Tumaini and I are racing 10 kilometers in support of girls' education. Any money we raise goes directly to Daraja Academy in Kenya and Tumaini's education. Thank you for your help! Or, as they say in Kenya, ASANTE SANA!
Tumaini is a 17-year-old Maasai girl from Oldonyo village in Samburu and will graduate from Daraja with the Class of 2028. She comes from a community where many families depend on livestock keeping, and where traditions often limit girls’ access to education. Tumaini grew up in a manyatta, a traditional two-room mud house built the Maasai way. Her parents never had the opportunity to attend school, and she has been brought up in financial hardship. Hunger, lack of school fees, and opposition against education from her father have been major challenges in Tumaini’s life. Tumaini now lives in a children’s home due to the threat of early marriage.
Despite these difficulties, Tumaini has remained deeply committed to her education. She served as a class prefect, demonstrating strong leadership. She enjoys basketball, music, reading storybooks, and solving problems. Tumaini dreams of becoming a doctor so she can bring positive change to her community. She describes Daraja as an aeroplane that helped her fly from a place where education was not valued to one where it is celebrated.