Category Archives: Our Graduates

• Medical School, University of Nairobi, graduated 2012
• Girl Project: Empowerment through girl-centered activities, education and mentoring
• Kisumu
• Mentor:Catherine Kaimenyi

Shelly Okumu’s mother and father died before she was 10 years old. Her maternal grandmother raised her in a Nairobi slum, Dandora, where she has memories of violence, girl child drop outs due to early marriages, and teenage pregnancies. Shelly reflects, “Coming up in Dandora has made me hardworking, determined, strong- willed and I am ready to lend a hand to a brother/sister who needs it. I want to see Kenya progress. I want youths to achieve this and I am ready to be among those who make this dream come true.”

• Bachelors of Education, University of Nairobi, graduated 2011
• Hygiene and Economic Project: sanitary towels for adolescent girls and sewing training for women
• Matsigulu Village
• Mentor: Catherine Kaimenyi

Nafisa is from a one-parent family with 7 brothers and sisters, being the only one able to complete secondary school. Nafisa’s project involved women and girls in her village. The women were taught to sew on sewing machines and concentrated on making children’s clothes and school uniforms. Women also learned to tend goats and sell the goat milk and to keep poultry and sell the poultry products. From 2008 to 2012, the average monthly income of the women increased from 0 to average of $6.50 and they invested an average of 20% of their income back into the project.Their increased income helps them pay their children’s school fees. In addition, young girls were taught to make reusable sanitary towels and share them with other girls. All girls reduced the number of school days they missed due to their periods each month from an average of 3-4 days to 1-2 days.
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• Bachelors of Dental Surgery, University of Nairobi, graduated 2011
• Educational Development Project: Tutoring youth and women’s economics in the Korogocho slum
• Nairobi
• Mentor: Catherine Kaimenyi

David is from a one parent family (mother). However, his mother was sick so he was taken in by his aunt who lives in a small house in Korogocho, one of the slum areas in Nairobi. David says he owes a lot to his aunt and acknowledges that were it not for her, he could be a street child in the slum, involved in drugs, just like some of his age-mates. David’s experiences motivated him to help street children. His project focused on tutoring 60 students from the Korogocho slum area. Of 39 students who were tutored and took the high school entry exam, 26 passed and went on to high school. David provided a space for the tutoring, 6 tables, 12 benches, 10 test prep books for exams, and 2 dictionaries. At his graduation, these educational resources were turned over to a neighborhood school for their use in continuing the tutoring project. Continue reading →

• Bachelors of Education, University of Nairobi, graduated 2011
• Conservation Project: Tree nursery to help prevent soil erosion and provide water catchment areas
• Tuturung Village
• Mentor: Catherine Kaimenyi

Noah’s childhood was disrupted by tribal clashes. He says that the hardship he went through created a drive in him of wanting to unite his peers into a youth group, and come up with ways in which they can be self-reliant and also help their community. Continue reading →