BEADS for Education

BEADS for Education improves the status of women in Kenya through  education and business development. Quality education is our major goal, which begins with girls in elementary school with our extensive reading, creative writing, and interactive and student-centered teaching.

To attend high school for a year in Kenya costs about $500, more than the annual average income of most families.  Families who can afford high school tuition usually cannot send all of their children to school, so they select boys. But many families cannot afford to send any of their children to high school.

Since 1998, BEADS for Education has been sponsoring the education of girls from 4th grade through college in Kenya.  Most of the girls are from the Maasai tribe and are the first girls in their families to finish elementary school. Each girl is matched with one sponsor, with whom she communicates regularly. Many sponsors visit the girls, their schools, and their families.

We presently sponsor more than 320 girls, including 34 college students studying education, veterinary science, medicine, accounting, and more.  Our six college graduates are successfully working in their home regions.

In 2013, we are opening our own high school to provide the best education available which will be staffed by BEADS sponsored girls who have graduated from college.