Neema Kanyua

Why do you work at Nova Pioneer? What keeps you here?

There’s a lot that keeps me at Nova Pioneer. The work we do is having a tangible impact on our students growth and development, and we get to see that every time we speak with them, or every time we hear about the exciting things they are doing in and out of school. My colleagues are all people who take their work very seriously, without taking themselves too seriously, so being around them is equal parts inspiring, challenging, and fun!

What inspires you most about your work at Nova Pioneer?

I am most inspired by how much fun our students are having in class! If I could, I would go back to school just to take part in the joy that I see our students having in a Nova Pioneer classroom. Even on the toughest of days, a quick peek into one of our classrooms will re-energise me to keep doing my best for our students.

In what ways have you grown since joining Nova Pioneer?

I have worked on projects that touch on so many parts of our organisation, and the exposure to many different perspectives, needs, and priorities really increased my ability to “wear many hats at the same time.”

Can you share a story of one of your most memorable moments at Nova Pioneer?

One of my most memorable moments at Nova Pioneer was at the end of 2017 when we were moving furniture and equipment into Tatu Primary School in preparation for the arrival of our students. While we could have left it to the School Operations team to set up the school, colleagues from all teams came in on the weekend to help.

We all carried chairs, tables, and carpets into the classrooms on a hot Sunday afternoon because we were excited to create fun rooms for our students, and very eager to finally see them in the classroom when school opened.

That camaraderie and teamwork is what comes to mind when I think of every staff member at Nova Pioneer: we love to create the best for our students, and we will work together to accomplish that, even if it goes above and beyond what we were hired to do!