Bright, effervescent, and talented Emmaculate would likely have been among 23% of Kenyan girls who are married before the legal age of 18.

Girls from impoverished homes, like Emmaculate’s, are twice as likely to marry under the age of 18 as girls from higher income households. Emmaculate has a tight-knit family, but her father’s seasonal work as a waiter is hardly enough to feed and house their family of five, and he is also supporting his aging parents and his siblings, as well. In a society where girls are often seen as an economic burden, Emmaculate was at risk.

Underage marriage in rural Kenya carries a heavy burden for girls.

Without education, teen wives work endless hours at physically demanding tasks while hungry, often with an infant strapped to their back. They may be married off to much older men or as second or third wives. Some girls chose that life, considering their other option slow starvation - the heartbreaking reality of true poverty - but one girl described it as “the life of a dog”, and wept at the thought of it happening to her.

Determined Emmaculate worked hard and earned a Kenya Keys sponsorship. She has a future she can look forward to. Emmaculate recently sent a thank you video to her Kenya Keys sponsor:

“I will be praying for you every day. I love you so much!” she gushed.

Education shields girls like Emmaculate from futures of abject poverty, and she does not take it for granted. One school day, Emmaculate’s primary school teacher didn’t show up. Unwilling to waste the day, Emmaculate stood up and taught the class. She knows what she’s talking about - Emmaculate was one of the top performers in her school.

As Kenya Keys has become a light of hope for students, the attitude toward girls seems to have shifted.

Rather than a drain on resources, daughters with the chance of education and employment are increasingly being seen as potentially significant economic contributors to their families. More families would support their girls staying in school and gaining marketable skills but cannot afford tuition. That’s what Kenya Keys is for.

Emmaculate is hardworking and kind. She dreams of being a surgeon or a teacher when she finishes school, and of helping her family out of poverty. It would have been impossible, but thanks to the support of her beloved sponsor and Kenya Keys, this charming girl who sparkled in her drama and music club, who gleefully jumped into the swimming hole, and treasured every novel she touched, this girl has a chance. “I’m so happy,” she told her sponsor. “Thanks for sponsoring me!”

Thank you for making all the difference for hundreds of girls who cherish the opportunity to stay in school. They will be a force to transform themselves, their family, and their community.