In March of 2006 Akili Dada, the organization I founded and continue to lead, awarded its first scholarships to four bright girls from impoverished families in Kenya. Those scholarships were the culmination of a dream that started when I first came to America over ten years ago. A dream that developed substantially during my years at Whitman.

Akili Dada is an international non-profit organization that is nurturing the next generation of Africa's women leaders. We do this by offering secondary school scholarships, mentoring, and leadership training to brilliant young women from impoverished families across Kenya. Our competitive but comprehensive scholarships target academically talented girls who would otherwise be forced to enter into early marriage or the low-wage workforce soon after completing primary school. Our network of mentors consists of Kenyan women who are leaders in their fields and who provide Akili Dada scholars with exceptional opportunities to explore various careers and to develop their leadership skills.

Akili Dada raises upfront 100% of all the funds needed for a student's entire education. This guarantees that, once we offer a scholarship, we will be able to live up to our commitment. Since the first four scholarships in early 2006 we have more than doubled the number of young women we support and are on track support a total of fourteen Akili Dada scholars in 2008. These young women represent Africa’s future and I am excited to invite you to visit our website and join me in making a solid investment in the continent’s future.