This past summer I had the incredible opportunity to volunteer with WE Charity in rural Kenya. We Charity's mission is to create sustainable change in communities using five pillars which are water, education, agriculture, women's empowerment, and health. On the trip I was inspired to create change using the education pillar because I saw first hand how the power of education a key factor when combating the poverty cycle.
Visiting the Kisaruni High School run by WE was one of the most eye opening experiences of my trip. In Kenya, primary school is free, but high school is not. Girls are more likely than boys to not receive a high school education because traditionally they help collect water and take care of the household. As a result of this, many girls remain uneducated and the the cycle of poverty continues.
To counteract this issue, WE has created Kisaruni High Schools. The high schools only accepts students if they received the highest marks, and if they can not otherwise afford a high school education. Kisaruni is a boarding school so students stay in beautiful dorms and receive nutritious food. This is such a luxury for them as they are used to living in mud huts and eating a diet based on corn and water. The children wake up every day at 4:30 am to maximize their learning and end the school day at 10:30 pm. I was shocked by the early wakeup, but the students said they would wake up earlier if they could because they truly love learning.
I had the most fascinating conversation with one of the students at the high school named Daisy. She explained how she is the first women in her entire family to receive a high school education. She is driven to work hard in school to set a good example for her three younger sisters. She hopes to become a neurosurgeon because many people in her community die of neurological diseases without anyone able to help. Her hobby is singing, and she chose to write a song about her greatest passion, education. Her song is beautiful as it truly describes her deep rooted gratitude for education. If it was not for WE Schools, she would be helping her mother do house work and collect water. She is breaking the gender roles in her community because in the future, she won't be dependant on her spouse to provide for her, she will be able to support herself. Education is the key to women's empowerment, and Daisy is just one example of how education is changing the lives of thousands of women.
After meeting some of the incredible students at the Kisaruni High School, I realized how much I take for granted. I used to complain about going to school, but millions of children would kill to have the same opportunities that I have. I find it extremely unfair that where you are born determines so much of your life. To help fix this issue, I would like to send a girl to the WE Kisaruni High School to give a girl the same opportunities that I have here in Canada.
The cost for four years of education at WE High School is $12 000. This includes the cost of boarding, food, and books throughout all of the years. This money will fund their education to increase their chances of having reliable income. This fundraising page is to simply to kickstart my fundraising process. I am also planning on doing fundraisers at school and contributing my income as a figure skating coach. I would greatly appreciate if you would consider contributing to send a girl to high school to give her the most powerful tool, education, that will last her entire life. (Please note a tax receipt will be included with each donation.)
