Academic Day is the most nerve-wracking school event for average and underperforming learners. Parents congregate in school, where teachers are armed with report cards that spell out a student’s track record. Oftentimes, bad grades are attributed to the student’s shortcomings rather than to ineffective teaching strategies employed by educators. This was the case for Beryl Oywer, whose grades throughout primary school were only ever satisfactory.  

Tailoring the Learning Approach 

With no knowledge of how to customize learning for herself, Beryl struggled to internalize the material taught in class. The situation only worsened after she completed her primary education and joined Our Lady of Mercy Secondary School in 2004. Try as she might, Beryl could not grasp the mole concept, a unit that is central to learning Chemistry. After several failed attempts to crack it on her own, she turned to her aunt who was a Chemistry teacher for tuition. Subsequently, the cookie-cutter approach used in class was cast aside as her aunt took the time to figure out Beryl’s learning style.  

It is only then that Beryl discovered that she best responded to the Reading and Writing Learning Style. This was an approach for students who learn more effectively by thoroughly familiarizing themselves with written content. Beryl began to apply this approach to the rest of her subjects, reading ahead of the syllabus, taking comprehensive notes during classes, and re-reading after class to commit everything to memory. This new approach worked like a charm. She catapulted to the top of her class where she stayed for the rest of her educational journey.  

Discovering a Love for Stories 

Beyond unlocking her academic potential, this learning style also made Beryl develop an appreciation for words, language, and stories. The texts in her books were no longer foes but friends whose purpose and meaning Beryl was attuned to. This new allyship drew her to the media industry and she enrolled at Daystar University in 2008 to pursue a bachelor’s degree in communication. Upon graduating, Beryl joined Citizen TV as an intern and began carving out a niche for herself as an education reporter.  

Having bolstered her training with experience, Beryl landed a job at Radio Africa in 2013 as a radio journalist. For seven years, she told a myriad of stories, but the education beat remained near and dear to her heart. When learning was disrupted during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Beryl travelled to different parts of the country. During her travels, she witnessed the challenges being experienced in keeping learning going.  

A Necessary Change 

As Beryl dug deeper into unearthing stories about how COVID-19 disrupted learning, she gained an appreciation for how technology was being used to find solutions to challenges facing education and literacy in Kenya. In fact, reporting these stories ignited a spark within Beryl. She aimed to go beyond raising awareness about the problem and become an agent of change. This prompted her pivot in her career from the media industry to the non-profit sector and she became a Program Manager at NABU. This organization is committed to leveraging technology to provide learners with equitable access to literacy.  

Exciting as it was, Beryl’s transition from one industry to another was equally daunting. She had traded in her place as an expert for that of a beginner. This meant having to learn new skills, and more importantly, banking on her transferable skills to learn the ropes. But Beryl was not fazed by the challenge and even embraced the new adventure she had embarked on. Capitalizing on the networks she had created and the knowledge she had amassed as an education reporter, Beryl began the urgent work of engaging stakeholders in conversations about literacy in Kenya. Above all, her research and storytelling skills were essential to the success of her new venture as she communicated the relevance of NABU’s work and impact.  

Championing Quality Education through Storytelling 

Within months of joining NABU, Beryl also landed her first major partnership. Teaming up with Aga Khan Foundation, NABU produced a children’s book titled ‘Maria and the Tin Can Telephone’. It guided parents and teachers in addressing concerns brought about by the pandemic. This book became part of the back-to-school kit used by the Ministry of Education in sensitizing people about topics such as isolation and hygiene in the wake of COVID-19. The use of storytelling in Beryl’s work stretched beyond this project. NABU also partnered with Kenyan authors and illustrators to co-produce 160 original Kiswahili stories to use in improving literacy. This work directly feeds into SDG 4 on Quality Education, with an emphasis on using local languages to give pre-primary learners access to quality early childhood development. Having benefitted from a customized learning approach, Beryl understood the importance of making learning comprehensible. 

After one and a half years working as a Program Manager, Beryl had more than proven herself capable of enacting change in the edtech space. In November 2022, she was promoted to NABU’s Country Manager in Kenya. The new position was a vote of confidence in her skills and her commitment to carrying out the organization’s mandate. Through her role, Beryl positions NABU as a thought leader on the journey to achieving SDG 4. 

As an advocate for the issues she once reported on, Beryl’s journey in the education space has been a full circle experience. We celebrate her commitment to ensuring that literacy is improved and education is accessible for all Kenyan learners. 

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