It is exactly four months to the day since the first case of COVID-19 was announced in Kenya. Within 48 hours, the Government had announced the closure of all schools – post haste. Many employers also required staff to work remotely, so there we were, all suddenly thrown into the deep end of a new normal. It was initially unsettling, but we quickly fell into a routine with the help of a brilliantly simple schedule from a friend on Facebook.

Since March 13, the last time David (10 years) and Jonathan (7 years) were in school, they have grown in leaps and bounds into big little men whom I often hardly recognize. They mastered the new schedule quickly, which helped them to complete all the exercises in the virtual learning packs prepared by the school by mid-April. 

Since then, they’ve maximized the prolonged period at home to learn new skills – most notably in the kitchen, which is very apt given that they’re trying to eat me out of house and home!😄 I am so impressed with how they are making themselves useful with chores and anything that needs doing in the house. It seems their favourite words nowadays are, “Mum, do you need help with anything?” And, “Esther (our exceedingly gifted housekeeper), what can I help you do?”

 

Identifying Their Unique Strengths & Gifts

 

I’m finding that taking a few minutes whenever possible to teach them something new or do something together, however seemingly mundane, is helping us to know each other even better and giving the boys confidence in their unique strengths and gifts. 

Speaking of gifts, is there anything sweeter than enjoying grilled sweet and sour chicken wings or roast rosemary potatoes made from scratch made by your fast-growing little ones? I could hardly believe how confidently they peeled, washed, halved, parboiled, and seasoned the potatoes after just one trial run with Esther! 

They’ve also learnt how to cook chapatis – all the way from making the dough to rolling and frying. And how to make mandazis using a recipe from their cookery club at school. Thursday was one of their favourite days in school because they had cookery club. I don’t know how to cook chapati or mandazi, but hopefully they’ll teach me soon! They also cook some really good cinnamon French toast. As expertly taught by yours truly 😄.

Meanwhile, the mandazis come in all shapes and sizes 😄. Mine are usually heart-shaped ❤. They serve them with spicy tea for me to enjoy while I’m in an online meeting. And my share of the mandazis is labelled and stowed away safely in the fridge, away from ever-peckish boys! 😂

Between them and Esther, they’ve also taught themselves how to make really tasty bhajias – something we’ve never cooked at home before. Now to learn how to make lasagna. I think that just might win me Mum of the Year in their world!😂. For desserts, they’ve taken making ice lollies to a whole new level. David’s innovation – freezing a lolly made with Ribena and then piercing it in the middle to infuse orange juice to make a two-in-one lolly! Simply brilliant!

 

Taking Initiative..

 

Household chores are quickly becoming a breeze for the boys. They’re in the habit of making their beds, airing their rooms and tidying up their shelves when they notice they’re getting disorganised. What impresses me most is that they take the initiative themselves, especially on weekends, and then report with pride on their accomplishments.

Like when David manages to change the cover on his duvet, a tiresome task even for adults, or Jonathan volunteers to make all the beds on a Sunday! Never mind that he has turned his car bed into a notice board 😄. It’s so humbling to wake up to neatly made children’s beds on a weekend with an offer at the ready, “Mum can we make your bed for you?”

 

Boys will be boys 

 

Boys will be boys, so many times I find them on the roof of the car, relaxing in shorts and vests and with pillows for maximum comfort, reading, completing activity books, or just chatting (gratefully, they’re best of friends). Then the looks on their faces when I get them to wipe down the car of their grimy prints once they’re done – priceless 🤣! The important lesson in this “class” is that when you spend half the week hanging out on the roof of mummy’s car, you spend Saturday morning wiping your dusty little foot and finger prints off said car 😂.

 

Getting Creative

 

Their crafts creativity is also really growing. On Mother’s Day, they not only surprised me with a breakfast tray in bed, but with such thoughtful handmade gifts. David, with a mini-robot made from a cardboard box, toilet rolls, a party mask and ribbon, and Jonathan with a paper megaphone painted a sunny yellow that I can use to yell their names if I need anything. I was under strict instructions not to lift a finger that day. Their gifts have pride of place on my bedroom wall .

Thanks to Esther, they’ve also learnt how to make simple stitches and sew buttons. They practice on recyclable woven bags. 

Then there’s the week they were feeling particularly patriotic and decided to surprise me with a mini-flag of Kenya in our backyard made from old broom sticks and a bandanna. I was blindfolded for my introduction to the new invention 😂. It was such a refreshing and heartwarming sight, the lovingly made flag blowing obediently in the wind. Esther helped them rig it up in a way that they can pull it up and down, just like a real flag.

Don’t ask me how but there’s some cool tech there! I had “caught” them from my bedroom window, hard at work digging and “building” the flag, but I had no idea what they were making and they told me not to ask. The team work involved though was at expert level. 

 

Taking Charge

 

One of the greatest reliefs is how they’ve learnt to take full charge of feeding, bathing and walking their furry “sister” and best friend – Ms. Fluffy Whiskers. Yes, she has a pony tail 😂. This was after an afternoon of serious grooming although we got experts for that. Right now, the boys’ elaborate plans for a “camping” movie night for her birthday are in high gear. She turns one next Saturday😄. Their excitement is palpable. They’ve even got the popcorn seeds lined up, ready to pop! 

 

Boosting their love for reading

 

Let me take credit for stocking up the kids’ bookshelves to keep their fiction reading up and introducing them to audio books. The looks on their faces when they received a new shipment of books – after they had read literally all their story books – was so rewarding.

Discovering audio books (and the use of headphones ) has also been a treasure. They’ve dived into this exciting new virtual space with gusto – David loves sci-fi and devoured Interview with the Robot by Lee Bacon and Diary of a 6th Grade Ninja by Marcus Emerson in a couple of days. Jonathan seems to enjoy the classics. He persevered with all 18 chapters of Anne of Green Gables – 9 hours and 22 minutes of audio book – for about a month, and at his insistence! He is now reading the audio version of Alice in Wonderland. I know – audio books may not be the obvious choice for young readers, but I am banking on this experience boosting their comprehension, storytelling, and hopefully vocabulary skills as they complement with hard copy books for spelling. 

 

Teachable moments

 

Some of my favourite mummy-teaching-boys moments have been unexpected. Like making up and playing a game we decided to call “find the country on the globe” on a random Sunday morning when I hadn’t even gotten out of bed yet. It was so funny showing David how to climb into the house through a window. He then taught Jonathan. These are very important skills that must be passed down between generations!😄

It was so fulfilling to teach Jonathan how to put a nail in a wall and hang up a picture. He had found a canvas painting of an octopus that he had made last Christmas and a sisal artwork that needed to be put up or perish when he was tidying up his reading space. He was so proud of himself when he put them up, and rightly so!👏🏻

 

Family time

 

We’ve caught some really good movies on the random weekday family movie afternoons I like to organise. Some favourites have been A Dog’s Purpose, timeless flicks like Free Willy, and animations inspired by real life events like the 2018 animation – Sgt Stubby: an American Hero, which tells the story of a World War I soldier’s dog. I’ve also introduced “sleepover nights” where we carry the boys’ mattresses and beddings into my room for the night and have a slumber “party”. They love it! 🤗

 

 

I’ve noticed that as we get more accustomed to staying indoors, it’s sometimes a struggle for the boys to get out and play as they sometimes prefer to continue reading indoors or even helping with chores. But they eventually go outside with a little encouragement (read thinly veiled threats😄).

They’re good cyclists and during this time, they’ve increased their stamina so they can do longer distances without struggling. Best part of this – David taught me how to ride a bike! 🙌🏻 You know one of those things you’ve always assumed you knew how to do? Until you tried to and realised you’ve never actually done it? Cycling was one of those things for me!

David was so inspirational about teaching me too, saying, “Mum, you can do it”, when I was unsteadily approaching a bump. No picture for the learner bike rides yet unfortunately. Chief Documentarist aka Mum was busy learning how to not fall off the bike!

The boys have taken advantage of this time to perfect their roller skating. David took the first plunge and helped Jonathan catch up without too many bumps and bruises too! Thankfully, all teeth are accounted for! 😄 Jonathan has also perfected doing press ups – he’s turning out to be a real fitness buff and is now dutifully waiting for his biceps and abs to show up after all his efforts! I have no doubt they will – muscles are beginning to ripple 😄!

Today, I finally summoned the words and courage to tell the boys that school is out for another nearly six months. And that they will still be in their current grades when schools reopen in January 2021. As expected, they were disappointed. But they understand why it’s necessary.

So, we continue to #stayhome #staysafe and #sanitise. Meanwhile, we’re determined to continue making the most of this unusual time, a rare opportunity. So help us God. 🙏🏻

 

Written by: Wakiuru Maina, (current parent at our Nova Pioneer Primary, Tatu City Campus)

 

We all have unique strengths, which ought to be utilized to achieve specific goals in this life. Having strengths is one thing, identifying them and utilizing the strengths is the real deal.

There’s a need to identify one’s strengths to enable them to live authentic lives and to fulfill their true purpose in this world. Particularly, for  teenagers, it is important to identify your strengths as early as possible; this will enable you explore your full potential, learn from the unfolding of your strengths and hence build your own legacy.

It’s worth noting that there’s no specific road-map towards identifying one’s strengths. Albeit, there are suggested ways which act as a yardstick in identifying your strengths. Below are some possible guidelines and questions that you can use to identify your strengths 

 

Passion

 

Knowing what you’re passionate about is one way to identify your strengths. One way to identify what you’re passionate about is to ask yourself the following questions: what do I enjoy doing? What do I achieve effortlessly? What sets my soul ablaze? What uplifts my spirit? Answers to these questions can guide you towards the path you would wish to follow as an individual. What you’re passionate about is never too far from your strength. 

 

What are my top qualities?

 

What is it that people think of when your name flashes their minds? Is there a specific trait that your allies or family members admire in you? Could it be your patience, your positive attitude or your resilience? Taking time to have conversations with family members about the qualities you possess is a great way to steer your understanding of you. A random check on what really attracts your close friends towards you can be of great impact. This could help you form a basis for identifying your strength.

 

What makes me unique?

 

Your uniqueness gives you strength, your uniqueness identifies you, your uniqueness distinguishes you and your uniqueness is part of your authenticity. Identify that which distinguishes you and lay a background for your strength.

What is important to note is, on your path towards identifying your strengths you’ll encounter fear. Your strength will not be actualized in the absence of fear, it will only be a matter of conquering fear with confidence. Confidence is a muscle that needs a daily workout, a workout to remind yourself that you can overcome all your fear in order to attain your full potential and live authentically.

 

There’s something special about the Nova Pioneer Class of 2019 across Kenya and South Africa. The cohort of young men from Kenya and young women and men from South Africa were our first ever class to officially graduate from Nova Pioneer.

At the graduation ceremonies held towards the end of 2019 across Kenya and South Africa, there was a pervasive feeling of accomplishment and hope for the imminent year outside school. With 2020 just halfway through, it’s pretty clear that it’s been a tumultuous year.

We caught up with three of our alumni who are doing their part in making the most out of the year. Phillip (Nova Pioneer Boys, ‘19), Masego (Nova Pioneer Ormonde ‘19) and Jabu (Nova Pioneer Ormonde, ‘19), spent Friday evening with us on 1oth July. They gave us hope and encouragement through their stories of fortitude and perseverance.

You can catch up with their inspiring stories through the recorded recap down below.

Click on the links below to watch our previous episodes of Nova Pioneer Connect that takes place every fortnight.

Nova Pioneer Connect: Finding Your Inner Voice

Nova Pioneer Connect: Role of Creatives in Shaping a holistic Education Experience

Nova Pioneer Connect: Innovating And Adapting Education to COVID-19 at Nova Pioneer

 

Towards the end of January, four teams which consisted of  five girls each from Nova Pioneer Girls’ High School – Tatu city campus had their inaugural meeting at Safaricom Michael Joseph Center to participate in the Global Technovation 2020 challenge. The Technovation challenge is an annual event where young women apply their skills to solve real world problems through technology.

 

What’s does the Technovation challenge entail?

 

For this year’s challenge, they were to come up with mobile applications that solve problems in the community. The Safaricom team offered mentorship sessions for each team to guide them through the process.

The girls underwent four full stages in the app development. The first stage, which was ideation, helped them explore ideas which aligned with any of the 17 United Nation Sustainable Development Goals.

 

Stages of App Development

 

This phase of the competition tasked with conducting surveys amongst their peers in order to evaluate the need. They used the feedback they got from this phase and customized their final ideas based on this. At the end of this period, the girls came up with four brilliant ideas. 

• Team Chapchap came up with an application that would help increase tree coverage around the country.
• Team Jihi came up with a health application that would help people get access to quality healthcare.
• Team Infinito came up with an application that would help improve security around the country.
• Team Paladins came up with an idea that will help people get job opportunities around them.

The girls managed to go through this phase which built their confidence as they interacted with different people through the surveys and interviews. 

The next stage was entrepreneurship. They came up with business plans that would enable their applications to earn an income. This taught them the importance of sustainable business models which would guide the entrepreneurial aspect of the business.

The third stage which was both, the most exciting and challenging involved the app development. They interacted with different coding platforms such as Thunkable, MIT App Inventor and Java which highly developed their programming skills. 

In the final stage, the girls had to make 5-minute videos selling their ideas to virtual judges. The videos were creatively curated and remarkable!  Most of the girls had not engaged in Computer science before this challenge but this opportunity opened up a new world for them. They are now more interested in STEM-related fields than ever.

For our girls, the competition has been an avenue for immense growth both intellectually and socially. Our girls put their best foot forward and pushed themselves to complete the app in the midst of a global pandemic. 

It is this resilience that made Team Chap Chap; Audrey Keta, Serena Rolloh, Ruth Ngahu, Hope Lemiso and June Mutai, make it to the Semi-final Round. They are among the five teams representing Kenya in the Technovation  Global  Challenge. They created time within their tight Remote learning schedules which paid off. We wish them the very best in the next round. The girls have modelled the principles of High expectations, Greater together and Always growing and we couldn’t be more proud of them.

On July 7th 2014, 20 teammates and 30 students gathered for the Pioneer Winter Programme.  There were two programmes: we welcomed 15 Grade 00-1 “Young Pioneers”, and 15 Grade 6-8 “Pioneer Innovators”.  It was the first time teammates and students would come together to do what we do: grow innovators and leaders!   With that step, after many months of preparation and anticipation, our journey to develop innovators and leaders who will shape the African Century began in earnest. With that coming together, Nova Pioneer was born.

One year ago, as Nova Pioneer turned 5, we celebrated our birthday for the first time.  What a year it has been since then!  It has been a year that has led us to reckon with both a health pandemic and a global social justice movement that could well define our generation.  It has been a year in which we have faced up to the challenges of learning to work, learn and live in new ways and most importantly of staying true and committed to our mission, our students and each other through the most challenging stretch yet of our journey together.  It has also been a year of important achievements: the milestone of our first graduates, the growth of our students in all grades and teammates in all roles; and the welcoming of new campuses, teammates and students to the Novaneer family.  

 

On a personal note

 

I have never been as challenged or encouraged by our journey as I have been this past year.  I have felt greater extremes of strain and setback on the one hand, and gratitude and admiration on the other, than I have in any year of my life to date.  In my birthday message to teammates last year, I wrote that I consider our team and culture to have been our greatest achievements of our first five years.  I still do.  Our collective response to the unprecedented challenges of this year — while remaining committed to our mission and each other through it all — will be a close second!  Indeed, that too will also be a reflection of our team and culture.  

 

Where will the world be, where will we be?

 

One year from now on July 7th 2021?  How about July 7th 2022?  I hope that one year from now we will be able to look back with a sense of accomplishment and pride at the year we will have led, the storms we will have weathered, the scars we will have endured, and the triumphs we will have earned.  I hope that two years from now, with a world emerging from a long winter and looking forward with the exuberance and optimism of spring, we will once again pause and be able to take pride in our journey — our learning, our adaptations, our choices, our successes.  As we do so, on both of those days, I hope that we will be able to look around at ourselves and feel an ever-stronger sense of unity and bond amongst ourselves, and look within ourselves and feel affirmed by who we will have individually and collectively shown ourselves to be.  

From Paulo Coehlo’s The Alchemist — a book that met me at the right challenging moment in my life — I share with you: “No heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.”  I am grateful for every moment of this journey together with you, and look forward to the many years ahead of us! 

Happy 6th birthday Novaneers 🙂

Covid-19 continues to challenge our once best laid plans. Schools in Kenya have remained closed since March and as we await directives on re-opening in September 2020, our learners continue to adjust as best as they can to the new reality we live in. At Nova Pioneer, we take pride in having launched our remote learner packs in the last part of the first term of the year that allowed students to continue learning remotely. This was closely followed by the launch of our virtual learning program in May and this program has been accessible to our Nova Pioneer families.

To continue reaching as many learners as possible to reduce the expected impact Covid-19 may have on the quality of education across the world, Nova Pioneer will be extending it’s virtual learning program to non-Nova Pioneer families.

 

What You Can Expect?

 

Access to Student Facing Google Classroom

Google Classrooms helps students and teachers organize assignments, boost collaboration, and foster better communication. This has enabled us to shift from physical classrooms to a digital classroom environment.

Live Lessons & Lesson Videos

One of the distinctive features of Nova Pioneer is our strong instructional leadership culture. Coupled with education technology tools from the G-Suite for Education, Nova Pioneer has been set up to deliver engaging learning experiences for all Novaneers remotely and at scale.

In partnership with our learning design team, teachers and instructional leaders, we are building out a library of rigorous enquiry-based lesson storyboards, which are helping guide our Novaneers through the 8-4-4 and CBC curriculum at home. We have been thrilled to see the engaging learning moments that have been happening across Novaneer homes!

Students enjoy receiving lesson videos from a team of passionate teachers at each campus, which are delivered via their Google Classrooms.

Class Assignments

Our students have been completing their assignments completely digitally and submitting them back to teachers. What is amazing about this is that students are learning to use digital tools like Google Docs, Sheets and Slides, which are building essential collaboration and digital literacy skills for the future ways of working. What sets innovators apart from others is that they use technology as tools for active creation and collaboration, rather than only for passive consumption of content.

Weekly Live Check-Ins

Every week teachers are connecting with their students via Zoom or Google Meet making sure that teachers remain connected and in relationship with their students as they move through the curriculum at home.

To learn more about our Virtual Learning Program, feel free to email us on admissions.ke@novapioneer.com.

To sign-up for the virtual learning program open to Non-Nova Pioneer families, click here to complete the interest form and a member of the admissions team will reach out to you to clarify any questions you may have and with the next steps.

We all know too well about the proverbial first 100 days of a president’s assumption of office. Across the world, this is marked as a transitional period that sets the tone for the rest of his or her term. It is easy to predict how easy/hard the ride will be based on what is done within these key days.

It has been a few days over the 100 mark since our schools were closed as a result of the COVID-19 quarantine and lockdown measures across both Kenya and South Africa. A lot of us can agree that there’s something about the past 100 days that seemed to make time fly by so fast. Changes to how we live our lives have been implemented at record speed leaving us with the age-old question of how we are adapting to and adopting the changes. 

While change is set to be the only constant as we continue grappling with what our new normal will look like, it is an interesting time for the education sector across the world. As our key players: teachers, students and parents take stock of what the changes mean for the future and how we can continue to make sure that we are as prepared for the same.

Nova Pioneer Connect hosted a much-needed conversation on 26th June 2020 about how our Nova Pioneer community continues to respond to the times ahead with our Co-founder and Director, Christopher Khaemba, our Chief of Schools, Rahel Wondwossen, our Operations Leader for South Africa, Ofentse Lekwane, our students, Vahin (Grade 10, Nova Pioneer Senior School, Ormonde), Michelle (Form Three, Nova Pioneer Tatu Girls) and a parent Dr. Emily Too (Nova Pioneer Boys, Eldoret) the discussion centred around key lessons we have learned and how our South African team is handling the 2nd week of schools reopening.

Click on the link below to catch the rest of the conversation.

Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of the month of June to recognize the impact of all fathers and father figures in their children’s lives. This Father’s day we sat down with a fellow Novaneer, Pascal Ombango and asked him about his experience as a father, the fears he had and the impact being a father has had on him. We also take this time to wish a Happy Father’s day to all father and father figures, we recognize you and we salute you!

We hope you enjoy Pascal’s heartwarming interview with us on his experience of becoming a dad.

 

Tell us about yourself and your role at Nova Pioneer?

My name is Pascal Ombango, a father to one cute child Christian Bellamy Ombango. I am currently the Associate Dean of Residential Life at Nova Pioneer – Eldoret Boys’ High School. I still consider myself new in the role but so far, the role has taught, stretched and brought a lot of joy and challenges my way. All in all, I have managed to pull through because of my belief in God, manager and colleagues. 

 

How would you describe yourself?

I would say I am highly favoured and loved by God. This has given me the courage to be extremely ambitious in life and it has mostly worked to my favour. Someone I know always refers to me as a go-getter, I think it has something to do with my ambitious nature.  

I am passionate about two things; my family and my professional/career growth. My family is my support system that trusts and depends on me. I am tasked with making sure that I never disappoint them or break that trust. Professionally, I am still putting all the possible pieces together to ensure that I continue growing, supporting my students and developing a healthy network with my colleagues. 

 

What does fatherhood mean to you?

Fatherhood is the art of bringing up a child in the best possible way whether they are your biological child or not. By being there for them whenever they need you. Being a responsible father means that you are doing the following;

• Availing the daily basic needs of your child i.e food, shelter, education, and clothing
• Instilling in them the acceptable moral values of life i.e respect, obedience, and humility
• Equipping them with the required life skills that will see them depend on themselves when time is right

 

Can you describe to us how you felt the first time you found out that you were going to be a dad?

Honestly, I was scared. I did not feel like I had what it took to take care of this new life as a dad. I have previously baby-sat my sister but my mum was fully responsible for her.  Now here comes a new baby that I am not just going to baby-sit, change his diapers or bath him,  I am also responsible for his feeding, sleeping, health, his coming in and going out, his safety and as if this were not enough, I have to make sure that he recognises me as his dad, be it through my scent, touch or voice.

I was very sure that I would love the baby as a dad should. I was just not sure whether I was ready for all that the baby would come with. Somehow, things have into place as they were meant to. He is almost four years old now and he has become a beautiful masterpiece life brought my way.

 

Do you believe in the notion that one has to be fully ready/prepared to be a parent or is it something one learns to be once they have a child?

I do not believe that there is a perfect dad or a dad of the year. I did not feel ready but I am confident that I am doing a good job so far because I learnt a lot of things once my baby was here. Sometimes, it just happens unexpectedly and you cannot afford to go missing simply because you do not feel ready.

A lot of the parenting skills that our fathers put in place are things they have learnt on the way either through their own experiences or by reading parenting books or magazines or by attending parenting workshops or conferences. You only need to be ready to learn how to be a good father.

 

What lessons has fatherhood taught you?

My parenting skills will be rated depending on how my child turns out to be. It’s upon me to make sure that I am rated highly by being a great dad. I don’t have to be a perfect dad for my kid to turn out well. There are a lot of challenges that come with fatherhood; if I miss a step today in my fatherhood journey, I make sure that I rectify it the following day. Some of the skills I have applied are things I have learnt along the way and I bet I am not doing such a bad job after all.

 

What were your biggest fears about being a dad?

My fears were and still are whether I will bring him up appropriately and accordingly. We have seen a lot of our fathers losing their children to drugs, crime, and bad morals. I am not sure if I am doing what needs to be done as a dad so my kid does not fall into any pitfalls but I can only hope and do my best. All I can do is ask God to guide me in my fatherhood journey.

 

What are your best moments on fatherhood that you did not expect?

The trust my son has in me is on an unimaginable level and this has brought about my best moments as a father. Due to his trust in me, when he was two years old, he would climb on a table and jump off it as he called for me , letting me know that he is on the table and that he jumping. As his father, I was always there to catch him before he could hit the ground. This is the highest level of faith I have seen in someone towards me. He knew that I would never let him hurt himself in any way. He has never tried doing that when I am not around because he knows that ‘daddy’ is not there to catch me. With this level of trust, I have to make sure that I never disappoint him otherwise, I would break this trust he has in me. 

 

There’s a joke told that the older we grow or when we have children, we tend to be more like our parents. Are there ways you have found yourself having similar traits to your parents and if so, how?

I don’t know about other fathers but I think it applies to me. I am more like my parents. I have seen my parents break their backs so I could have food on the table. I am not from a well off family and the fact that I have never slept hungry is a clear indication that my parents toiled to make me who I am today. I am like my parents because I wouldn’t want to see my son lacking food. 

All that I do, the commitment and the time I invest in my work is to make sure that I see a smile on my son’s face at all times and not tears because he is hungry or is lacking something. This is something I have clearly inherited from my hard working parents.  

 

How has fatherhood changed you?

I have become more responsible, keen to details and mindful of my son. One thing I always remember is that I am no longer alone and my son is here to stay and stick with me forever with this,  I have to be responsible in my expenditure and make sure that I avail to him every little item/commodity he will need, be it milk or bathing soap.  I am keen on details in the sense that I never ignore anything, for example, whenever he comes back to the house and tells me, ‘daddy my finger hurts’. I would want to know what really happened and if it’s something that needs urgent attention or not. I am mindful of my son. Like I have mentioned before, he is part of my life now and I always think of him in every decision or step I take.

 

What are your hopes for your son?

I am hoping that, God willing, he will be a God-fearing man, obedient, respectful and humble. As far as I am concerned, these are some of the key traits that we should uphold if we want to live long and see a better tomorrow, some of which entirely depends on my parenting skills. Additionally, It’s my prayer that God gives me the resources needed to give him a comfortable life and a good education.

 

What message would you like to leave for soon to be dads and dads during this Father’s day?

To all the to be and the current dads, it’s your day today. Feel proud because you’re going to be or you’re currently pulling out one of the heaviest tasks I can think of. 

Our own dads have done a good job in and through us and we are just returning the favour through their grand-children. We can do it. Do not tire, don’t give up. Happy Fathers’ Day!

“Everything you can imagine is real.” Pablo Picasso

 

We all know that there reaches a particular age where a child will be constantly inquisitive and wondrous about everything around them. It is not uncommon to be plagued with questions like why? Where? What? Who? When? How? All with an end goal of knowing more. As the children keep growing, this yearning to seek more and know more tends to die down.

Arguably, this could be a function of very many variables that creep up to play a more dominant role in the lives of children. Parents/guardians start being more granular about expectations, there’s an unsaid code from peers about what’s cool and interesting and what’s not. The unwavering pressure to conform and be cool and interesting has led to the stifling of creativity amongst most of our young people. 

On the 12th June 2020, we got together with Shakira (NP Tatu Girls, F4), Ari, (NP Tatu Boys, F4) and Lesley  (NP Ormonde Senior School, Grade 12) for the second series of Nova Pioneer Connect. We talked at length about creativity, it’s genesis and development, and the role it has played in finding that inner balance in their quickly evolving lives.

Click on the link below to catch the insightful conversation.

Since the inception of the first Nova Pioneer School, it has been our core mandate to ensure that we are availing the platform that enables each of our students to always lead a life with an inquisitive lens, always seeking for a fresh perspective and willing to ask the pertinent questions while articulating their truth with utmost inclusivity. 

 

Why Nova Pioneer Connect?

It is for this reason that we are excited to introduce  Nova Pioneer Connect Speaker Series. Nova Pioneer Connect will be a bi-weekly zoom webinar featuring a panel of our students across all our schools tackling some of the most pressing topics that speak to their agency as future leaders and responsible citizens who will play a proactive role in safeguarding our future as a country and a continent!

 

Tackling relevant topics

We can all acknowledge that it’s a particularly interesting time in the world to be alive. There’s so much happening at the same time. It goes without saying that all these events, situations will need our energy, attention, empathy, thoughts in equal measure. So we are left with the challenge of deciding what to focus on partially, fully or what to not give our attention to at all. True to the famous Greek philosophy of “Know thyself,” four of our High school students from the Tatu and Eldoret Campuses kicked off our inaugural series on 29th May with openly talking about “Finding our Inner Voice and Trusting it”. 

Hundreds of prospective parents joined Nduta (NP Tatu Girls, F4), Raphael (NP Tatu Boys, F4), Lynn (NP Eldoret Girls, F1) and Allan (NP Eldoret Boys, F1) in a hearty conversation walking through their journey finding their inner voices and what challenges they continue to face and overcome as they grow. 

Click on the link above to watch a recording of the session.

Look out for more info on our upcoming Nova Pioneer Connect Session on our social media!