13-year-old Nariku* had an incredibly difficult life. Orphaned at a very young age, she lived with impoverished relatives who didn’t see her as precious and valued. They saw her as an opportunity to get a dowry of livestock or other compensation from a groom that might be three times her age and who might already have three or four other wives.

Word about Nariku’s situation was shared with the local Directorate of Children Services, and thankfully, she was rescued and brought to the Brydges Centre.

While the Kenyan government provides zero financial support for rescued children, Nariku was taken into our Brydges Centre family with joy and celebration!

Nariku was 13 and had never been to a day of school in her life. While most 13-year-olds in the U.S. are thinking about upcoming high school studies and the possibility of pursuing college, Nariku was entering school at the Brydges Centre for the very first time.

While she did not have any education, Nariku did have an incredible eagerness and determination to learn. Through enrollment in classes with kids much younger than she, and through specialized tutoring…

Nariku has progressed through five grades in just two years… and she’s NOT about to slow down!

Nariku is so bright and is excelling in English, Mathematics, Science, and Music. As you might already know, 100% of Nariku’s education is provided through donors like YOU with no funding support from the government.

A Heart For Others

One might suspect that a child like Nariku would only be able to receive help and support due to her challenging childhood. Instead, she contributes actively in her Brydges Centre family and has naturally taken on a “big sister” role with the younger girls, providing care, love, and support in amazing ways.

While Nariku’s first thirteen years of life were scarred by loss and trauma, just two years in the Brydges Centre family has taught her that love, being supported, and dreaming about a future is for EVERYONE at the Brydges Centre.