Daraja Academy is a secondary school for Kenyan girls located outside of Nanyuki, Kenya.

History

Daraja Academy is a secondary school to educate Kenyan girls that provides a holistic education to girls who cannot otherwise afford an education. [1] Girls enroll in Daraja from more than 40[2] of the different tribes and ethnic groups in Kenya.[3] The first class enrolled in 2009.[4]

Daraja blends academics with a unique leadership and empowerment program, Women of Integrity, Strength, and Hope (W.I.S.H.). Implemented over the four years of high school and developed by Daraja, W.I.S.H. amplifies the theory of change that when girls have the awareness, skills, and opportunities to be changemakers in their communities, they are empowered to reduce poverty and conflict in their lives, families, and community.[5]

Students with excellent academic and leadership potential[6] participate in a selective and rigorous interview process in which only one of ten applicants are admitted. Each Daraja student receives a four-year scholarship funded by philanthropy.[7]

Daraja was featured in two documentaries, Girls of Daraja[8] and School of My Dreams,[9] by Executive Producer Deborah Santana. Both are a production of Out of the Blue Films, Inc.

As of 2023, Daraja Academy has 261 alumnae and the current incoming class comprises 50 students. After graduation students enroll in a transition program to further prepare them for college. Daraja Academy's educational curriculum adheres to the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) standards.[10] After Daraja, 95% of alumni proceed to college and then proceed to join the workforce.[11]

The academy is situated on the former campus of the Baraka School in Nanyuki, Kenya featured in the documentary, The Boys of Baraka.

Daraja Academy is a project of Daraja Education Fund, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit formed in 2006 by Jason and Jenni Doherty, educators from the San Francisco Bay Area.

See also

References


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