Finish Akili Suites & Keep a rural Girl in school

Dear Friends, 

Happy New Year and warm greetings from all of us at Akili!

As we step into 2026, we are filled with gratitude for your steadfast support of our scholarship program, which has enabled vulnerable rural girls to stay in school and pursue their dreams. Some of these girls first joined Akili as early as 2012, and it has been our greatest honor to walk alongside them ever since. Thanks to your generosity, 100 girls were kept in school throughout 2025, with 13 girls graduating from high school in December, and nearly 20 young women now transitioning into college, pursuing careers in fields such as Arts , engineering, healthcare, education, and business administration, economics and statistics.

We can’t thank you enough for giving so generously to ensure this progress continues sustainably by supporting the Akili Suites project. We are thrilled to report that phase one of the project consisting of 15 low-cost housing units is now fully occupied, even as we complete final touches. With funding support, we have installed electricity, painted the walls and tiled the floors ensuring basic services for tenants. 

The remaining work includes installing wardrobes and kitchen cabinets, which will enhance convenience for tenants, help retain them, and maximize monthly rental income. Completing these finishes is critical to securing a predictable, local source of funding to sustain our scholarship program. 

At the same time, our program continues to invest in holistic support for our scholarship girls. During the November holidays, we hosted a four-week camp for students in Grades 5 to 9, where girls explored digital skills, coding, and robotics, learned tailoring and entrepreneurship, transformed waste into useful products, and built confidence through sports, mentorship, and teamwork. These experiences nurture curiosity, resilience, and a growth mindset.

For our recent Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) graduates, we are keeping them actively engaged while they await university transition. They participate in digital literacy training, hands-on tailoring, and mentorship sessions focused on life skills, decision-making, and personal development. This structured engagement reduces idle time, strengthens positive peer networks, and equips them with practical tools for a healthy, hopeful future.

With your support, and predictable income from our housing project, we remain committed to keeping all girls in school this year, supporting high-school graduates as they transition into college, and using local resources to sustain this impact over the long term. Your continued support ensures that no girl is left behind and that the achievements of girls we have nurtured since 2012 can continue to grow.

Looking ahead, we are excited to raise funds for Phase Two, expanding this model to support even more students in the future.

From all of us, and from the girls whose futures you have helped shape, THANK YOU for your generosity, belief, and faithful partnership. 

With heartfelt gratitude,

David Omondi  Otieno