Daraja Alumni Return to Campus for Mentorship Day

By Miriam Pineau

“It’s good to have the alumni back. It makes me feel proud to be a Daraja girl. The family is full now.” -Mary, Form 2.

On Saturday, September 2, recent alumni of Daraja Academy joined current Daraja students on campus for a full day of mentorship workshops and guest speaker presentations. This day marked the beginning of the Fall term, and the first day back on campus for the students returning from Summer break.    

It’s hard to describe the feeling on campus when the alumni return and mingle with the students, but the closest descriptor would be homecoming. The Daraja alumni slip back into old habits quickly, and you’ll find alumni making themselves at home chopping vegetables in the kitchen, or seeking out staff to say hello. Small groups speckle the landscape as the girls catch up. The laughter and screams as the girls greet one another can be heard from the main road leading into campus.

The day began with a presentation on moving from empowerment to action by Brian Obwora Sing’ora, a local entrepreneur and business consultant. Brian spoke about his impressive career path, and how to define your own career. He gave advice on job seeking, resume writing, and building life skills.

Principal Victoria Gichuhi spoke to the current Daraja students during a brief opening ceremony for the Fall term. She promised the girls that “even after graduation, you will stay Daraja.”

After tea break, the alumni broke into small groups for mentorship discussions. Mr. Justus Maragara, Principal of the Ngenia High School, one of Daraja’s sister schools, spoke to current students about self-confidence, the power of positivity, and how to navigate a mentality change. “Your comfort zone is not meant for you. You are meant for better things,” he stressed.

After lunch, the Careers Advisory Centre moderated a Question and Answer session with local professionals for both current students and alumni. Representatives from a variety of industries were on hand to answer questions, including banking, information technology, engineering, photography, architecture, TV production, journalism, community development, farming and personal branding. These local experts shared their experiences in building their careers, including the lessons they learned through failure.

Next, Daraja was pleased to host Dr. Sarah Kilemi and Dr. Kilemi Mwiria. Dr. Kilemi Mwiria, presidential advisor on education, emphasized the importance of education as the great equalizer, and the empowerment of women in society.

Dr. Sarah Kilemi, who holds a PhD in Development Economics and is a United Nations Ambassador, spoke about her upbringing, and the hard work that took her to where she is today. She outlined her interest in how women contribute to the development of their countries, and emphasized the importance of building other women up instead of bringing them down.

Before dinner, visiting Daraja alumni made a presentation to the current students. They told the girls that no matter the distance between them, they will always be supportive. The alumni asked the students to work hard to use the opportunity they have been given to their full advantage, and they presented school supplies to the girls, which they had purchased themselves.

Jacquelin, a member of Daraja’s 2016 graduating class, says, “Daraja has created a bridge for me to pursue my career and has supported me in further education. This is all thanks to Daraja.” Jacquelin currently studies community development in Nairobi.

The day ended on an emotional note, with Daraja founders Jason and Jenni Doherty speaking about all of the inspirational qualities that make a Daraja girl. The love in the air was palpable, and it was the perfect conclusion to a day of learning, mentorship and homecoming.