Empower, Engage, Educate in Rural Kenya!

Big News! After a month filled with a lot of nail biting as we sought visas, the Mbaikini Girls Champion World Robotics Team is in Turkey for the International World Robotics Competition. 

Getting the passports for the team was a hurdle and being granted visas was even harder. But thanks to the persistence of Patrick Munguti and lots of friends helping behind the scenes, the visas were issued and the girls headed to the airport for their flights to Izmir! 

The team, Winnie, Angela, and Magdaline, won the Kenya World Robotics Competition in Nairobi in August. Beating national school and private school students was a huge accomplishment and the our entire community was thrilled for them. Winning meant that even children from rural underresourced schools had the ability to compete successfully. Our work teaching computing, coding and robotics catalyzed the girls into the winning position.

Now in Turkey, the Mbaikini Team is competing against teams from around the world. Although they did not place, they had an incredible experience of learning. Just imagine what it was like for them being on a plane for the first time and traveling to a new country? They made new friends and saw how other students' competed. It truly was a life-changing opportunity.

We invite you to watch the Mbaikini Girls Team Video to learn more about them and the robotics competition.

Thank you for your continued generous support of Kenya Connect. Our programs to provide children with programs like technology would not happen without support from you. Thank you for helping us to provide options for students so they can create new pathways in life.

Kenya Connect was celebrated in Helsinki last week by HundrED.org as a top Global Education Innovator at their Innovation Summit. Two of our programs, "The Village That Reads" and "The Girl/Boy Empowerment program to reduce teen pregnancy and gender-based violence" were selected as Global Innovations! It was thrilling to be among educators and innovators from around the world who are working in creative and new ways to promote learning and well-being for children, teachers and parents! We are proud that our dedicated work is being honored in such a signifcant way!

It is special that our work continues to be recognized by educational leaders and organizations. But most of all, we are excited that our students are growing in new ways as a result of our innovations, steadfast work, and care. Students are becoming more fluent readers and visiting the library because of our outreach. Since we began the Girl/Boy Empowerment program, we have not had any reported pregnancies at the schools where we are doing the interventions and children are becoming more confident learners and community citizens.

Our work is made possible as a result of your support. We are grateful for you donations which have allowed us to develop and implemenet programs that are meeting the needs of the community. Because of your support, students are flocking to the library during the school break to borrow books and create in our makerspace. Other students are learning computing and building robots. Students who participated in the Girl/Boy Empowerment program are asking to engage more and to serve as peer mentors.

Thank you for allowing us to provide children with options so they can forge new pathways for their futures.