I graduated in 2019 with a BBS in Actuarial Science. The journey since then has been an incredible mix of successes and challenges that have spurred my growth and development.
I am particularly grateful for my time at Strathmore, where I gained invaluable skills that have significantly contributed to my career. Equally important were the networks I developed there that continue to be a significant support system.
I firmly believe in the power of continuous learning and self-improvement as the foundation for advancing one’s skills and achieving personal goals. In the words of Michelle Obama, ‘Becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. It is about movement, growth, and learning. The journey doesn’t end.’ This belief in the ongoing process of growth and learning fuels my journey, reminding me that every step forward is a part of becoming who I am meant to be.
My name is Anita, and I am a human rights advocate based in Eastern Africa, focusing on child rights. Interestingly, this was not always my dream career. Initially, I aspired to be a diplomat. However, the former dean of the law school advised me to pursue law. I followed his advice and briefly worked at a law firm. Unfortunately, my contract ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it wasn’t renewed because of the challenging circumstances.
I didn’t particularly enjoy my time at the law firm, so I decided to explore other opportunities. I volunteered at the Supreme Court under Martha Koome, which eventually led me to my current role as a child advocate. In my field, I’ve noticed that most support positions are occupied by women, while managerial positions are predominantly held by men. It seems that women are less likely to vie for these managerial roles compared to their male counterparts.
Despite this imbalance, the field of child advocacy is largely dominated by women, providing numerous opportunities for women to excel. Currently, I serve as a gender focal point, advocating for gender equality within my organization. Strathmore University has played a significant role in my career development through mentorship, leadership, and partnership programs. As a former student assistant, I also had the opportunity to serve on a council as the Vice President,
My name is Amy Osoro, an alumna of Strathmore Law School.
I was always a spunky child. This personality led those around me to conclude that I’m a lawyer before I could make sense of the word.
When time came to join university, my brother was adamant that I only attend the Strathmore Law School. This crystalised when I received my admission letter. My mother, a legal mind herself, wasted no time in engaging my two-week-old legal muscle. At first, she would give me the roadmap to answer her questions and eventually weaned me off to figure it out myself. She also began involving and eventually integrated me into her missions to empower communities, especially women, on legal matters.
I believe it is because of this exposure that my Constitutional Law term paper caught my lecturer’s eye. He wrote an email telling me “good job!” and encouraged me to keep writing. This email was timely as I was losing my spunk.
My dream has always been to serve in the Judiciary. However, as I became more exposed to the legal profession, the paradox of choice unsettled me. This, coupled with what I now know was imposter syndrome, waned my confidence and made me question my decision to study law and ultimately my place within the profession. It was a talk with this lecturer (then a Graduate Assistant) that motivated me to be proactive. I took his advice, identified the areas and skills I felt needed work and the platforms I could use to spark my spunk.
I eventually joined AIESEC, whose core is youth leadership and empowerment. Through AIESEC, I got countless opportunities and a community that helped me grow my oratorical, logical, and leadership skills in a nurturing environment. It is also in this journey that I realised my love for service, which easily became my life’s bottom line.
This led to my successful bid for Class Representative, a post which I held for 2 years. I also became an executive board member, a Vice President in AIESEC in Strathmore, a position that enabled me to mentor others and pay it forward by sparking others’ spunk. I also joined the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network- Youth, where I led a team in a project that resulted in a mentorship manual and video lessons to equip the girls at Wings of Hope with life skills.
I attribute the start of my career to Strathmore University. My first two jobs, with Sauti Sol Group Limited and Akiba Mashinani Trust, were as a result of a partnership between the organisations and the university. I have been extremely fortunate in my bosses, who overwhelmingly and very consciously mentor me in the profession.
I am currently at the State Law Office, actualising my dream of public service albeit in the Executive arm. I still partner with my mother in legal empowerment missions and enjoy our usual discourses, which have since morphed from lessons to “Wakili, a quick one”.
