A year ago, the prospect of studying at university looked bleak for three 19-year-old girls from Kenya. However, last September their lives changed course.
On a visit to New York, Carolyne Macharia, Khadijah Abdullah Saeed and Mary Mwende were awarded full scholarships to study at the American University in Dubai (AUD) under the AUD Clinton Scholarship Programme.
The programme normally provides scholarships to American students to come to AUD and understand the Arab world first-hand. But in the case of these three girls an exception was made.
They are members of the Global Give Back Circle (GGBC) programme that, among other initiatives, teams up with Microsoft to build computer laboratories in secondary schools in Kenya.
The girls were in the US for the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting representing almost 200 underprivileged Kenyan women. It was at the meeting that Elias Bou Sa'ab, AUD's executive vice-president, made them an offer that changed their future.
The three are now successfully enrolled in bachelor programmes in information technology, business administration and business and finance in AUD.
Full circle
"We were there to represent the other girls and tell our stories," said Macharia. "Mr Elias was moved by them [our stories] and committed to give us this scholarship under President Clinton's name."
The GGBC is a non-governmental organisation that transitions disadvantaged girls out of the circle of poverty and into a circle of social participation and independence. Through their education in AUD these women hope to give back, bringing them full circle in the programme.
"Once I graduate with high grades I want to get a good job and if it's in my capability, help girls in Africa and people who cannot make it," said Mwende. She added that underprivileged people simply need help laying strong foundations.
"I want to help give someone some hope… people who face futures that are unacceptable, look ahead and see nothing, waiting for death," she said.
Girls' education
Saeed said campaigns promoting girls' empowerment through education is an emerging trend in Kenya.
"There is a drive to educate girls and empower them to take up leading positions in business, corporations and politics and that is what we are trying to do right now," she said.
"Girls' education has not been a priority for a long time in Kenya," said Macharia. "We want to get to a level where the girl child is on an equal plane to a boy child."
"If we look at the population of the world the ratio of women to men is higher," said Mwende. "So if we are the majority, but uneducated and unempowered then the nation is in danger. Things cannot move when the majority of people are ignorant."
