While staying at Hans Blaser in Mombassa we were introduced to Jany Gastellier (68), a Belgian art designer and former teacher in Urundi-Rwanda and married to the late Sylvain Gastellier. We were quite surprised discovering that we met up with a personality with such rich character and spectacular background. Initially we though this was someone that worked in Burundi and that she had some useful tips and hints for us, but this was so much more.

Jany came to Africa in 1959 after having to wait (in her mind, endlessly) until she reached the required age of 21. While she waited she finished 5 diplomas and during that time, Africa was constantly on her mind. Being a Belgian, she had lots of family members in Congo and Urundi-Rwanda (The country was dived into Burundi and Rwanda in the early sixties) and listening to all the tales and stories from them made here fall in love with the African continent and was determined to go as soon as she could.

She worked in Urundi-Rwanda as a French teacher for the Royal family and was tutoring the Kings son (later to become King) and babysitting two lions. The turmoil in the country led her later to leave and ended up in Mtwapa, Kenya where she has been working as an art designer in jewellery/clothes. Her list of famous friends are endless, from presidents wives, politicians, businessmen and glamorous actors.