Christine Karue is the winner of the Toastmasters Mombasa area 3 speech evaluation contest.

The 43-year-old clinical pscychologist from the Tamarind Toastmasters club was awarded on Wednesday evening during an open house and area evaluation and humuruos contest held at the Tamarind hotel, Mombasa.

Lalindra DeS Silva of the Kericho Gold club emerged the second.

Toastmasters is a non-profit organisation that teaches people public speaking through regional clubs. The organisation has 30,000 members, with 15,800 clubs in 149 countries. It has been around since 1924.

Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators, and leaders.

In East Africa the organisation has member clubs in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Ethiopia.

Mombasa has over 120 members from different clubs including the Bamburi, Nyali, Mombasa Executives, Mombasa Island, Kericho gold and Tamarind clubs.

"I feel excited and grateful for having had the opportunity to test my toastmasters skills, I'm looking forward to seeing what the next level will be." said Karue.

Adding " I have been a toastmaster for four years now and I have learned alot about public speaking. i would like to encourage those who have not yet joined the clubs to do so since there is alot to learn."

Speaking during the event, the area 3 toastmasters director Wanjiru Mureith said the competition will now proceed to the next level which is the division level.

"There was a competition already held in these clubs and this was just a culmination, the winner will now go represent the area 3 clubs in the division conference" said Mureithi.

Adding "Competitions and contests are very important because we show people what toastmaster is all about. We also need to invite new members on a regular basis and this is one of the opportunities to invite new members so I would like to encourage people to join the clubs".