In Kibera, one of the largest slums in East Africa, girls have an extra challenge in overcoming their situation.  Girls who are not enrolled in school, have added risk of being taken advantage of, swept away into early marriages, unwanted pregnancy and disease.  A soccer team in Kibera known as Kibera Girls Soccer, and their coach, Abdul Kassim, faced this very problem, until they decided that enough was enough.  Abdul donated his inhereted land to the girls and opened up a secondary school, unofficially, where the girls of his soccer team could continue their education, that would otherwise be unaffordable.  With borrowed cirriculums and a staff of volunteer teachers, they began the Kibera Girls Soccer Academy.   When Seeds For Hope became acquainted with Abdul and his school back in June, the school was running with over 40 students, all being taught for free, and with enough books and materials to offer Form 1 and 2 (equivalent to 9th and 10th grade), but again the challenge was, what was to happen once the girls left Form 2?  

Seeds For Hope has decided to be dedicated to the girls of Kibera Girls Soccer and their vision for their future.    Seeds For Hope has committed to purchasing 300 books for the school in order for them to be able to let the Form 2 class proceed to Form 3.  The books were presented at a celebration hosted by Kibera Girls and Seeds For Hope, where the SFH staff, Kibera Girls staff, and the students expressed their commitment to solidarity for the one goal of empowering the young women of the school for their future.

The celebration was met with speeches, spoken word poetry, and an overall sense of unity.    

In addition, this year, Bronx Pubic High School, Alfred E. Smith, would like to join Seeds for Hope in supporting the Kibera Soccer Academy for girls. The Leadership Program runs a "Women's Empowerment" Club after school at Alfred E. Smith on Mondays and Wednesdays. The girls in the club have decided that they want to partner with a group of girls in Africa who have a particular need. They would like to exchange letters, photographs and stories to build friendship and understanding between the two groups. After getting to know the stories in the lives of the KSA girls, the Bronx Women's Empowerment Club, would like to create a performance about their lives, video tape it, send it to them, and even raise money so that they can take a trip to Kenya to meet the girls. The girls would also like to support the Shofco Women's Empowerment Organization, by selling Kenyan crafts and jewelry to support their trip to Kenya. Sanaa, the instructor of the women's empowerment club, and Catherine Hanna (instructor with leadership/Alfred E. Smith, friend to SFH) chatted and are thrilled by the possibility that the KSA could be just the group of young ladies to partner with Alfred E. Smith Women's Empowerment Club. 

See photos of the event on Flickr .