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Rooted in Community,
Rising for Change
Celebrating 15 Years of Kakenya’s Dream
Annual Report 2024
A Message from Our Leader
Leadership
at a glance
Staff Demographics
At Kakenya’s Dream, we don’t just serve our community—we are our community. The majority of our team hails from the regions where we work, many of them indigenous Maasai. Hiring locally fosters long-term sustainability, creates jobs in areas with high unemployment, and grounds our work in local knowledge and cultural relevance. This leads to more effective, nuanced solutions to complex challenges like child marriage and FGM.
But localization isn’t just strategic—it’s a moral imperative. It shifts power from traditional top-down models into the hands of the people most impacted by the problems we seek to fix, ensuring change is ethical, community-driven, and sustainable.
Our hiring practices reflect our mission and values—centering gender equity, youth empowerment, and indigenous leadership. Together, we’re proving that the best way to create real, lasting change is from within.
15 Years of
Transformation
For 15 years, Kakenya’s Dream has stood as a beacon of hope and possibility, challenging harmful social norms, opening doors, and redefining what it means to be a girl in rural Kenya.
Our first school opened its doors to our pioneer students, a class of 30 fourth graders.
2009We launched our Health and Leadership Training program, equipping thousands of youth regionwide with critical information about their health, rights, and life skills.
2011We created our scholarship program, ensuring our first group of KCE graduates and every class thereafter were supported to continue their education through high school and higher education.
2014Our pioneer class graduated high school and enrolled in collegiate institutions in Kenya and around the globe.
2017Our second school opened doors to its first students, a class of 18 ninth graders.
2018Kakenya's Dream celebrated its 10th anniversary and a decade of changing lives.
2019We launched our Linda Dada Campaign ("protect a sister" in Swahili) to combat the alarming increase in unplanned teen pregnancy across Kenya while girls were out of school due to COVID-19.
2020Our pioneer class graduated from university!
2021Bill Gates featured Kakenya's Dream in his Heroes in the Field series.
2022We opened our community's first and only youth-friendly health clinic, providing robust healthcare services to our boarding school students and the surrounding community.
202415th Anniversary Community Spotlight
Before the existence of Kakenya’s Dream, we never saw the value of educating girls here in Maasailand. We saw them as an exchange for wealth. Once you marry off a girl in the Maasai community, you are assured of cattle as dowry in exchange for your daughter, and cattle are the livelihood of Maasai people.
The presence of Kakenya's Dream has brought progress to all of Enoosaen. Our girls are now valued in our society, and transformation in this community has been massive. These girls will become great leaders and role models in our country.
15th Anniversary
Alumna Spotlight
I’ve learned that my body is my own, that education is my right, and that I can pursue any career I choose. I can own property and so much more. For the first time, I felt I could shape my destiny and make a difference in my community.
Programmatic
Highlights
of 2024
3,115
patients served at the Kakenya Health and Wellness Center, our new health clinic that opened this year.
5,469
community members reached through our Linda Dada campaign, which fosters community dialogue to combat child marriage, FGM, and teen pregnancy across Kenya.
424
girls educated, supported, and empowered at the Kakenya Centers for Excellence, our world-class boarding schools.
1.1 million
people reached across Kenya via educational health and human rights segments over radio and television.
9,873
youth educated on their health and human rights through our Jijue Health & Leadership Training program.
59
local jobs created for young adults as facilitators of our Jijue Health and Leadership Training program.
152
College scholarships provided to help young women pursue higher education and build brighter futures.
7
trainings delivered to equip young adults with critical skills for college, career, and life success—including entrepreneurship, computer and financial literacy, and professional development.
our supporters
and funders
Why Our Donors Give
Giving Circles
- Bruce and Charlene Bainum
- Roger Sant
- Adam and Danyelle De Jong
- Alice Ball
- Dempsey/Lightfoot Family
- Dottie and Ken Woodcock
- Jeanie Milbauer
- Joanie D. Nasher
- Judy and Kevin Moak
- Marlene M Johnson
- Mary Jo Arnoldi and Craig Subler
- Mr. Robert T Greig and Mrs. Susan M Greig
- Peggy and Brian Sassi
- Scott and Allison Mellon
- Anonymous
- Betty Hudson and Boyd Matson
- Brian Corcoran
- Cheryl Brink
- Diane and Lee Crockett
- Eden and Chris Bishop
- Elizabeth and Robert Soppelsa
- Frances Bivens
- John and Bev Reno
- Karen and Leslie Desnick
- Lee and Sam Wood
- Linda Gottlieb and Rob Tessler
- Linda Howard
- Marion Blakey
- Norma Dicker
- Rachel Hacker
- Sally Wells
- Susan Crown
- Susi and Mike Bickley
- Tara Bunch
- Wendy Munger
- Anonymous (2)
- Alexandra Laurita
- Alison Head
- Amy Blackwood
- Anne-Marea Griffin
- Anushka Lakdawala and Steve Belden
- B. Wayne Johnson
- Catherine Votaw
- Christopher & Lockie Inlow
- Clare Krupin
- Clement Rutto
- Danielle Murphy
- Deborah Crewe and John Davis
- Denise Bordonaro and David Johst
- Diane and Ned Powell
- Elizabeth A. (Betsy) Tyson
- Elizabeth Kramer Wrege
- Farai Chigutsa
- Francesca McLin and Veronica Betancourt
- Frederica Gamble
- G and M Hutchins
- Hilary A. Cusack
- Imtiaz Tootla and Fatima Boomgaurd
- Jacquelyn Mayfield
- Jamelia and Dennis Meals
- James Radner
- Jeff and LeeAnn Ettinger
- Jessica L. Hammond
- John Ott
- Joseph Bohan
- Judy Judd-Price
- Kate Lehrer
- Kathleen Rittner
- Kathy Calvin Walters
- Kathy Hall and Mark Dwyer
- Kathy McDermott-Narezo
- Kelly L. Denson
- Kevin and Eileen Dwyer
- LaNitra M. Berger, PhD.
- Lee and Peggy Zeigler
- Leslie Calman
- Linda Winslow
- Melissa Tidwell
- Merlin Quittek
- Nancy Brand Patel
- Ness Sufrin
- Nina Zacuto
- Peter and Elsa Recco
- Raydean Acevedo
- Rich and Gina Kelley
- Richard Kai Neuman
- Richard Murray
- Robert C. Leland
- Robert Schaefer
- Sara McCracken
- Sarah Craven
- Shanika Hope
- Sharon Sanders
- Shawna Reed
- Stephanie and Harold Bronson
- Sue Ott Rowlands
- Suzanne Petroni
- Tong Vang
- Wendell and Michelle Chambliss
Kakenya’s Dream strives to be complete and accurate in recognizing the generous support of our donors. We regret any omissions or errors.
Foundation / Institutional Investors
- Gates Foundation
- ERIKS Development Partner*
- Greater Washington Community Foundation
- Tides Foundation
- Woka Foundation
- AJG Fund
- InMaat Foundation
- The Montei Foundation
- Peter Cundill Foundation*
- Population Connection
- Straus Family Foundation
- Together Women Rise
- Resnick Foundation
- Data-Philanthropy, LLC
- ELMA Masana wa Afrika*
- Forum for Women and Development (FOKUS)*
- Harl & Evelyn Mansur Family Foundation
- O’Kane Family Foundation
- Segal Family Foundation
- AMPLIFY Girls*
- Coca-Cola
- The David R. and Patricia D. Atkinson Foundation
- Henry E. Niles Foundation
- Journey Foundation
- Katonah Education Exchange Program
- Roger and Katherine Flahive Foundation
- Sybiel B. Berkman Foundation
- Tate Family Generosity Fund
- Adventures for the Mind Foundation
- Freddie Mac Employee Funds
- Gipson Family Foundation
- Woven Foundation
- Google Inc.
- Ruparel Family Foundation*
- AMPLIFY Girls
- The Coalition For Adolescent Girls
- Girls First Network
- Girls Not Brides
- Girls Opportunity Alliance
- Global Alliance for Communities
- The Gratitude Network
- Hali Access Network
- LBW Trust
- Kenya Anti-FGM Board
- Kenya Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology
- Kenya Ministry of Health
- Regional Education Learning Initiative Africa
- University of Technology Sydney
- Women for Change
- Vital Voices Global Partnership
* Revenue that was sent directly to Kenya is not included in the U.S. financials.
Pledge payments made in 2024 against multi-year pledges are recognized above regardless of the year in which the original pledge was made.
Financials
U.S. Revenue
- Foundations: $1,625,100
- Individuals & In-Kind Donations: $553,499
- Interest & Other: $58,570
- Corporations: $30,927
Total: $2,268,096
U.S. Expenses
- Program: $1,554,713
- General Admin: $275,682
- Fundraising: $219,524
Total: $2,049,919
The financials above are audited figures for the U.S. 501(c)3.