What we do?
We rescue girls from forced early marriage and FGM by giving them scholarships to attend our high school and continue with a university education. Most of the girls come from the Maasai tribe in Kenya. Traditionally, a Maasai girl would enter an arranged marriage as young as 13 to a 30 plus year old man, be his second or third wife and bear as many children as possible.
Our high school gives them the opportunity to escape this fate and to receive a high quality education. Tembea Academy focuses on creative and critical thinking skills. An extensive reading program exposes the girls to the world and devlops an empathy for other cultures.
Tembea Academy is an Ashoka Changemaker school. Each girl is encouraged to be a changemaker. By focusing on the individual's special talents she is assisted to design a volunteer project to help her community. Working with teachers and mentors they are encouraged to share their talents with other schools, organzations and even the nation.
Every girl between high school graduation and the university is required to volunteer one year teaching the local community at our primary school.
Why we do it?
We believe everybody needs the opportunity to have a quality educatation and to realize their full potential. Every student through our program not only has the opportunity to reach their own potential but to lead future generations in the same.