A shining example of what’s possible in Africa
By Adventure Consultants
In East Africa, 43% of the population are under 15. They are the future of these countries, yet 48% live
below the poverty line, and only 50% have access to secondary education.
So They Can was founded in 2009 by Cassandra Treadwell and Keri Chittenden in response to an immediate need that faced the community of Nakuru in Kenya, two hours north of Nairobi. The 2007 Kenyan election violence internally displaced 600,000 people (IDPs). Cassandra and Keri met a camp of
6,700 IDPs living in temporary tents. Their request: help us ‘educate our children’ to give them a future.
They responded to the request and all their efforts at So They Can help to break the cycle of poverty and give hope to the next generation.
So They Can are a not-for-profit organisation registered in Australia, New Zealand, Kenya, Tanzania and the United States with a focus on education to break the poverty cycle in Africa. Since beginning in 2009 they have created the following projects, by working with the communities affected and with local and national government support to alleviate poverty:
In Kenya:
• Aberdare Ranges Primary School with 960 children (a full primary school of 1080 by 2017)
• Miti Mingi Children’s Village with 120 orphaned and vulnerable children, all who attend their school
• A Micro Finance Business School for Women
• A Clinic for the community of 20,000
• Sew Women Can – social business training young girls to be tailors
• A Farm and Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program
In Tanzania:
• A National Teachers’ Training College
• An Education Collaborative with 9 very poor rural schools
• Farm and Bike shop social business.
So They Can focus their efforts and funds on providing quality education to children and adults, specifically women, to increase the number of students who graduate from high school and can seek further education or employment. This in turn grows the economy and breaks the cycle of poverty.
They are committed to supporting economic development in these communities by identifying social business opportunities, ensuring the sustainability of their education strategies. These businesses have a dual purpose; they benefit the community by creating jobs and they generate funds to help support the education projects.
Adventure Consultants and So They Can hope you can support the efforts of So They Can to continue their important work in Kenya and Tanzania.
Opportunities exist to visit So They Can projects at the end of your Kilimanajro climb and safari with Adventure Consultants and also join the So They Can bike tours in the region.
Further Info at:
You can support One Heart Day and the great work of So They Can by purchasing these amazing ROAR t-shirts.
These t-shirts were designed for So They Can by Sarah Holmes in Wanaka:
This art was drawn when I was deeply moved by the situation of the African children. I drew the lion to represent the spirit of the African people; alive and vulnerable. His name is Hekima which is Kiswahili for wisdom. The people have their wisdom now let’s help them have their voice. It is my tremendous privilege to be a part of this great journey of empowerment. Each t-shirt bought will send money to help make things right. They have a voice; let’s give them a chance to ROAR.
Sarah Holmes
