Over the years I have been working in
different capacities in the field of elearning. I initiated the award winning
online training program called elimika and is its coordinator. The name Elimika
is a Kiswahili word meaning “get educated” and was coined to capture the idea
behind online training and also give it a Kenyan identity. The program is an
online curriculum and curriculum support programmes delivery mechanism adopted
by the Institute to increase access, inclusiveness and efficiency in the
Institute’s programmes to its clientele at the same time ensuring quality is
maintained. Programs running on elimika include staff induction course, primary
teacher orientation course as well as a public program understanding the
constitution. The choice of the Primary Teachers Orientation Course calculated
to target women as most of the teachers at this level are women. This would
partly address my desire to empower teachers on use of technology.

  

My
work has been recognised regionally and internationally. The Jury and Council
of Board Members of the world education congress conferred the “Award for
Excellence in eLearning” to me at the Global Learntech Awards that took place
on 23rd July, 2015 in Mumbai India. The aim of the Awards was to recognize the
Best of the Best, and is organized for a professional cause. I was recognised
for my leadership and contribution to the field of Education. I was humbled by
the jury words “The position that you occupy in the fraternity is strategic and
iconic. As a thinker and doer you are a role model and a believer in change”.

I
was also awarded the 2011 Technology in Government in Africa (TIGA) award
orgainised by United Nation Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and received
the award during the elearning conference held in Tanzania. The TIGA awards,
launched in 2007 by the UNICEA aimed to recognize outstanding achievements by
organizations or teams that develop and implement innovative projects to
improve online government service delivery.

 I was also privileged to receive the public
service innovators certificate in Kenya in 2012. I have been involved in
various elearning activities in the region and globally.

WHAT FUELS ME?

Virtue, Zealous, Perseverance, Excellence,

MY
GREATEST INFLUENCE:

My parents have been very inspiring to
me. They taught me the value of hard work and perseverance inspite of difficult
situations and to always focus on the on finding a solution to such challenges.
I have found myself in difficult situation at work that made me almost tender
my resignation, but my mum reminded me that I needed to take a pause and
restructure a solution to the problem. Resignation was a losers bet and I was
not one. This changed my perspective and my solution bore my award winning
Elimika program.

 MY TOP THREE ROLE MODELS:

Wangari Mathai– her teaching of the little things count, the
story of the weaver bird that tried to put a forest fire by carrying water with
its beak

Nelson Mandela-Being the ICON of hope and perseverance
through the time he spent in jail. 

Mother Theresa– Not all of us can do great things but we can
do small things with great love

IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS…..

My goal is to manage an online social enterprise that allows
access to educational content for teachers’ learners, parents and the public,
where any developer can get a market for their educational products including
children and youth to improve their economic status. I also intend to run a
project for women in technology where they can do more with technology for their
well being including good health, home management and entrepreneurial
activities.

I do have an accountability manager Tony Carr from University of
Cape Town who keeps tab on my daily activity to ensure that I set achievable
goals and interrogate my thoughts and activities, to help sieve what is
workable.

I also have friends whom I pour out my exciting moments to and
challenges/bad days and experiences. They also stand in as my co-parents to my
children. My husband is my greatest pillar. He encourages me when I feel like
throwing in the towel, stands with me when things don’t work out and takes care
of the family when I am locked up in demanding activities.

THE
AFRICAN WOMAN’S CHALLENGE:

Being looked down upon, not being given equal opportunities at
work, limited information in various areas, limited programs that would improve
their well being, promotions at work, inadequate exploitation of ICTs due to
limited skills to mention a few challenges. With advent of technology and its
increase use, women are particularly challenged in the use of technology. Yes,
they do own mobile phones but other that take calls and send messages there is
little else they use them for. I would like to change this and get them to use
more technology, for educational purposes, where they can use them to get
information that they may require eg markets for their products and where to
get certain services or even where to get government services online, keep in
touch with their keen etc. Education can now be accessed through the mobile
phones too. They can use them to help their children access certain concepts
required in teaching and learning. There are programs also available
online that they can access for their own development. Being in the field of
elearning and with the platform that I have developed, I am working on online
products and trainings that will help solve this issue. I started with Primary
school teacher majority of who are teachers. I designed an online program on
how to make them effective teachers. 

WHAT I
DO TO RELAX:

MY  
–   I.C.E. [INSPIRE|CELEBRATE|EMPOWER]
VISION

A lot of emphasis for the longest time and recognition has been
given to the men. Even in fields where women have excelled, men are recognized
more. This is demotivating for women and makes them give up. Celebrating women
empowers them to do even more. When their efforts rare recognized, they serve
as role models for the young ones and even their colleagues who also feel they
can also do great things. Just as educating the woman is educating the
community, recognizing the woman empowers the whole community

MY
AFRICAN UNION PLANS:

I would like to be a trainer because I believe building
capacities is the beginning of desired change. I love imparting new knowledge.
I would also like to be involved in designing training programs and also
development of content that would be used in capacity development programs. I
would also like to participate in advocacy for women empowerment especially in
the area of ICTs.

FINAL WORDS OF ADVICE: