WINNIE LINET

  • Winnie Linet, 23, battled odds to stay and complete her secondary schools. Born and raised in Kibra Slums Nairobi to a single parent, Winnie was orphaned at an early age, rendering her homeless, but her school offered to accommodate and give her education.
  • Earlier, she had often missed classes due to her inability to pay tuition fees. But in 2013, during the International Day of the Girl Child celebrations at Olympic Mixed Secondary School in Kibra, Winnie was introduced to the NEWI founding trustee Eve Obara, who offered to sponsor her through secondary school, a pledge she kept.
  • She joined NEWI and Herstory Initiative’s LitClub in March 2015, quickly rising to become an influential member of the LitClub, shedding her previously shy nature and became more confident. A strong willed personality determined to make it despite hurdles, Winnie has never stopped to dream. She is friendly in character, highly intelligent and is a top student at her school.
  • At its inception, the Olympic School LitClub started with the Read Aloud sessions where each student read a passage to others, helping members to gain-more confidence that made Winnie to stand out in community building sessions. She identified songs and plays that set the mood for the sessions. She was enthusiastic, earning her coordination role at the session, which, she says, required frequent consultation with the mentor to establish if the proposed ideas were to tandem with the recommended curriculum.
  • She often shared her stories and encouraged other girls to speak put. Her commitment is great and on various occasions taken charge of teacher mentorship sessions. In 1017, when the teacher’s downed tools aver an industrial dispute with the government, Winnie took charge of the LitClub, holding sessions with students in the three weeks of the strike. She encourages fellow students to join the club to build their confidence levels and nurture a positive attitude towards life.
  • The school administration recognized her improvement and gave her leadership role. As a leader of LitClub, she was a symbol of hope and a member of the school girl’s football club that competed in national events.