Posted on May 7, 2012 by Paria Posted in Blog, News
The girls are back! Daraja is so excited to welcome all 104 Daraja girls back from end-of-term break. Although students miss home during school, the reality of what home is like upon return leaves some girls missing another home: the Daraja Academy.
“There is nothing for me in all of Kenya… without an education.”
“When my sister and I get home for break, we talk about what her school is like, and we talk about what Daraja is like,” Yvonne said. Yvonne, Form 1 at the Academy, is from Majengo, the slum of Nanyuki. Yvonne’s parents died when she was eight years old, so her grandmother took Yvonne and her sister in. “The biggest difference I would say is that the teachers are not so friendly at other schools. But at Daraja, our teachers care about us. The students care for one other. At Daraja, we do not live like a school; we live like a family.”
When asked what life would have been like had she not been admitted to the Academy, Yvonne was quick to respond. “Without Daraja, I would have been a street child, probably employing myself in any kind of business like washing people’s clothes in order to continue with my life,” she said. She paused for a moment before continuing. “Without a vision or a goal,” she said, “I would have been a nobody. There is nothing for me in Nanyuki. There is nothing for me in all of Kenya in fact without an education.”
Staying busy during break
Classmates & Friends: Irene and Yvonne
Yvonne has an infectious enthusiasm toward school. The fact that she was home from school didn’t stop her from building upon leadership skill sets learned at Daraja during the break. Yvonne performed community service at Chief’s Camp in Nanyuki as a file clerk and bookkeeper. After putting in 14 hours, Yvonne sought out yet another volunteer opportunity to fill her free time before coming back to school, as a medical assistant at Nanyuki’s District Hospital. “I have learned to share pain with other people,” she said. “I wanted to help. The doctors could do the work very fast with my help. Two hands are better than one, and four hands are better than two.”
Yvonne’s message to Race for Daraja teams!
“I missed school so much while I was gone,” Yvonne said with a smile. “The older girls told us, the Form 1s, all about Bay to Breakers, and I am so excited! I want the people running for us to know that Daraja is very important to me since it helps me know who I am in many ways. Daraja helps me to have dignity. And it helps me become part of my community. Thank you for running for my right to an education!”
Posted on May 3, 2012 by Paria Posted in Blog, News
The work at the Daraja Academy doesn’t stop when the term ends. During school break, the Daraja girls take skill sets and knowledge acquired from their studies to complete curriculum-related projects in their respective communities.
Community Health Project: the Academy’s Form 2s Learn to Analyze Their Surroundings to Create Positive Change
In a partnership with the University of San Diego, Daraja has created a project-based learning program focusing on community health. The participants of this project are the current Form 2s. In an attempt to interlink English, Swahili, biology, geography and business studies, the Forms 2s have been tasked with the assignment of collecting health-related data about their communities. What diseases are prevalent? What are the symptoms of common illnesses? Are there preventative measures that can be taken to avoid these illnesses? Are there curative medications that can be administered in order to save the lives of the affected? These and other related questions will be analyzed in order to create a educational awareness program with tangible solutions to bring back to surrounding Daraja communities.
“We introduced a basic foundation of knowledge to the Form 2s before assigning this project,” Victoria, the Business Studies teacher said of the project. “The girls visited Mara Moja, a community local to Daraja, and observed important aspects of community health: proximity of houses, common diseases the women suffer from, water sources and hygiene habits. We took that information and brainstormed ways that Daraja can help to lesson the effects of ineffective practices observed.” During the break, the girls are to take that information, those ideas, and collect supplementary information from their own homes and villages.
A potential completion date for the community health project is June. The Form 2s are planning to host a town hall meeting with the women of Mara Moja and other local communities to teach the women more effective hygiene practices and spread awareness about prevention methods and ways to treat common diseases.
Community Inventory Project
The Form 4s, although home for a shorter period of time than the rest of the students, have a community inventory project to complete before their return this weekend.
“What is in your community?” Leah, program development associate at the Daraja Academy, asked the girls. “Are there financial institutions? Businesses? Hospitals? Clinics? Local NGOs? I want you to take a snapshot of your community so that we can better understand the communities you will be assimilating back into once you’re finished with your secondary school education here at the Academy.”
The Form 4s will return to Daraja with important data about their hometowns, as well as relevant experience for their personal development. If a financial institution is in operation in their communities, the students are to go in and find out how to open and maintain an account.
Posted on May 3, 2012 by Paria Posted in Blog, News
Wonder why there is no cost for Daraja race participants at Bay to Breakers this year? The answer is YOU! The organizers of the race believe the Daraja family can bring together 150 volunteers for the pre-race expo. If this happens, the cost of entry will be low enough for Daraja to cover!
But…WE NEED YOUR HELP! We still need volunteers for the expo and are hoping you can help! Volunteers will be passing out race packets and t-shirts and providing general assistance to race organizers. There are three shifts of 50 volunteers each and we especially need volunteers for the two Friday shifts. We can also assist in transportation.
The 3 shifts are:
Friday, May 18th 9am-1pm
Friday, May 18th 12:30-4:30pm
Saturday, May 19th 3-8pm
Location: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California
Even if you can’t make it to the race on Sunday, May 20th, you will be providing a great assistance to Daraja! We hope you can make it and don’t forget to tell you family and friends about volunteering at the expo and supporting Daraja at Bay to Breakers!
If you would like to volunteer or want more information, contact Sarah Montgomery at sarah.e.montgomery11@gmail.com or 650-799-7617
Go Daraja Family!
Posted on May 2, 2012 by Paria Posted in Blog, News
“This test defines the life of a person after school in Kenya. That is unfortunately how the system here is designed. You can be exceptionally smart, but if you cannot perform on [the K.C.S.E], it means nothing.”
What is the K.C.S.E., and why does it matter?
“In Kenya, the K.C.S.E. is the single most defining parameter of how far you can go,” said Charles, Dean of Curriculum at the Daraja Academy.
Florence, Form 4, reviews her work
The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education is taken at the completion of Secondary school. Replacing the Kenya Advanced Certificate of Education (KACE), the K.C.S.E. debuted in 1989 as the new entrance requirement to attention a Kenyan university. Although initially ten subjects, the examination now covers seven: English, Swahili, Mathematics, at least two sciences, one humanities and at least one practical or technical subject.
“All careers are interlinked with one’s performance on the K.C.S.E.,” Charles said. “The test defines the life of a person after school in Kenya. That is unfortunately how the system here is designed. You can be exceptionally smart, but if you cannot perform on this test, it means nothing.”
The Form 4s at Daraja, like any other Form 4 in Kenya seeking university admission, will take the K.C.S.E. in November. The curriculum is so intensive that the test often can take up to 3 weeks to administer. Exams, papers and labs are sometimes administered over the course of a month to give students days in-between testing to study and recuperate.
Mercy, Form 4 at Daraja, said that although she couldn’t go home when the other girls got to after the end of term 1, she was glad that the reason was to start studying. The more time the girls study for the test, the more prepared they will be. With the stakes as high as each girl’s future, preparation is everything.
Leila, Form 4, works on sample questions
The structure and methods of instruction in classes has been tailored to prepare the girls specifically for this exam. The teachers at Daraja have been trained to outline common mistakes students make on the test, show students how to utilize sample tests, and teach in a way that is similar to what the students will see on the K.C.S.E. examination. Hundreds of thousands of Kenyans will take the K.C.S.E. this year, and hope that upon receipt of their results in February of next year, they make the cut-off to continue his or her education.
How can you play a part in the success of the Form 4s at the Daraja Academy?
In addition to study and preparation, confidence goes a long way toward the success of any young woman. The biggest, most exciting event of the year for the girls of Daraja is soon approaching: the Lap-a-thon, sister race to the annual Bay to Breakers event. Each Daraja girl will run 28 laps around campus while across the ocean at the same time, Race for Daraja teams will be running through San Francisco to raise money for girls’ education. For each Daraja girl who is able to get her laps sponsored, she is able to run with the pride and fulfillment of knowing that she is contributing to her own education. Each lap that she completes is one step closer to her future as a leader of Kenya. Click here to help empower a Daraja girl during a pivotal time in her life when that extra bit of confidence can quite possibly make all the difference!
Posted on April 27, 2012 by Paria Posted in Blog, News
With just the Form 4s left on campus this week, campus life was split between studying, reviews, and gearing up for Bay to Breakers!
Tuition
Form 4s Mercy & Pauline
Although Forms 1-3 left campus 2 weeks ago, the Form 4s stayed on campus for more examinations and tuition. “We stay on campus longer than the other forms for tuition. That is a time when we prepare for the K.C.S.E. (Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education),” Mercy, Form 4 said. “We also had more examinations to take. Chemistry was the most difficult for me, but because I studied so hard for it, I know I did well.”
*What is the K.C.S.E.? Why is it so important? Stay tuned next week for a breakdown of the biggest test the girls will likely ever take, and how you can get involved!
Monicah, #1 in her class!
“Remember, you are Form 4s”
Last night, the Form 4s gathered in the Dining Hall with the faculty. The new Bay to Breakers board hung proudly in the background as some of the teachers took turns making announcements and saying goodbye. As leaders of the school, the Form 4s were reminded that upon their return, the rest of the school will look to them for guidance, focus and energy. The top 10 highest achievers (by grades) were announced, with Monicah coming in first place! “Remember,” Teacher Victoria said, “You are Form 4s. You are W.I.S.H. girls (Women of Integrity, Strength & Hope). When you go back to your homes, back to your villages, display what a Daraja girl looks like.”
Heading Home
Teacher Victoria & Maureen hug as the rest of the Form 4s wave goodbye to Daraja
This morning, the girls finally saw their turn to say goodbye for now to Daraja, wish each other safe travels, and head home to spend time with loved ones. Although the campus will be without students, the enthusiasm for Bay to Breakers will only continue to build, as the campus works on B2B activities for the students’ arrivals!
GET INVOLVED! Do you have a Race for Daraja team set up? The #1 team on the leadership board on May 6th will be announced at the school’s Monday Assembly when the girls return! You inspire the girls just as they inspire you! Two events. One Cause. One family!
