List of Students

Emily Namunyene

Emily's scholarship required the intervention of a local area chief, because her guardian uncle was determined to marry her off for the dowry when she was 12 years old. Emily's mother died of cancer when she was around 10 years old. Her father was then already an old man and unable to take a new wife to help raise Emily and her two sisters. So Emily's sister's husband became her guardian, but he did not want the burden. He refused to allow her to go to school, and planned to marry her off as soon as she was old enough. But her father wanted her to be educated. With the help of and MGEF scholarship, an MGEF volunteer, and the local area chief, who stopped the wedding plan, Emily was able to go back to school.

Date of Birth: 05/16/1989
Started Program: 7 years 35 weeks ago
Start Grade: 3rd Grade (Class 3)
Current Grade: 10th Grade (Form 2)
School: Ewuasa Girls High School
Sponsored: Yes

Jane Sesia Ndisha

Jane is one of her father's 20 children, eight boys and 12 girls from his two wives. Neither of her parents are educated. During one extended drought, her parents wanted her to marry so that they could replenish their cattle herd. But she was already in secondary school and desperately wanted to complete her education. She is studying to become a dental technician, and will graduate in 2010.

Date of Birth: 12/31/1987
Started Program: 3 years 1 week ago
Start Grade: 10th Grade (Form 2)
Current Grade: College
School: Mt Kenya University
Sponsored: No

Naleku Nkaati

Even though both her mother and father support the education of girls, they are too poor to send their own children to school. Both are illiterate, depending on their cattle and goats, and rain, to survive. Naleku is the eldest of five children and the first in the family to enroll in school. She has two sisters and two brothers. Update: Tragically, Naleku's father drowned in May 2010 trying to cross a river to his home after a heavy rainstorm.

Date of Birth: 06/06/1993
Started Program: 9 years 18 weeks ago
Start Grade: 2nd Grade (Class 2)
Current Grade: 9th Grade (Form 1)
School: AIC Girls Secondary School
Sponsored: Yes

Miriam Naserian Nkiminis

Miriam was born to a single mother who died of AIDS when Miriam was 9 years old. Miriam at first stayed with her brother and his wife, but was mistreated there. She then went to live with the mother of an MGEF Board member, who brought Miriam to our attention. But the grandmother was too old to take care of Miriam, and for two years she went from relative to relative, none who wanted the burden of supporting another child. She lives with the Kajiado Director's family during school breaks where she is loved and happy.

Date of Birth: 01/01/1994
Started Program: 5 years 35 weeks ago
Start Grade: 2nd Grade (Class 2)
Current Grade: 6th Grade (Class 6)
School: Kajiado Hill Academy
Sponsored: Yes

Pilale Pakire Nkumama

Pilale is one of 15 children born to her father's three wives. Her mother has no education. Pilale is the fifth child in her birth mother's house. Her father does not believe in educating girls and has already married off his eldest daughter at age 16. The family is extremely poor, and the prospect of a dowry of cows, goats and cash in such a family places Pilale at high risk to be married as soon as she reaches puberty.

Date of Birth: 01/01/2000
Started Program: 2 years 6 days ago
Start Grade: 1st Grade (Class 1)
Current Grade: 3rd Grade (Class 3)
School: Kajiado Adventist Primary School
Sponsored: No