Good News, Bad News

IN-PERSON SCHOOL IS POSTPONED UNTIL 2021, BUT THE ENTIRE CLASS OF 2019 HAS BEEN ACCEPTED TO UNIVERSITY.

Sharon (Form 1) doing school work at home with a Daraja-supplied phone.

We’ve got some bad news and some good news. As you know, we’re still fighting to keep education accessible to our students amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Kenyan Ministry of Education recently announced that schools will not reopen until January 2021.

This means that campus will have to remain closed—although we will allow Daraja girls seeking refuge and safety to stay on campus if and when necessary. For those at home, Daraja continues to provide support. 100% of our girls now have access to a smartphone, which means they have a way to continue their education through distance learning. In addition to educational materials, we are sending personal care supplies, medical support, and food to our girls and their families as needed. When we began only 5 families needed food aid. This number has risen to 25 and is increasing almost daily.

Thank you for your focus on our unified mission to lift communities from poverty by educating and empowering girls. Your contributions and support are greatly appreciated.

Now the good news:

Did you know, Daraja’s Class of 2019 is nothing short of extraordinary? These incredible young women began their journey at Daraja four years ago after growing up believing they would not be able to go to high school. They took their final exams in December and participated in Daraja’s Transition program early this year.

Today, we’ve received word that every single member of the Class of 2019 has been officially accepted to a university or college. They will study engineering, statistics, marketing, information technology, commerce, education, and more. We know these amazing young women will all excel in this next step towards becoming the empowered and educated change makers and leaders that they are. Thank you for making this victory possible.