Each year, for the entire month of March, we pause to celebrate women’s achievements and raise awareness about women’s equality.  With this year’s International Women’s Day theme being Choose to Challenge, I identified all ways I will apply this theme in my life moving forward. What struck me the most about the theme is how much I am constantly challenged by the young women at Nova Pioneer Girls High School.

Super Women

These young women are the perfect embodiment of ‘Choosing To Challenge’. They are brave, outspoken, objective, go getters, supportive of each other and shattering glass ceilings every chance they get. I celebrate them! 

I am challenged by Rehema Kipchumba and Michelle Adika emerging the best nationwide with a project in the Agriculture category in the YSK Online National Science and Technology Exhibition hosted by Young Scientists Kenya late last year. 

I am challenged by Ivy Butichi, who joined Form 1 as a shy girl who wasn’t excited about opportunities to speak in front of her classmates but eventually put in the work and can now confidently give presentations to large crowds. 

I am challenged by Riziki Bailey who over the past 4 years at Nova Pioneer grew into her autonomy and can now stand firm in her beliefs. 

I am challenged by Nduta Gicheru who in addition to bagging her A grades in class, also scoops several awards in competitive swimming.

I am challenged by Faith Marindich who proceeded to the Tournament of Champions in Yale after participating in the World Scholars Cup in South Africa in 2019 together with 46 of her schoolmates.

I am challenged by Angela Musomba, who learnt how to fail forward and used the lessons from her failure as stepping stones and eventually got into the Yale Young African Program (YYAS) in 2020.

I am challenged by Jeanne Sere, who founded a social venture, SMILES, that focuses on collecting old uniforms for reusing and recycling, promoting sustainability.

I am challenged by Eudious Jepkoech, who featured in a documentary film, Gogo, written and directed by Pascal Plisson and premiered in Monaco, France in November 2020. 

I am challenged by Ann Cecily and Wairimu Wahome who were accepted to the New York Academy of Science in March 2019 and October 2018 respectively.

I am challenged by Wangui Yiantai who was one of the few Kenyan students to be accepted into the Yale Young Global Scholars Programme for a Biological & Biomedical Science program in July 2019.

I am challenged by the entire Form 4 class, our pioneer class, at our Tatu Girls High Schools for beating all odds against COVID 19, supporting each other, believing in themselves and keeping focused as they prepare for the upcoming Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (K.C.S.E ) exams. 

Your turn

I could go on and on naming each and every young woman at our Nova Pioneer Girls High Schools who challenges me to shatter glass ceilings, but there isn’t enough time to do so. Perhaps, you will get to hear more of their amazing stories at one of our Virtual Open Days.  I guarantee you of being challenged.

Remember, you can Choose to Challenge by calling out gender inequality and seeking to celebrate women’s achievements. I now pass on the challenge to you.