One of Kenya’s brightest and most inspiring young leaders, Dr. Kakenya Ntaiya, was named as one of the Top 10 contenders for CNN’s prestigious 2013 Hero of the Year Award. In support of her course, the Embassy of Kenya in Washington DC wishes to request Kenyans and well wishers to vote for her and ensure that she emerges as the 2013 “Hero of the Year”.
Kakenya’s path is a story of remarkable achievement. Today, young girls are still struggling to access education and to live free from the threats of child marriage and human trafficking. A staggering 14 million girls under the age of 18 will be married this year. In some of the County’s in Kenya, the statistics are even bleaker: less than 20% of girls are ever enrolled in schools, and many never complete their education.
Kakenya Ntaiya defied these odds and is making huge strides for girls’ empowerment and education in Kenya. The first girl to leave her Maasai village of Enoosaen and attend college in the United States, She received her doctorate in education and returned to her village to launch the first primary school for girls in her area, the Kakenya Center for Excellence. The school has grown in leaps and bounds, and now serves 160 students who represent the area?s most underprivileged and vulnerable girls.
If she is recognized as “Hero of the Year,” Kakenya will receive a total of $300,000 to scale her girls? empowerment and education efforts. As she says, she wants to “show people how one person can create a movement.?
The CNN Hero of the Year award is won through popular vote at CNNHeroes.com Voting takes just a few seconds and can be done once a day using an email addresses or via Facebook. Well wishers can vote for Dr. Kakenya Ntaiya once a day, everyday, until the polls close on November 17, 2013.
Please click here to VOTE for Kakenya
Friends of Kakenya!
As you may know, Kakenya Ntaiya was named last week a CNN Hero of the Year Top 10 Finalist. Online voting ends November 17 and the winner is named December 1 in New York. The award could total $300,000, and Kakenya has said she would invest it in scaling empowerment and education opportunities for girls across Kenya.
We are part of a coordinated effort among her friends, supporters and partners to spread the word about voting – people can vote once a day, each day, until the 17th of November. Will you help?
If you would like to get word out about voting for Kakenya for 2013 CNN Hero of the Year, please feel free to use the sample Tweets, Facebook posts and email copy (below) and sharable graphics (attached).
Thank you for helping to support Kakenya and her quest to become the next CNN Hero of the Year!
Twitter:
Vote now for @KakenyaN for #CNNHero of the Year. She’s transforming the lives of girls in #Kenya.http://ow.ly/pXSL4 #girlsareheroes
A #CNNHero was engaged to be married at age 5. Then, a change of plans. Vote @KakenyaN today!http://ow.ly/pXSL4
“Every child has a dream.” #CNNHero @KakenyaN is helping girls across #Kenya realize theirs. Vote!http://ow.ly/pXSL4 #girlsareheroes
34 million girls are denied school. #CNNHero @KakenyaN is transforming education for girls in #Kenya. Help her win: http://ow.ly/pXSL4
