The Day We Built a Fish Pond: A Woman’s Voice in a Patriarchal Society

In 2020, in our small village in Bungoma, I found myself at a crossroads. The youth in my community were battling idleness, disillusionment, and a lack of opportunities. Many people, as they often do, blamed the government for failing to provide enough programs to uplift them. But I asked myself a different question: What can I do with the knowledge, exposure, and voice that I have?

That question led me on a path I hadn’t fully envisioned. As a young woman in a deeply patriarchal society, my voice was not one that people traditionally looked to for leadership. In my community, which is rooted in patriarchal traditions, men have historically been the decision-makers, the ones whose ideas and directions are followed. Women’s voices, though growing in influence, are still often sidelined. But here I was, a young woman—one who wasn’t just speaking but being heard.

With a friend, I embarked on a journey to engage with the youth, some even older than me, to inspire them to see beyond their limitations. We moved through the village, not as authorities, not as people with wealth or power, but as individuals who believed that something different was possible. And they listened.

One of our biggest projects was the creation of a fish pond. It was a simple idea, yet it carried profound meaning. With just 100 shillings from each willing hand, we gathered enough to turn this vision into a reality. But the pond itself was not the most powerful thing. It was the act of coming together, of believing in a possibility beyond our circumstances, and of seeing that inspiration could move people to action.

For me, as a young woman leading this effort, it was more than just a project—it was proof that influence knows no gender. I was standing in a space that had not always been open to women, speaking to a community that had not always been willing to listen to voices like mine. And yet, they heard me. They didn’t just hear me—they believed in what I had to say. They acted upon it.

That feeling was indescribable. It was a confirmation that no one should ever be afraid to step into leadership, to claim a space, to inspire change—regardless of who they are or where they come from. The fish pond, in its physical form, represented economic opportunity. But beyond that, it was a symbol of shifting mindsets. It was a reminder that courage, vision, and the willingness to act are more powerful than any barriers society may place before us.

Every time I look at that humble pond, I see more than water and fish. I see the power of a woman’s voice in a place where it was never expected to be heard. I see the breaking of limits, the reimagining of possibilities, and the undeniable truth that inspiration drives influence, influence translates to action, and action leads to greatness.