08/05/2026
From Dreams to Degrees: WUDAY JAITEH'S JOURNEY TO MAGNA CUM LAUDE
Wuday Jaiteh’s story is a powerful reflection of what becomes possible when girls are given access to education, leadership opportunities, mentorship, and a safe space to dream beyond their circumstances. From joining Starfish as a young girl to becoming a mentor, community leader, advocate, and now a university graduate graduating Magna Cum Laude, her journey embodies the very heart of our mission. Through programs centered on education, leadership development, life skills, reproductive health, mentorship, and community service, Starfish continues to equip young women and girls with the confidence, tools, and opportunities to rise and create meaningful change in their communities.
Wuday’s impact stretches far beyond her own achievements. From mentoring junior, high school, and university students to leading community initiatives with young mothers in Niani Sukuta, she is living proof that empowered girls become empowered leaders who uplift others.
Her story is one of resilience, service, courage, and possibility. Like Wuday, there are many other girls whose lives continue to be transformed through the work of Starfish International. This is why we do what we do.
Congratulations on your degree, Bachelor of Laws, Wuday. Your journey inspires us all, and we cannot wait to witness the many lives you will continue to impact. The future is brighter because of women like you.
Here is Wuday’s journey, shared in her own words:
"The women who raised me; my mum, my grandmother, and so many others did incredible things without formal education. And that made me realize: if they could do so much without it, then with education, I could do even more. That belief lit a fire in me that never went out.
I always knew education was my way out. What I didn’t know was how I would get here. Growing up, western education wasn’t something widely embraced in my family. For many women around me, early marriage was seen as the ultimate goal. But deep down, I knew I wanted something more.
I wanted a voice.
I wanted choice.
I wanted to sit in rooms where decisions are made and be part of making them.
My 12-year-old self would have never imagined this moment. University felt so far out of reach for her, almost like a dream that belonged to someone else. But today, I stand here not just for myself, but for her, and for every girl who has ever believed that her dreams were too big for her reality.
As I grew, I saw education come alive through my sister, Fatou Y. The way she spoke, the way she carried herself, the respect she earned in my family and in our community; those were things I wanted for myself. Through her, and through Starfish, I began to understand what education truly meant beyond the classroom.
Joining Starfish at 13 changed everything. It didn’t just shape my education, it transformed my entire outlook on life. It taught me that education is not just about passing exams, but about lifting others as you rise. It gave me purpose, direction, and the courage to dream beyond my circumstances.
Starfish didn’t just raise me, it invested in me. It carried my dreams before I even understood them. It gave me space to grow, to lead, to fail, to rise, and to soar.
One lesson that stayed with me is this: “Even if every single possible bad thing that can happen to me does, I can keep going forward”.
And that you don’t have to have everything figured out to start serving and making impact in your community.
Through Starfish, I became a student leader, a deputy head girl, a mentor, a tutor, and a servant-leader in every space I found myself. Many people who have been at Starfish for the past 10years will remember me as that little girl giving tours, performing poetry, or presenting projects and today, I smile knowing that girl never gave up and she is using her voice for a greater purpose, service to humanity.
Returning to Starfish as a mentor was one of my proudest decisions. The same space that built me became the space where I could help build others. From leadership programs to mentoring university students, I found purpose in pouring into others.
I took on the leadership class offered at Starfish and became the valedictorian. Since then, I have served as an assistant tutor alongside my amazing tutors. Maria Beatriz Alvarez, Adriana Perez. These incredible women guided me every step of the way. Through this program, I have contributed to molding many young leaders from the university who passed through it, and I couldn’t be more proud of myself for that.
Most of the participants in this program were older, and some even had their first degrees. However, the way Starfish prepared me gave me the confidence and ability to rise to the challenge.
One of the greatest gifts Starfish gave me was the opportunity to continue the chapter Fatou Y started in Niani Sukuta, where both my parents are from. This chapter became my baby project at Starfish, and it’s beyond me how it continues to blossom into something so beautiful.
I work with 25 young mothers, focusing on skills development, reproductive health, and community service. These women have become my family and my source of strength. Even while balancing school, internships, and my work at Starfish, they remain committed, meeting weekly to make and sell soap. What we’ve built has become more than a project; it is a safe space where they share their struggles, uplift one another, and grow together.
My work at Starfish has opened doors for me to contribute to international conversations, sitting on panels alongside girls from around the world, sharing my story on a global stage through She's the First. These experiences have not only amplified my voice but have also equipped me with skills and confidence that I will carry with me wherever I go in the world.
I am forever grateful for every opportunity I’ve had and continue to have at Starfish International, and for all the meaningful connections I’ve made with visitors, volunteers, and everyone who continues to support our work.
This degree is dedicated to my grandmother, who raised me, sacrificed for me, and believed in me. Everything I will ever become carries her fingerprint, and I do not take that for granted.
To my mum and dad, thank you for stepping out of your comfort zone just to ensure I received an education, even when it would have been easier for me to stay with you.
To my big sister, my first mentor, Fatoumata Jaiteh, thank you for your heart, your love, your mentorship, and your friendship. You are not just my sister; you are everything I could ever ask for in a friend. With you, I am safe, grounded, and free to be myself. Thank you for paving the way for me and for so many other girls. Thank you for being a safe place to land, no matter how I arrive. And thank you for understanding that sometimes, people simply need a non-judgmental witness to their experience and for always being that for me.
To my Mam-Yassin Sarr, you had no obligation to be my mother, but you chose to be, and you have played that role so beautifully. Thank you for believing in me, even when I doubt myself. Thank you for pushing me to be better. Thank you for giving me a home, a family, and some of the most important people in my life. Your legacy will live on through me. I may never fully repay you, but I will honor you by carrying your spirit of service forward, being selfless every day, everywhere I go.
To my uncleAlieu Jaiteh, thank you for your constant support throughout my life. You have always stood by me and encouraged my education and everything I do, and I am deeply grateful.
To my mentors, thank you for creating the safest space for me to grow, for guiding me, and for designing programs that shaped the person I am today.
To the entire Starfish community, Aja Adama Jallow Sarr, David D. Fox, Baby-Nyima Sarr, and every volunteer, guest, and donor, this is living proof that your work is changing lives. Thank you for investing in me and in so many others.
To my family and friends, thank you for carrying me, supporting me, and never giving up on me. I would not be here without you. I am truly blessed to have such a strong and loving community.
I cannot end this without thanking my Starfish mom, Isatou Sonko, one of the greatest blessings Starfish has given me. Thank you for being present in every season of my life.
And to Mariama Darboe, our paths are so similar, and you continue to raise the bar for me. Not only do you raise it, but you also hold it steady so I can keep climbing.
And to every girl reading this: your dreams are valid. You are worthy. And you are capable of becoming everything you aspire to be.
There were days I never thought I would come this far… but here I am, a university graduate. Magna Cum Laude. Third Best Graduating Student in Faculty of Law and Best Graduating Student in my Class.
I DID IT!
This is only the beginning of many great achievements.
Here’s to more years of service, impact, and creating meaningful change in the world."