Born and raised in the Eastern region of Kenya, I never imagined that one day, I would find myself in the coastal region, calling it home. But life has a way of leading us exactly where we need to be.
I got the opportunity to study at EBU University through an international organization in Malindi, where I took the Women and Leadership course at the same time spearheading a youth program, interacting with countless children, youth, and communities. However, I began to notice a painful truth empowerment is a slow process, and many young people couldn’t wait. They needed real-time solutions.
One of the key lessons from my class was about creating real tangible solutions, no matter how minute it might look. I had always dreamed of leading a community-based organization, but the fears held me hostage What if I fail? Where will I get the resources? Who are my role models? The “what-ifs” felt paralyzing.
Every time I went on errands, I would see students at home when they should have been in school, their dreams halted by something as simple as school fees. They came from impoverished families, and I kept asking myself, What can I do?
Then, in one of our classes, Njeri Mwangi, Boniface Mwangi’s wife, said something that changed me forever: Be bold. She reminded us that stepping out of our uncomfortable state requires courage. We must know what we are fighting for, what we need to change, and have a plan to make it happen.
And so, I did exactly that. I created a plan for a whole year. I realized that I had the power of mobilization, partnership, and networking. I brought people on board, I and my partner JUDITH OREMO, who personally understands the power of having someone believe in and support a dream, co-founded EDU-Initiative Kenya, a community-based organization dedicated to bridging the gap between empowerment and real-time impact.
At EDU-Initiative Kenya, we believe that every child deserves a chance, not tomorrow, but today. We’re raising a generation of strong, confident, and empathetic young people who can articulate issues and create meaningful change in their communities and beyond
Growing up in Likoni, life came with many challenges. Coming from a humble background, my parents often struggled to make ends meet. Education was not always guaranteed. But that changed when I was sponsored. That support lifted the burden of school fees from my parents’ shoulders, allowing them to focus on educating my other siblings. It changed the course of our entire family’s future.
My sponsors, Dave and Kelley Reenders, became much more than financial supporters, they became mentors, friends, and second parents. Through the letters we exchanged, I learned about Michigan, blueberry farming, and the beauty of changing seasons. These glimpses into another world stirred something in me a deep desire to dream bigger, to aim higher, and one day to explore beyond what I knew.
Because I was never sent home for lack of school fees, I focused entirely on my studies. I worked hard, set ambitious goals, and when the opportunity came to join a university leadership program, I seized it wholeheartedly. Dave and Kelley continued to support and encourage me, reinforcing both our bond and my determination.
That unwavering support and the transformation I experienced sparked a fire in me, a calling to give back. This led me to co-found Edu Initiative Kenya, together with my partner Mwende Mutinda who, like me, encountered first hand experience and shared a deep desire to create opportunities for others.
I’ve seen firsthand what happens when education is out of reach, how dreams are cut short and potential goes unrealized, especially during high school. That’s why we are committed to changing that narrative.
I am a living testimony that when a child is given the opportunity to learn, they not only change their own story they become a light for others. And that is where hope begins.