, higher costs, extensive documentation and occasional immigration scrutiny.

Maria now uses Travel with Mkay to help people, particularly women and African travellers, approach travel with courage and practical preparation.

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Diaspora Food Stories is produced by The Global Food and Drink Initiative, a 501c3 nonprofit. Together with your generous donation we can continue to preserve the oral history and culture of Black food and drink stories both in English and other languages spoken throughout the African diaspora. To donate, visit globalforgood.org.

Website: Diaspora Food Stories

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Ozoz Sokoh is an award-winning food explorer, educator and budding curator who began journaling about food on her blog, Kitchen Butterfly, in 2009. Her research and documentation explore the roots of Nigerian and West African cuisine, the impact of West African intellectual contributions to global development from the American South, through the Caribbean to Europe and Latin America, and the connection to the Afro diaspora.

She released her first cookbook, "Chop Chop: Cooking the Food of Nigeria," in 2025 which celebrates the vibrant, diverse world of Nigerian cuisine, featuring dishes like spiced beef suya, rich egusi soup, jollof rice, puff puff, and hibiscus drinks.

In this episode, the Nigerian native and Canadian resident shares how one recipe started her journey of food documention and the importance of ensuring Nigerian recipes and traditions always have a safe place to be passed down to future generations.

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Diaspora Food Stories is produced by The Global Food and Drink Initiative, a 501c3 nonprofit. Together with your generous donation we can continue to preserve the oral history and culture of Black food and drink stories both in English and other languages spoken throughout the African diaspora. To donate, visit globalforgood.org.

Website: Diaspora Food Stories

We're heading back to the beautiful island of La Réunion for this conversation with food content creator Jennie Léonie.

Located in the Indian Ocean, La Réunion is a small island known for its warmth and dedication to preserving Creole culture and history. Jennie grew up in a family that shaped her strong connection to the island's culinary culture.

On her Instagram page and YouTube channel, she shares easy, accessible recipes designed for active women in La Réunion, helping them bring their cultural identity into everyday cooking through small, creative twists. Her approach highlights modern, practical cooking that stays rooted in Réunionese ingredients and heritage, while documenting food experiences across the island, the Indian Ocean, and beyond.

If you are looking to learn more about what make this island so special and a must-visit, you'll want to listen to this episode.

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Diaspora Food Stories is produced by The Global Food and Drink Initiative, a 501c3 nonprofit. Together with your generous donation we can continue to preserve the oral history and culture of Black food and drink stories both in English and other languages spoken throughout the African diaspora. To donate, visit globalforgood.org.

Website: Diaspora Food Stories

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