The Daraja Academy is a wonderful non-profit organization whose goal is to empower Kenyan women to obtain economic self-sufficieny through providing secondary education. For familes in living in poverty, access to education is already limited, but sons are still far more likely to attend school than daughters. As a result, lots of girls are left behind and unable to qualify for equal job opportunities that lead to economic self-sufficiency. In 2009 Daraja Academy opened as a boarding school that would see to a girl's' physcial needs, provide a rigorous academic curriculum, and empower her as a woman and leader. Since then, Daraja Academy has celebrated the graduation of 115 students and is in the process of educating another 114. The Kenya Ministry of Education currently ranks Daraja Academy in the top 10% of private secondary schools in the country.
During college I studied aborad in East Africa. I was amazed by how many community leaders agreed that the greatest area for future growth was integrating more women into influential roles in towns and cities. This sentiment was prevalent in almost every local leader we spoke to. However, the bottom line is that this will never become a reality unless girls are given equal access to education at a young age.
In January I am taking part in the Carlsbad half-marathon in southern California in an effort to raise money for the Daraja Education Fund. Please consider donating so we can help empower the next generation of great Kenyan female leaders.
Daraja website: https://www.daraja-academy.org/
