Maria believes that children with disabilities deserve to be included in all aspects of society and access high-quality education. Maria grew up with a visually impaired cousin and while attending Kenyatta University, she volunteered with Special Olympics Kenya, a sporting event for children with disabilities. These experiences opened her eyes to the challenges they faced and inspired her to co-found The Action Foundation in her second year of university. The Foundation equips teachers with skills to support students with disabilities, runs extracurricular activities in schools to promote inclusion, provides counseling and occupational therapy for children with disabilities, and equips them with strategies for self-advocacy. 

"Metis equipped me to think about systems change and now we are on track to impact 100,000 youth over the next 10 years by supporting other community-based organizations. Through Metis, I've gained a network of changemakers and a coach who has helped me navigate change and improve our model in ways I never could have alone."