Powerhouse Global Stars 2021 Interview

Page 1

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

Instagram

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


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.