A go-getter, Patience Nyange has taken up leadership roles since she was young

If there is a time in existence that the saying “women run the world” has ever come to full manifestation, then we are right in it. More women all over the world are taking up leadership roles in their countries and changing the belief that they are meant to be home keepers and nothing more. And especially in East Africa, as led by the Tanzanian first female president Samia Suluhu. Women are taking up the crowns without excuses, as is the case of media personality Patience Nyange. Patience has previously held various national posts including assistant director at Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, communications advisor at the Ministry of Devolution and Planning, and is currently a Media Council of Kenya board member. She is a Chevening alumnus at the Cardiff University in Wales, UK, where she recently graduated with a Master’s Degree in International Public Relations and Global Communication Management (class of 2019), and is aiming for gubernatorial position in Taita Taveta county. As her younger sister Maggy Nyange shares, the second born of five was born a leader. Their father Danson Nyange and mother Anna Nyange of Mbale, Taita Taveta county, both civil servants at the time, loved education and empowered them in it. Nyange was a strong believer of gender equality and reminded his children that they could be whatever or whoever they wanted to be in life as long as they believed in themselves and trusted in God, and this played a huge role in who Patience is today. “My father made it mandatory for us to go to school and excel while at it. Education matters were so close to his heart. He insisted that the only foundation he would give us in life is education and that he wouldn’t compromise. This was a common remark, as he looked at our report forms at the end of our school terms,” intimates Maggy. As the founder of MegLight Interior shares, her sister’s leadership role was evident from childhood. She was always confident, outspoken and protective over her siblings. In primary school, she was a class prefect all through, until Class Seven, where she became the head girl. This made her an admiral to her siblings and their friends as well. Enviable character In secondary school, she served as a dormitory prefect all the four years. She would tell the family of all the accolades she received because her dormitory was consistently ranked as the cleanest each term, while she was equally paraded as an example of the smartest girl in school. And when she joined Daystar University for her undergraduate studies (class of 2006), Patience was appointed to serve as a residential coordinator, another role equivalent to that of a dormitory prefect. Like many parents of their time, their parents had an idea of the kind of professions they envisioned for their children. While some complied, Patience had her own path clearly mapped out, and no one was going to stop her. She always wanted to be a journalist. She made it clear that she wanted to live her dream and a life she wished for herself. She would stay glued on TV watching the news. “My parents, especially my dad, didn’t understand much of this media business, so they were hesitant to buy into her idea despite remaining persistent about it. He would say that Patience would be a great leader, and that she needed to do a profession with some leadership skills. However, he knew that this was a losing battle for him, so he decided to support her,” shares Maggy. One of her strongest traits is that she is naturally a people’s person; she loves everyone dearly. She interacts with people of all backgrounds with ease. She will make lasting friendships even in foreign countries. She lived in Norway about 10 years ago, but her friends still visit Kenya to date. She is also a generous person and is always trying to help someone out, especially the less fortunate. Family support Her hobbies include writing, and this is evident from the many articles she writes on a daily basis. This skill as Maggy shares started at childhood. “Growing up, our dad loved buying for us beautiful diaries and notebooks. Patience was the only child who journaled daily. She made it a life ritual that she would capture her thoughts and events at the end of each day. Her notebook and diaries were full of notes, to-do-lists and quotable quotes from books she read. She still has some of them to date. She’s good at keeping records of everything that revolves around her life. When she promises you something, she notes it down so that you do not have to remind her. Her love for poems is also remarkable, just like her love for balloons. There is no party if there are no balloons. That’s Patience,” she shares fondly. While she is one of the most hardworking people, Maggy knows there are times she wishes she would go easy on it and just sit down and have sisterly chats like they would when they were young. For Patience, she openly speaks about her dreams because she believes that’s one way of calling them into life. And as she heads for the CEO’s role in Taita Taveta county, Maggy is not surprised. She’s always been the politician of the family. She loves, and she will spend time with her uncles discussing politics. And the family is fully behind her. “I believe she’s the right candidate. Her declaration doesn’t surprise any of us. She’s a risk-taker, and we have known her as such over the years. Failure doesn’t scare her. In fact, her life motto has always been,’better is a man who tries than the one who watches from the fence wondering ‘what if I dared’? As a family, we know her potential, and we are giving her all our support,” she says confidently in conclusion.

A go-getter, Patience Nyange has taken up leadership roles since she was young

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A go-getter, Patience Nyange has taken up leadership roles since she was young

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