FLORHAM PARK — At its Friday, September 27 meeting, the Florham Park Rotary welcomed Kenyan Rotarian Emily Bakhitah, founder of the Rise to Shine Education Foundation, a private non-governmental organization focused on empowering young, needy students in Kenya. Bakhitah shared her personal story and the mission of her foundation, which aims to break the cycle of poverty by providing educational opportunities for vulnerable children.
Bakhitah started the foundation eight years ago with just 12 students—some orphaned, others from extremely poor backgrounds—all eager to succeed in school. Today, the Rise to Shine Education Foundation has helped about 500 students secure scholarships to complete their high school education and obtain secondary school certificates.
In her address, Bakhitah discussed the challenges facing young girls in Kenya, where many are married off as early as ages 8, 10, or 12, often ending their education prematurely. In many communities, girls are not encouraged to pursue education but are instead groomed for marriage and adulthood. She highlighted the stark contrast between this reality and the goals of her foundation, which strives to equip young students with the education and skills necessary to build better futures.
Bakhitah also reflected on her own upbringing, sharing the hardships she faced after her mother passed away, leaving her and her older sister to care for their younger siblings. Growing up in a community dependent on the Jaboya system—where women exchanged sexual favors for fish as a means of survival—Bakhitah and her family were fortunate to be sponsored by a local Catholic Church, which enabled her to attend a primary boarding school.
Through hard work and dedication, Bakhitah excelled in her studies, eventually earning a bachelor’s degree from Strathmore University Business School in Kenya and a master’s degree in public policy and management. Her journey has inspired her to give back to her community and empower the next generation of Kenyan youth to break free from poverty through education.
