Daraja Academy
Daraja academy is a girl’s school established by Jason Doherty in 2009 in Nanyuki, Laikipia county Kenya. It located about twenty two kilometers from Nanyuki town in a relatively rural area by the name Doldol Laikipia North. In this amazing platform that greatness is happening, thirty girls’ students are selected annually from a pool of five hundred applicants to make a family of about 150 guided by four pillars:
- Every day, leave it better than you found it.
- Maintain open communication, speak honestly and listen effectively.
- Embrace differences and treat all with dignity and respect.
- Be accountable for the role you play at Daraja, neither neglecting, nor abusing it.
Many of the girls who are brought in face lot of problems in the community and the African society at large. Among the challenges that they are saved from are early marriages which happens to most of the girls due to their cultural beliefs and norms. In addition to that poverty and disregards for the value of the education of girl is still a problem that this girls have to contend with to extents where violence,war or calamities makes the education for the girls hard to access.
By having them in Daraja as a big family of girls where they are physically,emotionally and spiritually nurtured to become champions of the societies. Other than this they are empowered and enlightened on their basic rights.
As a way of giving back to the society,the girl child is governed by the simple facts that when plan A fails there is always room for plan B. Daraja as an institution of learning has acted as a bridge to ease up access to higher learning institutions like colleges and universities. Champions from Daraja became role models to other girls and make better choices in life where most of them get decent jobs.
“ The girls are clothed in strength and dignity, and this makes them laugh without fear of the future.”
