Let's send a Kenyan Girl to High School!

As you may already know, I spent summer 2011 in East Africa on a self-directed, self-funded fellowship affiliated with the Daraja Academy of Kenya. Daraja is located outside of the city of Nanyuki, Kenya, an approximately four hour drive north of the country's capital city, Nairobi.

In theory, a high school education is free in Kenya. In reality, it is not. As a result many Kenyan youth with a lot of potential and big dreams are unable to complete their educational goals. Daraja Academy of Kenya officially opened its doors in February 2009, to provide a high school education (and much more) to 100+ of Kenya's amazing but very under-resourced young women. We will graduate our first class this December!

The school is supported by individual donors like you and me, as well as the San Francisco Bay Area based Carr Educational Foundation. As a member of the Carr Educational Foundation Board of Director's Volunteer Committee, I have committed to fundraising for Daraja as part of this year's Bay to Breakers Fundraising Campaign.

Bay to Breakers is a 7.46 mile race that takes place in San Francisco each summer. Runners start at the Bay on the east side of the city, and run across the city to the ocean breakers on the western side of the city. Daraja fundraisers will be participating in the race again this year - including me! If I am unable to run the course on May 20 then I pledge to run 4 trail miles, followed by 4 miles (288 laps) in the pool on race day - Sunday, May 20.

Please support me and the ladies of Daraja by making a contribution of any amount by the Sunday, May 20 deadline. Thank you so much for your support! If you are so inclined then please invite your friends to help, too!

Enjoy my Daraja Academy of Kenya Video Scrapbook! I made it especially for my fundraising campaign.

- Nicole