International Women’s Day: Views from A Kenyan Teacher

Alice Sayo is one of twelve children born to illiterate parents in the Maasai community of Kenya. Her father, a traditional Maasai man, expected all his daughters, including Alice, to be married by the age of 12. Against incredible odds, Alice avoided early marriage, went to school, and became a teacher, assistant principal, and an advocate for girls’ education. She arrived in the United States in January 2011 to participate in the International Leaders in Education Program implemented by IREX.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, “a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future,” IREX is pleased to feature this interview with Alice about her life in Kenya and her experience in the United States.

How long have you been teaching, and why did you decide to become a teacher?

I have been teaching for the last 17 years. I decided to become a teacher way back when I was in high school. During Sundays I used to teach young children in the church. It was then that I developed a passion for working with young children. This passion was also influenced by my struggle as a Maasai girl to go to school in a community that does not encourage girls to go to school. I had always wanted an opportunity to encourage girls to go to school.

You have been in the US for just over two months. So far, what has surprised you the most about the US? What will you tell your friends and family about Americans when you return home in May?

There are a lot of surprises that I will share with my family and friends once I go back. The level of honesty among Americans is really something I admire. I lost my wallet with money in it at school and the supervisor of the cleaning department found it. The following day I received a call to collect my wallet at the Dean’s office. I was very grateful. The Americans are also very friendly, welcoming and down to earth people. Every person is respected here, irrespective of color, language and background.

What are your goals for when you return home?

I intend to train teachers from my school and from the neighboring schools on how to use learner-centered instruction in large classrooms, and I plan to raise funds for very needy Maasai girls in my school so that they can complete secondary education. I also intend to organize a workshop for my fellow school principals and train them on the need to shift from teacher-centered strategy to learner-centered strategy in our secondary schools.

What do you think Americans should know about women in Kenya?

Women, being the backbone of rural economies in developing countries-- especially in Africa--play a significant role to ensure their families’ well-being. They provide shelter, food, health and education to their children. Most women have hardly gone beyond primary education. Culturally and especially in the rural settings, girls are not given equal opportunities to study like boys, hence they have limited education and training. Historical, cultural and ideological factors determine perception of female and male roles.

Low education levels put women in Kenya at a disadvantage compared to men. While the gender gap in primary education in Kenya has decreased in recent years the gap remains high at secondary and tertiary institutions.

Coming from one of the minority communities in Kenya, the Maasai tribe, there are many challenges facing women in Kenya: lack of economic resources, marginalization and poverty, lack of education and training, and negative cultural and religious practices.

Because of all these factors, women are underrepresented in all decision-making organizations in general and more specifically in political decision-making. Despite clear obstacles to women’s equality, policies such as Universal Free Primary Education have brightened the prospects for Kenya’s daughters.

March 8 is International Women’s Day. What does this day mean to you?

This is a day to celebrate and acknowledge the accomplishment and achievements of outstanding women all over the world, and to think about how we can all do more to empower women. It’s also a forum to provide women with leadership opportunities and professional development. It’s a day to celebrate, empower and inspire women to be bold, courageous and innovative.