Our Unique Approach
The S.H.E. College Fund is unique in its commitment to award scholarships based on passion for social change, not on academic performance alone.
S.H.E. students come from rural settings in Maasailand where the education of girls is discouraged.
These are the young women who can make the most powerful impact on their community.
The S.H.E. College Fund is not just a scholarship program; it is a living ecosystem of support, trust, and transformation. Inspired by the principles of emergent strategy, S.H.E. grows in response to the real lives, voices, and dreams of young Kenyan women.
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Candidates for S.H.E. College Fund scholarships are often the first girls in their families to attend school. Their mothers never had this opportunity, so they have no idea how to support their daughters or to value their hard work.
Completing homework, reviewing lessons, committing concepts to memory, and studying for exams are not considered integral to women’s role in Maasai culture. It is not surprising, then, that many girls from these areas struggle in school and perform poorly on the standardized tests that determine their eligibility for higher education and future employment.
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The S.H.E. application process takes a global view of each candidate, offering opportunities for her to showcase her unique gifts. Applicants talk about their passion for pursuing higher education, their skills and competencies, their determination to create positive change in their communities, and their hopes for the future.
Through essays and extensive in-person interviews, and informed by character references from schools and local officials, we take the time to get to know each applicant as a whole person.
We believe that is why we have achieved a 97% graduation rate throughout the years.