Protect and Empower Rural Kenyan Girls

One of the many strength of Kenya Keys is our amazing team of staff and volunteers in Taru village. These dedicated men and women oversee all of our programs, and guide our sponsored students through their academic careers. We are overjoyed to welcome Clemence Budala as our new coordinator for our Girl Empowerment and Rescue programs. Clemence is a vivacious and well-educated young woman, with a diploma in Early Childhood Development and Education, and a background in teaching and community outreach.

As girls in rural Kenya struggle with challenges beyond our comprehension, Clemence will help to lead our team in meeting their needs so that they too can achieve their dreams. She serves as a resource, a mentor, and an advocate for girls within the academic system and community.

Within her first three weeks with Kenya Keys, Clemence orchestrated our annual celebration of the International Day of the Girl. Bringing back Kenya Keys graduates to serve as mentors and provide inspiration, Clemence and the team coordinated three full days of visits to schools throughout the area, culminating in a huge gathering at the end of the week. Girls had the opportunity to talk about those things that fill their minds with fear and worry, from abuse at home to academic roadblocks to being sold into early marriages. They discussed the importance of staying in school and ways to succeed despite the many obstacles. The girls supported one another, joined their voices in recognition of their own power, shared moments of tears, and laughed - a lot!

We are inspired by the resiliency of the girls in Kenya and of their determination and drive.

Boys are not forgotten in our quest to empower girls. During the International Day of the Girl activities, teams of Kenya Keys volunteers also met with boys to discuss their role in supporting and promoting girls in their schools and villages, and what it means to be a responsible male in Kenyan culture.

We are very proud of our Kenya team for their ability to reach out and touch so many lives, and to help make the dreams of hundreds of students come true. As the challenges facing our girls in Kenya continue to grow, it is reassuring to know that we have gifted staff to help our students navigate their way to a better future. Welcome to the team, Clemence. We are glad to have you as part of our Kenya Keys family.