Cheila is a 16-year-old Maasai girl from a small village in Laikipia called Musul, and will graduate from Daraja with the Class of 2027. She lives in a ‘manyatta,’ a traditional small two-room house made of mud and grass, with her single mother and five siblings. Because they live close to Mount Kenya, it becomes very cold at night, and the family struggles to keep out the cold.

Cheila fetches water with her siblings from a river three kilometers away, carrying it on their backs. She shares that, ‘When you walk to school, there are dangers, one of them being elephants.’ Some days, the family goes hungry, as her mother cannot afford to buy food. Her mother earns an income by doing laundry, cooking, and carrying water for others.

Despite these challenges, Cheila remained committed to her education and earned a place at Daraja, where she is now thriving. She enjoys swimming and playing football in her free time. Cheila dreams of becoming a doctor so she can save lives and promote healthy living in her community.