Reverend Truphie Kwaka-Sumba, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration at St. Paul’s University, has a calm yet commanding presence.
Her journey through business, academia, and administration is a story of resilience, faith, and a steadfast belief in the power of opportunities.
“I enjoy organizing things, and I believe I was created to build great institutions and leaders for Africa,” she says with a determined smile during an interview with The Kenya Times journalist Joy Kwama.
When she first went to university, Truphie was admitted to study communication. However, after just one semester, she decided to switch to business administration. This decision set her on a path that would see her wear multiple hats in the corporate world. She has worked in the finance sector, served as an HR professional, and even ran her businesses.
Then Came St Paul’s University
However, it was at St. Paul’s University, that she eventually veered off into administration. 14 years ago, Truphie joined the institution as a lecturer. Her leadership journey there began with heading a department, before she later moved through various roles, each transition drawing her deeper into administrative leadership.
Her rise through the ranks has not been without its challenges. Reflecting on how she navigated these transitions, she remarks that greatness is often disguised in hard work and persistence.
Opportunities, she explains, often come unpolished, requiring effort and determination to make the most of them. “When you are given an opportunity, even when it doesn’t seem like it, utilize it and do the best that you can do. Do it and figure out how to go about it as you are doing it,” she advises.
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A Foundation for Great Female Leaders
For Truphie, her upbringing played a critical role in shaping her confidence and sense of worth. Her father was a huge influence, affirming her abilities and treating her as equally capable as her brothers. He instilled in her the belief that she could achieve anything she set her mind to and laid the foundation for her strong self-esteem and resilience.
She recalls how, even when others commented that she resembled her father and suggested she should have been born a boy, her father never entertained such notions. Instead, he treated her as an equal, highlighting her worth and potential.
“Your father gives you identity and belonging, and when you have that, typically your self-esteem and self-worth are high. So you don’t look for validation from people or things because you know that you are already worth so much,” she reflects.
Although not everyone, she acknowledges, has the privilege of such an empowering relationship with their father, it is important in shaping daughters into confident, capable individuals.
On being a female boss in a male-dominated field, Truphie says that she has always made sure she shows up prepared and speaks her mind. For her, emotional intelligence is key to staying firm and level-headed.
“Any time you are in a male-dominated area, there could be an assumption that the only thing you bring to the table is your beauty and not your brains. God gave me my brains and I will use them.
“People assume that as a lady, you will not speak out. But I will speak out. And if it is something to do with integrity, I will demand it be written, and I have no apology for it,” she added.
Balancing Work and Life: The Wheel of Life
As a wife, mother, ordained clergy, and leader, Truphie has mastered the art of balancing juggling roles. She likens life to a wheel with God at its centre, guiding each segment representing the various facets of her life.
“Life is lived in seasons. Therefore, you must be alert to the different seasons in your life. Some things may take priority over others at different times,” she explains. For instance, when her children were younger, she chose to work part-time, prioritizing their upbringing. Now that her children are grown, she has more flexibility to dedicate herself to her career.
Truphie challenges the common narrative that women must choose between family and career, and advocates instead, for a balanced approach that considers life’s different seasons.
“Some of the narratives we hear about growth are not true, saying that if you are not successful now, you will not be able to do that later. You have to look at it from the ‘and’ perspective. I am glad I made the sacrifice at the time for my children because I still made it anyway.”
Turning Tough Times into Triumphs
Resilience has been a defining characteristic of Truphie’s journey. She openly admits to moments of despair when she cried, felt depressed, withdrew, or even drafted resignation letters. However, she views these experiences as essential to her growth.
What sets Truphie apart is her ability to approach challenges with calmness and clarity. Her faith serves as her anchor during turbulent times, providing her with strength and perspective.
“Those tough moments were probably the best things that I went through because they have made me who I am today,” she says.
“I believe that God is all-knowing and all-powerful; therefore, I can tap into immense ability that I do not have naturally. So when I have a problem, I take it to God in prayer,” she shares.
A passionate advocate for women in leadership, Truphie dedicates herself to mentoring and empowering others. She believes in the transformative power of seizing opportunities, no matter how challenging or unpolished they may appear.
Her advice to aspiring female leaders is simple yet profound: “Be not afraid of greatness. For some people, it’s natural for them, but I am one of those people whose opportunities are thrown at me. And many times it doesn’t come looking nice; it comes in overalls, shovels, and lots of hard work.”
As Deputy Vice-Chancellor, she continues to build institutions and leaders for Africa, leaving a legacy of excellence and empowerment for future generations.
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