Elizabeth at a workshop with rescued Maasai girls at her internship
The summer months have proved to be busy and exciting for the Kenyan students in the East African Young Women’s Leadership Initiative. Joyce Kakenya Barta has been interning at Lake Elementaita Seasons Hotels and Lodges as a part of the Corporate Social Responsibility section. On her experience she says that:
“I have been involved in community based projects like supporting children homes, environmental cleaning, planting trees, and collecting rubbish. I have recently visited an orphan rescue center that helps HIV positive kids. I am very happy to be working with this community and am learning and getting a lot of experience.”
Joyce also recently heard that she will in fact enroll at Mt. Kenya University studying Journalism and Communications. She will be there for two semesters and then will move onto the diploma/degree level. She is “very excited and happy about this!” and sincerely thanks “SIMOO (a partner organization in Kenya) and other partners for their continuous support and encouragement.”
Elizabeth Kironua Sakuda has been spending her summer working with a project called Ewangan Renewable Energy Center that supplies power to surrounding homes, schools, and businesses through solar and wind energy. She is also helping in the nearby primary school as well as visiting a shelter for girls rescued from forced early marriages twice a week. On her experience she says that:
“Working with the girls [at the rescue center] have made me realize my purpose in community and I am so encouraged to work with [the Maasai] people. Most of the girls in the center are rescued from early marriages that are forced and I have been able to inspire them and they are eager to be where I am now.”
Elizabeth is going to start university in the fall where she will be pursuing a Bachelors of Environmental Studies in Resource Conservation. She is thankful for the “continue help despite the absence of [her] parents” and is thankful for the opportunities the East African Young Women’s Leadership Initiative has awarded her.
We are extremely excited for what lies ahead for these young women as they are truly becoming leaders in their communities (and beyond).
Photo courtesy of Daniel Salau
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