Friends and supporters gathered in the home of AB and Scott Aston for a reception and presentation on the Imbirikani Girls High School (IGS) in Kenya given by the Neema-Huruma Foundation in Dallas. In Swahili, Neema-Huruma means grace and mercy.

The foundation raises funds for the school which was founded by Clyde and Betsy Jackson in 2006 to provide education to Maasai children living in the Imbirikani Group Ranch area of southwest Kenya. 98% of girls in the area do not have educational opportunities after primary school so they enter into early marriages at ages 14-15 and are subjected to a life of child bearing and hard physical labor carrying wood and water. Continuing education for these girls provides a promising future. The school which is owned and operated by the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) opened with 40 students and now has capacity for 300.

The school is now rated number 6 out of 26 schools in the region based on recent national test results. This academic advance has resulted in several major achievements: 100 new students in the freshman class, 10 of the graduates qualified for sponsorship from Kenyan Universities, and the reputation of the school has soared.

“Our goal is to elevate the girls’ lives,” said Jackson. “The Imbirikani Girls High School provides the education that is desperately needed by the young women of the Maasai tribe and other tribes. Parents from as far away as Kisumu, Nairobi, and Mombasa are sending their daughters now to IGS for its reputation for excellent academics and Godly character building.”

While donations for any amount are appreciated, there are immediate areas where help is needed. $750 would cover a one year scholarship for a girl’s tuition, room and board and a uniform. The Foundation provided photos and biographies of individual girls that could be “adopted” and several guests made donations to cover the one year cost.

Additional fundraising goals are $20,000 for library materials, $15,000 for construction of 2 new classrooms for the church, $15,000 additional rooms for the primary school, and $35,000 for solar power lights – all in need of replacement.

The public is also encouraged to support the Imbirikani Girls High School. Donations can be made by mail or online. By Mail: Make checks payable to: Highland Park Presbyterian Church-Kenya School or to Neema-Huruma Foundation and mail to: Clyde Jackson – 600 N. Pearl, Suite 650, L.B. 149 – Dallas TX 75201. Donate online via secure server: www.nhkenya.org. Click on the “Donate Now” button.

Neema-Huruma Foundation is a registered 501(c)3 organization. Donations will be processed through HPPC or directly through the Dallas offices at Neema-Huruma Foundation. Tax-deductible receipts will be sent.   

Further information about the Imbirikani Girls High School and the Neema-Huruma Foundation is available at www.nhkenya.org.