Meet Esther

Esther is a bright seventeen year old who is in the twelfth grade at BrightStar Secondary School in Nairobi. Consistently at the top of her class, this amazing student is also a caring leader within the GEF Leadership Program. Dreaming of one day becoming a doctor, Esther works to improve her community by speaking out and encouraging others to work hard and give back.

In 2008, Esther attended all the GEF skills training workshops, mentor meetings and experiential learning opportunities. At the end of the year, Esther and her GEF BrightStar group won a business plan competition sponsored in part by GEF. Esther wrote to GEF about their school's business plan saying, "We've been planting some vegetables to sell, and we are also planning to start another project of domesticating hens. We've come up with this project because we thought it's going to be a benefit for our society and even the school."

In a letter to GEF, Esther wrote about how the Leadership Program has changed her life. "I just want to take this time to thank you a lot for all that you've been doing in my life. It's true that you are the people who have changed my life totally and completely. Since I have you, I'm very sure that I am going to be among the top 100 in the world... I promise you that I am not going to waste this chance. I am studying very hard to achieve my goals. Also, thank you for building our relationship with the Africa Nazarene University students whereby they have taught us a lot, and I still believe we are going to learn more from them. I am still learning more about leadership and its qualities... it has really made me to be who I am right now. [GEF Kenya Director] Fred has been so good to us, he always comes to our school for a visit and even takes us to meet with other GEF members. I will make sure that I don't let you down. I am trying my level best to be always the best student in the world, so that I will be able to stand with much confidence and say how good the GEF has done in my life!"

Meet other Scholars by watching their interviews on youtube

Guest Post: GEF Student Ambassador, Molly

My name is Molly Joyce; I recently graduated from Niwot High School and plan to attend the University of Virginia this fall.

I have volunteered for Global Education Fund for the past several years but have been the organization's Student Ambassador since last summer. This past August I was privileged to have the opportunity to travel with Eliza Woloson, Suzanne Thomson, and Claire Joyce to Kenya and meet 50 of GEF’s scholars.

Here are a few excerpts from the journal I kept while on the trip.

“Today we went to St. Matthew’s. There we met Antony, Sammy, Alex, and Scholastica. They told us a lot about their school and then explained about the devastating fire they had just experienced. The damage was horrifying. But they did not seem too phased by it, they planned to continue on with school when it began again and further their education whether there had been a fire or not. Antony said at one point that the reason he liked school was because he wanted to succeed and be prepared and successful in the future.”

“August 11th- day 6- Batian’s View… Not too long after our arrival they began to come up to me and introduce themselves and shake my hand. I met Milly, Angelica, Krista, Esther, Vivian, Mercy, Margaret, and Virginia. After a quick intro from the Batian’s View counselors we went to an open field to play games. They were all so excited about everything. Vivian grabbed my arm as we were walking over and pulled me with her. We played games that reminded me of ones I'd played before like “steal the bacon” and “freeze tag” but they were all new to them. And just watching them experience these things (things that I experienced when I was just a kid and undoubtedly took for granted) and seeing them so happy made me realize how much more appreciative most of us need to be for what we have.”

“I sat down with Suzanne to watch Freddy conduct some incredible interviews. Celestine came over and we began to talk and watch the interviews together. She told me about the ins and outs of the different tribes and how their relationships with each other work and how they've changed over the years. Then we talked about her family and school and about Colorado. When it was time for Steven’s interview he decided he wanted to rap. He and Freddy are clearly leaders here, they are outgoing and inspirational and they know they have the power to make a difference so their interview was very positive. Steven decided he wanted to rap during it as well which was very entertaining."

South Dakota Bookdrive for GEF

As a teacher and parent, Allison Baas believes strongly in the power of education and literacy. When her daughter's kindergarten class started learning about citizenship, Allison began searching the internet for organizations to support and ideas for her daughter's class. When she found Global Education Fund, she was excited of the possibility of organizing a book drive in support of the education of children around the world. She took the book drive idea to her daughter's school suggesting to teachers that the students "learn that part of good citizenship is giving to others less fortunate."

Over two months, the kindergarten class in South Dakota collected over 1,000 books! In email exchanges with GEF staff, Allison was excited about the success of the book drive, "I guess we did better than anyone expected, good for the kindergartners!" GEF was thrilled to have the support of Allison and her daughter's school. Thank you for collecting books for deserving children around the world!

Update from GEF

There is a lot going on at Global Education Fund and we are excited to give you an update:

GEF Kenya
- Fred Afwai spent this week in Vihiga (near Kisumu) to visit the Shangilia orphanage and to hold several skills training meetings for the GEF Leadership Scholars living in the area. A full update will be coming shortly.

- Usalama Primary School in Kenya received several boxes of books from GEF Kenya recently. The staff and students were very excited about the delivery of the books to stock their empty library and has plans to construct a building to serve as a community library.

GEF Headquarters - Boulder, CO
- GEF staff and board are developing a calendar of events for the remainder of the year, including several fun opportunities this fall when GEF Kenya Director, Fred Afwai is in Colorado. Stay tuned for more!

- CU students have started a GEF Club to build awareness of the organization within the university community and to fundraise for GEF programs. The club will have a table set up outside the UMC today to spread the word and recruit club members.

- Several bookdrives are underway in support of the educational needs of Kenyan students and adults: Hygiene Elementary is currently hosting the IZZE book trailer for the month of April, GEF supporters in South Dakota are holding a bookdrive and have 8-10 full boxes collected so far and Westview High just wrapped up their month long bookdrive, collecting over 1,000 books.

- Fairview High School students will be having a fashion show tonight (April 10th) to benefit GEF. If you can make it the show will start at 7:30 in the Grand Ballroom of the Hotel Boulderado. Tickets cost $10 for adults and $8 for students/children.

Thank you for your continual support! More updates to come.

Meeting with University Mentors

On Saturday, the Leadership Scholars had their first meeting of the year with their Kenyan university mentors. Fred wrote to us about the impact the meeting had on the scholars:

We started by putting the scholars in groups of 6 with a mentor in each group to share their personal testimonies. I was pleased with what one of the ANU mentor said to his group; he also shares the same experience like most of the scholars. After sitting for his KCPE [Primary school exam] he passed well but had no money to proceed on with secondary education. A good Samaritan came to his rescue and managed to complete form 4. He also performed well but did not have money for university and therefore he started to do manual work of house constructions. He continued to safe money because his aim was to join a university. I saw determination in this young man's life, in that he joined university some 8 years after sitting for his KCSE [Secondary school exam]. It was encouraging for our scholars as they reflect what they want in life.

The scholars were then separated into groups of two-girls with girls mentors, the same with boys. They were to talk of their struggles in life among themselves. They were advised to make right choices in life, be morally upright and work on having good friends. They were told sexual relations affects their academic performance. They also discussed the importance of managing time, not looking at the failures of the past but to concentrate on the future.

Fred

Packing Books for Kenya

Earlier this month Kelly Little, along with 13 volunteers she recruited, joined Global Education Fund and other volunteers to sort and pack books for Kenya. For the past several months Kelly and her colleagues at the Discovery Church in Broomfield, CO have been collecting books; they amassed a wide assortment of over 2,000 titles, including recent textbooks, children’s books and adult reading materials.

In just two short hours, the group of nearly 25 volunteers managed to sort through several huge stacks of books and built two pallets containing nearly 4,000 books! These books will make a direct impact in the lives of children and adults in Kenya who live in communities that lack reading materials.

Thank you Kelly Little, the Discovery Christian Church, communities across Colorado and all the GEF volunteers, including Maria Ranallo, Lisa Zinn, Kathy Groth and Sally LaVenture.

Meet some of the new Leadership Scholars!

GEF expanded its Kenya Leadership Program to provide more orphans and vulnerable youth with the high school education, skills training and support they deserve. We are so happy to welcome the new scholars to the program. Here are a few profiles of some of the scholars:

Jane N. Simiyu
This seventeen year old has been staying with her unemployed sister after her father died. Jane's mother works hard to feed her 9 children but is unable to afford the school fees for Jane's education. As a new Leadership Scholars, Jane was able to join Lorna Waddington High School, located in Nairobi, as a freshman this year.

Faith Anjera Obuya
Faith is the last born in the family of 9 children. Faith's father passed away when she was very young and her mother has struggled to pay for her children's educations. Faith didn't think she would do well on the primary school exam because she was frequently sent home as a result of her family's inability to pay the school fees, but she worked hard and scored well on the exam. Faith’s dream is to become a doctor and help the suffering people around her.

Mumo Wambua
After doing really well on the primary school exam, Mumo was accepted to one of the best schools in the country. When his father died, his jobless mother, caring for two other children, was unable to afford the fees to attend the school. As a Leadership Scholar, Mumo is now able to continue on with his high school education at St. Matthew's Secondary School in Nairobi.

Ruth Atieno Onyango
Ruth is a seventeen year old attending Kayole Secondary School. When her parents died, she was unable continue her education. Ruth has two older siblings that try to help when they can. Despite these hardships, Ruth is determined to make the most of her education by studying hard everyday. GEF is happy to welcome her to the Leadership Program.