Amala’s pioneering cohort in Kakuma graduate from the Amala High School Diploma
“How do I feel about my future? Bright” - Liem, Amala High School Diploma Graduate
On Friday 16th of September, we celebrated the graduation of our very first Kakuma cohort from the Amala High School Diploma. Before finding Amala, this pioneering group of students had all experienced situations that have forced them to drop out of school. Over the 15 months while studying on the Diploma, they were simultaneously caring for family members and working, all while navigating the complexities of Kakuma refugee camp. 15 months later & credits submitted, our Kakuma Class of 2022 has graduated!
The graduation day began with traditional Burundi & Acholi dances, and was followed by various speeches from Amala facilitators and other members of the Amala community in Kakuma. Friends & family then watched and cheered as our 30 graduates ascended the stage one by one to receive their diplomas, marking this enormous achievement of completing their secondary education.
During the ceremony, the audience heard presentations from two student groups on their PIP’s (Personal Interest Project); a project part of the High School Diploma where students get to delve into an area of personal interest, whether that be an issue affecting the community, a passion or a career goal, and report on their learning. Up first, Sadiq & Sadaq presented on their project Fly Bring Smile, an initiative they founded that uses art to empower youth in Kakuma. Sudi, from Somalia, then presented on her initiative, Girl Power. Girl Power aims to end period poverty and the stigmatisation around periods that many girls face in Kakuma and beyond. “One of our programmes is #PadsforHappiness and the reason it is called this is because I want to restore happiness of girls in school. Menstruation is a biological thing and we want to help girls in a dignified manner.” - Sudi
“When I listen to Sudi talking about her project, Girl Power, and Sadiq & Sadaq talking about their project that is using art to improve the community, to all your projects, I think about the impact that you are already making in your community and I feel inspired and I feel even more inspired about what you are going to do next.”
Among our immediate Amala community members present on the day was Ali Duale, UNHCR Education Officer in Kakuma, and former Amala facilitator, Zacharia, who was one of the first to facilitate this group of students when they began the programme back in April 2021. From outside Kakuma we were lucky enough to welcome members from organisations working to support students in Kenya through higher education scholarships and other opportunities including Kensap, Ashinaga & Duolingo. Members from the admissions teams at Cornell University & University of California, Berkeley also attended.
“Studying at Amala was a discovery of myself and a discovery of what the people in my community need. It has really changed my life, and of the life of many of my fellow students”
Part of the High School Diploma is preparing students for what comes next, through the Pathways Advising programme. Many of our graduates have hopes to continue into higher education, whether it be through online universities available in Kakuma, such as SNHU, or further afield through scholarships. Other students have put in the groundwork to continue working on their community projects and will focus on growing their initiatives or entrepreneurial ventures in Kakuma. Whichever path they choose the amount of family & community present in the room on graduation day illustrates the huge support and advocacy our students have behind them.
“These students already had the ideas and also the capacity to solve their community & social problems, they just needed someone to stand beside them and say yes you can do it. 15 months down the line, today they have restored their hopes back and can stand on their feet once again. Congratulations class.” - Zacharia
