Africa

All Fun and Games in Ethiopia and Kenya

The endless talents of the students at the Kibera School for Girls!

The endless talents of the students at the Kibera School for Girls!

As summer approaches and finals are behind us, it’s time to close the books for a bit and think about fun! I wrote to the Kibera School for Girls in Kenya and the Selamta Family Project in Ethiopia to learn more about playtime halfway across the world. In elementary school, my recess usually consisted of hopscotch, foursquare (the kind with a ball and chalk boxes – not a cell phone check-in!), and funnel ball. However, after learning about the schools’ playtime activities like Circus Camp, yoga classes, Ethiopian and hip hop dancing, I’m blown away by incredible ways these girls fill their day.

At the Kibera School, the girls play outside for 30-40 minutes every day after lunch. Typically, the younger girls dance their way through recess, while the older girls jump rope, read, or talk with friends. However, for two weeks recently, the young girls were entertained by the Africa Yoga Project, a performing arts organization that led the girls in yoga, drumming, singing, sign language, face paint, and hula hooping classes! The girls rotated through the different sessions the first week, and then chose their favorite activities to do the second week. At the culmination of Circus Camp, the girls hosted an incredible show for all of the KSG families.

In Ethiopia, the students at the Selamta Family Project also have time each day to relax and play. Though all of the students have break-time during the school day, they usually also play after school before helping out at home or starting homework. Like the girls at Kibera, the students enjoy jumping rope, painting and drawing, and doing gymnastics, but they also love to play card games (especially Uno!) and futbol, or practice their hip hop or traditional Ethiopian dance moves. Some girls spend their recess trying out new hair braiding styles. One of their favorite special events is Selamta Idol!

Both the Kibera School for Girls and the Selamta Family Project believe that all children have the right to play. In writing this blog, I learned that playtime is more than just a fun break in the day, it’s actually a right protected by the United Nations. Article 31 of the UN Convention asserts, “every child has the right to rest an leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities . . .and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.” Whether they’re working hard at reading new books or solving math problems, it’s clear the girls at the She’s the First partner schools fill their day with lots of learning and lots of joy!

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Hope for Water at the Kibera School for Girls

Community members at the Clean Water Project in Kibera

Community members at the Clean Water Project in Kibera

Did you celebrate World Water Day on March 22nd? Children worldwide, especially young girls, suffer at the hands of unclean water. When water isn’t easily accessible, education also becomes less obtainable. Girls are typically the ones responsible for walking miles each day to fetch water for their families, thus taking them out of school and often placing them in harm’s way. Given these circumstances, it’s no surprise that the She’s the First partner schools I work with pour so much effort into bringing water points closer to their schools and communities.

At Shining Hope for Communities, home to our partner, the Kibera School for Girls, Kibera residents pay up to ten times more for water than those in the capital city of Nairobi. Kibera residents’ unclean water supply takes a disastrous toll on the city’s health. However, we can’t forget that hope is right in Shining Hope for Communities’ name!  Shining Hope is rejuvenating its community by providing Kibera’s largest single water point.

The Clean Water Project is in its pilot phase, but already provides 12,000 people per day with clean water. How does this impact the community? The Justin-Jinich Community Clinic is now better poised to prevent and treat waterborne, infectious diseases. Shining Hope sells clean water below the market price so no family is cutoff from access to clean water. In addition, the water tower profits will be used to help fund the Kibera School for Girls.

Shining Hope for Communities’ Clean Water Project unites the Kibera community in developing a sustainable model to ensure that this basic human right—access to clean water—is met. In collaboration with The Safe Water Network, Newman’s Own Foundation, Nairobi City Council and David Engineering Ltd., this truly is a community-based project. There’s an inextricable link between access to clean water and girls’ education. Shining Hope for Communities proves that by bringing water to a community, the ripple effects are tremendous!

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Reading Time at Selamta Family Project

Selamta Family Project's own story, An Unlikely Family

Last week, I wrote about reading time at the Kibera School for Girls in Kenya and Kopila Valley Children’s Home in Nepal. I’m happy to bookend that report with an update from Mia Brown at the Selamta Family Project in Ethiopia. Just like the children in Kenya and Nepal, Selamta’s students love to read everyday! From in-class reading exercises to reading for fun after school, Selamta students dedicate a great portion of their day to reading.

The children at Selamta used to meet every Saturday morning to read together, but their family has grown so large they had to divide into three groups! The youngest children have the earliest reading time, and meet with Abel, Selamta’s director, for about an hour. Abel typically chooses Ethiopian fables, or other stories with moral lessons. The older children are often found reading Ethiopian novels long after the school day ends.

Each home at Selamta has its own bookcase that’s stocked with donated books. Most of the children’s books are in Amharic, Ethiopia’s national language. Mia commented during her recent trip she read “Knuffle Bunnies” and “Zak the Yak” to the students.

Of course, I couldn’t write a blog post about books at Selamta without highlighting that Selamta has its own book! Winner of four literary awards, “An Unlikely Family” tells the tale of the children whose lives have been uplifted by the Selamta Family Project. The book was written in collaboration with American volunteers and Selamta students. All children at Selamta have read “An Unlikely Family,” a story about their stories. To read my last post on this book, check out this link. One hundred percent of the book sales directly support the children at Selamta Family Project.

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Celebrating Women’s Day with the Kibera School for Girls

The girls at the Kibera School for Girls are all style and substance!

Last Thursday, our friends at the Kibera School for Girls in Kenya celebrated International Women’s Day with song, dance, poetry, a fashion show and soccer match. The day was filled with joy as the entire community honored the strength and contributions of women. The girls were all smiles on the fashion show catwalk, stopping the show in shimmery gold dresses, feather boas, sparkly tiaras and colorful beads. Community members also cheered on a friendly soccer match between Shining Hope for Communities and Kibera Women for Peace. The Kibera School was joined in the festivities by local organizations like CareKenya and Fairness and Women’s Empowerment Link.

Though the day was filled with happiness, the Kibera Schools took time to call attention to a critical issue impacting women worldwide. They recited a poem that encouraged women to have the courage to rise above domestic abuse.

The girls read,

“It’s all up to you
You just have to get the courage to move on to something new
It’s not going to be easy.
Take it one day at a time.
They have to subside and you will finally have a peace of mind.”

The day’s theme, “Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures” epitomizes the incredible work of the Kibera School for Girls. Everyday, they nurture the minds, bodies, and spirits of their young girls to be tomorrow’s leaders. To catch a glimpse of day’s big celebration, click here to see photos taken by The Kibera Mirror, the local newspaper.

How did you celebrate International Women’s Day? Tweet us your answer and share in the comment section below!

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Overcoming Obstacles to Education in South Sudan

Photo from Project Education Sudan

Photo from Project Education Sudan

An editorial published by “The Citizen” on February 24th called attention to the correlation between extremely low literacy and school attendance rates among the female population of South Sudan. I was shocked to learn that 90 percent of rural women in South Sudan are illiterate. The ripple effects of illiteracy result in women earning lower wages, having less protection of rights and have fueled South Sudan’s status as the having the world’s highest maternal and infant mortality rates. Two dominant obstacles, described below, deter females in the region from attending school.

1) Early Marriage – Entering young girls into marriage, sometimes as young as 12 or 14, is still valued among some families in South Sudan. But when a young girl is married, the chance of her returning to school is virtually zero. The role of mother trumps the role of school student. Although Sudan passed the Child Act just a few years ago to grant protection to children forced into marriage, this custom is still practiced in some rural areas.

2) Preference for educating males – A commonly held belief in Southern Sudan is that a girl’s place is in the home. When making a decision to send a son or daughter to school, most often the son will be given preference. This is because males are expected to be educated to earn a living, while a daughter is to be married because a marriage can bring in wealth for her family. The editorial describes this as an “endless circle in our communities.” When a daughter is married, her spouse will typically trade her for livestock with her family. These cattle will then be given to the brother, who can give these heads of cattle to his future wife.

To learn more about the school and the obstacles described above, I provided some links for more learning:
“The Citizen” Editorial - South Sudan: Girls’ Education Should Be Promoted
South Sudan: High hopes for defeating “neglected” diseases
Marriage quashes education hopes of South Sudan’s girls

On the positive side of things, our partner school in South Sudan, Project Education Sudan, is a first in its own right. The first all-girls school in the region, Project Education Sudan houses 700 girls at Ayak Anguei Girls’ Primary School. By providing boarding facilities, Ayak Auguei allows the girls to flourish as students, not young mothers or wives. So while it’s important to know the statistics and obstacles for girls in the area, we can also very clearly see a light at the end of the tunnel. It’s why we believe so strongly in education, and we can’t wait to see this generation of South Sudanese women begin to reshape their country.

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It Takes a Village: Nepal and Kenya

 

Marty working with the children at the Kibera School for Girls

Marty working with the children at the Kibera School for Girls

 

 

As I read about the ongoing activities of our She’s the First partner schools, I’m reminded of the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” I originally imagined this saying applying to the school founders, board members, teachers, community supporters, and students living and working in Nepal, Kenya, Ethiopia – wherever our partner schools do the incredible work they do! However, I’m noticing a trend that gives new meaning to this phrase. The “village” I originally conceived isn’t limited to local boundaries or lines on a map; it spans the globe! Everyday, I read about the relationships that our partner school founders foster with family and friends their homes in the United States.

Jessica Posner, cofounder of Shining Hope, was recently joined by her former middle school principal, Marty Caplan, in Kenya.  After reading about Jessica’s work with the Kibera School for Girls, Marty and his wife Arna volunteered their combined 70 years of teaching experience to develop math curriculum for Kibera’s girls!  Marty secured new “Math in Focus” curriculum for the students and is also developing a reading recovery program. He and his wife have been training teachers in Kibera for the past two weeks! The couple said, “We have fallen in love with the Kibera community. The teachers are bright and very receptive to learning new methods. The children are so impressive. Working with them cannot help but make us smile.”

Maggie Doyne, founder of Kopila Valley Children’s Home in Nepal, is constantly updating her blog with visits from family and friends.  For four months, Maggie’s cousin Julia worked and lived side-by-side with the students.  Her mother and father have devoted so much love and attention to the kids of Kopila Valley as well. Maggie’s uncle Ed worked for three months as “Mr. Fix-it” at the school. The children know Maggie’s sisters, aunts, and other close family members.

These are just a few of the countless examples of “villages” that transcend classroom walls or city gates.  She’s the First is part of these growing villages too! Together, we form an intricate network of support and love; we’re committed to raising a generation of girls who are the first in their own village to share a gift that keeps on giving – an education.

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Drought Brings Dry Spells to Classrooms

 

A young boy's toes go unprotected as he carries river water back to his classroom in East Africa. Tony Karumba/AFP - Getty Images

As an elementary school student (okay, and as a high school student too), snow days were among the happiest days of the year.  I never thought twice about feeling anything other then joyful when school was cancelled because of weather. But for students in Ethiopia, climate has presented a huge educational obstacle to overcome. In January, UNICEF reported that over 450,000 young children in Ethiopia have seen their schooling opportunities threatened by natural disasters and conflict. It seems that droughts leave more than just the land barren; classrooms are taking a hit too. Torn between drought, flooding and windstorms, some regions in Ethiopia suffered a 50 percent dropout rate in just one month this summer. Unfortunately, these dropout rates have become the norm.

Each day that passes of a child not attending school increases the likelihood that the child will not return. To mitigate the devestation, several steps are being taken to get kids back in school before it’s too late. An article published by “IRIN” highlighted the effectiveness of school feeding programs and flexible calendar scheduling. The World Food Programme in partnership with other organizations is spearheading a “food for education” program. Serving a meal or snack during the school day has proven to be a great incentive for parents to send their children to school. Plus, the extra nourishment helps the young students focus on their studies, rather than on their rumbling stomach. A more flexible school calendar allows the children of pastoralists or nomadic populations to migrate when drought hits without the consequence of missing school. The school calendar would be designed so that class didn’t meet during the driest seasons.

Currently, the WFP is still seeking funds to provide assistance to children in Ethiopia in need of food and educational aid. To learn more about how drought can impact a child’s schooling, click here to watch a UNICEF video from 2007 when the same desperate circumstances arose in Ethiopia.

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US Ambassador Visits Kibera School for Girls

Ribbon Cutting 

 

Ribbon cutting for the new Kibera School for Girls with Margaret Patricelli, Judy Gration, Bob Forrester, Jessica Posner, Kennedy Odede, and Ambassador Scott Gration (from left)

As we welcomed in the new year, the Kibera School for Girls welcomed an ambassador! Earlier this month, the school celebrated the arrival of Scott Gration, US Ambassador to Kenya, and his wife Mrs. Judy Gration.  The Ambassador and his wife joined Kibera’s students in honoring Newman’s Own Foundation, a major supporter of the school since 2009.  The Newman’s Own Foundation is instrumental in funding Kibera’s school, clinic, bio-latrine, and Clean Water Project.  Bob Forrestor, the foundation’s president, joined the Ambassador and Mrs. Gration in cutting the ribbon for Kibera’s newest clean water tower and school building.  Katherine Kitfield Bascom, Shining Hope’s Associate Managing Director, reported, “Our new school building is providing our students the space they need: larger classrooms, art studios, a hall for performances and parent meetings, and more. The clean water tower kiosk has started selling water, and we are thrilled to report that it’s been quite busy every day!”

Judging by what I read about the girls on Kibera’s Meet the Students page, I had a feeling they’d have no trouble impressing the US Ambassador and his wife with their bright personalities.  The 2nd and 3rd grade classes shined on stage as they performed their play, “Lack of Education.”  The story chronicles two parents who feel education has no place in their lives.  Everything changes when they meet a student from the Kibera School for Girls who kindly offers to read a letter for them.  They’re amazed by what this young girl can do and need no further convincing to enroll in Kibera’s Parent Education classes.  Bascom commented, “The girls are amazing actresses – loud voices with very exaggerated character development.”

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Updates from Eli and Glory in Tanzania


In October, Val Martin of The Uplifting Project (and a great friend of STF!) traveled to Tanzania, and stopped in to say hello to some of the girls we sponsor there. She met with Eli and Glory, two girls in their first of two years at The Kisa Project, where they’re learning computer, leadership, and life skills. We sent along a photo album of our favorite places in NYC (which you can check out here!), and Val talked to them about their future plans. Doesn’t Eli look great in her I ❤ NY tee?

 

And guess what? Next week, we’re holding an event here in New York during Social Media Week — and no matter where you are, you can take part by helping us to sponsor Eli’s last year of school! Just watch for the #SMWMagic hashtag next Thursday, February 16th. For every time it’s used, The Think Cloud will donate $1 toward her sponsorship — and I know you guys can make it happen.

Have a message for Eli or Glory? Leave it in the comments and we’ll make sure it gets to her! Plus, check out more photos from Val’s trip below:

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

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Arlington Academy of Hope Takes a Field Trip!

Recently, the lovely ladies of Arlington Academy of Hope in Uganda took a field trip to the nearby city of Mbale. In the photos, the girls were writing down some observations they made at the local bakery they visited and are waiting to enter the train station on a Study Tour to Mbale. Always great to see what the girls are up to at AAH!

Taking some notes!

Excited to be on their field trip!

 

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Kisa Scholars Publish Book at End of Their School Year

Have you ever wanted to write a children’s book? It is certainly one of my dreams but I am grateful that our Kisa Scholars have had the chance to make a dream like this come true.

I always know that another year is wrapping for the Kisa Scholars when the news of the children’s book arrives. This year, the Kisa Scholars helped write a newly published booked called Sam Learns Some Lessons. The really cool thing about it? They’ve based the content on stories the Kisa girls created during a writing workshop. Not only does the book highlight the girls’ creativity but it also shows its wide audience the true importance behind educating girls and empowering women, not only in Tanzania but all across the globle. The book was published by Dot-to-Dot Children’s Books, and can be purchased here. This marks the second book put out by girls at our partner schools; earlier this year, Starfish One by One in Guatemala also released a children’s book!

We are looking forward to reporting back on how the school year went for all the Kisa Scholars of ours!

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Shining the Spotlight on Shining Hope

 

Shining Hope for Communities

Smiling students at Shining Hope for Communities

It was the Girl Effect that brought me to She’s the First.  In a matter of minutes, they had me hooked. Three years later, it’s this video that keeps me coming back for more. Reinforcing with every second, every pound of the piano keys, every word that flashes across my screen, that my passion for what She’s the First is doing grows.  If you haven’t seen it yet, or just need your daily dose of inspiration, watch here, then read on to see how this powerful video is continuing to make waves for girls’ education.

Shining Hope for Communities, one of our directory schools planted in the Kibera slum of Kenya, received the incredible honor of winning the Girl Effect Challenge!  In addition to the tremendous coverage this brings to Shining Hope, this distinction also comes with a prize of over $25K!

Now, Shining Hope has the opportunity to double this prize, but needs some Facebook love to make it happen.  They’re in the running for the CHASE Community Giving award, and simply by voting on Facebook before Tuesday, November 22nd, you can help secure Shining Hope’s spot as a Top 100 finalist.  With this honor comes another $25,000!

Katherine Bascom, Shining Hope’s Projects Manager imagines how huge of an impact $50,000 would have on the girls living in Kibera.  She writes, “How many more girls we could educate, how many more sanitary toilets we could build to prevent waterborne illness and disease, how many more lives we could save in our clinic by hiring more nurses and community health workers.”

So quick, get on Facebook; spread the word and vote!  Katherine says, ”The Girl Effect Challenge has shown us how powerful our community is and what is possible when we join together.” Let’s spark a girl effect of our own.  Rally the She’s the First troops, guys and girls alike, and let’s make this big prize happen for Shining Hope!

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Girls’ Education in Tanzania: A Must-Have

A recent article printed in the Guardian tackled the issue of a growing population in Tanzania and how educating girls and women can help reduce pregnancies in the regions. Tanzania, the 172nd poorest nation in the world, is the home to our partner school, the Kisa Project.

As the researcher behind the Kisa Project,  I am learning daily the great difficulties that Tanzanian girls face, especially when they become pregnant at a young age and are unable to keep progressing in the classroom. As the article mentions, stigmatization is high when a young girl must drop out of school to have a baby. Young girls are left with no choice but to leave their school books behind to care for their child, giving up their dreams to become nurses and teachers in their country.

Often we think that poverty stems from “no money,” when really, poverty in Tanzania is associated with illiteracy. A lack of the ABCs. A lack of the 1-2-3s. The Tanzanian Government is saying that the high fertility rate is coming from the low educational status of women throughout the country. And how can a woman combat this status when they have no chance to learn to read?

Programs like the Kisa Project are working to change the culture and the norms in Tanzania by giving girls the fuel they need to stay in school and push on towards a bright future. As always, I am eager to see our Kisa Scholars go out and tackle statistics like the ones above to bring more of their sisters into the gift of education.

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What Can a Cupcake Do? Let Us Tell You!

Fun with Footprints at the Kibera School for Girls

Fun with footprints at the Kibera School for Girls!

This week, the famous She’s the First cupcakes will be tasted ‘round the nation. As many of us, myself included (!) prepared for a week of colorful cupcakes, maybe you found yourself being asked by your peers, “Why cupcakes? Why girls’ education?” As a researcher for She’s the First, I hope to show you just how much your cupcakes can do by sharing with you some updates from our partner schools.

At the Selamta Family Project in Ethiopia, the ten girls that started a small business have closed up shop temporarily for the school year. However, they had a booming hair braiding business throughout the summer and plan on reopening during summer break! The students began the school year by celebrating the Ethiopian New Year and are now in the full swing of school. A week ago, She’s the First*{Pitt} hosted a fashion show and raised enough to sponsor a girl at Selamta. Congrats Pitt!

Between a morning adventure to Kahkre Vihar, visits from Maggie’s uncle and cousin, birthday parties for Birendra and Madan, and of course lots of studies and learning, Kopila Valley Children’s Home in Nepal is also buzzing with activity! Other exciting news is that there is 99% chance Kopila Valley will soon have its very own well. For more information on this phenomenal story, read on here. To continue the good news, Kopila Valley is featured on the new documentary Opening Our Eyes: The Movie. More congratulations are in order! Watch the trailer here.

And now on to the Kibera School for Girls – also a burst of sunshine in my updates. A new microfinance group, comprised of KSG mothers, is flourishing. If you’re interested in the budding businesses, read on here. The girls have also been immersed in a “My Body” science class and are having lots of fun learning about footprints. The Kibera School was also featured in the New York Times last month in Nicholas Kristof’s article “Just Look at What You Did!” This article is a must-read!

So, can we use these little cupcake treats to make a world of difference? Of course! Our directory schools are doing absolutely incredible things; one cupcake at a time, we can spread the sweetness!

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Project Education Sudan Welcomes New Team Member

{I recently had the opportunity to get in touch with Project Education Sudan’s new Administrative Assistant, Rosanne Juergens. She’s a fantastic woman with a heart for the children of South Sudan. I asked her a few questions about how she got involved with the organization, her dreams for the future, and what she’s the FIRST to accomplish in her family. Enjoy!}

STF: How did you get involved with PES?

RJ: Over two years ago Carol (PES founder and director) exhibited photos from her trip to South Sudan at The Women’s College where I was attending classes. The images of the women and girls were compelling and memorable. Not too long afterward, in my new role as President of Lambda Pi Eta, a National Communication Honor society on campus, our faculty advisor asked us to organize a campaign to collect underwear for the girls at our sister school Ayak Anguei. We called it the catchy phrase, “Bloomers for Bottoms.” We were able to collect 1600 pairs of panties for the girls. Later, I presented a summary of our work at a breakout session at the D.U. Women’s Conference this Spring, along with Carol and others who were instrumental in fundraising efforts for PES.

STF: What experiences shaped your passion for this work?

RJ: Initially, when I heard about the conditions that the girls had in their classrooms and sleeping arrangements, I was driven to collect the underwear to protect their little bottoms for when they sit or lie on the floor. Along the way, seeing the many donations that my fellow students made to help out, it inspired my passion to represent a collective voice to the girls that The Women’s College felt a connection to our little sisters. The fantastic letters that we received from the girls after Carol’s trip to deliver the bookpacks and panties made the connection more vivid, and keeps my passion alive.

STF: What are you hoping to accomplish with PES in the future?

RJ: My new position enables me to learn more about the other schools that PES has built, the people in the villages, and the liaisons who do our work there. I hope to be an asset to the organization after I learn all the in’s and out’s of my position!

STF: What is the most rewarding part of working on behalf of children in South Sudan?

RJ: Knowing that doing my little part all adds up to the bigger picture of empowering young girls in South Sudan, under their very tough conditions.

STF: STF is all about advocating for the education of girls around the world. What message about girls’ education would you like to send?

RJ: Education opens your eyes to the many possibilities of life, family and community, and connects you to history, social issues and creativity. It’s never too late to start, as I have just finished my bachelor’s degree as a “non-traditional” student. I have a 21 year old son, and I feel that going back to school later in life was a good example to set for him.

STF: We’re proud to support many girls who are the first in their family to accomplish something unique: the first to attend college, the first to travel internationally, the first to start a company, etc. What are you the first to do?

RJ: I was the first in my immediate family to relocate 1800 miles away from my home town. I have made Colorado my home and I love it, even though all of my family is still in New Jersey!

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A Surprise for the Kisa Girls from STF in NYC!

Next week, Val Martin is headed to Tanzania to visit the Kisa Project, and she’s going to be bringing them a special surprise from She’s the First! Check out the cool photo album we made for them of all our favorite places in NYC. Think they’ll like it?

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Kisa Project Strengthens Its Classroom Leaders

If you are clicking through the pages of She’s the First, then chances are you have something in common with us. We keep girls’ education at the forefront of the work that we do as researchers and team players, but we also know that for a girl to be educated well, she must have a strong teacher at the head of the class.

I admire the Kisa Project for their continued attention to detail in that area. They are not just raising scholars and future leaders from the school desks, they are always looking for ways to mold and morph the leaders they already have at the front of the classroom.

This year, AfricAid invited 18 teachers from among the five Kisa partner schools in Arusha and Monduli, Tanzania, to participate in the Teaching in Action workshop. The T.I.A. workshop is a great way for teachers to get the experience they need to bring leadership skills and stimulation to the classroom.

We cannot wait to see how this workshop benefits the Kisa girls in the future!

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Meet the Students of Kibera School for Girls in Kenya!

 

Pre-K students at the Kibera School for Girls

Pre-K students at the Kibera School for Girls in Kenya

While it’s always exciting to share with you the fun field trips and activities of the busy students at the Kibera School for Girls in Kenya, I’m so pleased that I can now introduce you to each and every one of the school’s students!  Just a few days ago, Shining Hope for Communities added a wonderful new addition to their website – an online photo gallery that profiles each student with an adorable photo and a brief biography.  By browsing through the gallery, you’ll meet Grace, a Pre-K student who has big dreams of being a pilot and collapses in giggles on a daily basis. You’ll also meet Christian, a first grader whose love of reading is only outdone by her love of her classmates and teachers.  You’ll learn who was the first Pre-K student to read the word “strawberry” (Elizabeth!) and whose favorite book is Clifford (Lillian!).  These are the shining star students of the Shining Hope for Communities’ Kibera School for Girls!

 

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Girls in South Sudan Sit for Exams

Many students across the U.S. have said goodbye to the lazy days of summer and are once again hitting the books as a new school year officially kicks off. But while the semester is just getting underway here, that isn’t the case for the students of Project Education Sudan.

Girls at the Ayak Anguei Girls’ Primary Boarding School in South Sudan

Girls at at the Ayak Anguei Girls’ Primary School in South Sudan have been very busy this summer.  Not only have they overcome great challenges, from food shortages to celebrating the nation’s first independence day, but they are now busy sitting for mid-term exams.  This comes just months before the school, which currently has 415 students, will celebrate its first graduating class later this year!

We’d like to wish all of the girls good luck as they sit for exams!

Update on 9/14/11: When we posted this to our Facebook page, the Executive Director/Co-Founder of Project Education Sudan, Carol, responded:

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Kristof & Wilde Visit the Kibera School for Girls!

Kristof and Wilde visited Shining Hope for Communities while shooting the Half the Sky documentary

Kristof and Wilde visited Shining Hope for Communities while shooting the Half the Sky documentary. Photo from @NickKristof

Our friends at the Kibera School for Girls were visited by Nicholas Kristof and Olivia Wilde this week!  Kristof, an op-ed journalist for The New York Times and champion of girls’ education, is currently in Kenya working on the PBS documentary of his book, Half the Sky.  He co-wrote the internationally acclaimed book with his wife, Sheryl Wu Dunn.  Since September 4th, Kristof and Wilde have traveled through Kibera interviewing female entrepreneurs and, as Wilde tweeted, “starting spontaneous dance parties.”  More than 1,000 Facebook fans expressed excitement for their visit and showered the Kibera School for Girls with support. Kristof tweeted that despite the fact that malnourishment and worms are rampant in the Kibera slum, the girls at the Kibera School radiated hope.  Wilde added that the school was “extraordinary” and that the girls were “fantastic!”

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