The S.H.E. College Fund

About The S.H.E. College Fund

The S.H.E. College Fund (SCF) provides full scholarships for college, university, or trade school education along with comprehensive life skills training and mentorship to young women of Narok County who have been at risk for harmful traditional practices such as Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) and Early Forced Child Marriage (EFCM) and have found refuge at Safe Houses. There, they are sent to primary and secondary school. Once these young women graduate from secondary school they are no longer protected by the safe houses and, though they have been reconciled with their parents, their families do not have the financial means to pay for post-secondary education. By providing these young women with a post-secondary education, SCF makes it possible for them to acquire the knowledge, skills, experience, and self-confidence to go out into the world, secure a job or start a small business, and serve as role models and changemakers in their communities. Funded through individual sponsorships and philanthropic donations, SCF students enroll in technical and vocational certificate programs, two-year associate's and four-year bachelor's degree programs in public and private academic institutions across Kenya. During their program, many SCF students gain valuable work experience as interns. SCF staff actively mentor students, accompanying these young women as they navigate their programs of study and challenging educational environments where women are often in the minority. SCF's investment in students continues through special seminars where students gain knowledge and build life skills around reproductive health, healthy relationships, mental well-being, and computer literacy. Since its inception in 2014, SCF has recorded a 97% graduation rate, with 70% of graduates currently working. With each graduation, another young woman joins the ranks of Kenyan women holding a post-secondary degree; she is poised to make her way in the world.