When Daraja Academy first started, the administrators figured they could invite girls to campus for the admissions interviews. They learned almost immediately, however, that they’d lose out on the population of girls who could not afford even the small transportation cost that is required to get to Daraja Academy.

“We noticed girls were missing their opportunity at a 4-year scholarship because they couldn’t afford the little it took to get to campus,” recalls co-founder Jason Doherty. “Those are exactly the girls that Daraja wants to invest in so we had to adjust the student selection process.”

Every January, Daraja’s administrative team now travels throughout Kenya to reach young women in remote villages and overpopulated slums.

Nike’s Girl Effect campaign has conducted some of the most extensive research on helping girls in developing nations and has found that “It is the most vulnerable girl whose life will improve the most, and who will bring the greatest return back to her community.” Helping a girl is important, but helping certain girls is what creates change. These girls are the ones that are otherwise forgotten.

There is an 80% dropout rate from primary school to secondary school for children in Kenya, according to the 2009 Kenya census. The statistics are even more staggering for girls, in poverty, who are often obligated to household chores, or provide immediate income to the family if married or forced into prostitution. Compound that with the reality that more than half of Daraja’s students are orphaned, and it makes going to secondary school nothing short of a miracle for the student body currently on campus.

It also means the impact of their education will be that much greater.