Kenya

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Summertime Fun at the Kibera School for Girls!

A sunny day at the Kibera School summer camp!

As thousands of girls across America pack up and head to camp, girls at The Kibera School (KSG) in Kenya are also having their summer camp fun!  With dancing, sports, drama, art, and reading, summertime clearly doesn’t mean downtime for the 67 girls currently enrolled at KSG. Students aren’t the only ones taking part in the summer learning. Teachers at KSG are receiving professional development workshops held by visiting teachers from New York City’s Chapin School, a private girls school in Manhattan.

Earlier this summer, the girls also enjoyed a day at Nairobi’s National Museum!  Thanks to the generosity of two Shining Hope supporters, the girls were able to see exotic animals, splash around in the paddleboats, and cool off with tasty ice cream– it was an incredibly exciting day for all. Previously, in March, the girls learned about the science of weather on a visit to the Kenya Meteorological Society. To keep up to date with the girls’ summer adventures and learning, follow the Shining Hope for Communities blog!

 


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A Letter from Mbithe in Kenya!

Today, I was thrilled to receive a letter, report card, and photo from Mbithe Pius at the Kibera School for Girls!

Mbithe is the kindergartner that She’s the First*{Syracuse} sponsored by holding a benefit concert, appropriately titled “Music for Mbithe.” We raised enough money to sponsor her for a full year.

We are happy to see that Mbithe is doing well in school and is enthusiastic about learning!

Here’s what she had to say:

We can’t wait to hear from Mbithe again. We’ll be writing her a letter soon, too. Do you have anything you’d like to say to her? Leave it in the comments!

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Another Vivanista Contest Victory…Thanks to You!

As the semester winds down and the stress of Finals Week kicks in here at Syracuse University, receiving word that STF*{Syracuse} had another success in a Vivanista contest was a major bright spot.

Mbithe Pius (m-bee-thay - but the "th" is hard, almost like a "D")

The contest, Vivanista’s Flash Fundrasier competition, challenged seven college campus teams from across the country to plan and execute creative fundraisers held within a 48-hour period. (We held a benefit concert to raise money to sponsor Mbithe Pius at the Kibera School for Girls in Kenya…and we raised enough to educate her for a full year!) The group that raised the most money would be granted $1,000 for their charity of choice.

Stanford University’s Bowl-A-Thon for the American Cancer Society raised almost $1,000 and received the additonal $1,000 grant. (Congrats, Stanford!)

But the fun didn’t end when the fundraising was over. Vivanista asked each group to submit a video recap of their fundraiser.  The videos would then be judged based on creativity, social impact and spirit.

However, the “most creative” award was also vote-based. And thanks to YOU, our wonderful supporters, our video managed to garner the most votes!

Thanks to everyone who tweeted, re-tweeted (#FlashFundraiser!), posted on Facebook or simply told their friends to vote for us. It’s no secret that leveraging the power of social networking is critical to She’s the First’s success.

She’s the First*{Syracuse} shares the victory with all of you, and expresses our gratitude to Vivanista for sponsoring another great contest. We enjoyed participating and encourage you to check out the other schools’ videos on the contest page.

 

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Lunchtime Around the World!

A few days ago, I came across a fascinating photo gallery of school lunches from around the world.  As I browsed through the lunch trays filled with kimchi in Korea to smoked mackerel in Slovakia, I began to wonder what our She’s the First students eat during the school day.  I wrote to the Kibera School for Girls in Kenya and the Selamta Family Project in Ethiopia to see if they could provide me with a glimpse into their typical school lunch.  They both happily agreed!

At the Kibera School for Girls, the girls have three different lunch options throughout the week. Lunch is served in addition to breakfast porridge and a piece of fruit after school.  Some days the girls dine on sukuma wiki, a savory mix of kale, onions, tomatoes, and spices. The dish is topped off with ugali – a Kenyan paste that to the young students’ delight, is eaten with their hands. Other days, the girls eat beans and rice or githeri, a corn and bean dish. Leah Lucid from the Kibera School for Girls wrote, “The students love lunchtime, and also love brushing their teeth afterward with their personal toothbrushes!”

Lunchtime at the Selamta Family Project

Dorowat, a spicy chicken stew, is the favorite meal of students at the Selamta Family Project. A typical lunch consists of injera, a sour flat bread made from a Teff grain.  Students then break off the injera with their hands to eat wat, a spicy stew made with the traditional Ethiopian spice, Berbere.  Most lunches are vegetarian and consist of lentils, chickpeas, and cooked vegetables. Occasionally, students dine on lamb, chicken, and beef.

What was your favorite school lunch? Tweet your answer to @shesthefirst or tell us in the comment section!

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Sunny Times at the Kibera School for Girls

Love from the Kibera School for Girls!

Since the new term began in January, the students at the Kibera School for Girls have enjoyed their new classes, art projects with their parents, and their first celebration of Valentine’s Day!  Valentine’s Day was a huge success, complete with homemade cards and delicious treats. The festivities continued in March as parents were invited to join their daughters for a day filled with arts and crafts.

The girls are fascinated by the Meteorlogical Center!

The students at the Kibera School for Girls also had a whirlwind adventure at the Kenya Meteorological Society! A few weeks ago the girls had the opportunity to truly immerse themselves in their most recent science unit on weather. After spending a month learning about cloud formations, temperature, and how to track weather changes, the young girls were fascinated by the hands-on experience with professional weather instruments. To keep up with the girls at the Kibera School, you can read more about their activities by following the Shining Hope for Communities blog.

 

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Welcome to the Family, Mbithe!

Mbithe Pius (m-bee-thay - but the "th" is hard, almost like a "D")

She’s the First*{Syracuse} is thrilled to announce that we’ve been matched with a student to sponsor at the Kibera School for Girls in Kenya. We’d like to welcome kindergartner Mbithe Pius to the She’s the First family! (Isn’t she adorable?!)

Funds for Mbithe’s sponsorship are coming from the prize money we received from Vivanista’s Parties for a Purpose contest. We are so grateful to Vivanista for the $1,000 prize, and we’ve chosen to put $800 toward Mbithe’s education. This will sponsor her for more than two years.

We’re putting the other $200 toward covering the costs of holding a benefit concert next month at Funk ‘N Waffles, a popular venue near Syracuse University. We figured that putting a little bit of money into a big fundraising event, to then sponsor more girls, would result in a greater return on our investment.

We’re looking forward to receiving our first letter from Mbithe, and we can’t wait to share it with all of you. In the meantime, feel free to leave a welcome message for her in the comments section, and we’ll pass them along when we send her a letter in response!

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Partner Spotlight: Kenya Education Fund Shares a Special Letter

I’m back with my next quarterly research report, on one of our Africa partners, the Kenya Education Fund. You last read about what a great job the Kenya Education Fund (KEF) is doing in connecting their graduates through Facebook (as posted by Tammy Tibbetts here). The KEF has 471 students on four-year scholarships at more than 200 high schools across Kenya. 228 of these students are girls. She’s the First currently supports girls’ sponsorships at KEF with some of the proceeds that Asha Patel Designs donates from sales of our identity bracelet.

a photo from the fall weekend workshop, by Dominic Muasya

In September and October, the KEF held three weekend-long mentoring workshops for about 120 students from the Narok, Meru, and Isiolo regions of Kenya.  These workshops are designed to bring together KEF students from different schools so they learn study tips, build friendships, and attend lectures from notable Kenyan professionals.

Among the highlights at KEF this year is the amazing story of Fatuma Omar Ismael, a Somali Refugee who recently gained entry to one of Kenya’s best high schools. Fatuma, who attended primary school in the refugee camp, was the highest female performer on the school exit exam in Kenya’s entire Northeastern Province, and she is now a grade 10 student at the prestigious Kenya High School in Nairobi.  Without KEF sponsorship, she would have had no choice but continue her schooling in the refugee camps, with limited resources and tremendous domestic responsibility.

Click on to read a letter Fatuma wrote to her sponsors in the US (she has consented to its publication): Continue reading →

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How Facebook Unites Sponsored Students in Kenya

the Kenya Education Fund uses Facebook to stay in touch with alumni and students spread across 200 schools in Kenya

Yesterday in New York City, we met up with Bradley Broder, Executive Director of  the Kenya Education Fund (KEF), a partner of She’s the First (see all our partners here). Brad will visit Kenya again in December. On this trip, he will be working on a film, showing the impact of education on his students, and he will also meet with the Kenyan staff who serve as KEF’s liaisons. Since the sponsored students are spread out across 200 high schools in 18 regions of Kenya, the liaisons do periodic site visits to local schools, making sure the students’ needs are met.

Another way KEF stays in touch with students sprawled across Kenya, Brad told us, is through Facebook! Rachel Silver, who works with Brad on Donor Relations for KEF, filled us in on how this works.

When did you create the KEF group on Facebook?
We created the KEF Student and Alum page in the Summer of 2010. The Kenya Education Fund has had a general presence on Facebook for several years now, but we decided that we wanted to designate a unique forum where our students and alumni from across Kenya could communicate with each other and with us.

How many members are there?
Currently we have 22 members. However, 150 KEF students will graduate at the end of this calendar year. We will formally invite all of them to join in the materials they receive from us upon completion of our scholarship. We are also in the process of reaching out to past alumni and current students who have internet access. I anticipate that our group will grow rapidly. We receive requests to join fairly frequently.

What kind of discussions do you see going on?
Because our page is relatively new, most discussions are simple conversations welcoming new members to the group, as well as commentary around the usefulness of this forum. Once we have a more established base, we at the KEF offices will frequently share news and updates with our students and alumni through this group, as well as opportunities that we hear about. Mostly, we also hope that it becomes a venue in which students can keep in touch with, or, if they are from different regions, get to know one another. Finally, we are working to keep in better touch with graduates as their educational and professional careers grow and change. We believe that this group will help us better facilitate this.

What comments have you heard from students about Facebook or social media, if any? Is it a big part of their life when they have Internet access to use it?
 Kenyan students who have Internet access seem to be enthusiastically embracing social media, including Facebook and yahoo messenger. There is a significant community of Kenyan youth on Facebook, especially centered around urban areas, and it is ever expanding as access to internet expands. In addition to its regular features, Facebook has become a particularly unique venue to share opinions on and ideas about new stories and current events in the US and Kenya.

shesthefirst.org/gifts

Follow KEF on Facebook! Click here to ‘Like’ them.

Also, remember that KEF receives a part of the proceeds from our She’s the First bracelets made by Asha Patel Designs!

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Partner Spotlight: Kibera School for Girls, Kenya

This photo says it all!

Shining Hope for Communities, one of our two Kenya partners, is a phenomenal testament to She’s the First’s celebration of “firsts.” In 2007, Jessica Posner, Shining Hope’s co-founder, became the first non-native to live in Kenya’s Kibera slum, the largest slum in Africa.  Shining Hope’s Johanna Justin-Jinich Community Clinic is the first and only free health clinic in Kibera to focus on women’s health.  Lastly, the nonprofit’s Kibera School for Girls, a She’s the First partner school, is the region’s first tuition-free school for girls.

Currently, the Kibera School for Girls (KSG) has 67 girls enrolled in pre-kindergarten through 2nd grade.  KSG will expand to provide an education for 570 students in grades pre-kindergarten through 8th.  Assistant teachers were recently hired to ensure that all girls receive hands-on, individualized attention.  Thanks to the assistance of a visiting teacher from NYC’s Chapin School, KSG teachers designed student-centered curriculum.  Shining Hope for Communities recently added “Margaret’s Safe Place,” a boarding facility for KSG’s most vulnerable students.

In the words of Helen Mbithe, a member of KSG’s Parent Board, “The Kibera School for Girls is special in many ways.  It is the only free school for girls that I have even heard of in Kenya. But there is something more.  At the school there is also a center for the community with needed resources like computers, books, health education sessions, and vegetable garden open to all community members…My husband now says that good treats come with educating girl children, and because he is the last person I could ever think to say this, I can say that this idea will change lives in many ways in my struggling home community.”

Eunice, one of KSG's smiling students

Our Aspire blog readers may remember Jessica from this blog post, following her nomination for the nationally acclaimed DoSomething Awards. She’s the First is honored that two of our partner schools were founded by DoSomething Award winners!  Both Jessica and Maggie Doyne, founder of the Kopila Valley Children’s Home, were awarded $100,000 for their incredible dedication to improving the lives of children around the world.

Sponsorship for The Kibera School for Girl’s education program ranges from $30  a month and from $360 a year.  If you can’t cover the full year amount, other She’s the First fundraisers will make up the difference and you’ll support her together! See the directory for more details.

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Jessica Posner Wins the 2010 Do Something Award!

Jessica Posner wins the jackpot $100,000! Woo hoo, it's like our team won the Super Bowl!

Jessica Posner wins the jackpot $100,000! Woo hoo, it's like our team won the Super Bowl!

What is it that would cause me to almost scream out of joy and wake my entire house up at 10:59pm on a Monday night??? JESSICA POSNER WINNING THE DO SOMETHING AWARD! (since I couldn’t scream in my house I figured I would take advantage of the digital scream through caps lock)! This makes two years in a row that She’s the First partners have won the Do Something Award. Last year’s grand prize award recipient, Maggie Doyne, creator of the BlinkNow Foundation, was on hand for the evening’s festivities. Including, Ashley Shuyler of AfricAid, a 2007 Do Something Finalist, we now have 3 DoSomething Award honorees in our network! We are so proud of all of the work that they’re all doing towards furthering the education of girls worldwide. A big congrats goes out to Jessica! Live it up and enjoy the fruits of your labor! You deserve it!!!

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Vote Jessica Posner to Win the DoSomething Award!

Jess Posner, nominee for the DoSomething $100,000 Award -- let's help her win for girls in Kenya! Vote every day at http://www.vh1.com/shows/events/do_something_awards/2010/the-do-something-award!

Jess Posner, nominee for the DoSomething $100,000 Award -- let's help her win for girls in Kenya! Vote every day at http://www.vh1.com/shows/events/do_something_awards/2010/the-do-something-award!

On July 19th, five young humanitarians will have the chance to win Do Something’s $100,000 grand prize — and one of them is a She’s the First network member!  The five finalists, all 25 and under, will be honored with celebrities who are dedicated to leaving the world better than they found it.  The finalists’ projects range from establishing high school theatre programs for individuals with disabilities to launching million-dollar sustainable investment campaigns for their community.  One finalist, orphaned by the horrific Rwandan genocide, founded a human rights education program and is now building a community center in Rwanda.  Additionally, among the finalists is a “male first!”  Wilfredo Perez Jr., is the first high school graduate in his family.  Before attending medical school, Perez started a Public Health and Education Program to provide medical training to Haitians.

She’s the First is thrilled to announce that the founder of one of our network’s schools is a Do Something Award finalist!  Jessica Posner, 23, founded the Kibera School for Girls and the Shining Hope Community Center. Let’s help her win so she can continue educating girls in Kenya!

While studying abroad in Nairobi, Kenya in 2007, Jessica told her mentor, Kenny Odede, that she wanted to live in the Kibera slum.  He told her that she’d never survive without running water or a toilet.  She knew she’d prove him wrong and became the first outsider to live in Kibera.  Since returning to Kibera in 2008, Jessica’s school and community center have served over 5,700 residents.  The Shining Hope Community Center includes the first and only free health clinic in Kibera, The Women’s Microfinance Empowerment Workshop, a library, and youth center.

Jessica was moved to build a school after seeing a five-year-old girl rummaging through trash in Kibera.  When Jessica asked why she wasn’t in school, the little girl responded, “school is a dream and dreams don’t come true.”  By voting for Jessica at http://www.dosomething.org/programs/awards, you can help ensure that the education no longer remains a hopeless dream for young girls.  Empower them to be the first and vote today — and every day till July 19th!

Don’t forget! Last year’s Do Something Award grand prize winner, Maggie Doyne, is also a member of the She’s the First network.  Using her $100,000 prize, Maggie’s organization, the Kopila Valley Children’s Home, constructed a free open primary school and community center in Nepal that just opened this month!

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