Paving the way: my mother, my inspiration.

On this Woman's Day, PICHA celebrates Kath Otieno, the mother of our Legal and Content Development Director Obunga Guya.

In the early 90s, my mother had these knee-high tan leather boots that were not more than three inches at the heel. They lived in the back of her wardrobe, and she rarely wore them, often stating that they were for special occasions. 

Every now and then, I snuck into her room to try them on with some of her clothes and would imagine I was walking in a fashion show. When she caught me, there was a standard “don’t play with my things” speech, but she would always let me have my fun for a bit and then have me put everything back. 

On weekends, I watched as outfits were created; like a purple paisley skirt that she would pair with a similar colored jacket and a white shirt, accessorized with an afro and some thick beautiful glasses. I noticed that there were different pieces for work, home, travel, etc. Pieces were specifically for the various activities she would get into on any given day, with a select few situated at the front for easy access. 

Her wardrobe was a wonderland of fabric, filled with clothes that were made well and had a built-to-last feel about them. One piece, in particular, was a scarf that she would wear when driving our Isuzu Datsun. I thought it was her cape because she had to be a superhero to drive that beast of a car from Nairobi to Kisumu. She seemed to tackle situations bravely and always had an outfit to match.

At some point, I learned what she did at work in the IT department; disassemble and reassemble computers and train staff on how to use the internet. 

It was amazing to hear about how they were embracing new things and changing the organization to improve operations. Once in a while, she would show us a few components of a computer and explain how they fit together, but we barely had an idea what any of it meant. 

They used ‘mainframe computers’ but, over time, transitioned to microcomputers, which most people use these days; desktops, laptops, and tablets. She facilitated the transition and educated staff on current IT applications. Over time her role evolved, and eventually, she helped administer another transition to an SAP application, where business processes were better integrated into the organization. 

Now I realize that my mother is the type of woman I had always hoped to be, whether it was driving a pickup, putting an outfit together, or pursuing a career. She was brave, ready to meet life head-on and find her way through. In many ways, by doing the things she did (of which I have only named a few), my mother taught me to stand up for myself, to care about the things that mattered to me, and speak up for them. 

After retiring in 2020, she spoke about updating her wardrobe, so we spent an afternoon clearing her clothes. During that process, I noticed that the tan leather boots were no longer at the back. It was sad to see, but somehow, they had managed to disappear. We took a moment to check out the family photo album and reminisce as we looked through some of the greatest hits from her wardrobe.       

Nowadays, she dreams about creating a program where young girls can learn about computers and receive training on the internet and its various applications. 

As we celebrate women this International Womens Day, I celebrate my mother and pray that her dream comes to pass sooner rather than later. 

Obunga Guya.