African Interest

For Phoebe Muga Asiyo, witnessing and participating in the birth of Kenya as a newly independent country in 1963 highlighted the importance and value of women participating in decision making. She dreams of a world where elected officials act with integrity to create a Kenya where all Kenyans are given fair access to opportunity. It is Possible traces Phoebe’s life from her rural home Karachuonyo to the city of Nairobi where she recounts her experiences as a twenty-year-old social worker in the African reserves during the 1952 State of Emergency. As the first African President of Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organization (MYWO), Phoebe learned that women united can reshape the narrative and change the direction of a country into a more inclusive society. For more than 70 years, MYWO has remained a constant source of encouragement and support for Phoebe. Knowing that MYWO was always close by allowed her to expand the horizon of ‘possible’. Phoebe documents the challenges she faced and the reforms she initiated to provide basic necessities for women in prison. This book narrates Phoebe’s challenges as a woman elected to male-dominated Parliament in a strongly patriarchal society; her work with international agencies, most notably the UN and finally her work to get more women into elected office. It articulates issues affecting women in development and asserts that policy initiatives for improvement must include women at all levels. It encourages women to aspire for political office to firm up the gains for women and everyone else. She encourages youth to fight against perceived and real challenges in the journey to become dependable leaders. The biography captures her institutional memory of the country’s struggles on gender equality, political reforms and activism. It is a story of the hope and determination of a woman whose firm steps helped usher in freedoms for everyone, especially the youth, girls, and women. The book is a historical reference for policy-makers, universities, and scholars in gender and development studies.