Kakenya's Dream

Our programs are driven by three primary goals.
- Provide vital, life-changing education to marginalized girls at risk of harmful practices like FGM and early marriage;

- Empower rural youth to make the best choices for themselves with information about their health and rights;

-Create positive, lasting change by impacting the entire community.

We have seen significant changes in attitudes toward girls' education in Enoosaen and beyond since our school first opened its doors in 2009. As we continue to reach more and more young people, their families, and community members, we expect to see the following outcomes:

- Increased access to quality and affordable education for vulnerable girls in Transmara District through sustainable education models and girl-centered approaches.

- Increased knowledge among adolescents in Narok County about health and leadership-related skills, laws addressing the rights of children, how and where to report GBV, and the harmful practices of FGM and early marriage.

- Decreased incidences of FGM, early marriage, school dropout, and early pregnancies among primary-aged girls in Narok County.

- Sustained programs for student leadership and academic excellence that maintain creativity, cultivate self-worth, and prepare students for active participation in the global market place.

- A new generation of young people who promote gender equality and education for all, including young women who will become changemakers and leaders in their communities.

Data from around the globe clearly indicates that investing in girls' education and empowerment is key to ending the harmful cycles that limit their potential, creating profound positive outcomes that affect not only the girl herself, but her family and community, as well. In communities entrenched in traditions that harm women and girls, more than academic opportunity is necessary to equip girls to overcome the challenges they face in attending and succeeding in school. These girls also need training in life skills, including sexual and reproductive health, leadership qualities, and an understanding of their legal rights. Additionally, it is crucial to involve boys in efforts to promote positive social change. By teaching boys about the struggles girls face as well as their own bodies and rights, we are providing them with information they need to be allies and advocates for their female classmates and family members. We offer a comprehensive approach to addressing girls' education and empowerment through three interconnected programs:

Centers for Excellence Boarding School Program: The Kakenya Center for Excellence (KCE) primary boarding school and high schools currently serves over 300 girls in grades 4-10 in a safe, supportive environment. The program takes a holistic approach to educating marginalized, vulnerable girls, incorporating health and leadership elements into the classroom curriculum. We are in the process of completing construction of our second all-girls boarding school, which will serve grades 7-12 when finished.

Health and Leadership Training Program: This program was developed in 2011 as a way to reach youth across the community with critical information as they approach and navigate through adolescence. Our Health and Leadership Trainings teach adolescent girls and boys outside of our boarding school, providing training and resources on reproductive health and rights as well as the harmful effects of FGM and early marriage. We train thousands of youth annually at schools across the region.

Network for Excellence Program: Our Network for Excellence program allows us to support girls who have graduated from our boarding school as they continue to high school and beyond. The girls receive mentorship, tutoring, financial support, and a variety of essential resources to help them thrive in their new environment. Currently, we serve over 200 girls through this program. In 2017, our first cohort of girls finished high school, and they began university programs in Kenya and abroad in 2018. They began graduating in 2020, a major feat given that barely 2% of girls in our county complete tertiary education.

We are uniquely capable of achieving our goals because our culturally relevant, holistic program is tailored to the rural, Maasai community we serve. Dr. Kakenya Ntaiya built our programs with the support of her community, giving ownership to community leaders, parents, and young people. Because of this, the success of our programs and our students is the success of the community. Through our work with the community and building genuine support for girls' education we are able to end female genital mutilation and FGM.

In addition to working hand in hand with our community to build sustainable, relevant program, our programs are holistic: we support the whole child, instead of just providing scholarships. By giving our students a safe, nurturing environment in which to learn, live, and thrive, we are fostering educational achievement, physical and mental health and safety, personal growth and more.

Our Results: Our programs are designed to empower girls to reach their full potential by giving them the support, resources, and care they need to thrive in school. Our accomplishments to date include:

- 541 girls have been enrolled in our schools since 2009, receiving holistic support and high quality education in a safe, nurturing environment. We have maintained a 100% transition rate from primary to secondary and above 92% from secondary to tertiary.

- 100% of students at our school are free from FGM and child marriage compared to half of girls in the surrounding region who are still married as children and 80% of Maasai girls who undergo FGM.

- Our students are performing among the top in the district, consistently achieving the highest average scores on benchmarking exams.

- We have trained over 19,000 youth at over 100 schools across the region on sexual and reproductive health, child rights, and life skills through our Health and Leadership Training Program.