The S.H.E. College Fund
Educating young Kenyan women who have the courage to change the world.
Talent is universal, opportunity is not.
In Kenya, 18% of qualified women enroll in college.
Among the Maasai, only 1% of qualified women enroll in college.
Proud of being Maasai, Sarah is a S.H.E. student attending Moi University, earning her degree in Secondary School Education. She’s a changemaker.
YOU can truly make a difference.
Change a life!
Sponsor young Maasai women to go to college!
Brenda: Her Story
Nine-year-old Brenda fled home in 2003, threatened by imminent excision and a forced marriage. She took refuge at Tasaru Rescue Center in Narok, Kenya. Even as a young girl, she had understood the harmful effects of FGM and child marriage. At Tasaru, she soon learned about the power of education.
“I got a chance to be a leader in front of other students in school and that really inspired my life,” said Brenda.
As a S.H.E. College student, Brenda has studied community health, earning first a certificate then a diploma, and finally a Bachelor’s degree. She is currently enrolled in a professional certification course in Psychological Counseling at the Kenya Institute of Business and Counseling Studies.
Brenda believes that counseling and community health go hand-in-hand. Her undergraduate studies have prepared her to care for her community and pay it forward as a frontline care provider.
“I made it through! It wasn’t easy. But it really made me happy and proud of myself for my determination and persistence.”
2023
Brenda graduating with her Bachelor’s from the Kenya Institute of Business and Counseling Studies
2015
Brenda right after her end-of-highschool exams, posing in front of her Mum’s home in Olturoto village
S.H.E. College Fund Est. 2016
81 Scholarships Awarded
Nursing Teaching Accounting
Civil Engineering Management
Agriculture
Fashion Design
Tourism
Lab Sciences
Culinary Arts
97% graduation rate
70% of alumnae working
For the 2024 academic year, it costs US$ 3,900 to send a woman to college in Kenya.
That covers everything.
S.H.E. students are predominantly Maasai. Due to the threat of excision and forced marriage, they were separated from their families as young girls and raised in government-registered Safe Houses.
Foster care protects girls from the harmful traditional practices of female genital cutting and child marriage which are against the law in Kenya.
Safe Houses ensure the girls’ primary and secondary education.
Once the girls graduate from high school, they are no longer protected as minors.
Without an opportunity to continue their education, these young women return to their villages and are married off to secure bridewealth for the family.
Girls residing at Safe Houses in Narok dream of becoming a S.H.E. student and going to college.
S.H.E. College Fund Students
Students are enrolled in accredited public and private academic institutions in Kenya, such as vocational institutes, colleges, and universities.
Depending upon their field of study, they earn either a certificate, a diploma (US associate’s degree), or a degree (US Bachelor’s degree).
Once on campus, they must learn how to learn: homework, study groups, tutoring, exams.
Some students continue on for special certification courses, such as CPA or mental health counselor.
These are courageous young woman who have overcome many obstacles in their lives. They want to succeed.
Supporting Her Academic Journey
We counsel and mentor students throughout their academic journey: as they make the transition to campus; navigate program requirements and coursework; explore career choices through internships; ready themselves for the job market; and, secure their first job or start a small business.
We build students' resilience, life skills, and job readiness through enrichment programs such as: straight talk on relationships and reproductive health; safe spaces to share about mental health and well-being; pragmatic know-how on applying for and landing her first job.
The S.H.E. College Fund application process offers a candidate opportunities to:
showcase her unique gifts; articulate her drive for college; exhibit her skills & competencies; explain how she wants to be a changemaker; and, share dreams about her future.
We take time to get to know each applicant as a whole person, through: an extensive in-person interview; short essays; character references from school and community officials; and, high-school-leaving exam scores.
Empowered women empower women.
In awarding scholarships, the S.H.E. College Fund does not focus on grades. We focus
on potential.
US$ 3,900
€3,650
580,000 KSh
Total cost of the 2024 academic year for a S.H.E. College Student.
There are many women like Brenda, waiting to fulfill their dreams.
Make a difference!
Individual & Group Sponsors
Primary Funder
Commit to supporting the degree program of one student; US$ 3,900 per academic year
Options: 2 years or 4 years or ‘As Long As It Takes’
The Kim Rosen Scholarship Fund
Make a one-time or recurring gift, all donations are dedicated to funding scholarships
Institutional Sponsors
Corporate volunteer opportunities
Nonprofit advisory roles
Workplace giving campaigns
CSR Investment Initiatives for Kenyaoriented corporations and businesses
skambou@shecollegefund.org
Dr. Sarah Degnan Kambou Executive Director
www.shecollegefund.org
