226 Girls Receive GTL Scholarships

Despite the economic crisis and the rising costs of education in East Africa, GTL was still able to award 226 scholarships in 2009 including 73 girls in Kenya, 65 in Tanzania and 88 in Uganda. Thank you for helping us to change so many lives. We awarded 88 scholarships to new applicants, and 138 to students we had sponsored before.

One of this year’s most impressive new students is Ruth, who is attending Kabare School in Kenya and who tells her story to the right. Ruth is the youngest of nine children, the first in her family to attend high school. Ruth’s dreams, and the dreams of 225 other girls like her, depend on us.

For the cost of educating one high school girl in the United States, we can pay for eleven East African girls to receive a high-quality secondary education. I truly believe that there is no more effective way to create change with your giving.

“My parents and my siblings fought against my education, which has caused a lot of conflicts, so my path has not been that easy. I depend on friends and well-wishers for everything I require at school. It is my dream to work hard and become a neurosurgeon, and above all to promote girls’ education in society. I want to create awareness of the importance of educating both sexes. I want to help 100 girls go to school and graduate so they can become important people in society. I believe that there is no permanent success without hard work coupled with the highest amount of praise-worthy aims. I have started the race and I swear I will never turn back until I reach the finish line.”

- Ruth, Kenya