Naserian radiates confidence. She says that “I learned how to be confident at Kakenya’s Dream. I know I’m a smart and beautiful girl. I don’t listen to people who want to belittle me. You have to know it for yourself and trust yourself. That’s what I do.” Naserian’s confidence is not only infectious, but has also distinguished her as a leader and role model at our high school. In our last student elections, she garnered 98% of votes to serve as the student in charge of school entertainment. This is her second term serving in that role.

Naserian hopes to take her voice into the media, where she aspires to use journalism to promote government transparency. “When I become a journalist, I can hold leaders accountable. If leaders aren’t doing what they are supposed to be doing, I can call attention to it.” She says her passion for journalism came from her love of Kiswahili and English classes. She’s one of our top students in both subjects. Nasserian also participates in the campus journalism club, where she is fine tuning her writing skills and working toward her career goals.

In the meantime, Naserian is already using her talents to advocate for change. In 2023, she was nominated as the keynote student speaker to present at Kakenya’s Dream’s community event for International Day of the African Child. “I addressed 1,000 people to advocate for the rights of African children. I know that if I can do that, I can do anything.”

When Naserian is not at school, she’s at home with her parents and three siblings in Awendo, where her father works at a factory. Growing up in an area away from her ancestral home, Naserian says she began “forgetting my first language, Kimaasai. Moving here and studying with Kakenya’s Dream has allowed me to learn my Maasai language and culture again.”