Editor's Note: This Staff Spotlight highlights Ms. Deo, who has been a superstar on JBFC's campus for seven years. She has had a variety of roles and has taken on more and more responsibilities over the past couple of years. Ms. Deo currently serves as the Head of our Early Years Program, teaches Pre-K, and serves as a matron in Bibi Mimi's Girls' Home!
How long have you been working at JBFC?:
This is my 7th year at JBFC.
What is your work? What are you responsibilities?:
I am a teacher and a matron. I am the lower grade headmistress, Pre-K teacher, and the assistant matron manager. I take care of the girls, supervise the work that must be done (when the matron manager is not here), and help and advise the girls with school, etc.
What is the biggest challenge you face with your job?:
The beginning of the year, dealing with all the new kids that come to school. It is their first year of school and they come fresh from home and we need to teach them from their mother tongue to Swahili, and from there, to English. So the beginning of the year is really complicated. It takes a long time to start teaching because we have to create a good relationship with each one of the students and prepare them to cope with this new environment.
What's your favorite part of your job?:
Teaching is my favorite part. I like it because it comes from my heart. It's what I've always wanted to be!
What are you looking forward to this year?:
I want to gain more experience, to cooperate with all the workers, to try my best to make sure that all the kids that I have will pass to the next course, and to fulfill all my responsibilities.
After spending several years as our primary Pre-School teacher and building the educational and social foundations for class after class of our students, Ms. Deo last year assumed the role of Head of our Early Years program. She now supervises the teaching, curriculum, and programs for Pre-K through 2nd grade. Last year she also moved into Bibi Mimi's Girls Home as a matron in Dorm A, furthering her impact on our community and, more importantly, our residential girls. After excelling in the role of matron and and assistant manager at school, she was promoted to Assistant Girls Home Manager mid-way through the year last year. She now helps supervise all programs at the Girls Home- supervising the girls' academic development, running our self-defense training, advising the girls, and filling in as the Manager of the Girls Home when our head matron, Mama Maggie, isn't on campus.
Ms. Deo is a rockstar in every sense of the word and we can't wait to continue to see her continued impact on all of us.
Ms. Deo instructs some of the JBFC residential girls during a self-defense class.
