Who comes to mind when you think of Kenyan women who have broken gender barriers?
Whether it be the dizzying heights of the highest judicial seat in the land, the muddy terrain of a Safari Rally, or a hospital room thick with the tension of a challenging surgery, rest-assured there is a Kenyan woman dominating.
Breaking gender barriers
In 1976, Leah Thumbi walked into her first class in building economics only to find that she stuck out like a sore thumb as the only woman who had enrolled. Still, Leah turned her conspicuousness into a steady academic drive and achieved the impressive feat of becoming the first female quantity surveyor in 1984.
Priscilla Abwao was denied the opportunity to speak at the 1962 Lancaster House Conference because of her gender. She soon put pen to paper and made a powerful memorandum championing the importance of equal representation for women.
Rev. Rose Okeno was a stalwart in leading teams of women using her remarkable experience in Human Resources. It is therefore no surprise that her appointment as the first female Anglican Bishop in Kenya in 2021 was an incredible milestone that broke down impending calls for a moratorium on women bishops.
Much like Leah, Priscilla and Rose, many of the women in the stories did not come up against easy odds to break down the gender barriers entrenched in their fields. Through setbacks and frustrations, each woman came out on top and provided living proof of the astronomical heights that Kenyan women can rise to even in male-dominated fields.
Values and success
If the women in this series have taught us anything, it is the sheer force of courage, patience and authenticity. These values shift landscapes, break the rules that need to be broken, and scale even the most insurmountable mountains.
Rosemary Karuga, the first female student at Makerere’s School of Fine Arts, did not gain widespread recognition for her art until the age of 60. The tiny seed that she lovingly planted as a creative child striking walls with charcoal grew into a mighty career in art that demanded worldwide renown.
For Dr. Elizabeth Itotia, the difficult choice to return to school as opposed to retaining her full-time job propelled her to become the first female radio pharmacist in Kenya in 2021. She fulfilled a promise she had made to herself to study cancer, the disease whose debilitating effects she had heard about in childhood.
Pamela Jelimo is no stranger to leaving competitors in the dust. Therefore, mouths may be left agape upon learning that the first Kenyan woman to win an Olympic gold medal actually came last in a 200-meter competition in 2007. Despite this, her discipline as a track star was mental as well as physical. Jelimo purposed to keep going, and in doing so, breezed past the finish line to earn a gold medal in the 800-meter event during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
We honour these formidable Kenyan women who have not been afraid of being the first in order to ensure that they are not the last.
Is there a story that stood out to you? Have you crossed paths with any of the women in this series? How have they inspired you?
Let us know in the comment section.
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