07/07/2026
Reflecting on our time at the SWSD 2026 Joint Conference, a major highlight was collaborating with the amazing Kidshare Foundation team, Diana van Dijk (PhD) and Gea Dekker. We also connected with some of our inspiring Top Girl Scholars currently pursuing tertiary education in Nairobi. This gathering truly underscored the importance of supporting rural girls' access to quality education. Hearing their stories firsthand, we traced their journeys from primary school transitions to the complexities of campus life, celebrating their triumphs and acknowledging the unique challenges they face in higher education.
Moving from structured primary and secondary environments to the independence of university life requires robust mental, emotional, and academic scaffolding and navigating financial pressures, systemic hurdles, and social transitions and this remains a challenge, but resilience is amplified when students know they have a community behind them.
True impact happens with our scholars, not just for them. Listening to their lived experiences allows us to refine our mentorship and support frameworks dynamically.
Partnerships are the bedrock of project sustainability and through the unwavering support of the Kidshare Foundation, the barrier to quality higher education is being dismantled. Together, we are ensuring that these brilliant young women do not just access university, but that they have the holistic support required to stay in school, thrive, graduate and transition into gainful employment.
Thank you Kidshare, for walking this journey with us, and to our scholars for your courage, vulnerability, and drive. The future is exceptionally bright.