Kakenya’s Dream Charity Walk Rallies Communities to Break Barriers in Girls’ Education
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 12 – Under the theme of “Steps Toward Change,” hundreds of Kenyans gathered in Karen, Nairobi and Enoosaen in Kilgoris on Saturday May 9, 2026 for the inaugural Kakenya’s Dream Charity Walk.
The dual-location event brought together students, parents, teachers, community leaders who joined the fight against harmful practices, including Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and child marriage.
The walk highlighted the power of collective community action in creating safer, healthier and more equitable futures for girls.
From early morning, participants showed their energy, commitment and hope as they marched together with a shared goal to empower and protect girls by providing education, leadership, health services and other means of support.
Dr. Kakenya Ntaiya, CEO and President of Kakenya’s Dream, while addressing participants during the event emphasized the importance of investing not only in individual girls, but also in the communities and systems that shape their futures.
“Every footstep made today is one step closer to ensuring a girl’s future is full of hope through education, While paying school fees and purchasing uniforms are essential, some girls lack basic needs such as sanitary pads, proper learning environments and healthcare services, ” said Dr. Kakenya.
“Through this walk, we aim to generate both awareness and funding”.
Dr. Ntaiya noted that many rural communities continue to face significant barriers, including overcrowded classrooms, inadequate infrastructure, poor road access, food insecurity and limited healthcare services.
She added that In some schools, children are still forced to learn outdoors due to a lack of classrooms and resources.
Kakenya’s Dream for the past 17 years has cultivated a transformative partnership with local communities in southwestern Kenya, championing a holistic model of rural development centered on gender equality.
By integrating high-quality education and essential healthcare with robust leadership training and economic empowerment programs, the organization dismantles systemic barriers that have historically limited the potential of young people.
Their grassroots approach doesn’t just provide individual opportunities it actively reshapes deeply rooted social norms, creating a sustainable ecosystem where every girl is empowered to lead, thrive and drive meaningful progress within her community.
The organization currently has operations in Transmara West, Transmara East and Transmara South in Narok County and Kenyenya in Kisii County.
To date, Kakenya’s Dream has; Provided scholarships to more than 1,000 girls at various learning levels, from primary school to university level.
Reached more than 35,000 youth through health, leadership, mentorship and life skills programs in over 200 partner schools.
Provided stigma-free, youth-friendly healthcare services through the Kakenya Health and Wellness Center, which now serves approximately 1,500 patients monthly.
Further, Dr. Ntaiya emphasized the necessity of involving an entire community, from young men and their fathers to teachers and other community leaders, in addressing problems like FGM, child marriage, and teenage pregnancies.
“To effect change, we have to take a holistic approach Everyone should be at the table to promote education and equality for all children,” she said.
Dr. Ntaiya championed a collaborative movement, calling upon government, policy makers, corporate leaders and local philanthropists to scale up funding for community-led programs that provide a lifeline to marginalized groups.
“There is still so much need, there are schools without classrooms, children without meals and communities without proper healthcare”.
“We all have a role to play in creating a better future, Every individual can mentor, support and become part of the solution”.
