Support girls' education and end FGM in Kenya

The Kakenya Centers for Excellence (KCE I and II), our holistic boarding schools, officially opened for the 2025 Kenyan school year in January. We are proud to share that 100% of our sixth graders successfully transitioned from primary to junior high school, and that 100% of our twelfth graders graduated from high school, surpassing the county’s average transition rates of 58% and 24% respectively. After months of intense study last year, these two classes scored highly on standardized exams at the end of the 2024 school year, with our twelfth graders outperforming the national mean! 

We currently have 440 girls enrolled in grades four through 12. New students were chosen based on a combination of need and academic performance as we seek to support the most vulnerable girls in the community, prioritizing those from single-parent households, orphans, and families with low educational attainment, among other factors. In a community where fewer than two out of three girls complete elementary school, many of our newest students will be the first in their families to graduate from both elementary and high school.

Because many girls arrive at our schools behind in reading and math, we expanded students’ access to Learning Upgrade, an online platform that identifies and closes learning gaps in select subjects. We also provided our teachers with two-day training on best pedagogical practices in February, and are ensuring students receive the mental health support they need through screenings, group sessions, and individual therapy. These efforts are part of our broader commitment to nurturing the academic, social, and physical well being of every girl. 

At the beginning of this year, we also launched a new five-year strategic plan, designed to expand our programs and improve the quality of education both within our schools and across the region. Over the 15 years of our operations, more families have come to recognize the value of educating their daughters: this year, we saw a record number of applicants for our incoming fourth-grade class. To meet the increasing community demand and in line with our new strategic plan, our team is working closely with the local Ministry of Education to identify 30 public schools for targeted improvement, with the goal of strengthening educational outcomes for girls through teacher training, infrastructure development, and school feeding programs. 

Looking ahead, we believe that strengthening local schools and supporting systemic improvements in education will allow us to reach even more girls beyond our campuses and respond to the growing demand from communities ready to invest in their daughters’ futures.

Thank you to the GlobalGiving community for your ongoing support and belief in the power of an educated girl! Together, we are bringing life-changing education and opportunity to the most marginalized girls in rural Kenya.