POWERHOUSE GLOBAL STARS
POWERHOUSE GLOBAL STARS INTERVIEW WITH
RUTH SHALOM KINYUA (RSK) PGS: Ruth, good to have you on today’s interview with Lady Anita. RSK: Thank you Lady Anita. Connecting with you for this interview was a serendipitous encounter. Nevertheless, I am grateful to you for extending the opportunity to be featured in Powerhouse Global Stars. PGS: Please briefly introduce yourself to our readers. RSK: My full name is Ruth Shalom Wambui Kinyua. I am ambitious, self-driven and a switch educational systems.
I moved to Wellesley,
More so because I was initially
Massachusetts in 2015 to study
At fifteen years old, I was
offered a conditional one-
entrepreneurship. Somehow,
fortunate to receive a full
year scholarship. Thankfully, I
I managed to pack a lot into
scholarship to a Swiss boarding
thrived!
those four years. From being
risk-taker.
elected as a class senator in
school, Aiglon Switzerland. Born and raised wholly in
I completed my IGCSE during
the Student Government, to
Kenya with minimal multi-
that first year (2012) and
serving as an Equity Analyst
cultural exposure, it was a
excelled in the two-year
in the Babson College Fund
tremendous leap of faith to
International Baccalaureate
(optimizing returns on a $4
leave my high school midway,
program. Selected to join the
million portion of Babson’s
move to a continent I had
prestigious Global Scholars
endowment fund) and
never been to before and
Program at Babson College,
graduating from the Honors
38 APR-JUN 2021
www.powerhouseglobalstars.com
Program. I also completed
complexities of this world. As
an year-long program at the
a young leader, it is justifiable
London School of Economics,
that one faces greater
two summer internships at
adversity. One needs to grasp
Ernst and Young, a consulting
the nuances, not only in your
internship at the Bank of Kigali,
area of expertise, but also of
Rwanda and a summer analyst
the larger, interconnected and
position at Goldman Sachs.
highly volatile world. That said,
Upon graduating in 2019, I took
I subscribe to the belief that
another leap of faith by moving
with infinite potential there are
back to Nairobi, Kenya. In 2020,
unlimited possibilities.
I honoured my lifelong ambition by registering two ventures:
PGS: If you knew what you
Integrale Seers Advisory, a
know now, what would you do
business accelerator, and The
differently?
Maarifa Collective, a social organization.
RSK: Initially, I was timid, naive and reserved. Notwithstanding,
In December 2019, having taken a personal break to recharge, and realign my priorities, I recognized the oversized impact that education has had on my life. I decided to apply for a PhD program. Although my application was not successful, I identified the need to champion doctoral training/ education for Kenyan youth.
PGS: You obviously have
I was able to power through
training/education for Kenyan
evolved into a global leader in
the mental, cultural and
youth. The national average
your industry, what were some
emotional turbulence of life in
dropout rate for each doctoral
of the challenges you faced
advanced economies through
cohort in Kenya is 90%, whilst
on your journey to leadership?
sheer determination and grit.
the average time to completion
(Could you rephrase the
is 6 years instead of 3 years.
question- i don’t view myself
PGS: Please tell us more about
Maarifa means knowledge
as a global leader in my
‘Maarifa Collective’.
in Kiswahili and so beyond
industry yet- I took a stab at
expanding doctoral capacities, RSK: In December 2019,
our overarching objective is to
having taken a personal break
catalyze pathways to a growing
RSK: Doubt. I recently
to recharge, and realign my
local knowledge economy.
turned 24, and there are
priorities, I recognized the
Maarifa Collective views
misconceptions about what
oversized impact that education
education and knowledge
is possible versus what is
has had on my life. I decided
creation, particularly among
beyond the scope for young
to apply for a PhD program.
youth, as a key driving force
leaders. Certainly, age
Although my application was
for sustainable development
proffers experience, exposure
not successful, I identified the
nationally.
and greater insight on the
need to champion doctoral
the question anyway).
APR-JUN 2021 39
POWERHOUSE GLOBAL STARS
PGS: What more could be
level; targeting the pitfalls, the
Keep your head up high as you
done to support more women
drawbacks and the upheavals
go through every phase. I quote
to take up leadership roles?
that hold back female potential.
Winston Churchill, success is not final, failure is not fatal- it
RSK: In their lifetime, women
PGS: What were the top three
is the courage to continue that
follow a unique pathway that
books that changed your life?
counts.
leadership mandate. If we
RSK: Daring Greatly by Brene
PGS: What is your message for
start by fully understanding
Brown illuminated the pathway
the African Youths?
the intricacies of female
to wholehearted living. The
livelihoods, we can put in
World’s Wife by Carol Ann
RSK: Agency. Resilience.
place enabling systems and
Duffy is an anthology of
Innovation. According to the
adequate supportive structures
witty poems that deconstruct
UN, 75% of Africa’s population
to bolster female leaders. For
gender norms and create a
is aged below 35 years, and
example, the statistics show
feminist reality. Unbowed by
so we need to take personal
that the COVID-19 pandemic
Wangari Maathai exposes
and collective responsibility
has had a disproportionate
the harsh realities faced by
for our shared future, forge
negative impact on women
Kenyan females in their path to
creative pathways to realise
globally, does the recovery plan
leadership.
transformative realities and
needs to be aligned with the
give prominence to redressing
build momentum for the long
entrenched gender inequities?
PGS: What is your message for
Maarifa Collective identifies
world leaders?
that the current ratio of male
haul. PGS: Ruth, thank you for your
to female PhD enrolment is 2:1.
RSK: Decisions made at the
Women are underrepresented
global level have a trickle
across all academic levels, (from
down effect on both current
RSK: It is a privilege to share
Bachelors to PhD) and in all
and future generations. In a
your time Lady Anita. Thank
academic programs (STEM and
power-hungry world, there is a
you.
Non-STEM); yet the World
growing need for restraint and
Bank indicates that the return
peace-making (Shalom!).
to educating Sub-Saharan
time – much appreciated.
PGS: Please share your links with us
women is at almost 15% --
PGS: What would you say to
one of the highest investment
your younger self?
returns globally. To address
RSK: 1. Integrale Seers Advisory: LinkedIn, Twitter,
the endemic nature of female
RSK: Life will constantly throw
underachievement, tailored
curveballs, know and honor
2. The Maarifa Collective:
solutions must begin at the root
your true self at every stage.
LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram
40 APR-JUN 2021