This is a fundraiser on behalf of a Global Encounters Student Team: Aalam Bheriyani, Aaniya Dhrolia, Ilyan Kanji, Jaden Anselmo, Magda Firozali, Mishka Somji, Navras Gulayozov, Nazarbakht Davlatyorova, Ruhee Merchant, Saniya Khoja, Shafaq Saleem, and many others.

A group of 8th-grade students at Unity School is seeking support to attend secondary school. Due to financial difficulties, their families are struggling to fund their journey to continue their education. Many of them would have to discontinue their education and stay at home if unable to find the money for school. This predisposes them to unfortunate trends of child marriage, poverty, and addiction.

Unity School fosters a diverse community of students from varying socioeconomic sectors and backgrounds. It provides many students free or highly subsidized education for those who can’t afford to go to school. While it is a school, it also plays the role of a home for those who don’t have one. It supports 65 orphans and a student body of 563 kids from nursery to 8th grade. For many, the lunch provided as part of the Aga Khan feeding plan is their only meal of the day, and the school also provides many students with direct access to healthcare. Multiple students within 8th grade are struggling financially to fund their way into secondary school, therefore we are seeking support from you to make their dreams come true.

Below you will find the story of 4 highly talented students who are at the top of their class. If they don’t receive the necessary funding, they will most likely be married off at a young age and will never be able to pursue their education.

Hadija J. is a creative and vibrant girl in 8th grade who enjoys the liberal arts and has a unique intellectual drive. As a social bumblebee, she dreams of either becoming a journalist to communicate and spread the truth or becoming a doctor to treat those that are suffering due to the inadequate health facilities in Kenya. Hadija, a leader in debate and public speaking, is a first-generation student seeking to uplift and empower her community.

“I hope to be a journalist or a doctor.”

Kevin is a fourteen-year-old kid in Mombasa. His mother is a small-scale charcoal vendor on the street and his father is unemployed. He has a two-year-old brother whom he takes care of when his parents are gone. Kevin currently can’t afford textbooks for school, but any opportunity to learn makes him grateful. “With education, you can go to different places and assist the community,” he says. He sees education as a path for his and his family’s future.

“I want to be a mechanical engineer.”

Bivian W., a 14-year-old girl, loves to play netball and mingle with her two younger siblings. She has big aspirations of becoming a doctor with her goal of helping her society. She said, “In this country, most people are suffering and I hate seeing people suffer.” While her mother sells maize and beans for a living and her father is a laborer, they don’t have to make enough to support her continued education. Her discipline, curiosity, and compassion define her and the woman she is becoming.

“I dream of being a doctor.”

Brenda A., a driven and perseverant girl, has assumed much responsibility in her adolescence, as she lives in a one-parent household with her three sisters. Her mother works in the local laundry to support the family. With a growth mindset, Brenda desires to become a lawyer to pave the way for marginalized communities and contribute her education to societal betterment.

“I aim to be a lawyer.”

Your donations will go to their tuition fees and uniforms so that they are able to complete high school. Any additional donations above our goal will go to textbooks for Unity School students. It cost around ~500-600 for each student to complete one year of secondary school or $2,000-$2,400 to fund their high school education.