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EFAC CONGRATULATES FIRST GRADUATES
"Home is the place where, when you go there, they have to take you in. EFAC has been a great home for me, a place that gives me a sense of belonging. It is here that I have met great brothers and sisters, parents and mentors. I love this home. Thanks to Rod, Nancy and EFAC for this home," EFAC Graduate Prideluck
The Career & Computer Course for the first class of EFAC Graduates took place at EFAC partner, African Nazarene University, at the end of April. The 45 2013 graduates were in attendance. ANU staff, mentors and guest speakers particpated in the workshop. Nancy, Rod and Sheila travelled to Kenya for the final days of the workshop to celebrate the achievements of the first class of EFAC students.
The curriculum for the 2-week course included basic computer skills, career planning, financial literacy, and reproductive health. Guest speakers from the IBM Research Center, Digital Data Divide, and Kenyan Universities attended the workshop to talk to the students about careers and life after high school.
During the workshop, all EFAC students met with their Kenyan mentors to set personal goals and discuss their plans for their post secondary studies.
On the final night of the course, there was a farewell dinner with speeches, performances, dancing and lots of hugs and tears.
Click here to read a farewell tribute by EFAC Graduates
 | | Class of 2013 at the Career and Computer Workshop |
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Meet the Class or 2017
In February this year, EFAC welcomed 40 new Form One students into the EFAC program. These students were selected from over 270 applicants based on their academic records, teacher recommendations and financial need.
 | | Meshack |
Without a scholarship, all of these students would have had to stop thier education and work at subsistence jobs. They are too bright to give up on and with an education they will be the future of Kenya.
In his first year at Rongia Boys School Meschack, an orphan who thought he had no future said,"I want to inform you that I am enjoying the life of Rongai and I am very grateful and happy for the scholarship you have provided for me since I have never found such kind people who have sacrificed your own money and pay for my school fees."
Meshack was abandoned by both his parents when he was young so he moved in with his grandmother who was poor and elderly and struggled to care for him. In primary school he suffered from lack of food, school fees and supervision yet Meshack still managed to perform well in primary school, finishing #2 out of 86 in his class and scoring a 362 on the KCPE. We welcome him to the EFAC family.
Click here to read about the other students in the Class of 2017
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3 Students Selected for Zawadi Africa Program
 Three recent EFAC graduates were recently chosen to join the selective Zawadi Africa Education Fund, a program designed to provide scholarships to academically gifted girls from disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue higher education in the US.
The Zawadi Africa Education Fund is based on the highly successful Kennedy/Mboya Student airlifts of the 1960s. Susan Mboya founded Zawadi and has developed partnerships with US colleges and universities who share an interest in creating leadership opportunities for girls in Africa. Zawadi students are selected among the top 1-2% academically in Africa. EFAC congratulates EFAC scholars Pamela, Wagaki and Yiamoi.
All three students, have reported to the Zawadi offices in Nairobi for their first of several orientation sessions during which they will be mentored on taking the SATs and guided on applying to US Universities. We wish them the best of luck!
Pamela
- Finished 1st in her class at Naivasha Girls School
- Received an A on her KCSE (Kenyan SAT)
- Plans to study Mechatronics (combination of mechanical, electrical and computer engineering)
Wagaki
- Attended Vanessa Grant Girls School
- Received an A- on her KCSE (Kenyan SAT)
- Plans to study Finance
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2 EFAC Graduates Accepted into ANU Law School
Naira and Sadia, EFAC Class of 2013, were recently accepted in the prestigous Law Program at African Nazarene University (ANU) and will start their studies in September.
Naira, a natural leader whose classmates called her "the judge" graduated from the Vanessa Grant Girls School as a top student in her graduating class. Naira is not only the first in her family to attend University but also the first in her Maasai community.
Sadia graduated from Starehe Girls School and is a member of the Global Give Back Circle, a program which includes additional mentoring and an extensive computer class. She is from the Northeastern area of Kenya and plans to return there to advocate for women's rights in her Muslim community.
As EFAC's partner in Kenya, ANU has been instrumental in EFAC's success and Founder Nancy Van Sciver offers these two students congratulations on this great opportunity. "They will both be spokespeople for their communities and foster the systemic change EFAC aspires to achieve," says Van Sciver. The ANU Law Program was recently in the news when ANU Law students won top awards in the International Moot Court in India.
 | Naira's Parents Are Thrilled
With Her Success |
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EFAC Student Awarded Scholarship to Phillips Exeter Academy Summer Leadership Program
 Yiamoi Karia, EFAC Class of 2013, has been awarded a scholarship to attend the Summer School at Phillips Exeter Academy and was selected to participate in the Charles J. Hamm Leadership Program.
She will join students from around the world in Exeter this summer for five weeks of academic study, athletics, and boarding school life. While she is in the US, she will spend time at the homes of EFAC Board members before she starts school and will attend EFAC events to talk about her experience as an EFAC scholar.
Yiamoi, her family and community were overwhelmed by her success. A member of her community said, "Thank you so much for your continued support to Yiamoi and all the other children. This is something special to our village and am very impressed with her achievement. I am sure she will come back with a lot of motivation, very helpful and encouraging information to share with the other children here."
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Update on Community Service
After graduation from high school, the students in the EFAC Class of 2013 participated in a 3-month community service project and the feedback from the students and supervisors about this new EFAC initiative has been very positive.
Students worked a minimum of 15 hours a week for 3 months and many went well beyond this requirement. Several students have decided to continue their service work until they begin University in September. And, for a few students, their experience has helped them decide on a career path.
Mercy taught science and English to 8th graders in her former primary school where the "teachers were so happy to see me. I could read from their faces they were proud of me because I was the product of their teaching four years ago when I was in primary school."
 | | Mercy Discusses Her Community Service Project & EFACs Impact |
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Upcoming Events
June 25: Sixth Annual EFAC Golf & Tennis Classic at the York Golf & Tennis Club. More details...
July 7: Cocktail party in Newburyport hosted by EFAC sponsors Phyllis and Nick Orem.
July 22: Wells, Maine Rotary, 7:30 AM EFAC presentation by founder Nancy Van Sciver
July 26: Open to the Public - EFAC event and Biddeford Art Walk, 6:30 pm at Motorland Vintage America, 2 Main Street, Biddeford, ME. Learn about EFAC's innovative African story and view local photographer David Speltz's African photograpy.
October Gala in Los Altos, CA at the home of EFAC sponsor Kate Strasburg. Details to follow.
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