“One day you finally knew
what you had to do…”
— From “The Journey” by Mary Oliver
It All Began with a Poem…
Photo by Marvi Lakar
In the last chapter of her book Saved by a Poem, Kim Rosen writes about her first visit to the V-Day Safe House for Maasai Girls in Narok, Kenya.
Initially, she was paralyzed with shyness and most of the girls were too.
In an awkward moment one young woman, Jacinta, stepped forward and asked her to sing a song. “What I really love is poetry,” Kim responded. “May I recite a poem to you?”
The miracle that ensued forged a life-changing connection for all of them. As the last lines of Mary Oliver’s “The Journey” echoed —
“determined to do
the only thing you could do
determined to save
the only life you could save”
— many of the girls were in tears of recognition. So was Kim.
“Evidence shows that girls’ education brings a wide range of benefits not only for the girls themselves but also for their children and their communities, as well as society at large in terms of economic growth.”
— United Nations Foundation
In 2010, Jacinta reached out to Kim to help her get funds to go to college. Kim joined with several friends to raise the money, and Jacinta flourished.
This was due not only to the financial support she received, but also to the emotional impact of the human connection with those who believed in her.
Funders also were profoundly moved by the opportunity to have a direct and ongoing relationship with the student.
In subsequent years, Kim raised funds for six more girls to go to college. Witnessing the life-changing impact on the young women, and also how they are now transforming their families, villages and community as a whole, she was inspired to create the S.H.E. College Fund.
As of 2025, the S.H.E. College Fund has 59 students in school and 31 graduates. Jacinta, who now holds a Degree in Business Management, is the Director of Students for the S.H.E. College Trust Kenya.