The following essay was written by our friend, Barbara Rick, about Daraja's very first Graduation Day this past August. The essay was originally published in issue No. 8 for Works and Days Quarterly, an online journal of arts, letters, and craft. Visit their webpage to read the full Autumn issue and see the original version of
On the morning of their first exam day for the K.C.S.E. testing, fourth year Daraja students listened intently as a letter from “Mom and Dad,” or co-founders Jason and Jenni, was read to them. This year is the second year that Daraja Academy has had girls taking the K.C.S.E. and clear traditions are beginning to
In the aftermath of the attack on Kenya’s Westgate Mall in Nairobi, the country responded with unity: thousands of people came out to support the country by donating blood to the Kenyan Red Cross in order to help the victims of the tragedy. Inspired by this, Daraja Academy administration booked a blood drive with the
To develop and maintain the programs at Daraja Academy, we need not only an expansive and talented staff on the ground, but also a network of strong support from The Carr Educational Foundation. The Carr Education Foundation headquarters are located in California and the mission of the foundation is to create sustainable educational models in
Tomorrow morning at 8 AM sharp, fourth-year Daraja Academy students will sharpen their pencils and squirm in their seats as they begin the test that they’ve been working towards for four years: the K.C.S.E. The K.C.S.E. stands for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, and it is an exam taken at the completion of secondary
To celebrate International Day of the Girl, Daraja Academy students assembled in the patio outside of the dining hall on campus. Students talk about the power of girls and women frequently, so the International Day of the Girl celebration was unique to the holiday. As a partner of Nike’s Girl Effect, Daraja girls were excited
There is a busy excited buzz on campus today as the Daraja community recognizes The International Day of the Girl. 2013 is the second year for observance of the holiday, and Daraja students are excited for the world to celebrate what we celebrate every day: the power of the girl. The International Day of the
One year ago, two days before the first ever International Day of the Girl, a man with a gun tried to silence a girl fighting for her education. On October 9, 2012, Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by members of the Taliban for speaking up and using her voice to fight for the
We welcome four new board members to the Carr Educational Foundation. The mission of the Carr Educational Foundation is to create sustainable educational models in struggling communities. Daraja Academy is it’s first project. In 2013, Margaret Pack, Sara Howard, Lisa Halsted, and Erika Merrel joined the board of directors of the Carr Educational Foundation, which
In WISH (Women of Integrity, Strength, and Hope) class this term, third year Daraja students (11th grade) are learning all about conflict resolution and peace building. Piggybacking Alice Nderitu’s peace building talk during Term Two, the lessons are full of exciting ways to brainstorm the development of peace throughout the world, but more specifically, in
Our hearts go out to the victims of the recent attack in Nairobi. Daraja Academy students, faculty, staff, and their families are safe and accounted for. Daraja stands in solidarity with the victims and their loved ones, the brave response personnel, and generous relief volunteers. We are one!
On Saturday, September 28th, ten Daraja girls woke before sunrise to stretch. Ready to run in The Amazing Maasai Ultra Marathon, the girls walked together to the start line at 6 AM. The Amazing Maasai Ultra was started by two teams on the Chinese version of the popular television show, The Amazing Race, China Rush.
