More than 130 guests gathered Dec. 7 at the Katonah Village Library to celebrate the 10th year that KEEP — Katonah Education Exchange Program — has supported girls’ education at the Kakenya Center for Excellence in rural Kenya.
Over the past 10 years, through collective and concerted efforts, KEEP has provided 392 full-tuition scholarships at KCE.
KEEP, a nonprofit founded by Katonah residents Ruthie Rosenberg, Celeste Crosby, Elizabeth McGoldrick and Cynthia Braun, raises money to provide tuition scholarships for students at the Kakenya Center for Excellence. In this Maasai community, where many homes have no electricity or running water, girls often drop out of primary school when their families cannot afford their school fees. And when girls reach puberty, many are forced to undergo harmful cultural practices such as female genital mutilation and child marriage.
KEEP and KCE aim to change this narrative. When a girl becomes a student at KCE, her family must allow her to stay in school and not subject her to genital mutilation or child marriage. Through education and holistic support, girls at KCE learn essential skills to become financially independent. When they graduate, their education helps them lift their families and communities out of poverty. They are also more equipped to control their own reproductive decisions and less likely to become victims of gender-based violence.
KEEP said its “Cheers to 10 Years” gathering was an evening of connection, appreciation and celebration, and raised more than $24,000, enough to fully fund 42 scholarships.
Highlights included:
— A video message from the current KCE eighth-graders speaking to the KEEP community about their hopes and dreams for the future.
— An award to honor Students for KEEP, an official club at John Jay High School that has worked diligently to raise funds and promote the importance of girls’ education. Club founder Susannah Rogers (Class of ‘13) and Ava Koch, current club president, spoke about their desire to protect the rights of girls living in difficult circumstances all over the world.
— A presentation by Bedford Town Justice Jodi Kimmel, Westchester County Legislator Erika Pierce and state Assemblymember Chris Burdick of an official proclamation to KEEP founders.
KEEP is supported by the Kinetix Wealth Group, and food and drink donated by local merchants including Br’ers BBQ, Captain Lawrence Brewing Co., Cask Fine & Rare Wines, Maria’s Table, Mount Kisco Seafood, Mount Kisco Wines & Spirits, and Tengda Asian Bistro.
For more information, visit keepgirlsinschool.org.