Daraja Fever is an acute affliction of the heart that is both critically life changing and extremely contagious. Recent reports show that it quickly spreads through families, schools and communities at large.

Our latest example of Daraja Fever was spotted in the lovely land of Australia. The students at Toorak College have thrown a fundraiser for Daraja since their freshman year and they are continuing the tradition until graduation! During each event, they set up a global classroom where they discuss education in Kenya with former board member Mark Lukach through Skype.

World, let us introduce you to the girls of Toorak College in Australia- Advocates from the first year Daraja ever had students!

Toorak College, an independent girls’ school in Mt.Eliza (Victoria, Australia) first began their connection with Daraja in 2009. Jenny Luca, a teacher at the school, found herself in contact with Mark Lukach via a connection she had with Jabiz Raisdana, a teacher from an international school who is a friend of the founder of the academy. Toorak College was looking for a project to assist their students in developing a global perspective about education and their place in the world. Discovering Daraja, and forming a bridge between our two schools and continents has really helped many of our students understand how they can make a positive impact on others.

For the past three years, our students in Year 9 have held ‘Sleepout for Schools’, an event that provides a fundraising opportunity focused on Daraja Academy. Our girls sleep overnight at school, and find ways to fundraise during the night to contribute to the Daraja community. In our first year, Mark Lukach made the event real for us by skyping in prior to the event and helping our students understand the impact educating a girl can have on African communities. On the night of the sleepover, Mark and Jabiz skyped in, and we were also fortunate to have the founder of the academy, Jason Doherty, skype in to talk to the girls and explain the effect their fundraising could have on the Daraja community.

Each year since, our Year 9 cohort has had the opportunity to speak with Mark and hold a ‘Sleepout for Schools’ event. The girls often comment how they feel like they are doing something with purpose because they know where the money is going and the impact it can have. We are always so incredibly grateful that Mark Lukach gives of his time so freely and makes the learning real for them. This year will be even more special. Knowing that we are connected to the Bay to Breakers event in San Francisco and to the girls running at Daraja makes us even more motivated to participate. What is really special is that we know we are sponsoring Lilian, and we want to do our best to support her with her education. Our girls have incredible opportunities thanks to their access to education and they want to make opportunities possible for Lilian too. We’ve got a short time frame, but we’ll get there!