By Sharon Kiburi
Umulkher Harun Mohamed is not just your normal 22 year old girl from Northern Kenya. Despite the various challenges girls from her region face, she has defied odds and started a non – profit organization.
Kesho Alliance advocates for girls education in Garisa County. It begun in 2015 so far ten girls have benefited from the program.
The alliances endeavors to source bursaries and school fees for needy girls.
Garisa county is semi – arid located in the north eastern part of Kenya. The county has a number of socio-economic problems such as drought and high levels of poverty. Such challenges coupled with other social problems hinder the girl child from achieving their goals.
Umulkher Harun Mohamed, a twenty two year old girl has been privileged to get university education at the united state international university (USIU). She is studying applied computer technology.
Her passion for education has motivated her to begin a non-profit organisation named ‘Kesho alliance’. The charity organisation advocates for education in Garisa county with a keen interest in the education of the girl child.The organization hopes to partner with schools to ensure girls in need get proper education.
Umi has gone ahead to join of Kenya is most influential leadership TV reality show ‘Miss president’. She recently emerged the 1st runners up among five contestants.
She wished to use the platform to address her passion for education and challenges in the system especially where she comes from. Umi notes there are many challenges with access to education in Garisa county. “The schools are few and facilities are in poor conditions. Corruption also affects how they are run; the expected government aid does not reach the school that is relief foods, text book and stationery intended to enable pupils and students study. “
“prioritization of male student to female is discriminatory and by extension a high form of corruption.” She emphasizes.
Kenya’s constitution stipulates the two third gender principal where all genders have to be represented at all levels of leadership. When this is not met then the minority gender has to be nominated. These has spurred a lot of controversial conversions especially on women nomination in Kenya who are minority in leadership positions.
In the twenty first century one could assume that gender discrimination is no longer a hindrance to success. Nothing could be further from the truth as some cultural norms and religious beliefs have continuously turn nose up at women. By giving high regards to women sticking into house chores and being good life partners.
These is despite women being educated at the same levels as their counterpart males, they expected to take a step back and let the male lead.
Now, whether obedience to this especially when religious books say that men are head of the families and should be treated with respect. This may not have negated the fact that women are capable of leading and performing well in other affairs of leadership.
The media has played a role depicting women in leadership positions effectively for example the Oprah Winfrey show, Strength of a woman citizen TV just to name but a few. The launch of miss president Kenya program was to advocate and showcase the leadership capabilities of women. The partnership with media focus Africa that equips the participant with knowledge and tasks that challenge them to develop their leadership capacity.
Umi a contestant for miss president reality TV show says , ” I believe that Garisa county is targeted unfairly in terms of exams cancellation looking at the trends from twenty ten to the climax in twenty eighteen”.
She adds that poverty in the county serves as a disagreement for individuals to seek out education.
she believes that Kenya citizens will strive to serve and utilize their talents for the development of their country.
Hope is all she has , ” hope is fuel that keeps burning as I wait to see a better tomorrow”.
