2008 Letter from the Executive Director
Akili Dada Responds to Kenya's Post-Election Violence, 11 New Scholarships Awarded
Despite a difficult start to the year, with the violence surrounding Kenya's elections, Akili Dada acted swiftly to ensure that all of our scholars remained safe. Our Executive Director was on the ground in Nairobi during the election crisis, and we were able to stay in close contact with our scholars and their families. Happily, all of our scholars remained safe and returned to school soon after the violence abated. Because of your generosity, Akili Dada was able to reach out to 11 new scholars, including young women from families and communities that were badly affected by the violence. For instance, one of our new scholars suffered severe trauma during the post-election violence; she was forced to watch as members of an opposing ethnic group set her home on fire--with her infant brother inside. Having have lost everything, her family was unable to provide for her education, and her future prospects were dim. Fortunately, Akili Dada was able to reach out and guarantee the young woman a comprehensive four year scholarship, which includes mentoring and professional psychological support whenever necessary. Also among this year's scholars is a young woman whose parents are infected with HIV/AIDS. With an Akili Dada scholarship, this brilliant young woman is assured of an uninterrupted education, mentoring support, and even basic personal care products, all of which her parents are unable to provide.
It is only because of your ongoing support that Akili Dada is able to offer young women such as these the stability that a comprehensive scholarship provides in such moments of crisis. Thank you.
Congratulations to Akili Dada Graduates!
We are extremely proud to announce that two of our Akili Dada scholars sat their KCSE exams this year and both students passed with flying colors! The KCSE exams are the final exit exams that all Kenyan students must take in order to qualify for university. Because of their outstanding performances on these exams, both of our scholars have successfully qualified for government funding for their university education, and we could not be prouder of their hard work and accomplishments. Their success is a great triumph – not only for these two young women and their families, but also for Akili Dada. Thanks to your support, we were able to fulfill our mission of bridging the gap between Kenya's free primary school education and free university education. We are proud to ensure that these young women, who would otherwise have dropped out of school, can now pursue their dreams and join the next generation of women to lead Kenya.
Looking Forward to 2009 - Growth and Expansion of Mentoring & Scholarship Programs
Akili Dada continues to grow, and for the second consecutive year, we have almost doubled our fundraising. Starting from the initial $5,700 we raised in 2005, we raised a grand total of $17,935 in 2007. In keeping with this growth, we have also nearly doubled the number of scholars we admit and significantly instensified our mentoring program. Beginning with just three scholars in 2006, we added six new scholars in 2007, and in 2008 we were able to admit an impressive 11 new scholars.
August saw Akili Dada's second mentoring conference. Building on last year's inaugural conference, which included 12 scholars and 19 mentors, this year's highly successful gathering brought together 19 scholars and 15 mentors, as well as parents and teachers. Mentors in attendance included lawyers, doctors, corporate executives, a fashion designer, a research scientist, and an economist. Beyond this inspirational conference, we expanded our mentoring program to include visits from mentors to their assigned scholars throughout the academic year – allowing mentors to maintain an ongoing presence in our scholars lives. Our current network of mentors now includes over 30 professional Kenyan women all dedicated to nurturing our scholars and exposing them to a variety of careers.
To provide continuing opportunities to our scholars at the university level, Akili Dada is also proud to announce its new relationship with Zawadi Africa, an international non-profit that shares our goal of nurturing the next generation of Kenyan women leaders. Zawadi Africa works to connect bright young women from poor backgrounds with full university scholarships – both in Kenya and the United States. This partnership opens up opportunities to our scholars to continue their education at the university level--both at home and abroad. To learn more about Zawadi Africa, please visit their website at http://www.zawadiafrica.org/
Akili Dada will not offer a scholarship unless we have already raised enough money to cover all four years of a scholar's education-- guaranteeing much-needed stability for the student. Thus, each scholarship that Akili Dada awards represents a four year commitment to a comprehensive educational and mentoring relationship with a young scholar. With your help, Akili Dada has touched the lives of 19 young women since awarding our first scholarship just two years ago! Although we know that economic times are hard this year, as we approach the holiday season we hope that you will join with us again. We have set a goal of raising $25,000 for the 2009 cohort of scholars - our largest class yet.
Please consider a year-end gift to Akili Dada – bright young women who otherwise would not be able to afford secondary school are counting on your support.
Travel to Africa and Support Akili Dada
Akili Dada is pleased to announce a partnership with yet another leading Kenyan travel company. Through our agreement with Pinnacle Travel and Safaris, 10% of any amount you or your friends spend through the company will be donated to Akili Dada. So book your 2009 travel to any African destination with Pinnacle and let them know that we sent you!
Board Transitions & New Interns
Founding Board member Betty
Gichoga also transitions off the board, but remains on our Advisory Council.
Stepping into Betty’s place, we are pleased to announce the appointment of Maggie
Kamau-Biruri to the Board. This year also saw Dr. Meghana Nayak step down
from Akili Dada’s advisory Council. Joining the council are Dr. Marie-Ange
Eyoum and Jane Mwangi, two African women who both bring extensive experience in
mentoring and organizational growth. We
are incredibly grateful to these dynamic women for their tireless efforts on
behalf of Akili Dada and greatly appreciate their contributions to our growing
success. We are excited for Jane, Marie-Ange, Maggie and Betty’s new positions
on the Council and Board and look forward to their continuing
assistance as Akili Dada continues to grow. You may find out more about these dynamic
women on our website.
This year has seen the network of people who are dedicated to the mission of Akili Dada and volunteer their time to the organization grow exponentially. In the spring, Akili Dada benefited from the efforts of three interns; Allison Domicone, Maria Caruso and Briana Shewan, who worked tirelessly for the organization. This fall we are excited to have eight students from the Gender and Politics class at the University of San Francisco working with our organization. These student volunteers help Akili Dada use our limited funding most efficiently, while introducing American students to important global issues and allowing them to get first-hand experience in working for a small non-profit.
Special Thanks to Donna Largent & Dee Empey!
On June 15th, Donna Largent and Dee Empey hosted a fundraising event for Akili Dada in Menlo Park. In the span of just three hours they raised close to $4,000 for scholarships! Interested in hosting a similar event on behalf of Akili Dada? Please contact our Executive Director, Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg, at wanjiru@akilidada.org.
Join Akili Dada on Facebook, Myspace, and LinkedIn
Akili Dada is broadening awareness about our work on the social networking communities Facebook, Myspace, and LinkedIn. These resources allow us to connect with people around the globe and spread the word about Akili Dada. Join our online communities today at http://www.facebook.com/ http://www.myspace.com/ and http://www.linkedin.com/
Hope on the Horizon - Holiday Giving Through Akili Dada
Perhaps you saw images of joyous Kenyans celebrating
the election of Barack Obama, the son of one of their own citizens, to the
Presidency of the United States. As in the US,
hope for new possibilities is spreading through Kenya. Now is the moment to ensure
that Kenya's
next generation of young women are prepared to lead their country.
2008 has been a year of tremendous growth for Akili Dada. Kenya's
political crisis passed, and we were able to assist several young women whose
lives were devastated by the violence; we doubled the number of scholars whose
educations we support for the second year in a row; and we continued to
celebrate the success of our graduating scholars.
Without your generosity, none of this
would be possible. Together, we are creating a support system that empowers
extraordinary young women and brings Akili Dada’s message of hope to girls
throughout Kenya.
I sincerely thank each of you for your past contributions, and I know that our
scholars thank you as well. I urge you to continue partnering with us as
we invest in African women's futures
Thank you and Happy Holidays!
Sincerely,
Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg
Executive Director
P.S. With the holidays fast approaching, please consider a gift in honor of a loved one and we will send them an exclusively designed postcard notifying them of your gift on their behalf!
2007 Letter from the Executive Director
I’m proud to present the first issue of Sauti Ya Akili Dada (Voice of Akili Dada).This compilation of the latest developments in Akili Dada is designed to keep you, our committed and valued supporters, informed of the work and continued progress of our organization.This year has seen incredible growth for Akili Dada.We are proud to announce that we have already surpassed many of the goals we set at the beginning of the year!
Introducing the 2007 scholars
This year we added five new young women to our program, more than doubling the number of scholars supported by Akili Dada.Four of these new scholars are in their final year of secondary school, and, as is typical of the applicant pool, come from impoverished and heavily indebted families. These recipients have excelled throughout their secondary school careers, but, without the Akili Dada scholarships, they would be unable to complete their high school educations.Our ambitious new scholars dream of becoming a computer engineer, a doctor, a neurosurgeon, an entrepreneur, and a children’s charity worker.Without your support and Akili Dada, these would have been dreams deferred.Each of the scholars has expressed her commitment to give back to her own community, thus paying forward the opportunities that Akili Dada has presented to her.Please click here for more details about these remarkable young women!
Expanding our Mentoring Network
Akili Dada's mentoring network continues to grow at an exhilarating pace.This year’s new mentors are top Kenyan professional women who are committed to nurturing and inspiring our scholars.Among them are a gynecologist, an ophthalmologist, a commercial airline pilot, an economist, two lawyers, a director of an international Non-profit, and a program officer at a transnational trade organization. We plan to further expand the number and diversity of mentors in order to more widely represent different career tracks.We welcome your referrals of motivated, professional women working in Kenya who might be interested in serving as mentors for our scholars.
Mentoring Conference a Wild Success
Akili Dada kicked off its mentoring activities with our inaugural mentoring conferenceon March 27, 2007, at the Heron Court Hotel in Nairobi.The conference was an overwhelming success, thanks, in part, to the engagement and energy of its thirty-one participants.The students, parents, teachers, mentors, and Akili Dada Board and Advisors participated in discussions that ranged from interviewing techniques, surviving life at a university campus, addressing sexual harassment, identifying career goals and ambitions, and pursuing careers in the specific fields of medicine, law, finance, aviation, and non-profit work.We are currently developing funding proposals for next year’s mentoring conference and are actively seeking introductions to potential funding partners.We welcome your ideas!
Kenyan Office Launched
A year of hard work culminated in Akili Dada being officially registered as an international non-governmental organization (NGO) in Kenya.Our Kenyan operations were further strengthened by the launch of Akili Dada’s Kenyan office.The office is made possible through a partnership with the International Child Resource Institute (ICRI) Africa, which, for a modest fee, provides us with office space, administrative support, and operational budget administration to more efficiently facilitate all Akili Dada operations in Kenya. The new office is located on the 16th floor of Hazina Towers in downtown Nairobi, close to the University of Nairobi Campus. Our phone numbers are: 254-20-2013873, 254-721-552120, and 254-736-678701.
Expanding our Leadership Team
This year Akili Dada expanded its leadership team as three new members joined the advisory council.These three new advisors—Susan Wangui Mbogo, Maggie Kamau-Biruri, and Dr. Laila Macharia—are all based in Kenya and will work to further strengthen our Kenyan operations. Susan Wangui Mbogo is an alum of Precious Blood Girls Secondary School; she has a B.A. degree in International Business Administration from United States International University in Nairobi. Ms. Wangui brings her experience in marketing, management, and mentorship to her work with Akili Dada.Maggie Kamau-Biruri is the founding Regional Director of the International Children's Resource Institute (ICRI-Africa), where she oversees several projects, including the Grassroots Advocacy Project, the Early Childhood Education Project, and the Donor Recruitment and Advising Project.She works closely with grassroots organizations in Kenya, providing training, mentoring and technical assistance.Dr. Laila Macharia has prodigious experience in real estate, corporate law, and community infrastructure work.She holds a doctorate from Stanford University Law School and is licensed to practice law in Kenya, New York, and Maryland.Dr. Macharia is the principal at Scion Real, a real estate firm based in Nairobi.
School Visits Continue to Spread a Message of Hope
Akili Dada continues to canvass impoverished communities across Kenya in search of future scholars, sending a message of hope and possibility to the poorest students in the country. Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to travel to the Coast and the Rift Valley provinces of Kenya, where I spoke with primary school students about Akili Dada's work. School heads have told me that, even when students do not perform well enough to qualify for our scholarships, the average grades for all students increase after a visit from the Akili Dada team.At Pathfinder Academy in Kiminini, the director tells us that our visit left a big impression.Girls’ academic performance improved so much that shortly after our visit a girl topped the eighth-grade class rankings for the first time in the school’s history! It seems that Akili Dada, aside from the direct impact of our scholarships, is spreading a message of hope for the future that creates a significant ripple effect in the impoverished primary schools we visit.
Diversifying Revenue Streams
Book your travel to East Africa through Kairi Tours and Safaris and they will donate 10% of your total invoice to Akili Dada!This is because Akili Dada has recently signed a corporate sponsorship agreement with Kairi Tours and Safaris based in Nairobi, Kenya. Kairi is the oldest indigenously owned Tours & Travel Company in Kenya; it specializes in custom tours throughout East Africa. As director of Akili Dada, I am keen to explore other means of diversifying our revenue streams and welcome your suggestions and ideas.
Expanding our Mentoring Program
Akili Dada’s mentoring program continues to gain popularity among Kenyan students and their families. This has led us to expand the program with a view to turning some of our mentoring activities into a new revenue stream.It is clear that other young women from financially stable families stand to benefit from Akili Dada's growing mentoring resources.These students will pay a fee to participate in our mentoring program while undergoing the same rigorous screening process as our scholarship students, thus ensuring that we maintain our very high standards.This new arrangement will allow Akili Dada both to increase its impact and to further diversify its revenue streams.It is a step toward making the program self-sustaining that simultaneously allows our scholars to transcend class boundaries and connect with a wider variety of motivated young women. When we started Akili Dada, we were concerned that students might experience discrimination based on their status as scholarship recipients.We are thrilled to see the precise opposite effect: Akili Dada is now recognized as a valuable opportunity, attractive to young women from all economic backgrounds.We are eager to move forward with this new initiative and will report back to you on its progress.
Bank Accounts
One of the important benefits of Akili Dada's new NGO status is the ability to open a bank account.We have opened both a Kenya shilling account and a U.S. dollar account with CFC Bank in Kenya.Operating the U.S. dollar account makes it possible for us to efficiently and transparently disperse funds to Kenya from our account with the Tides Foundation in the U.S., while operating the Kenya shilling account enables us to transfer scholarship funds directly to our partner schools. Donors living in Kenya can easily deposit funds directly into our Kenyan Shilling account; donations from the U.S. are still processed through our partnership with the Tides Foundation.These new accounts have effectively streamlined Akili Dada's financial operations and make it possible for us to run smoothly on two continents.
New Partnership with Alliance Girls Secondary School
Akili Dada has established a partnership with another of Kenya’s top high schools.As a result of the new arrangement, Akili Dada now sponsors two scholars at Alliance Girls Secondary School in the outskirts of Nairobi.The school has a long history of academic excellence in Kenya.It served as the first institution at which Black girls could receive an education under the apartheid-like system of British colonial rule in Kenya.Mrs. Mbugua, the current principal, and Mrs. Kimei, the teacher in charge of scholarships, are collaborating enthusiastically with Akili Dada. Strong relationships and regular communication with the staff at our partner schools are vital, as this is how we stay in touch with our scholars' performance, progress, and well-being.
New Interns
As our organization grows, we have been able to take on three new interns who bring terrific vitality to the organization.In March, Ann Rubia became our first intern. Ann works part-time for Akili Dada while pursuing a diploma in Project Management. She is highly focused, talented, and conscientious; her vigorous efforts have truly transformed how Akili Dada conducts business in Kenya. In September, Akili Dada took on two interns in the U.S.Alexandra Kotcheff is a third year student at the University of San Francisco, where she is a Sociology major with a minor in African Studies.In the summer of 2006, Alexandra traveled to Kenya, Mozambique and South Africa.The following year, she founded and is now the current president of the AFRICA Awareness on the USF campus.Briana Shewan is a second year student also at the University of San Francisco, where she is an Environmental Studies major.
Hailing fromong Island, New York, Briana's passions include running, photography, kayaking, and reading. She is a member of AFRICA Awareness club on campus. Briana and Alexandra bring their passion and creativity to Akili Dada.Their commitment to Akili Dada's mission has made my work as Executive Director much easier. We are so fortunate to have these three dedicated interns on our team.
Please Support our Work for 2008
As you can see, 2007 has been a year of tremendous growth for Akili Dada.We have doubled the number of scholars whose educations we support, increased the size of our leadership team and our mentoring networks, strengthened our operations in both Kenya and the U.S., and are marveling at the multiplying effects of our work. Without your generosity, none of this would be possible.
We live in an interconnected world, and it takes something from each of us to make this work a reality.Together, we are creating a support system that empowers extraordinary young women and brings Akili Dada’s message of hope to girls throughout Kenya. I sincerely thank each of you for your past contributions and I know that our scholars thank you as well. I urge you to continue partnering with us and to donate again.
Thank you and Happy Holidays!
Sincerely,
Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg
Executive Director
P.S. With the holidays fast approaching, please consider a gift in honor of a loved one. Just include the person's name and address so that we can send them a special note.
