Women I admire the most.

This is a testimony of remarkable women. Women who have heard a very profound impact on my perceptions and the way I view the world. This is my acknowledgment and acclaim to women who stand out. This is for the women who have won my respect if not that of the world, women who have made a difference to my life if not to the world. It is about the less sung heroes of our spectrum.

I would not write about my personal heroes without her being the first. She made a difference nobody else could. She invested so much in me even when she didn’t have to. She did much more than teach... No woman ever did so much for me and I reckon that no other would ever do. She was much more than my teacher. Without her I am sure I would never have gone to alliance high school. Without her I’m sure my entire life would have gone in an entirely different path

I have had great teachers. In fact I owe a lot to my teachers. I reckon that my teachers have had the biggest impact on my life, My teachers have been my heroes and not a day goes by without me thinking of the difference they have made in my life, but there is one whom I have to mention. I would not write about my personal heroes without her being the first. She made a difference nobody else could. She invested so much in me even when she didn’t have to. She did much more than teach, she nurtured me and inspired me to step further, to try harder and to do better. Her nurturing went much further than the classroom; she did more for me than I would ever tell and she did the same for many others. She is the purest of hearts, the most sincere of persons and the noblest of people. She was as selfless as she was honourable. She encouraged me more than any other has ever done, she afforded me comfort when I needed it and discipline when she had to. No woman ever did so much for me and I reckon that no other would ever do. She was much more than my teacher. Without her I am sure I would never have gone to alliance high school. Without her I’m sure my entire life would have gone in an entirely different path. Her name is Mrs. Maritim, you might not know her, but those who do would agree that she deserves much more praise than this. To me she is a hero who has made more difference than many would ever know.

I am very proud to be a Kenyan. I am also very proud of her, but am sad. When I planned to write about her she was alive but as I write this she has passed on. I am proud to be Kenyan because she was Kenyan. I am a patriot because she was Kenyan. She was the most remarkable than any other Kenyan. She was humble and yet so resolved. She stood for those who never even had legs. She was never the kind who fought in press conferences and international events, she was the one who got on her knees and made her hands dirty. She was the one who got bled out on the streets. She was the one who fought without tiring. Kenya never had a civil society, Kenya had Wangari Maathai. There is no other Kenyan who ever had more conviction, no Kenyan ever had more resilience and no Kenyan was ever so noble. She was a pillar of endurance, she spoke when many chose to keep quite. She had indefatigable strength even in the face of intimidating might. If Kenya had a hero, it was Wangari, If Kenya ever had honour, she brought it to us, If Kenya ever had hope, she defended it. She was Kenya at its best. Our environment is our heritage our sustainer and our national beauty, without her it would have been lost. I reckon we might not see another Kenyan Nobel laureate in our lifetimes. It is sad that she never got the honour she deserved in this country, possibly because of our Paternalistic chauvinism as a nation. Let this be my modest contribution to her praise, though I owe her much more.