Kibera School for Girls offers free education and connects the entire community to services, such as computer skills training and health education.

Why we care: 43% of girls are out of school in Kibera, Kenya—Nairobi’s largest slum with 1 million residents.

How we’re solving this: We offer free schooling and an afterschool wellness program for the brightest girls makes educating girls not a question of resources, but of desire.

Women bear a disproportionate burden of the hardships of life in urban poverty and in Kibera, Kenya—women contract HIV at a rate five times their male counterparts. 43% of girls in are out of school, compared to 29% of boys; and 7 out of 10 women will experience violence.

Shining Hope for Communities built Kibera’s first tuition-free primary school for girls in 2009, the Kibera School for Girls (KSG). To make the highest impact investment possible, we strategically identify both the brightest and the most at-risk girls for enrollment at KSG. We develop the next generation of leaders by providing a superior education through small classes, exceptional teachers, and cutting-edge curriculum. Several of our 3rd grade students read at 7th and 8th grade levels and 82% of students perform at or above US grade-level standards.

There is also an afterschool wellness program which runs for two hours each weekday and serves our students in kindergarten through 4th grade. Current teachers, parent volunteers, and a recently hired drama instructor lead these programs. Participation in the program is contingent on enrollment in the school and the activities are provided free of charge, offering a safe alternative for students after school ends. The programs support our educational purposes at the school by providing a learning environment where our students can enjoy an extra snack (in addition to the two meals provided during the day), and partake in extracurricular activities including yoga, theater and themed games that complement the lessons they are learning.