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Words by Lilian Oloo, Cohort 4 fellow. In her element: Through play learning, Lilian is reimagining the traditional chalk and board teaching method with toys as a way to make learning more fun and engaging for learners. Imagine a world where every child has equal opportunity and access to quality education. Research has it that a child’s social strata are a significant predictor of his or her educational success. The environment a child grows around shapes their success in the future. This means that children’s performance gaps due to social class can be traced way back in their earliest years of life. Most often children who start late tend to stay disadvantaged as they may not be able to cover the lost ground. The potential of millions of young children therefore remains unexplored due to failure to provide families access to quality early childhood and learning programmes. My journey as a play advocate and play-based learning promoter was informed by this reality. As the second born in a family of six, I had to work twice as hard as my counterparts to attain post-secondary education. This inequality became more evident as I began my teaching career in a moderately endowed school while interacting with underprivileged learners. The learning outcomes and progression were clearly different and it was obvious that the gap created at their formative stage was big. I felt the need to positively disrupt this trend. I founded theToy Library Association of Kenya (TLA-KE), an NGO that supports early childhood development using the toy library concept. The toy library concept makes quality early learning opportunities and information more accessible to all children, their families, early learning facilitators and ECD practitioners in order give the underprivileged and marginalized children an equally good start in life. The Toy Library A child interacting with some of the toys at The Toy Library Association of Kenya (TLA-KE) founded by Lilain. A toy library is a high impact, a cost-effective, non-centre based programme that gives children, their families, early learning facilitators and ECD practitioners access to a collection of carefully selected educational and play materials, play sessions and training on how to use the toys to encourage development. At the toy library, play is made intentional, with objectives making it the best venue to promote children’s holistic development. To make play learning more accessible and impactful to many, TLA-KE had developed the following skills-based training courses; Children playing in their neighbourhood through the toy library’s outreach programme. Toy Library Set up and Administration Play-based Learning with Toys Material Development from Waste Developing Birth to 2-Year-Olds. Playful Parenting The idea is to enable the replication of the toy library concept throughout the country and in Africa. It is my vision to have a toy library within the reach of every child. Cognitive, creative, emotional, physical and social skills are interconnected, making children’s development and learning complex. This is what constitutes a holistic view of child development. What better way to achieve this development than through PLAY? Research shows that playful learning experiences are more effective in developing these interconnected skills. These five skills are essential for a child to thrive in a dynamic and uncertain world. When children acquire cognitive skills, they learn how to solve complex tasks in their life. This ability is transferred to situations to do with school, their future work and private life. Creative skills enable exploration of possibilities and evaluation. They support in identifying the best solutions and transforming ideas into reality. When children develop strong emotional skills, they are able to manage and express their emotions. This helps them to handle impulses, tackle life challenges and relate meaningfully with family and friends. Children attain strong physical skills by being physically active and practising sensory-motor skills. Lilian conducting training on Toy Library Setup and Administration The early childhood space necessitates innovation with regards to how programmes are delivered. If every child had access to a toy library that offers high quality early learning play opportunities, he or she would have the required foundation to make it through formal schooling, continue with their studies and make it life; therefore breaking the poverty cycle. Working together with other organizations to establish toy libraries will result in cost-effective, improved learning outcomes for marginalised children. “Play is not a break from learning. It is endless, delightful, deep, engaging, practical learning. It’s the doorway into the child’s heart!” ~ Vince Gowmon

Victor training youth on sustainble developement during the Internation Youth Day Kennedy is only 25 years. As a firstborn in a family of seven, he started working at the age of 16 years to support his parents in providing for the family. Kennedy’s parents earn a weekly allowance of $8 which is not enough to support his five siblings. In April 2020, Kennedy was rendered jobless because of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a youth who only studied up to high school, he is currently not able to access formal employment. Kennedy is just an example of millions of youth around the world who have been rendered jobless because of Covid-19. What started as a global health crisis has now turned into an economic crisis with millions of people around the globe being rendered jobless. A report by the Africa Union estimates that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 20 million jobs, both in the formal and informal sectors, are threatened with destruction. Most of these will be rendered jobless are working youth between the age of 15 and35 years. Today there are 1.8 billion people in the world between the ages of 15 and 35 — a quarter of the global population. This is the largest generation of youth and young people the world has ever known. Young adults are the backbone of every society, providing energy, ideas, and investment potential. As of June 2020, over 770,000 youth in Kenya had lost their jobs due to Covid-19. The Government estimates that the numbers will rise to 1,000,000 by December 2020. This number is different from the 800,000 youth who were initially jobless in Kenya before covid-19. Effect of unemployment among the youth Kenya is currently witnessing a high rate of crime among the youth as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the rate of unemployment among the youth increases in a country, the result is catastrophic. The youth are likely to engage in unhealthy activities including, but not limited to crime and violence, drug abuse, an increase in unplanned pregnancies and poor leadership choices. The lockdown and quarantine measures imposed by different governments have also resulted to a high level of stress, depression and anxiety. The current environment has left little room for creativity and innovation among many young people. It is important to note that the unemployment challenge did not start when the pandemic hit. The problem started way before that. How do we ensure that we create sustainable unemployment opportunities for youth? Garden of Hope Foundation Model The leadership development and entrepreneurship project started by theGarden of Hope Foundation aims to equip youth in rural communities and urban slums with sustainable social entrepreneurship skills. The current education system does not leave much room for creativity and innovation. In a society where some careers are more “glorified” than others, it is very difficult for young people to pursue their ideal passions. Since founding Garden of Hope Foundation, Victor and his team have been able to reach over 20,000 youth across 5 counties. Garden of Hope Foundation allows young people in people in urban slums and rural communities to create their own employment opportunities by looking at challenges in their communities and developing solutions to those challenges. Using design thinking approach, the youth are exposed to all sustainable development goals. They are then encouraged to pick goals that resonate with them and challenges they face in the communities. They are then taken through a rigorous process where their ideas are refined to meet the social entrepreneurship aspect. Once they are good to launch their ventures, Garden of Hope Foundation, through support from other stakeholders, provides funding and continuous mentorship to the learners. Since we started, over 200 diverse ideas have been developed by the youth. These ideas have created over 500 employment opportunities. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we have seen youth develop several ideas to respond to the needs in their various communities. Our commitment to decent jobs is to support 2,000 youth by 2024. The youth will be supported through creation of employment opportunities, financing their business ideas and mentorship. Challenge to the government and other stakeholders A section of the youth that Victor helps equip tech skills Radical changes in the education system: The current education systems leaves no room for students to explore other interests apart from what has already been defined for them either in the books or by those ahead of them. Deliberate radical change is needed in the education system to allow room for creativity and innovation. This will encourage the students to start developing world class ideas at an early age. Leveraging on Partnerships: In order to ensure sustainability of the education system, we must clearly understand our strengths and weaknesses as stakeholders. This will ensure that we share knowledge and resources with others who do not have. Every stakeholder has a role to play to ensure that more youth around the world get access to sustainable employment.

Words by Kamau Kamau, Metis Communications Lead “I see something in you.” These are words that I have heard countless times throughout my life across multiple environments and perpetually, I only took them with a grain of salt. I was born in the Eastlands area of Nairobi and spent my formative years here too. My childhood was full of adventure, thrill and of course, a hint of mischief. One avenue however that has (and still does) had a lasting impact on my life is the school environment. At school is where I made my first friends away from home, where I uncovered my talents, where I gained literacy skills, where I learnt to co-exist with and accommodate people from different backgrounds. Beyond academics, school has been a constant test of my humanity, faith and values. It has chiselled me to become the man I am today and I am grateful for it. A young Kamau ‘practising‘ his photography skills. I have always associated school leadership positions with the A-students. It is no surprise then, that I was baffled when called upon to be a class monitor back in primary school even when my grades weren’t the best. I wondered to myself “There are dozens of more students with better grades. So why me?” The answer from my class teacher was quite simple, “I see something in you.” Those words were not enough to convince me, I turned down the position. Even when I later transferred to another school, by the first year the headmaster himself pulled me aside in the middle of a school assembly to offer me a bell-ringer position. I wondered to myself the same thing I did 4 years earlier, “Why me?” History repeated itself once again and he looked me straight in the eye and told me the exact thing my class 2 teacher told me. “Is this something teachers globally are trained to say?” I wondered while still plotting on how to politely decline the position. Daily habits may appear seamless but once you take a step back and zoom out, the pattern becomes clear. (Image credit: @visualizevalue on Twitter) On the frontline of duty: Kamau posing for a photo during a prayer day ceremony as a KCPE candidate. This pattern repeated itself at least thrice in my high school through to university, escalating to strangers and friends too. My response all this time has always been a resounding “No.” When the opportunity to join Metis came calling earlier in the year, my usual response was at the tip of my tongue. This time, however, I took a step back and wondered. “What has declining leadership positions brought me?” After a quick self-audit, I realized that it has cost me more than it has benefitted. This is when I decided to break the pattern. Try new things, scale new heights and be bold enough to fail and learn from my mistakes. As Dean Koontz once wrote, “Patterns exist in our seemingly patternless lives, and the most common pattern is the circle.” More often than not we find ourselves smothered in the patterns of imposter’s syndrome, self-doubt, fear and other self-destructive loops. When patterns are broken, new opportunities emerge. You unlock potentials you didn't know existed in you and enter new worlds connecting you to larger than life experiences. This is evident in the education world where innovators and educators are constantly breaking the traditional methods of learning and devising new ones which have proven to be more effective, fun and impactful for learners and teachers alike. Kamau sensitizing parents and children on how to use the Metis Home Learning Guides in Kayole, Nairobi as part of his role as a Communications Lead.

Words by Dennis Omolo, Founder The Teaching Pool and Cohort 4 Fellow “I want Kenyan teachers and learners to have authentic relationships ,” says Omolo, pictured here with his students. When I started The Teaching Pool, an organization to nurture the next generation of Kenyan teachers, I felt alone. Almost everyone I talked to said it was too ambitious a project or did not understand why we need to create a learning community tailored for new teachers. It took me more than half a year to put together a team that believed in the mission. The Metis Fellowship retreat was a chance for each of the 17 fellows to know that they are not alone and that together, each of our contributions adds to the overall goal of making the world a better place. It was great to see how unique each of our innovations are and to also be aware of how they converge. We listened to amazing innovations in tech and were awed by how technology can be a bridge to making learning more effective. We also learnt of fellows innovating in terms of resilience and life skills. Listening to them articulate the problems they are trying to solve not only challenged us to do more but also motivated us to have a broader view of the education landscape. Dennis shares a moment during retreat with his fellow colleagues, with whom he shall journey with for the next 5 months and hopefully, a lifetime. This shared passion for change was evident throughout the retreat. And the result was that each of us felt like we belonged. This was despite the age gap between the fellows. This is a group that represents two generations and as such, there is the unbridled passion of youth tempered with the invaluable wisdom of old hands. The mixture is a powerful one. We all felt a genuine connection. We shared not only our dreams but also our failures. Can you imagine one night we had a toast to failure, and everyone shared a story of a time they flopped? After sharing my story, I had four of the fellows coming to me to offer words of encouragement and share their own experiences that had a correlation with mine. It proved that even though our experiences may seem different on the surface, there are similarities that we can draw if we look deeper. “There is so much we can do but if we do not listen to the young people, all our efforts will be in vain. The learners reminded us to do everything we can to make education a more wholesome and inclusive experience. I believe this is the goal of all our endeavors- to contribute towards providing quality education to every child.” Selfie time!. Dennis believes that at the centre of any teaching and learning process lies relationships, a mantra that he lives by through his interactions with his students. One of the highlights of the retreat was the session we had with students from different high schools. They talked about the current situation of the education system, what they like, what they would like to see changed, and how education in this country can be improved. There is so much we can do but if we do not listen to the young people, all our efforts will be in vain. The learners reminded us to do everything we can to make education a more wholesome and inclusive experience. I believe this is the goal of all our endeavours- to contribute towards providing quality education to every child. And through Metis, I’m sure I’ll be on my way to making my contribution towards this dream. At the end of the fellowship, I hope to have The Teaching Pool up and running and to use the connections made here for future partnerships, reaching 500 teachers annually with opportunities for professional development. I’m excited about a future in which Kenyan teachers are supported and connected to each other in the same way I was at the retreat.

Words by: Naftaly Muroki, Monitoring and Evaluations Lead at Metis Early childhood A toddling Naftaly On a regular Saturday in January 1995, I was born. Though oblivious of my surroundings, I can only imagine the joy my birth brought-- the usual excitement that accompanies becoming new parents. My mum was only 17 then, having been forced to marry early because she had to drop out of school, her single mother was unable to raise the school fees to educate all her children after her husband abandoned her. She also had to help her mother raise her younger siblings. Thus, my birth marked a new chapter for her, having a family of her own to love and care for. Growing up there was nothing particularly unusual or interesting about my life. I went to the same government local primary school like most other kids in the village. After being enrolled in kindergarten, however, my teacher noted my ability and passion for mathematics and languages, I was terrible at any form of art that required drawing though. After joining class one, I brought home my first-ever award from school, a plate that I was awarded for being the third-best student in the class. My mum has kept that plate to date. That became my first and last award because my school never hosted the prize-giving day ever again, to this day I still don’t know what prompted such a move. Naftaly’s parents pose with their bundle of joy As I advanced to class 2, I started becoming more aware of my surroundings. Problems started cropping up back at home because my dad, who by this time had moved to the country’s capital, Nairobi, to look for greater opportunities, had fallen into alcoholism. Not because life in the city had been unkind to him, in fact, he did so well for himself that a few years after moving into the city he had his own small business. My mum with only basic primary education, could only rely on her one acre piece of land to feed, cloth, and educate her children. My two little sisters had been born by now. In class five I suffered an illness that at the time, I thought would deprive me of the ability to walk on both feet. I spent the first term in and out of the hospital and it got to a point where I had to completely abandon going to class and focus on regaining my health. My illness brought an untold emotional and financial strain on a family that was already going through a lot of challenges. Luckily for me, my uncle, who later became an instrumental part of my life, offered to sponsor my treatment in Nairobi. After a week in Nairobi and having seen the doctor that he recommended, we returned back home and I started getting better. I managed to get back to class in the last week of the term and at this time I was now walking with crutches though the pain had abated and I could sit and concentrate in class. This experience, though tragic, taught me a valuable lesson in not taking what I had, however small, for granted as it was possible to lose it all at once. From that period onwards, I committed myself to do the best at each and every single thing that I did. I became very committed to my studies and by the time I was in class 7, I was the best student in the class. I maintained my work ethic and graduated from the primary school top of my class. This allowed me to be placed in one of the best public secondary schools in the larger Meru region. Secondary school and the beginning of my leadership journey Adapting to the boarding school life was tough for me. I had been so used to being a day scholar such that spending days and nights at school felt unnatural for me. I, however, knew that I had to adapt fast or risk being left behind. I was shocked when the results for the first term were released. Having been used to being a top student in my primary school days, it was appalling for me when I got the result slip. Although I had performed quite well overall I was position 70 in a class of 200 students. All these students were used to being number ones and twos in their previous schools. I knew I had to work twice as hard in this new setting but I was ready for the challenge. I managed to be among the top twenty students by the 1st term of form 2 and among the top 10 students by the 1st term of form 3. In the second term of form 2, I was one of the nominees for the position of the Students’ Council Vice President. After a rigorous vetting process, amid which I even thought of quitting, I was confirmed as the Students’ Council Vice President for the following one year. Serving in such a position for the first time in my life was a tremendous challenge. First, I had to practice the balancing act of being a good student in class while ensuring I played my role as the students’ council vice president. Secondly, some students felt that the students’ council was only a mouthpiece for the administration and didn’t care much about their welfare. Finally, there was a myriad of expectations that came with holding such a position. This would, however, become a defining moment in my leadership journey. I learned the art of talking to a crowd, of teenagers nonetheless, the importance of caring for and minding the people that you are leading and above all the role that empathy plays in the heart of any good leader. I served well in this role and in the following year, I was elected the Students’ Council President, Debating Club Secretary, Journalism Club Secretary, and Young Catholic Students Secretary. These leadership roles formed the basis of the Young leader I have become today. They taught me the importance of good leadership in any society and the value that good leaders can help create in their communities. They also taught me the value of taking an initiative, based on the available needs, even when not explicitly assigned a given role. Naftaly and his school mate representing their school during a prize giving event Naftaly receiving an award for exemplary leadership from the Assistant Dean of students JKUAT Fast forward to the University, I decided to continue my leadership journey by running for the post of Academic Affairs Secretary. In this role, I advocated for students’ wellbeing and career development by organizing career fairs in partnership with the dean’s office. I also chaired the Academic Affairs Committee. My university days only served to cement my belief that good leadership, in either political, social, or economic institutions, would and can go a long way in helping transform lives and livelihoods across the continent. Career After completing my course work I partnered with my cousin, an amazing lady by all accounts, to co-found Beta Shoes Kenya, a social enterprise that manufactures affordable leather shoes using locally available materials and uses part of the profits and donations from well-wishers to make high quality school shoes which are then given to children, who have to brace the morning cold as they walk barefoot or in slippers to school, in public schools in rural Kenya. We have so far given out over 400 pairs of school shoes and we are in the process of giving out over 150 pairs before the Covid-19 crisis. I stepped down from an active role at Beta Shoes Kenya when I got an opportunity to attend a leadership and Data science training at African Leadership Xcelerator (ALX) which was sponsored by Microsoft Skills 4 Africa. One of my motivating reasons for joining this program was my passion for use of data to inform decisions, cultivated during my undergraduate degree program in Actuarial Science, and my belief that we can leverage technology, coupled with good leadership, to build solutions that are going to help us solve most of the problems we are having in education, agriculture, finance, and healthcare across the continent and as we strive to develop these solutions we shall also be addressing the issue of youth unemployment in the continent. I successfully completed the program and even had a chance to intern with the African Leadership Group. Now & then future Contributing to the team spirit as a proud member of Metis After completing my training & internship, I got a job as a data and business intelligence analyst at a family-owned holding company for a group of companies. After only a month of working there, I realized that I wasn’t enjoying my work. I noted that one of the reasons why I felt as such was because I didn’t feel like what I spent over 40 hours a week doing even mattered. So when an opportunity to join Metis as a Monitoring & Evaluation Lead (Intern mind you) I didn’t hesitate, well maybe a little. And so far I can honestly say that I take a lot of pride in the work that I do because I know it is having a huge impact both directly and indirectly. My plan is to serve and learn as much as possible over the next five years, attend a top business school, come back home and continue developing solutions for the most pressing problems in the continent. I am particularly looking to develop solutions in education, agriculture, and finance. This is mainly motivated by the fact that I have seen and experienced first hand how poor rural families in Kenya and by extension Africa, struggle to feed, clothe and educate their children. All the while relying on Agriculture that is dependent on inefficient cultivation methods, is filled with brokers that only pay meager prices for the farm produce only to resell them at exorbitant prices to the final consumer. My dream for Kenya, and the African continent, is to see our people feed themselves with healthy and nutritious food cultivated from our lands. To see all children, girls, and boys, poor or rich, access quality, transformative and life-affirming education that will equip them to become the force of change in the continent. To see people living in rural and urban informal settlements have access to affordable and quality health care. And finally to see our youth become engaged in leadership both in public and private institutions. This will create a continent that feeds her people, ensures their prospertity and guarantees them a good quality life that is a right for all human beings.This is a bold dream which I know may not be accomplished in a single life. I have, however, made a commitment to ensure that I play my part in helping this dream become a reality. I am, and will continue, to do this by ensuring that the work I do is aimed at solving one of the above problems and by partnering with other like-minded leaders across the continent. I know this journey is not going to be an easy one. I am however aware of the challenges that lay ahead and still have the right motivation, perseverance and the will power to see it through. My dream is to impact and change so many lives that when I look back as an old man I can afford to smile knowing that I left the world a little better than I found it. Thank you!

Words by: Peter Muasya Kimuyu, Economic Empowerment Manager, Jitegemee Childrens Program Have you ever imagined how life would be without a source of livelihood? Born into a family of 12 children in Machakos, Kenya, my parents worked menial jobs and while growing up, they were not in a position to support me and my siblings. At the age of 7, I found myself on the streets, collecting charcoal and scrap metal that I could sell to get money to buy food or drugs. While on the streets, I met Farah Stockman (Jitegemee Children’s Program Founder) and Alex Mutiso (Vocational Teacher) who plucked me from the streets and provided me with food and basic literacy and numeracy training. Farah and Alex quickly realized that I was a bright student and eager to learn. So after rehabilitating me, they helped me enrol in St.Mary’s Primary School in Machakos and through Jitegemee, supported my education journey . I was a bright student and quickly grasped the school work and as a result, I skipped 4 grades to catch up with my age mates. Having achieved excellent primary school results, I joined Starehe Boys Centre, one of the best and most competitive high schools in Kenya. Again, at the end of high school, I attained outstanding grades and was accepted to study a Bachelor of Economics at the University of Nairobi. Peter Muasya, over ten years ago At the community level, the community leaders kept on reminding all the children that a university degree is the channel to being successful in life. However, during my second year at the university, I started realizing the struggles that young people go through in their lives in search of employment. I knew many people who had graduated five years ago and still could not find a job despite the reality that they had received a good education. Besides, at the time, statistics indicated that the level of unemployment in our country was at 40%. The vast majority of unemployed people were youths. Coming from an impoverished background, I was aware that my family, as well as my siblings, saw me as their source of hope and the tool that would help get them out of poverty. To that end, having an understanding of unemployment rates in the country affected me in ways that were both big and small. As the only person in my family to have completed secondary school, let alone university, the situation created fear and anxiety in my life because I was afraid of not being able to positively impact my family. I later graduated from the University of Nairobi and Jitegemee hired me as the Operations Officer. Fuelled by the desire to tackle the issue of youth unemployment in our community, I conducted a need assessment survey towards the end of 2017 for the Machakos youth as well as the local trades’ people. In the survey, I was interested in establishing the employability of our young people in the community. I interviewed 200 young people across the town and the results indicated that 63% of the respondents earned between one thousand shillings(10$) and ten thousand shillings(100$) per month, implying that they were in the low living class bracket in Kenya. 26% of those that I interviewed pointed out that they earned between ten thousand shillings (100$) and twenty thousand shillings (200$). In terms of support needed, the respondents indicated that they would love to be trained on entrepreneurship, job readiness as well as 21 st Digital skills. My life has come full circle and I am now the fulltime Economic Empowerment Manager at Jitegemee. To ensure that we overcome the challenge of youth unemployment, I am overseeing the launch of a Youth Innovation Hub at Jitegemee, which has started providing business and life skills training, as well as career guidance and job readiness support to youth in our community. One thing that catches my attention is the struggles that our young people go through in such of employment to enable them to improve their lives. I have grown up in a community where many people sleep on hungry stomachs, including myself. Peter Muasya, training parents on entrepreneurial skills My story shows what a child with a dream, coupled with a lot of hard work, can achieve – even when born into the most poverty-stricken background. I believe my life story can be a light for other young people in my community – I believe childhood circumstances should not hinder anyone from accomplishing their life dreams and goals. I now want to be part of changing the story for other youth in Machakos and beyond. My dream is that in future, no young person in Kenya will struggle in life because of unemployment. If you are interested in supporting our work or learning about the work that we do, please visit our website or our Facebook Page. Business school participants with their graduation certificates after going through a six-month entrepreneurial training.

Words by: Eunice Marindany, Cohort III Fellow, Entrepreneurship Mentor at M-Pesa Foundation Academy. One afternoon as I was out for a training session in Nairobi, I noticed that at some point, some of the people that were in attendance were looking a bit restless and some kept excusing themselves to go out and answer phone calls. I wondered what the reason could be. After the training I got to check mine and right there and then it became clear why people were continuously fidgeting on their devices. There was breaking news that the president had ordered closure of all learning institutions from 15th March, 2020 and children directed to go home and stay with their parents since the scary unseen novel coronavirus was in our country. It was shocking and unbelievable. The stories associated with the disease that we heard being experienced miles away, in other continents, were now a reality in our midst.. As we got into partial lockdown, I started wondering, “How long will this situation last?" In my mind I was wishing for it to be a short time just like going for holiday and back, a maximum of two weeks maybe? And we will step back out of it when the disease has been eradicated or contained. When a fortnight went by and more measures were put in place by the government, I figured out stopping this outbreak will not be that simple. The first group that came to my mind were the children and the new methods of learning that we as parents have to devise. On my side, I realized that as much as I am my children’s first teacher by being their mother, I couldn’t be their class teacher in the 'home classroom', not forgetting that I work in a school and even though I am not a teacher I usually identify as an educator. My Pre-Primary One daughter(PP1), Pesh, started challenging me when I cunningly and carefully asked my hubby to take up the role of teaching the older kids, one of whom is a class eight candidate. I had decided I will be helping the Grade 1 and the little PP1 kids. To me that was the simplest teaching role because we would be doing a lot of colouring, counting, basic arithmetic and play as we watched cartoons. Oh poor mummy-teacher, little did I know that my 1980s kindergarten (Nursery School as it was called at the time) did not teach me sounds as they are taught today. I have been hearing from time and again kids reciting the Alphabet ‘A,B,C,D’ differently from how we used to recite (If you are a 90s kid who went to school in Kenya then you might know this as well). You can imagine my frustration of trying to teach Pesh as she corrects me and laughs at the same time. This particular situation made me appreciate and salute teachers and I had to say it in my head ,” Kila mtu afanye kazi yake.” which in English translates to: "Let everybody do the work which they are suited for”. Fast forward, as I watched my kids (who are truly lucky to have text books and their teachers sending them homework via WhatsApp) go through their studies during this period despite the struggle, my mind shifted from them to the students at my home village Macheisok in Kipkelion, Kericho County . See in Macheisok, there’s a handful of people who have gone to college and university. I started wondering how those kids, who have been sent home, are studying even if it means trying to guide themselves or among each other without any external assistance from someone with higher education. I called my friend and asked her how the situation was at Macheisok and her response sent my mind racing. She told me without hesitation in Kiswahili,“Aah huku hakuna kitu watoto wanafanya, hakuna masomo” — to mean that there is no learning going on and that the kids are doing nothing in as much as school work is concerned. Children in Macheisok,Kericho county, elated to receive learning guides I began thinking about how I could reach out to these children and thinking how online methods would not work because most of them do not own mobile phones and those who do, don’t have smart phones which enables one to access the internet . As if to read my mind, The Metis community, in which I am a member by virtue of being a Cohort 3 fellow, began conversations about this issue. There were a lot of us within Metis who were wondering how to support children who do not have the resources to study online or don’t have a TV at home. Through the leadership of Rebecca Crook,our team leaders came up with an idea and shared on our WhatsApp platform. She asked us to contribute ways in which learners who have no access to internet, phones ,computers, TV, radios can learn at home during this period of the COVID-19 pandemic. I knew that this is a project that will benefit my fellow villagers back at home. A Google document was shared to all of us within the Metis community and we got into typing our ideas. I gave my contribution of typing in educational content on the shared folder as everyone else did. I was really proud of being a part of this and was amazed at how fast everything was put together within the shortest time possible. In a week's time, the document was compiled and the process of printing the home learning guides began. I was ecstatic about being a part of this noble project especially remembering thow people came through to support the initiative. Now, the Macheisok village, my village, was among the beneficiaries of the Home Learning Guides. Indeed I appreciate that the children who have benefited are just a small percentage of those in need, but we are hopeful that we will have more resources to reach out to more. The joy in the children’s faces as they received the learning guides was an indication of their hunger to learn even with very little resources and in the middle of a global crisis. The guides will go a long way in helping them to learn using what is available around their homes and farms. Hear how Patricia a class 8 candidate from Macheisok in Kericho County,has been using the Metis learning guide accessed to them courtesy of Eunice to prepare for her national exams. Salute teachers! Back to my new teaching career, I wish I had all the money on earth to pay teachers, but all I have is a new sense of admiration and willingness to provide them all the support they need by learning a bit more and unlearning what I have always known. I didn’t know until the outbreak of COVID-19, that the Kiswahili we learnt in school has greatly changed and neither did I know that alphabets are taught differently among many other things. I salute all parents who are not only trying to work from home but also stuck at home with their kids and are managing to teach them in whichever way, online, or just keeping them seated to watch the KICD EDU TV channel and encouraging them to be calm, sharing your phones with them, teaching them some cooking and cleaning as part of learning. I say KUDOS! A big thank you to everyone who is doing their best in their own little ways to keep people informed about COVID-19 and reaching out to children who need to continue learning at home. Let us keep doing our best to flatten the curve as we stay at home, keeping safell and supporting our children to learn at home. May we all do small things with great love.

By: Rebecca Crook The Metis Manifesto guides our community’s work—an includes our core values! 1. The Vale School Builds Agency and Curiosity at Home Soiya Gecaga, school founder and Metis Cohort 1 Fellow, guides The Vale School Muthaiga through this time with the same love for learning and leadership she hopes to see in her staff and students. “It’s such an exciting time for all of us!” she says. The Vale School went online the day after school closure was announced. They’re using Toddle, an IB app, to send content and assignments to students. Students then upload pictures and videos back to their teachers and classmates. ​Namachaka tills for his family’s kitchen garden. Penzi, a class 2 student, not only completes her school assignments with vigor, but also is finding her voice as a young leader. To help people relax and exercise from home, Penzi started using her mother’s Instagram account to livestream yoga classes. We love how Penzi and the Vale community are innovating and serving others during the pandemic. 2. Children in Freedom Scholars Blend Learning and Life At Children in Freedom (CIF) School in Nakuru, Dr. Kanayo-Kiragu and her students blend learning and life! CIF Scholars are busy learning to read, write, create, and farm, at home. As is characteristic of Children in Freedom, students are bold and proud teachers as well as learners. Watch Jahdiel, Grade 2, teach about synonyms, antonyms, and homophones. Watch Nkatha teach us how to wash our hands. 3. Shule Mtaani Provides Food and Shelter As Head Teacher, Clifford Oluoch has not only supported the successful transition to distance learning for 800+ students at Premier Academy, but he also cares for the health and safety of surrounding community members. Through his organization Shule Mtaani, he’s provided 100 families in Gashei and Deep Sea with 1 month’s worth of food. Moreover, in the spirit of “Further Together”, Cliff is also fundraising for other grassroots organizations. Check out his facebook page to learn of credible, community-led initiatives in need of support. 5. Nova Pioneer Pivots to Distance Learning Dr. Nyaboke Nduati and the team at Nova Pioneer supported the safe and rapid transition of all their boarding students back home. They now learn via Zoom and Google Classroom. She shared some of her best tips on motivation and mental health with parents at our Webinar with WomenWork last week, which you can watch here. “We need to make sure our students still have the means to socialize, connect, and be kids during this time!” 6. Metis’ Collective Response To COVID-19 The Metis community has worked relentlessly to adapt and respond to the needs of learners, leaders, and parents. As COVID-19 has catapulted us to the future of learning, our community has collaborated (and sometimes commiserated!) to shift to distance learning. We’ve provided coaching and guidance on technical tools (Google Classroom, Classroom Dojo, Zoom) and pedagogy. Most excitingly, our community has collaborated to create resources for learning. We created an online resource hub for parents and educators. We partnered with Mum’s Village and WomenWork to host a webinar for 100 parents. (Access the recording here.) We co-created a Home Learning Guide and will distribute to 15,000 vulnerable families in Riuru and Nairobi counties. Contribute to our flash fundraiser campaign here. As we continue to navigate uncharted territory, we gain strength and hope from the collective leadership of educators, parents, and students. We hope that you also choose to do hard things, go further together, listen and learn, redefine excellence, and do small things with great love. Our schools and systems have failed so many for so long. Could this be an opportunity for us to reimagine teaching in learning--not only during the pandemic, but beyond it as well?

By Julie Auma, Metis Cohort 3 Fellow, Africa Yoga Project Dispatches from Metis Fellows on the Frontlines, Part 2 “Being of Service” was an alien concept to me before August 2016. When I joined Africa Yoga Project and became acquainted with this impactful ideal, it has made a complete difference for me personally and professionally. Being of service means doing what is wanted and needed, when it is wanted and needed. As wellbeing leaders, the Coronavirus COVID-19 crisis was and is another Africa Yoga Project call to action. Our program beneficiaries (yoga teachers) reside in our city’s low income neighborhoods. As you read this right now, you may not be aware of the realities and inherent challenges of calling these neighborhoods home. Babadogo, Kahawa west, Luckysummer, Gachie, Eastleigh, Huruma, Kariobangi, Majengo, Jericho, Mathare, Embakasi, Lungalunga, Kangemi, Umoja, Kiambu, Saika, Deep Sea Slums, Kibera and Wanyee. There are areas in these neighborhoods where majority of vital resources are shared. Bathrooms, toilets, water taps, kiosks/stalls, markets, food, and general sanitation. It is a daunting challenge to socially distance when a whole family shares one room. Where a whole floor/plot share one bathroom. Where water is collected from a central point. How do we “lockdown” where every day you are not at the market, at your stall, at a construction site is a day without money and without a meal? Leave alone the luxury of 2 meals a day or an extravagant 3. We looked for ways to be of service to members of our community while still keeping the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 at bay. “Share the Sanitizer” Wellbeing Kit. This starter campaign from creation, fundraising and delivery of kits took 1week. Africa Yoga Project received such generous support from our community members, to organizations, to random individuals who wanted to make a difference. Together we were able to be of service and provide 1,485 kits to address a few immediate needs. Each kit contains 20 litre jerrycan for water storage. Soaps Hand Sanitizer A mandala and crayons A loaf of bread and snack Wellbeing booklet - containing yoga poses for immunity and stress relief and actionable precautions. Within this same one week, studio owners and Alumni of AYP, Yoga Heart Kenya began setting up hand washing stations in Kangemi, Kawangware and beyond. Current Africa Yoga Project teachers living in Masoro Rwanda, pulled together to provide soap and educate the elderly in their community on how to wash their hands as a precaution for Coronavirus COVID-19. There is still much to do, however, the beauty of being of service is the domino effect it has in creating impact. In inspiring people to do what is in their power to be of service in their communities. As you take precautions to protect yourself and others at this time, spare a thought and be of service. Opportunities are everywhere. It may be in this period of taking precautions. Be it at your next work call, as you create content, as you prepare food for yourself or your family, as you write that email or dial that number, get curious and think: How can I be of service at this very moment?

Dispatches from Metis Fellows on the Frontlines, Part 1 By: Jeffrey Oduor, Metis Cohort 2 Fellow, Carolina for Kibera Over the past few weeks, humanity has for the first time been united in unprecedented levels of corporation, humility, and fear; fear for our very own existence. We have had to reassess our lives as individuals, and organizations' values in the midst of shutdowns. COVID 19 knows no boundaries, and for the first time is traumatizing both the rich and poor in equal measure across the globe, which is not a necessary good but speaks volumes in support of universal healthcare. I have had the privilege of servicing in development work over the past 9 years, and yet none of those experiences has prepared me for the level of disruption COVID 19 has presented. As the disease continues to steadily spread across the country, one can't help but sympathize with the already overburdened health care system which is already on overdrive, communities in which social distancing is all but a fancy word for suburbians, dysentery, typhoid, and cholera are a regular occurrence and of course lack of basic infrastructure. Actually it's not all doom and gloom for these communities in the informal settlements. My experience in Kibera has shown that we are extremely resilient and have over the years overcome a lot of challenges. Over the past week, I together with my colleagues have been visiting highly vulnerable households and I have learned a couple of things about this disaster; I'll call it the other side of COVID 19. My greatest concern for the community is the other side of COVID 19 that has been overshadowed; the breakdown of social support structure and system, gains made in advancing women and girls right, the daily lunches in schools that guaranteed at least one meal a day, for thousands of school children, the other diseases (STI's, HIV among others), shortage of contraceptives among other things we have become so much accustomed to a regular part of life. In my various interactions, I have met and interviewed a lot of youth and women, and the desperation for basics is a pending disaster that I think should equally have safety nets. Government, private, and civil society responses MUST not only address sanitation and corona prevention, but also include provisions for food, contraceptives, safety from abuse particularly for children and women, and support for those dealing with others diseases. In the words of Al Pachino "We either win as a team or die as individuals"' as the world puts its best feet forward in addressing this disease, we should equally spare a thought for the millions who are left without jobs, the declining democratic space for women and other vulnerable groups. I continue to have faith in our ability to contain this disease, my appeal to all of us to pitch in, not to allow gains made over the years be washed away.

By: Mercy Munialo Antanasia skips over potholes on her route to school. She thinks of her learners and her heart immediately beams. She wants the very best for all of them. She, just like them, grew up in a marginalized community. She knows what it’s like to have unqualified teachers for most of one’s life. To share desks and books, and the leftover supplies from wealthier schools. She also knows the value of a teacher who makes you feel valued and seen. Who challenges and supports and believes in you. She wants to be that teacher for her 41 learners. Yet as she walks, something has kept gnawing at her mind. She is a keen teacher in the way she approaches classroom culture. Her students are motivated and focused. Antanasia’s Dignitas leadership coach has helped her get to this point. Their workshops and quarterly observation and coaching has strengthened her skills. However, she still struggles with differentiation and planning inquiry-based lessons. Her coach has two months until she exits her school. What will happen when her coach leaves? Will she be able to gain these skills in time? How will Antanasia keep learning after her coach’s exit? Educators Dignitas works with are able to create schools where students thrive. These are the questions my educators and I face. As a senior leadership coach at Dignitas, I have the privilege of training and coaching teachers and school leaders from Mathare to Homa Bay. Our team is proud to unleash the potential of 450 educators in marginalized communities so that 33,000 students have a higher-quality education. But the question still remains: how do we sustain our impact after formal partnership ends? Our apt school leaders have been doing well through our programming. However, in some cases, after our tenure in our schools, learning dwindles away and teachers revert back to old habits. As an organization, we had to come back and brainstorm on ways of addressing this problem. This is why I joined Metis. During my Fellowship period, I am working to answer this question: how might we support leaders to collaborate for personal and professional growth? On this journey, I have interviewed teachers and headteachers, I have learned skills for program design and behavior change. I have learned from other organizations and will be connecting with Metis mentors who can guide me. Mercy having a coaching conversation with a teacher at Alpha Care School Uthiru. “Metis enables me to thrive in my work!” Mercy with Metis Fellows at a Community of Practice. Metis, a movement of change makers came in handy in helping bridge this gap to help us refine, try and iterate our idea in order of remodel PLCs to prepare implementation in our schools. Metis is actively involved in turning each individual’s bold idea of change into actionable steps that can bring about lasting change. I was lucky to be nominated by our Executive Director and got a scholarship through Metis and Dignitas late last year in order to be a part of this dream team under Cohort 3 of education change makers. The most effective leaders are the most attentive learners! Both Metis and Dignitas take learning and growth to be at the core of what they do. Both organizations are not only keen on individual but collaborative growth which bridges the gap of working in ‘silos’ to bring about robust and impactful change. As a change maker set to learn from an intersect of passionate believers in quality education for the Kenyan child from both organizations, I stand a chance to help my organization test out and refine how we have previously conducted PLCs to help enable sustainability in our schools and the larger communities. In this way, Antanasia who is a representation of the teachers I work with can have a hope that long after Dignitas has exited, her school will have clear structures that help build knowledge sharing among teachers courtesy of the impact that Metis will have had on making this a reality. Thank you Metis! Thank you Dignitas! Thank you changemakers! Read more about Mercy and her workhere. Learn more about Dignitas here.

By Faith Ngogoyo For this guest blog, we are joined by Faith Ngogoyo of Lumen Labs. Lumen Labs aims to to bridge the digital divide by making computer education accessible to under-served and last-mile communities. “How many doors are in the city of Nairobi?” Or perhaps let’s contemplate an easier question: ‘How many primary school-going children do we have in Kenya?’ Imagine sitting in an interview as a fresh graduate from one of the leading universities in Kenya, and being asked such critical thinking questions. Many times, the candidate will be shocked at such queries. Their initial reaction will be to answer and say that they do not know, or that they do not have the statistics to informatively answer the question. Their next reaction (assuming that they are quick enough and have some level of initiative) will be to pull out their phone and attempt to find some guiding statistics that would help to answer these questions. Very few students will have the foresight to work backwards to arrive at a number and explain how they arrived at a figure or answer, however hypothetical. Nevertheless, this is precisely what employers are looking for. In Kenya, we operate in an environment that requires us to pass exams by whatever means possible. Because exams have been set as a measure of success and a determinant of potential, we find ourselves caught up in the processes of preparation. Society has dictated that we cannot succeed if we do not pass our exams; it is the means by which we attempt to rise above the average. Memorize, cram if you must, and ace that test! But what are such practices breeding? A culture of rote learning--one that is a deterrent to critical thinking and problem-solving. We prepare not for the workforce or future challenges, but short-term obstacles to academic success. This culture instills in students the fear of failure and the fear of failure, in turn, influences our ability to think. We are taught to memorize but never to think. The reason why a student will not attempt to answer a question such as ‘how many doors are in Nairobi’ is that their ability to think critically is disabled by the fear of failure and a lack of exposure to situations in which independent thought is a prerequisite. An article previously published by Metis paints a severe picture of unemployment in Kenya. Even with highly qualified graduates being released from leading universities each year and companies being established every other day, the supply and demand gap in employment continues to grow. Despite growing cohorts of academically qualified students, employers still complain about a lack of skilled candidates. Are they, perhaps, looking for students who can think beyond the classroom and solve problems in their organizations? It is possible to influence education outcomes and ensure that we are nurturing well-rounded students who are better equipped to imagine and innovate solutions on their own. At Lumen Labs, we work to ensure that the education systems across East Africa prioritize project-based learning: a teaching method in which students gain valuable knowledge and skills by investigating real-world challenges in a hands-on manner. Lumen’s students collect mobile data to investigate and develop solutions to real-world challenges. In the process, they are exposed to the use of technology as a tool in the problem-solving process and encouraged to develop their own solutions. We partner with schools, NGOs, and government implementing partners to offer project-based education, and empower students to solve the problems in their communities through technology. Our goal is to influence the critical thinking capabilities of students so that they can grow to be change-makers, leaders, and visionaries, in their own communities. We must address the smaller gaps that are contributing to the bigger problems we have. As we pursue this goal, Lumen continues to seek out partners that will help champion the project-based learning approaches, and transform Kenya’s long-established traditions of rote learning in education. Learn more: www.lumenlabs.cc