KaKenya is a young girl from Maasai, Kenya that decided to continue in school instead of dropping out at 12 years old and becoming a teen mother. She told her father that she wanted to continue school. He agreed if she goes through her woman ceremony. During her woman ceremony, she endured the most painful genital mutilation. She was in pain for weeks, but she did attend high school. After graduation she received a scholarship to a college in Virginia. She is the first girl in her village to attend college and earn her PhD. Afterwards, she returned back to her community to help her people. She found out that it was illegal in Kenya to mutilate girls and they had the right to own land. She founded an organization called KaKenya Center for Excellence. Girls were able to go to school and not get mutilated anymore and gave them their self-worth back (KaKenya Center for Excellence, 2016). Loved this story!
In KaKenya’s story she realized that education
was important and would change her life for the better. Even though her mother
was not educated she instilled in her children that they should have a better
life than her. No matter what country you are born in education gives you a
better quality of life (KaKenya Center for Excellence, 2016).
The fact that the men in her society felt like
boys were better, KaKenya fought the odds and changed her life and the life of
woman in her village. I hated the fact that men thought her scholarship was a
waste because it did not go to boy. However, she found a way for her village to
get her plane ticket to the USA to go to college. I hope today the men in her
village are no longer sexist (KaKenya Center for Excellence, 2016).
KaKenya Center for Excellence. (2016). http://blog.teacollection.com/kakenya-gfc#more-18989?utm_source=GFC&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2016MarGiveBackEmail
Watch her story on TED: https://www.ted.com/talks/kakenya_ntaiya_a_girl_who_demanded_school?language=en
Such as beautiful story! Thank you for sharing. I've read and studied the genital mutilations in her country and in surrounding countries and it's so sad to learn what women have to endure. The great thing is that she returned to make a difference, encourage young women with strength and education to continue to change the culture for the better.
ReplyDeleteKenya,
ReplyDeleteI see you share a common name with the author of the Ted Talks:)
Thank you for sharing such an inspiring story. It just reiterates how powerful education can be when we use it to make a positive impact on others. It inspires me to take on the challenge to make a change, or better yet, to be the change in my community. We may not be faced with the scourge of female genital mutilation, but there are issues that are negatively impacting the children of our own communities on a daily basis. It is now up to us as educators to make a difference.
Kenya,
ReplyDeleteI see you share a common name with the author of the Ted Talks:)
Thank you for sharing such an inspiring story. It just reiterates how powerful education can be when we use it to make a positive impact on others. It inspires me to take on the challenge to make a change, or better yet, to be the change in my community. We may not be faced with the scourge of female genital mutilation, but there are issues that are negatively impacting the children of our own communities on a daily basis. It is now up to us as educators to make a difference.
Kenya,
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing story that you have chosen to share with your colleagues this week! Indeed, it is a motivational story of a young girl who beat the odds in her country.
Moreover, it motivates me to continue with my education, so that I can have a great impact on others in my region. This story also proves that there's nothing to hard to accomplish when you put your heart and mind to it.
Great post!
Theresa
What an inspiring story. I am so happy that this young lady was able to do what no one thought that she could and was able to defy the odds. This story is inspiring to do what is expected of me in this field and that is to continue to make a difference in the lives of the children.
ReplyDeleteDeshadiya
what an inspirational story! I have really enjoyed learning about educational journeys around the world. it is all too easy to be so focused on what is going on locally and miss out on hearing about efforts around the world and inspirational stories like Kakenya's.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this!
Wow I enjoy reading this story, I am always happy when someone can take a negative life experience and make it into a positive one for themselves as well as others. Even though she was able to leave home and come to a place that might have been better for her. She got what she needed (PHD) and went back home to help her people. Wonderful story more people should be like her.
ReplyDeleteKenya,
ReplyDeleteThis was a great story. This story supports the concept of women empowerment, determination and should be motivation for everyone to shoot for their dreams. It definitely was for me. I am guilty of complaining about all of the factors I have to juggle daily from day to day as mother, wife, full time employee, student, etc. Kenya's story reminded me that regardless of your situation with determination and perseverance, you can do anything you put your mind to.